Light My Path.

The Case for the Sabbath

Is the Sabbath only a requirement for the Jews or for all true followers of God?

Long before the Jews even existed God sanctified the seventh day at creation.

Gen 2:2-3 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

The Sabbath is also one of the 10 commandments:

`Ex 20-8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The commandment even mentions that it was the day of rest from creation. It also states that it is the Sabbath of the Lord not of the Jews.

Ex 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

This verse seems to say that the Sabbath is only for the nation of Israel. But is that true in light of the previously quoted scriptures? God was establishing a covenant with the nation of Isreal—not the rest of humanity. He wanted Israel to be an example to the other nations so that in time they would come to know God as well.

Read the fourth commandment again. It says even the “stranger who is within your gates” is to keep the Sabbath. So not just the Israelites.

Isa 56: 1-2 Thus says the LORD: “Keep justice, and do righteousness,
For My salvation is about to come,
And My righteousness to be revealed.

Blessed is the man who does this,
And the son of man who lays hold on it;

Isa 56:6 “Also the sons of the foreigner
Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him,
And to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants—
Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And holds fast My covenant—
Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

So not just the Jews—everyone that joins themselves to the LORD.

Isa 66:23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

This is prophetic—a time is coming when all mankind will worship God on the Sabbath. That is what He wants.

Jesus Christ was born a Jew. He lived like a Jew and kept the Sabbath. Ever wonder why he didn’t come as some other nationality? Because God made a covenant with the Jews and salvation is of the Jews through Christ who came to save us. He is our salvation.

The Jews have not accepted Christ as their savior yet. But the covenant is still in place. God is true to His word.

Jhn 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

We are to become Jews inwardly, why? Because of the above verse that salvation is of the Jews. We need to be grafted into the covenant and part of that covenant is keeping the Sabbath.

Rom 2:29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

In the NT we are told to follow Christ in His steps.

1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Many Christians today believe that Christ rose from the dead on Sunday and therefore should now worship on Sunday.

If Christ and God wanted to change the day of worship, why does the Bible not say so. Historical records show that the Catholic church changed the day of worship. Like today, there was a lot of antisemitism in early Christian times and the Catholic Church did not want any association with the Jews. Martin Luther had an extreme hatred for the Jews. This attitude has permeated main stream Christianity.

Why would God change the day of worship when in the future He wants all flesh to come and worship on that day?

Does it make sense that IF Christ rose from the dead on Sunday that is a reason to change the day of worship? Or that the disciples gathered on Sunday to break bread changes anything. It only says they gathered to share a meal.

Did Christ even rise on Sunday? The women came to the tomb early on the first day of the week and found Christ already risen. Most likely he rose late on Saturday the Sabbath.

Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

There is ample evidence in the NT of the apostles preaching on the Sabbath. There is no evidence of them teaching that a different day should be observed.

Act 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

Paul preached on the Sabbath to Gentiles.

Acts 13:42, 44 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

44. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

Not keeping the Sabbath in ancient Israel was a serious offence worthy of death.

Ex 35:2 “Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

The Sabbath is very important to God.

Mar 2:27 And he said unto them, the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

God made the Sabbath for us. God didn’t need to rest after He created the heavens and the earth. He did it as an example for us. He knew that as human beings we would need not only physical rest from our work week but also a time to reflect and draw closer to Him.

It is a time to put aside the cares of the world. To rest from your weekly work, for family, gathering with other believers, enjoying good food and focusing on God. It is a blessing not a burden. It brings peace and spiritual well-being to our lives.

I personally really look forward to the Sabbath. It is not a day of things I can’t do but a day I get to take a break without feeling guilty about all the jobs that need doing. There are six other days for that.