SABBATH or SUNDAY?
IN THE BEGINNING
Genesis 2:1-3 "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 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."
There are only SEVEN DAYS in a week.
The Seventh Day is a specific day in the creation week.
God RESTED on THE Seventh Day of the week.
God BLESSED THE Seventh Day of the week.
God SANCTIFIED THE Seventh Day of the week.
This is not said of any day in creation week, OTHER than THE Seventh Day.
Exodus 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."
In the 4th commandment of Exodus 20, God takes us back to creation week.
God reminds us that He is the creator of all things.
His name is "THE LORD THY GOD".
That He rested on THE Seventh Day.
That He blessed THE Seventh Day.
That He hallowed THE Seventh Day.
God specifically identifies THE Seventh Day as the SABBATH DAY
God reminds us to REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY, to keep it holy.
This is not said of any other day but THE Seventh Day.
JESUS
Mark 2:27,28 "And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath."
Luke 6:5 "And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath."
Jesus takes us back to creation week.
He reminds us that THE Sabbath was MADE for man.
When was the Sabbath made for man?
In the beginning as recorded in Genesis 2
The Sabbath is identified as THE Seventh Day
Jesus says he is Lord also of the Sabbath Day.
Hence He is Lord of THE Seventh Day Sabbath.
The Psalmist says: "This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Ps 118:24
Jesus said: "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath."
THE CREATOR IS JESUS
John 1:1-3 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."
Colossians 1:12-17 "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
Hebrews 1:1,2 "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,1:2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;"
Jesus is the WORD in John 1:1
Jesus was with God in John 1:1
Jesus was God in John 1:1
And the WORD was MADE flesh - became one of us - John 1:14
Jesus created ALL things in Colossians 1:12-17
God has spoken to us by His Son in these last days. Hebrews 1:1,2
It was by His Son, Jesus, that God made the worlds - Hebrews 1:2.
Jesus is the Creator of ALL things.
As creator of ALL things, Jesus, therefore, MADE the Sabbath - Mark 2:27.
Having made the Sabbath, He claims Lordship of the Sabbath - Mark 2:28.
Hence Jesus would know how to keep the Sabbath Day holy.
The Pharisees' accusations in Mark 2 and Luke 6 were, therefore, baseless.
Christ knew what was lawful on the Sabbath having made the Day.
It was Jesus' custom to keep the Sabbath Day holy - Luke 4:16
THE 7TH DAY SABBATH IS THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT OF THE MORAL LAW - THE 10 COMMANDMENTS
The 7th Day Sabbath is the fourth commandment of the Law - Exo 20:8.
Jesus came to fulfil the Law and not to do away or destroy it - Matt 5:17
Jesus summarised the 10 commandments into two. - Matt 22:36-40.
The commandments tell us what sin is - 1John 3:5, Rom 7:7
The breaking of the commandments is SIN 1John 3:4
Jesus came to save His people from their sins - Matt 1:21
The wages of SIN is DEATH - Rom 6:23
Jesus came to empower his people to overcome sin - 1Cor 10:13
This empowerment includes the keeping of ALL the Commandments.
The Seventh Day Sabbath is one of the Commandments - it's all or nothing.
Jesus said: "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31,32
Jesus here defines what a TRUE disciples is. It is anyone who continues in Christ's word. To be considered a true Christian, the WORD of God must be the all absorbing focus in the life - a "thus saith the Lord" and not a "thus saith men" or a "thus saith the church".
Well, will it be the seventh day SABBATH or SUNDAY? The choice is yours!
The commandments of GOD or the commandments of MEN? - Matt 15:9, Mark 7:7, Tit 1:14
"We ought to obey God rather than men" - Acts 5:29
Note some of the things Jesus said about the moral law:
"If ye love me, keep my commandments." - John 14:15
"And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." - Matt 19:17
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." - Matt 5:17
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.- Matt 5:19
"Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Matt 4:10 - the first commandment
"The Sabbath was made for man...", Mark 2:27 - 4th commandment
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Matt 5:27,28 - the 7th commandment.
"Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matt 22:36-40 - 1st commandment
"And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matt 7:23 Iniquity is SIN and sin is the breaking of God's Law.
The Angel said to John: "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." - Rev 22:14
We have seen in this website that there is a power which seeks world dominance in spiritual and secular matters while pretending to be a follower of Christ.
That power is the PROFESSED Christian world - Catholic & Protestant.
These powers are identified in Revelation chapter 13.
These powers are actuated by the Dragon - Rev 13:2,11.
Papal Rome receives its power, seat & great authority from the Dragon - v 2
The Protestant USA will speak "as a Dragon" - Rev 13:11
The dragon is a symbol of that old Serpent, the Devil and Satan - Rev 12:9.
The world is being prepared to accept Papal Rome as the final authority.
The Dragon WILL SOON make war again with the COMMANDMENT KEEPING PEOPLE OF GOD - those who keep the SEVENTH DAY SABBATH.
PAPAL ROME HAS & WILL PERSECUTE CHRISTIANS AGAIN
"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev 12:17
The Devil will persecute Commandment keeping Christians - Rev 12:17
Satan gave the 1st beast of Rev 13 his power, seat and great authority - v 2.
This beast in Rev 13:1-10 is PAPAL ROME - see the study on Revelation 13
PAPAL ROME will war with the saints as it did in the past - Rev 13:7, Dan 7:25
PAPAL ROME, will persecute commandment keeping Christians
Papal Rome will work through the SECOND beast of Rev 13:11-17
This second Beast is PROTESTANT USA.
The USA will make an image to and of the first beast.
The first beast of Rev 13 (Papal Rome) is a UNION of CHURCH & STATE
The 2nd beast will legislate for the Church, uniting CHURCH & STATE
The issue in Rev 13 and 14 is over WORSHIP - Rev 13:4,12,15,
Worship of God or worship of the Beast & its image - Rev 13:4,15, 14:7,9
Worship has to do with a DAY - the 7th day SABBATH or SUNDAY?
Worship God on His Day, the 7th Day Sabbath or the Beast on Sunday.
SUNDAY will be ENFORCED by LEGISLATION in the future - Rev 13:12
Persecution commences with economic boycott - can't buy or sell - Rev 13:17
Boycott followed by DEATH DECREE on all who refuse to worship the beast.
But at that time Christ will deliver His people!
THE PUSH FOR SUNDAY LEGISLATION HAS BEEN GAINING MOMENTUM!
"The Sunday trading ban took effect in Poland on March 1, 2018. It is being implemented gradually over a three-year period. In 2018 shops were closed on Sundays with two monthly exceptions: the first and the last Sunday of each month. In 2019, only one Sunday per month was excluded from the ban, i.e., the last Sunday of each month and selected Sundays before Christmas and the one before Easter. From 2020 onward, the law allowed for Sunday shopping on Sundays preceding Christmas, one Sunday before Easter, and the last Sunday of January, April, June, and August of each calendar year. On Christmas Eve and Easter Saturday (preceding Easter), buyers could purchase only until 2 PM. As a general overview, there were 37 Sundays with the trading ban in 2019 and 45 Sundays in 2020. In 2021, customers won’t be able to do their shopping for 45 Sundays of the year."
PAGAN ROME INITIATED THE FIRST SUNDAY LAW
Emperor Constantine 1
“On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed.” Codex Justinianus 3.12.3, trans. Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, 5th ed. New York, 1902, 3:380, note 1.
PAPAL ROME CONTINUED THE PRACTICE AND CLAIMED IT AS HER OWN
Council of Laodecia 364 AD
“Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday but shall work on that day; but the Lord’s day they shall especially honour, and, as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out from Christ” Strand, op. cit., citing Charles J. Hefele, A History of the Councils of the Church, 2 Edinburgh, 1876. 316.
“The Catholic Church, … by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday” The Catholic Mirror, official publication of James Cardinal Gibbons, Sept. 23, 1893.
“You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify.” Catholic Cardinal Gibbons, Faith of Our Fathers, 92nd ed., p. 89
ST JOSEPHS CATECHISM - ROME ADMITS TO THE CHANGE FROM SATURDAY TO SUNDAY
Note Question 235 and the reasons given "to keep Sunday as the Lord's day" and the final admission, "For these reasons the Church changed the Lord's day from SATURDAY to SUNDAY. (Uppercase emphasis supplied)
"For these reasons the Church changed the Lord's day from SATURDAY to SUNDAY."
CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE.
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15
No-one has the authority to change a single precept of the 10 commandments including the 7th Day Sabbath, not even the Pope.
ETERNAL LIFE - SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH
If thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandments - Matt 19:17
Jesus said, "If ye love me keep my commandments" - John 14:15
"...here are they that keep the commandments of God,..." - Rev 14:12
"Blessed are they that do his commandments,..." Rev 22:14
Yes, we are saved by grace through faith - Ephesians 2:8
But it is "a faith which worketh by LOVE" - Galatians 5:6
And "Love is the fulfilling of the Law" - Romans 13:10
The Love for God will be manifested in the keeping of the Law
The love for your neighbour will be manifested in the keeping of the law
So no matter which way you cut this thing, those who are law breakers will reap the consequences of the wages of sin, which is death and those who are saved will be keeping the law of God which includes the 7th Day Sabbath.
Jesus came to save his people FROM their Sins - Matt 1:21
He did not come to save them IN their sins.
He came to show us how to live a life in harmony with God's law.
May God bless you as you study into these things for the time is at hand
Elias