A Rest For The People Of God

[Shimshon]

Is the Sabbath a sign of God’s people? Will the world know those who follow God because of the observance to a 7th day physical rest?

There is much debate around the timing and observance of the Sabbath. Many believe we are commanded to observe it because it was made holy by God at creation, and/or reinforced upon the children of Yisrael through Moses.

I hold neither to be a valid representation of the Sabbath today. The Sabbath rest we are to enter into has always been through faith in Messiah. And is understood through the book of Hebrews chapters 3-4 & 8-10. As mentioned in another thread of mine called “What’s your job duties in the Temple of God“, when the priests are done gathering the blood from the sacrificial offerings they presented it to the High Priest, who then takes it into the Holy of Hollies, and sprinkles it on the Ark. While this happened the other priests would have STOPPED their work, and rested. Counting on the High Priest to do his job.

Yeshua has entered the most holy place not built by hands, with his blood as an offering for our sins. And much to some of the other priests surprise he hasn’t come back out, yet. And some seem to think he has died up/in there, and have started to re institute the sacrifices of the Law for righteousness sake. As if this shows love for God!

What do you think will happen when Yeshua comes back out of the most holy place? And finds his so called children attempting to operate the functions of the first outer court? And making a mockery of his own Work. Don’t you think he is going to take those tablets and smash them down on the ground and slay them with the wrath of his (second) coming? As he consecrates those who will stand for the Word of God, Yeshua? Does not the very book of the law condemn those already who have not believed in the declarations of the Lord?

This lays to waste any notion of operating the Law given Moses after Yeshua is offered as the eternal sacrifice. As explained in more detail in my other thread.

 

[Shimshon]

But, what about the fact that the Sabbath was instituted at the creation? The other school of thought is that since it was from creation that it is now still applicable. Because the creation is till here. And with this wedge driven into your heart you seek to observe it as God desires. Here is where Hebrews 3-4 come into play. Let’s look at it.

First, we should place some context on this. We just saw in verses 1-6 how Yeshua is compared to Moses and found greater, in every way.

Hebrews 3
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. 10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ 11 As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.'”
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And again the comparison stands. They heard what I told them then, so Today when you hear my voice, don’t react like they did. They did not know God’s ways because they did not realize it was operable only from the heart. Not by merely doing the commands, but doing it with God inside you. Remember how His words are not too far from them, but on their lips and in their heart? In this way, the law was spiritual. Not that it could impart eternal life, but that it was only truly operable through the heart. And most only saw physical commands.

But, the point here is, Today we here his voice. And we are to take it to heart. Or we will not enter His rest. We will not be able to observe the Sabbath the way He commands it.

12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
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Today God is living in us which cause all sin to be removed from our hearts.

14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.15 As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” 16For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses?17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
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Today we are hearing God as they did, His voice is speaking again. He is a living God. Not a God who speaks only once. And we are called here to not disregard it as the former children did. They did not enter God’s Sabbath, even when they observed it by command through Moses! But some did, as we see in Hebrews 11.

 

[Shimshon]

So, this rest/Sabbath is unable to be observed without Faith.

Hebrews 4
1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.
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The promise of entering His rest/Sabbath still stands. And, look at this!

3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,'”although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” 5 And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.”

6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on.
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We who have believed in Yeshua enter the rest God commanded from the foundation of the world!!

Not through observance of a certain day, but observance of a certain Word. Namely that which calls us to receive Faith in Yeshua Messiah for the things ‘HE’ does, in and through us.

9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
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[Shimshon]

O.k. here’s the real deal. Through Faith in Yeshua we not only are united as one with God, we let Him live Today through our bodies. Not us, but Him. In so doing, we enter the rest of God. We end the life that was for our self, and rest in the life that He lives through us today. Today when we believe the Words Yeshua spoke to His disciples, we too are filled with the Holy Spirit. Who comes to live in our souls this very day. He asks us to rest from our own works. During Moses’ time He commanded us to work with Him as He worked among us. Today He commands us to not work for ourselves, but to let Him work through us. If we say we love Him, yet live for ourselves, we lie. And the truth is not in us. But if we say we love Him, and empty our souls of our own desires and wants. And offer our lives for the good of God and others. Then He is TRULY living within you. And I am positive He empowers us to do wonders greater than we ever imagine. If we only believe, and have Faith. That God lives in us. And leads us into His rest.

 

[1stcenturylady]

Every covenant has a sign of that covenant.

The Sabbath was the sign of the Covenant of the Ten Commandments, called the Old Covenant.

The New Covenant has a sign of the Covenant based on the blood of Jesus. That sign is the Cup of the New Testament. 1 Corinthians 11:25.

 

[Shimshon]

Every covenant has a sign of that covenant.

The Sabbath was the sign of the Covenant of the Ten Commandments, called the Old Covenant.

The New Covenant has a sign of the Covenant based on the blood of Jesus. That sign is the Cup of the New Testament. 1 Corinthians 11:25.

Every covenant is ratified by blood. Hebrews 9:18, Luke 22:20

The sign and seal of the old covenant is the Sabbath. Exodus 31:13

But the sign and seal of the new covenant is the Spirit. John 14:16, 2 Corinthians 1:22, Ephesians 1:13, Jude 1:19

 

[1stcenturylady]

Every covenant is ratified by blood. Hebrews 9:18, Luke 22:20

The sign and seal of the old covenant is the Sabbath. Exodus 31:13

But the sign and seal of the new covenant is the Spirit. John 14:16, 2 Corinthians 1:22, Ephesians 1:13, Jude 1:19

That is interesting. I see the Cup as representation of the blood of Jesus. Also, it is the Cup of the NEW COVENANT.

I read your scriptures and see them as our circumcision of the heart.

Great scriptures, either way.

 

[W2L]

Rest is a blessed thing. My heart is glad to meditate on it. Im tired.