The Sabbath | One Truth One Way

How we worship reveals who we worship and since God does not change, He still does not want us worshiping Him like the pagan nations worship their false gods.

Deuteronomy 12:29-31 When the Lord your God goes ahead of you and destroys the nations and you drive them out and live in their land, do not fall into the trap of following their customs and worshiping their gods. Do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations worship their gods? I want to follow their example.’ You must not worship the Lord your God the way the other nations worship their gods, for they perform for their gods every detestable act that the Lord hates.

Our behavior is a reflection of what we believe and who we worship. We can actually say we know God and yet deny Him with our behavior and style of worship.

Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but by their behavior they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

It's not until we obey God's commandments that we can truly say we know Him because anyone who truly knows God, will know that He desires His people to obey His Laws and do things that are pleasing to Him.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

1 John 2:3-4 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1 John 3:22 whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing to him.

Our worship can even be in vain and worthless to God if we don't obey His commandments, but instead, we follow man-made laws and traditions.

Matthew 15:9 Their worship is worthless, for they teach their man-made laws instead of those from God.

Mark 7:7 And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

Matthew 15:3 Jesus said to them, “Why do you break the Law of God by trying to keep their tradition?"

Matthew 15:5-6 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

Remembering to keep the seventh day holy is not only a commandment of God, it's also an expression of our love for Him because keeping the commandments of God is how we express our love for Him.

"Fourth Commandment"

Exodus 20:8-10 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.

1 John 5:2-3 This is the way we know we love God’s children. It is when we love God and obey His commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.

The fourth commandment was enacted to protect the holiness of the seventh day, it didn't make the day holy. The word, "Remember" points us back to Genesis when God actually created the seventh day and declared it holy. Even without the fourth commandment, the seventh day would still be holy and blessed because that's the way God created it. The fourth commandment is only a reminder and enforcer to all to keep it holy.

Notice how the Sabbath rest is for all people, including the foreigner, which is a Gentile. Even the workings animals benefit from the Sabbath. It's not just a Jewish day or a spiritual rest in Christ because animals don't need to rest in Christ and Gentiles are not even God's people.

Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: You are to labor six days and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the foreigner who is within your gates. For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.

God is not saying that all work is forbidden on the Sabbath, such as the work that is done to make the Sabbath day special. There are even some jobs that are required to be done on the Sabbath such as pastors, nurses, fire and police, military, security and support services for these occupations. Even occupations such as plumbers and electricians are sometimes required to work on the Sabbath. God knows emergencies come up that require us to work or be on duty during the Sabbath.

2 Kings 11:4-7 In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of hundreds—of the guards and the escorts—and brought them into the house of the Lord to him. And he made a covenant with them and took an oath from them in the house of the Lord, and showed them the king’s son. Then he commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall do: One-third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath shall be keeping watch over the king’s house, one-third shall be at the gate of Sur, and one-third at the gate behind the escorts. You shall keep the watch of the house, lest it be broken down. The two contingents of you who go off duty on the Sabbath shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord for the king.

The fourth commandment is more about holding the world accountable to one standard for all, especially pagan bosses who force believers to work at unnecessary jobs on the Sabbath. Your boss is not accountable to God if he makes you work Sunday or any other day of the week. Six days we have to do all our work, but the seventh day belongs to God, that's how He created the work week. Believers, who love God, don't need a law to force them to honor His holy day, just like husbands and wives need no law to force them to make each other happy. They do it because they love each other.

Loving God, the way God defines love, is one thing that defines His true people.

Exodus 31:13 Say to the people of Israel, ‘Keep My Sabbath holy, for this is something special between Me and you forever. So you may know that I am the Lord Who sets you apart for Myself.

Some people might say that love itself is what separates God's true church from all the other churches, this is not true. Love, by itself, is a neutral force that can attach itself to things that are good or evil, this is why love must be defined and controlled by God if it's going to be godly love.

1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Love can be found in many organizations, both secular and religious. Even a person who rejects God and the Bible can express love. The problem is, a lot of times the love they have is perverse because it goes against God's law so it's not godly love.

Romans 13:8-10 Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,” and if there is any other commandment are summed up in this, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Our love for God and His ways will move us to keep His commandments and they won't be a burden. Why? Because in the New Covenant we get a new heart and a new nature that loves God and desires to live His way of life. Obeying God's law will come natural because His law defines godly love and godly love in us will produces godly behaviors, this includes keeping the Sabbath holy. Believers don't honor the Sabbath as a means to earn salvation, it's the fruit of salvation and our love for God is witnessed by a changed life.

Ezekiel 36:25-27 Then I will put clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will make you clean from all your unclean ways and from all your false gods. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to follow My Laws and be careful to do what I tell you.

1 John 5:3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.

There are a lot of ungodly behaviors being done and accepted in church today under the banner of love, such as, same sex marriages. Homosexuality is a sin against God, it's not how God defines love.

Leviticus 18:22 You must not have sexual relations with a male as one has sexual relations with a woman; it is an abomination.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

If a church says they know God, yet they accept and perform same sex marriages, they are denying Him with their behavior.

Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but by their behavior they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

If God says, "Remember to keep the seventh day holy" but we reject the holiness of the seventh day and keep the first day holy instead, we are denying Him by our behavior.

Exodus 20:8-10 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.

When we deny God with our behavior and our traditions, our worship is worthless and in vain.

Matthew 15:9 Their worship is worthless, for they teach their man-made laws instead of those from God.

Mark 7:7 And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

The seventh day Sabbath testifies of creation and God as Creator so when we honor it, we glorify God. For example:

When you ask an atheist what they believe they say, science.

Okay, now ask them why the whole world has a seven day week.

Exodus 20:11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

The seventh day Sabbath is a weekly reminder and a memorial of creation and God as creator.

Do you see why Satan hates the Sabbath and needs to get people to forget about it, even after God told us to remember it by keeping it holy? The seventh day even refutes the Theory of Evolution because it testifies of a creation and gives God glory as its Creator, and Satan hates that.

Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: You are to labor six days and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the foreigner who is within your gates. For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.

When we honor the seventh day Sabbath, we testify to the world around us that we worship the one true God of creation.

Ezekiel 20:20 Keep my Sabbaths holy; let them be a sign between me and you, so that they may know that I am the LORD your God.

God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy as part of a perfect creation. This was before sin, before there was a Jew and even before there was a law enacted to protect it.

Genesis 2:1-3 So the heavens and the earth and everything in them were completed. By the seventh day God completed His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it He rested from His work of creation.

The words, blessed and holy, have meaning to God and are important to Him. They help us to understand His nature and they help us to connect with God. The word, blessed, means to confer or invoke divine favor upon. This means the seventh day is special to God. The word, holy, means dedicated or devoted to the service of God, consecrated and sacred. This means the seventh day was created for His use and purpose, while the other six days is for our use and purpose. Because of this, He protects the seventh day for the gathering of His people for worship. The Sabbath belongs to the Lord no matter where you live.

Leviticus 23:3 You have six days in which to do your work, but remember that the seventh day Sabbath, On that day do not work, but gather for worship. The Sabbath belongs to the Lord, no matter where you live.

When we keep the Sabbath holy, we dedicate the entire day to God. We put down our tools a trade and come from far and near to gather as a people to worship, to preach, to teach, to testify and pray as a body of believers. We celebrate our friends and families in Christ. We build and strengthen our relationships in Christ and with one another. We set aside the Sabbath as special time with God and His family and to enjoy His creation. The Sabbath can be a very busy day when we make it special, such as preaching and teaching, testimony, potluck meals, nature walks with the youth, praise and worship, cookouts, godly movies, community service and anything else that draws from Philippians 4:8 and Matthew 5:16.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

The seventh day totally belongs to God so we don't allow the activities and cares of the secular systems of this world to interfere with the Sabbath, unless of course its an emergency or you have the kind of job that requires your skills to save and preserve life or to enforce safety and social order.

Mark 3:4 Then Jesus turned to his critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him.

Matthew 12:12 Then Jesus said, "Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

We are not violating a principle of godly love when an emergency or our a critical job causes us to miss honoring the Sabbath. Sometimes things happen but otherwise, we have six days a week to make a living and interact with the stresses and cares of the secular world but the seventh day should be dedicated to God because He blessed it and declared it holy, in other words, He set it apart for His purpose.

Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: You are to labor six days and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.

Some people have been taught that Sunday is the seventh day, but that's not true. Even our dictionaries tell us the seventh day is Saturday, not Sunday.

Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary

Sa-ur-day: the seventh day of the week. The day preceding Sunday and following Friday.

Sun-day: the first day of the week.

Messiah declares Himself to be Lord of the Sabbath, which means the Sabbath is the Lord's day, not Sunday.

Luke 6:5 Jesus said unto them, “The Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath.”

Some people might say that it doesn't matter which day you call holy while others might say every day is holy, but this is not what God says. It is true that our lives should always be holy and dedicated to God but we can't put down our tools of trade and come from far and near to gather every day because we will soon go broke. Nor can we declare any day we want to be holy because it won't work.

For example, There was once a very enthusiastic Sabbath day preacher. He sold all that he had and moved to a distant land to start a church. With the money he saved, he built a beautiful church building. He then began his outreach. He walked for miles and handed out hundreds of invitations to attend their community's new church on Sabbath morning. That Saturday, the pastor showed up only to find an empty church. That continued for about 2 months until finally the pastor had to close the church. He was so disappointed that he set out to talk to all the people he invited to find out why they didn't come to church. Here are some of the answers they gave him. Some said, "I'm no longer under the law, I don't have to go to church". One said, "Monday is my holy day". Yet another said, "I believe Thursday is now the holy day to gather for worship". Another family said, "We have soccer practice every Saturday, so we can't attend church". Yet another group of people said, "We honor a spiritual sabbath rest, so we don't go to church." The pastor finally gave up, packed his bangs, and went back home.

Do you see why God sanctified and blessed the seventh day and then protected it with His law? He did this, so we could all be on the same page and find unity in fellowship.

Acts 13:44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.

Some people will say, "My rest is in Jesus."

The above statement is a common one when you talk to an anti-Torah Christian about the Sabbath.

The soul rest we find in Messiah is different than the rest on the Sabbath, one is physical, and one is spiritual.

Messiah said, "Take my yoke, and learn from Me, because My burden is light, and My yoke is easy." These are terms used for work. The only soul rest we should experience is when we obey, there should be no soul rest while living in sin.

Matthew 11:29-30 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Jeremiah 6:16 This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’

Notice in the above verse how soul rest comes from walking the godly road, since they refused, they will find no soul rest.

The soul rest we can have in Messiah comes from walking the godly path that Messiah walked, It’s a walk of obedience that is easy, and not heavy, because Messiah's yoke is easy, and His burden is light.

Messiah's yoke is easy, and His burden is light, compared to the heavy burdens the Pharisees put on the people to be saved.

Matthew 23:2-4 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

The Sabbath rest is physical, it's not the same spiritual soul rest that we get from obedience. We know this because even the working animals participate in the Sabbath rest, as well as, the foreigner.

Exodus 20:8-10 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.

There is only soul rest in obedience, not in disobedience.

Email: MessiahofIsrael@aol.com

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