How do you observe the Sabbath?

[Tavita]

Do you observe it from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown? Besides going to church on the Sabbath, what else do you do, or not do, that makes it special to you? How do you show God that you are keeping the commandment and are passing the 'test'?

 

[YeshuamySalvation]

Do you observe it from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown?

YES!!

Besides going to church on the Sabbath, what else do you do, or not do, that makes it special to you? How do you show God that you are keeping the commandment and are passing the 'test'?

Keeping the Sabbath is not a test we most pass to be found worthy of eternal life, you've already passed that test by accepting Yeshua as your LORD and personal SAVIOUR... Now the Shabbat is a "Mitzvot" it's one of those Commandments which has no explanation other then in 6 days G-d created the heavens and the earth and on the seventh day he rested.. The Shabbat was instituted at Creation but was not given as a Comandment till Exodus.. Though it was not given as a Commandment at creation the Patriarchs still kept it Gen 26 :5 says - Because Abraham heard my voice, observed my safeguards, my commandments, my decrees, and my TORAHS." The Shabbat is a decree, it's a Commandment that reason cannot explain such as are the prohibitions on eating unclean animals which is one that most Adventist cling on to say that there is evidence in the science field that unclean animals are "hazards to your health." I don't buy that, there are far to many people out there that live long and healthy lives and they do happen to eat unkosher foods so it's not about that, we should just accept the fact that the bible says no and when G-d says not it means no, i don't need to go to the science field to prove my point!!

Besides going to church on the Sabbath, what else do you do, or not do, that makes it special to you?

We don't do any manner of work on that day, it's a weekly celebration to G-d almighty, we do not do what we will on Shabbat but we submit to his will by not profaning his Holy Day [Isaiah 56: 1 - 7].. We open the Shabbat with a huge party dancing and praising G-d, we cook the best dishes for "Shabbat.." If Christians knew that keeping the Shabbat is not a burden but the most funnest celebration they can ever experince "they would obviously change their minds about the weekly Sabbath celebration of the LORD..

 

[Tavita]

YES!!

Keeping the Sabbath is not a test we most pass to be found worthy of eternal life, you've already passed that test by accepting Yeshua as your LORD and personal SAVIOUR... Now the Shabbat is a "Mitzvot" it's one of those Commandments which has no explanation other then in 6 days G-d created the heavens and the earth and on the seventh day he rested.. The Shabbat was instituted at Creation but was not given as a Comandment till Exodus.. Though it was not given as a Commandment at creation the Patriarchs still kept it Gen 26 :5 says - Because Abraham heard my voice, observed my safeguards, my commandments, my decrees, and my TORAHS." The Shabbat is a decree, it's a Commandment that reason cannot explain such as are the prohibitions on eating unclean animals which is one that most Adventist cling on to say that there is evidence in the science field that unclean animals are "hazards to your health." I don't buy that, there are far to many people out there that live long and healthy lives and they do happen to eat unkosher foods so it's not about that, we should just accept the fact that the bible says no and when G-d says not it means no, i don't need to go to the science field to prove my point!!

We don't do any manner of work on that day, it's a weekly celebration to G-d almighty, we do not do what we will on Shabbat but we submit to his will by not profaning his Holy Day [Isaiah 56: 1 - 7].. We open the Shabbat with a huge party dancing and praising G-d, we cook the best dishes for "Shabbat.." If Christians knew that keeping the Shabbat is not a burden but the most funnest celebration they can ever experince "they would obviously change their minds about the weekly Sabbath celebration of the LORD..

Hi YeshuamySalvation,

Yes, I agree, there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. And He is the Way to eternal life. However, you said it yourself, the Sabbath is one of those commandments that we must obey that doesn't seem to have much reason to it. He said it is a sign between He and us, much like a test to see if we will obey Him, because He says so.

(Exo 31:17) "It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed."

Can you expand on what you mean when you say you don't do any manner of work on that day, and do not do what you will? This is the heart of what I'm wanting to hear from others.

What does a person do who is always alone on Shabbat and doesn't have anyone to have a 'party' with, or dance with or cook great food for? Not because they choose to be alone but because there is no-one else around who sees the importance of keeping the right Sabbath day.

 

[Sophia7]

...

 

[dillfazie]

Howdy Gang,
I to take Sabbath, has been a weekly affair for 13yrs now... I can attest to it being a truly rewarding event for myself and my wife... on rare occasion we may miss the day of rest and by the mid week following, your body tells on you... I never spent a great deal of study as to why we are to take it just wanted to be like the Jewish people in the beginning and the Top 10 stated it was not to be forgotten...I also noticed that of the top 10 it was the only one to me that didn't come off as a demand, ieThou Shall not), it started with Remember... seemed more like a request in comparision...
anyway, we rest, study, and do strickly God's working type things... Friday sundown to Saturday sundown is the time we practice, which is what the Adventists, Seventy day Baptists, Sabbath keepers and of course the Jewish people maintain is the Sabbath....
thanks for opening this thread for it's not often that i get to discuss this wonderful day of dedication to our Creator... I've spoken to many over the yrs. and only to my persicution, for most think i've lost my mind... especially since i'm not any of the before mensioned denominations... you should try to find a church that will listen, doesn't happen, lest not in my section of the world...
I've since learned that it was changed from Saturday to Sunday by Constine in 327 at the counsel of nicia, (it's been quite some time since i've read that so i may not be 100% accurate on those items)...
possiably something about collecting taxes from the pagans and the Christians worked better if Saturday was the collection day... So Constine suggested that Christians should worship on the day of reserection which is the first day of the week, also, this was the same time that the diciples would gather to discuss the up coming weeks events...
I have found a Church at tolerates my habit of Sabbath... for in going to Church on Sabbath was as much effort as going to work, so i decided to just take Sabbath off and stay home, rest and study... I have Church services on Sunday morning... works for me, with great blessings...

 

[dillfazie]

Howdy Gang,
I to take Sabbath, has been a weekly affair for 13yrs now... I can attest to it being a truly rewarding event for myself and my wife... on rare occasion we may miss the day of rest and by the mid week following, your body tells on you... I never spent a great deal of study as to why we are to take it just wanted to be like the Jewish people in the beginning and the Top 10 stated it was not to be forgotten...I also noticed that of the top 10 it was the only one to me that didn't come off as a demand, ie: (Thou Shall not), it started with Remember... seemed more like a request in comparision...
anyway, we rest, study, and do strickly God's working type things... Friday sundown to Saturday sundown is the time we practice, which is what the Adventists, Seventy day Baptists, Sabbath keepers and of course the Jewish people maintain is the Sabbath....
thanks for opening this thread for it's not often that i get to discuss this wonderful day of dedication to our Creator... I've spoken to many over the yrs. and only to my persicution, for most think i've lost my mind... especially since i'm not any of the before mensioned denominations... you should try to find a church that will listen, doesn't happen, lest not in my section of the world...
I've since learned that it was changed from Saturday to Sunday by Constine in 327 at the counsel of nicia, (it's been quite some time since i've read that so i may not be 100% accurate on those items)...
possiably something about collecting taxes from the pagans and the Christians worked better if Saturday was the collection day... So Constine suggested that Christians should worship on the day of reserection which is the first day of the week, also, this was the same time that the diciples would gather to discuss the up coming weeks events...
I have found a Church at tolerates my habit of Sabbath... for in going to Church on Sabbath was as much effort as going to work, so i decided to just take Sabbath off and stay home, rest and study... I have Church services on Sunday morning... works for me, with great blessings...

 

[dillfazie]

Sorry about the double post... I'm learning this site...

 

[jelvenko]

One thing that I like to do on Sabbath afternoon (when its nice enough) is go for a walk.
The town I live in is out in the country, so there's really not much around for miles. There's a creek about 1 1/2 miles out of town and I like to go there on Sabbath afternoon during the summer and just sit and enjoy the beauty of the nature that God has given to us.

On Friday nights I sometimes read different Sabbath books we have. For example, this last Friday I read "A Thousand Shall Fall" Sometimes I'll read Uncle Arthur Bedtime Stories. It really depends on the mood I'm in. And I'll listen to some praise music I have while I read.

That's what I like to do on Sabbath besides going to church.

 

[YeshuamySalvation]

I'm getting horrible internet service so it's been very hard for me to post and stayt online..

Also, the Sabbath is not a commandment given without reason. The Bible gives several reasons. First, it is a memorial of creation, when God sanctified the seventh day and rested from His work. He set signs in the heavens--the sun and the moon--to mark days and months and years, but there was nothing to mark the week other than the Sabbath. In Exodus, the Sabbath commandment is explicitly tied to creation.

Second, the Sabbath is a memorial of deliverance. In Deuteronomy 5, the Sabbath commandment is repeated--this time with the instruction to remember it because of the Lord's deliverance from slavery in Egypt.

Finally, the Sabbath is a memorial of our salvation and a foretaste of the rest that we will experience in heaven. That is what I believe Hebrews 4 talks about. It presents God's rest after creation and the weekly Sabbath rest as illustrations of the eternal rest of salvation.

I agree with the points you make and share the same view, but i do not hold that the Shabbat is a Moral Law as most Adventist do, i do hold that it is a Decree as the bible says, a huukim, a Commandment that reason cannot explain, take for instance Exodus 35:1 And Moses collected all the assembly of the children of Israel, and said to them, These are the things which Jehovah has commanded, to do them.

2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a sabbath of rest to Jehovah: whoever does work on it shall be put to death.

3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your dwellings upon the sabbath day.

Look at passover for instance, it's a Shabbat, and it certainly is permissable to kindle a fire, yet on "Shabbat" you cant, this falls into the category of a Commandment that reason cannot explain... Now, one may come up with the argument that perhaps the reason that G-d forbade the kindling of fire on Shabbat is because of the amount of work it required in those days, but now adays it does not require any work, some Sabbatarians see it like that yet the bible does not specify.. Contrary to the Traditional Adventist view, the Shabbat is "ceremonial," to keep Shabbat is ceremony, yet G-d did not destroy the ceremonial Law as most Adventist believe..

Ive got to go to work.. Blessings!!

 

[Tavita]

Thank you to everyone who took the time to post, and thank you for putting so much effort into your posts. I have a lot of suggestions to go by now. You see, when you've been involved in Sunday worship for sooo many years, it's like having to start all over again. This sort of teaching should be elementary, one of the basic teachings of the church that the novice should pick up even from just observing other christians. What is taught to new christians in Sunday worship churches, is that just going to church for an hour or two, is your 'day' of worship. It's not usually a spoken thing, it's something that's picked up by observance. Very rarely have I heard any teaching or preaching on what the whole 'day' should mean to a christian, whether it be Saturday or Sunday observance.

I do like the Messianic (or even Judaic) practise of welcoming in the Sabbath with candles and prayer, and finishing the day with the same, and also with prayers for the beginning of the new week. But I also believe it shouldn't become something legalistic.

Thanks again everyone, it's much appreciated.

 

[repentandbelieve]

Thanks Tavita for posting this question. How we should observe the Sabbath is something that I have been thinking about for quite a while.

I have a dilema. I'm a police officer by profession and fighting crime is a 24-7 type of job. Friday nights and Saturday afternoons are times when the sons of disobedience are busiest and our services are required the most.

There has bee instance where officers are allowed to have Fridays and Saturdays off based on their religious beliefs. However I don't feel right about doing that since someone else would have to do the job in my absence. It seems hypocritical to me to take that time off knowing that someone else has to work.

There are serveral other occupations with the same sort of demands. Docters, nurses, fire fighters, prison guards, etc. When you really stop and think about it there are more jobs that require people to work during the sabbath than most people realize. When we expect to have electricity into our homes that means somebody has to be on the job at the power plant.

 

[dillfazie]

repentandbelieve, great add to this set of posts...

Being as i've owned a heating and A/c company for nearly 15 yrs this is a situation that plaged myself also... granted not quite the same as shift work but still many need heat on Sabbath... I've grow to understand that God will not punish you if you are doing good on that day, more over Jesus told us that Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath... this is translated by me as our Creator wants you to take 1 in 7days off, give it to God and rest with your loved one... many times if the weather wasn't two poor, I'd ask to following Sabbath.... I didn't except money on those Sabbaths that i worked and many i forgot to even bill and trust me God has compensated me greatly for just honoring his fourth Commendment... hope this may be of help, sorry to cut short i have some pressing matters to attend to... God Bless you, dill

 

[AdventCowgirl]

Hi there,
I'll agree, keeping Sabbath isn't a test. It's something we do to show God we love Him and respect Him. We observe Sabbath from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, like how they did in the Bible. On Sabbath my family goes to church and trys to do things that pull us closer to God. We don't buy if we don't have to.

God bless!
-Rachel

 

[repentandbelieve]

repentandbelieve, great add to this set of posts...

Being as i've owned a heating and A/c company for nearly 15 yrs this is a situation that plaged myself also... granted not quite the same as shift work but still many need heat on Sabbath... I've grow to understand that God will not punish you if you are doing good on that day, more over Jesus told us that Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath... this is translated by me as our Creator wants you to take 1 in 7days off, give it to God and rest with your loved one... many times if the weather wasn't two poor, I'd ask to following Sabbath.... I didn't except money on those Sabbaths that i worked and many i forgot to even bill and trust me God has compensated me greatly for just honoring his fourth Commendment... hope this may be of help, sorry to cut short i have some pressing matters to attend to... God Bless you, dill

Thanks for your response dillfazie. Jesus was accused of being a sabbath breaker. He said that it is ok to do good on the sabbath.

Isa 1:18 says, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD:" One day out of 7, made holy by setting it apart from the other 6, seems reasonable. Actually it is for our own benifit. It helps to keep us from burning out.

Some may object to that way of reasoning, saying the law must be kept to the letter. Perhaps they need to reconsider. The world didn't stop turning after the 6th day of creation.

 

[repentandbelieve]

Hi there,
I'll agree, keeping Sabbath isn't a test. It's something we do to show God we love Him and respect Him. We observe Sabbath from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, like how they did in the Bible. On Sabbath my family goes to church and trys to do things that pull us closer to God. We don't buy if we don't have to.

God bless!
-Rachel

I think that it is wonderful that you and your family do that cowgirl.

 

[YeshuamySalvation]

But I also believe it shouldn't become something legalistic.

I do to, i've discussed this tons of times with other Adventist it seems to me that some Adventist don't think that Yeshua is enough, they believe they need righteousness of there own so one day they may be worthy of eternal life!! They believe in a fatih plus works equals salvation theology.. The faith in Yeshua that you hear from some Adventist it's pretty much a faith that enables you to perfectly obey the commandments, rather then simply trusting in Yeshua's substitutionary righteousness... No matter how much some may try to mingle grace and good deeds you cant because you're either going to believe in grace or in works there is no other way around it..

Thanks again everyone, it's much appreciated.

Thank you Tavita..

 

[Tavita]

Thanks Tavita for posting this question. How we should observe the Sabbath is something that I have been thinking about for quite a while.

I have a dilema. I'm a police officer by profession and fighting crime is a 24-7 type of job. Friday nights and Saturday afternoons are times when the sons of disobedience are busiest and our services are required the most.

There has bee instance where officers are allowed to have Fridays and Saturdays off based on their religious beliefs. However I don't feel right about doing that since someone else would have to do the job in my absence. It seems hypocritical to me to take that time off knowing that someone else has to work.

There are serveral other occupations with the same sort of demands. Docters, nurses, fire fighters, prison guards, etc. When you really stop and think about it there are more jobs that require people to work during the sabbath than most people realize. When we expect to have electricity into our homes that means somebody has to be on the job at the power plant.

It's much harder to observe the Sabbath when you live in another land. Israel's society was set up in such a way that the whole land took Saturday off. Nobody worked.. except of course the priests, etc. Our societies are not governed that way. And you know, the Lord is mindful of that. Just like asking to be led of Holy Spirit in what to do on the Sabbath, it's important to ask to be led by Him concerning the work we do.
I've never thought of it before though, we have so many jobs that are works of service, for the benefit of mankind. As dillfazie said, maybe we should think of not taking pay on those days. What a great step of faith that would be. It's wonderful to hear your testimony in this dillfazie!

 

[Tavita]

I do to, i've discussed this tons of times with other Adventist it seems to me that some Adventist don't think that Yeshua is enough, they believe they need righteousness of there own so one day they may be worthy of eternal life!! They believe in a fatih plus works equals salvation theology.. The faith in Yeshua that you hear from some Adventist it's pretty much a faith that enables you to perfectly obey the commandments, rather then simply trusting in Yeshua's substitutionary righteousness... No matter how much some may try to mingle grace and good deeds you cant because you're either going to believe in grace or in works there is no other way around it.. Thank you Tavita..

You're very kind, YeshuamySalvation.

I believe we are saved by grace, and I also believe that works will flow as an outcome of our salvation, and that we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling. I guess there are different ways of looking at grace and works.

I really believe in this verse...

(Eph 2:10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Those good works aren't self righteousness. To me works become legalism when I feel I 'have' to do something to be accepted, either by God, man or myself. However, I do want to 'work' out of love for Him, and that means keeping His commandments because I want to, not because I have to.

 

[Tavita]

In my opinion, the Sabbath has become a test only incidentally, because most of the Christian world has ignored it. In fact, most Christians truly believe that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday, and I don't think that God condemns them for believing that. However, when people are convicted of the truth, it does become a test. What will they do with it? Will they follow where God is leading, or will they stick with their comfortable traditions even if they know that they are wrong? It's a hard thing to give up deeply held beliefs and to face possible employment difficulties and ridicule from family members. Those who have faith in God will recognize His voice whenever He calls, though, and will follow Him in whatever He asks--whether that involves the Sabbath or some other belief. And God will give them both the desire and the power to do it.

I very much appreciated what you had to say, Sophia7, and I think what you shared in the quote above puts the idea of 'testing' into good light. Yes, I would agree that the test comes with conviction and how you will respond to what God is asking of you.

 

[OntheDL]

Finally, the Sabbath is a memorial of our salvation and a foretaste of the rest that we will experience in heaven. That is what I believe Hebrews 4 talks about. It presents God's rest after creation and the weekly Sabbath rest as illustrations of the eternal rest of salvation.

In my opinion, the Sabbath has become a test only incidentally, because most of the Christian world has ignored it. In fact, most Christians truly believe that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday, and I don't think that God condemns them for believing that. However, when people are convicted of the truth, it does become a test. What will they do with it? Will they follow where God is leading, or will they stick with their comfortable traditions even if they know that they are wrong? It's a hard thing to give up deeply held beliefs and to face possible employment difficulties and ridicule from family members. Those who have faith in God will recognize His voice whenever He calls, though, and will follow Him in whatever He asks--whether that involves the Sabbath or some other belief. And God will give them both the desire and the power to do it.

God's original purpose for the Sabbath was not as a test, though, but as a gift--one whole day to help us remember what He has done for us, to help us stay close to Him, to help us throw off all of the distractions that separate us from Him during the rest of the week. We do not keep the Sabbath in order to gain salvation; we keep it because we love God and want to spend time with Him because He created us and He saved us. The true purpose of the Sabbath is to more fully love God and others as we fix our eyes on Jesus and on the grace that He has given us.

Hi Sophia,

I'd like to bring two things to your attention.

1. I'm under the impression that your post states the sabbath is a type of heavenly rest/redemption.

While we can argue the interpretation (particularly on Hebrews 4), however the scripture does not explicitly say it. The commandment in Exodus 20 plainly says it's for the creation.

Sabbath is not a type/shadow of redemption.

"In Eden, God set up the memorial of His work of creation, in placing His blessing upon the seventh day. The Sabbath was committed to Adam, the father and representative of the whole human family. Its observance was to be an act of grateful acknowledgment, on the part of all who should dwell upon the earth, that God was their Creator and their rightful Sovereign; that they were the work of His hands and the subjects of His authority. Thus the institution was wholly commemorative, and given to all mankind. There was nothing in it shadowy or of restricted application to any people." --Patriachs and Prophets, p48

Many preachers say sabbath points to the redemption. This paves the way to say all shadowy things have been abolished.

2. Sabbath has already been a test.

Adam and Eve were created after everything else were already made. They didn't witness the creation. For them to come on the 7th day to worship God as the creator, it had also been a test of faith.

Think about these two thoughts...