Good read if anyone cares to find out. About how the sabbath remains and is to be remembered as a true Sabbath observed day.
So far, then, from the Sabbath law being a heavy burden which God has laid on His creatures, it is a noble boon and an inestimable blessing. So far from it being an unkind deprivation of our liberty, its right observance makes for an entrance into real spiritual freedom. God blessed the seventh day (Gen. 2:3). The Sabbath was Divinely designed, from its original institution, to be a day of blessing to all who duly observed it. Therefore has the Lord declared, Blessed is the man that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it (Isa. 56:2): it is not a day of irksome restraint, but one of peace and good. It is a gracious gift whereby, in the midst of our toils, we are granted a deliverance even from that curse, in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground (Gen. 3:19). Mans Maker has mercifully secured to him one seventh portion of his whole life wherein he may rest his wearied body and refresh his needy soul, by separating himself from the toil of this life and fixing his contemplation on the life to come.
The second passage to which we appeal for proof of the Sabbath in this dispensation is, Neither let the son of the stranger that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from His people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep My Sabbaths, and choose the things that please Me, and take hold of My covenant: Even unto them will I give in Mine house and within My walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants, everyone that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of My covenant; even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon Mine altar: for Mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people (Isa. 56:3-7).
Now it should be unmistakably evident to all that the above prediction does and could not refer to Jewish but must relate to Gospel times. First, this is clear from the place it occupies in the chain of prophecy, and of which it is a parti.e., beginning at 54:1 immediately after the atoning death of Christ in chapter 53. Second, it is directly connected with the revelation of Gods righteousness and the coming near of His salvation (56:1), which can only be understood of Gospel times (see Rom. 1:16, 17), and is so regarded by all sound interpreters. Third, express mention is here made of the keeping of the Sabbath as a characteristic mark of godliness on the part of the strangers (Isa. 56:6) that is, the Gentiles who should join themselves to the LordTo the Lord, and not to the Nation of Israel!
But in the third place, we ask, Is it true that no Divine command for the sanctification of the first day is to be found in the Epistles? And we reply, No, it is not. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let everyone of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come (1 Cor. 16:1, 2). I have given order, is certainly the language of authority, and cannot be regarded as anything less than an apostolic command. It is to be duly noted that Paul gave order concerning not only the principle of systematic Christian giving (for the relief of indigent saints), but also stipulated the time when such collections were to be made, that being appointed for the first day of the week. Nor was such a regulation peculiar to the church at Corinth, as is intimated by his, so I teach everywhere in every church (4:17), so ordain I in all churches (7:17). Moreover, he expressly tells us, the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord (1 Cor. 14:37).
A number of testimonies are still extant that the Christians in the first three centuries observed the Sabbath on the first day of the week. On the day which is called Sunday, all, whether dwelling in the towns or in the villages, hold meetings, and the memoirs of the Apostles and the writings of the Prophets are read, as much as the time will permit; then the reader closing, the president in a speech exhorts and incites to an imitation of those excellent examples; then we all rise and pour forth united prayers (Justin Martyr, in his Apology: A.D. 150). Another witness of the same era is Eusebius, All things whatever that it was duty to do on the Sabbath, these we have transferred to the Lords Day, as more appropriately belonging to it, because it has a precedence, and is first in rank, and more honourable than the Jewish Sabbath. It is delivered to us that we should meet together on this day (Comments on Psalm 92).
There remaineth therefore a rest [keeping of a Sabbath] unto the people of God (v. 9). The Apostle here shows, in a brief summary, what had been conclusively established in his whole disquisition: three things indubitably followed. First, that a Divine and spiritual rest remains for the people of God to enter into and enjoy with Him. Second, that a Sabbath Day to memorialize it, and be a means of entering into that rest, abides under the Gospel. Third, that it must of necessity be another day, a different one from that which obtained under the old covenant. It is to be duly noted that the Apostle did not say there awaiteth or there is yet to be a Sabbath keeping, but there remaineth. The reference is not to something future, but what is present. This word is used in the same sense when applied negatively to the system of sacrifices: There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins (Heb. 10:26). How striking that this occurs in Hebrews! The Levitical priesthood has been set aside, the temple is no more, Judaism is abolished: but a Sabbath remains
So far, then, from the Sabbath law being a heavy burden which God has laid on His creatures, it is a noble boon and an inestimable blessing. So far from it being an unkind deprivation of our liberty, its right observance makes for an entrance into real spiritual freedom. God blessed the seventh day (Gen. 2:3). The Sabbath was Divinely designed, from its original institution, to be a day of blessing to all who duly observed it. Therefore has the Lord declared, Blessed is the man that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it (Isa. 56:2): it is not a day of irksome restraint, but one of peace and good. It is a gracious gift whereby, in the midst of our toils, we are granted a deliverance even from that curse, in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground (Gen. 3:19). Mans Maker has mercifully secured to him one seventh portion of his whole life wherein he may rest his wearied body and refresh his needy soul, by separating himself from the toil of this life and fixing his contemplation on the life to come.
The second passage to which we appeal for proof of the Sabbath in this dispensation is, Neither let the son of the stranger that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from His people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep My Sabbaths, and choose the things that please Me, and take hold of My covenant: Even unto them will I give in Mine house and within My walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants, everyone that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of My covenant; even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon Mine altar: for Mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people (Isa. 56:3-7).
Now it should be unmistakably evident to all that the above prediction does and could not refer to Jewish but must relate to Gospel times. First, this is clear from the place it occupies in the chain of prophecy, and of which it is a parti.e., beginning at 54:1 immediately after the atoning death of Christ in chapter 53. Second, it is directly connected with the revelation of Gods righteousness and the coming near of His salvation (56:1), which can only be understood of Gospel times (see Rom. 1:16, 17), and is so regarded by all sound interpreters. Third, express mention is here made of the keeping of the Sabbath as a characteristic mark of godliness on the part of the strangers (Isa. 56:6) that is, the Gentiles who should join themselves to the LordTo the Lord, and not to the Nation of Israel!
But in the third place, we ask, Is it true that no Divine command for the sanctification of the first day is to be found in the Epistles? And we reply, No, it is not. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let everyone of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come (1 Cor. 16:1, 2). I have given order, is certainly the language of authority, and cannot be regarded as anything less than an apostolic command. It is to be duly noted that Paul gave order concerning not only the principle of systematic Christian giving (for the relief of indigent saints), but also stipulated the time when such collections were to be made, that being appointed for the first day of the week. Nor was such a regulation peculiar to the church at Corinth, as is intimated by his, so I teach everywhere in every church (4:17), so ordain I in all churches (7:17). Moreover, he expressly tells us, the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord (1 Cor. 14:37).
A number of testimonies are still extant that the Christians in the first three centuries observed the Sabbath on the first day of the week. On the day which is called Sunday, all, whether dwelling in the towns or in the villages, hold meetings, and the memoirs of the Apostles and the writings of the Prophets are read, as much as the time will permit; then the reader closing, the president in a speech exhorts and incites to an imitation of those excellent examples; then we all rise and pour forth united prayers (Justin Martyr, in his Apology: A.D. 150). Another witness of the same era is Eusebius, All things whatever that it was duty to do on the Sabbath, these we have transferred to the Lords Day, as more appropriately belonging to it, because it has a precedence, and is first in rank, and more honourable than the Jewish Sabbath. It is delivered to us that we should meet together on this day (Comments on Psalm 92).
There remaineth therefore a rest [keeping of a Sabbath] unto the people of God (v. 9). The Apostle here shows, in a brief summary, what had been conclusively established in his whole disquisition: three things indubitably followed. First, that a Divine and spiritual rest remains for the people of God to enter into and enjoy with Him. Second, that a Sabbath Day to memorialize it, and be a means of entering into that rest, abides under the Gospel. Third, that it must of necessity be another day, a different one from that which obtained under the old covenant. It is to be duly noted that the Apostle did not say there awaiteth or there is yet to be a Sabbath keeping, but there remaineth. The reference is not to something future, but what is present. This word is used in the same sense when applied negatively to the system of sacrifices: There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins (Heb. 10:26). How striking that this occurs in Hebrews! The Levitical priesthood has been set aside, the temple is no more, Judaism is abolished: but a Sabbath remains
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