Hi again,
I was having a discussion with a friend and hoping you will consider these scriptures in regards to God's 4th commandment and how "rest" is referenced.
None of these scriptures provided says anywhere that the Sabbath is eternally fulfilled in Christ and God's 4th commandment is abolished. Let's look at the detail of the scriptures quoted.
Many get mixed up in the "shadows" because they do not understand the difference between God's eternal law that gives us the knowledge of what sin is in the old and new covenant *
Romans 3:20;
Romans 7:7;
1 John 3:4 and the prophetic shadow laws that point to things to come in the body of Christ for remission of sins that are a part of Gods salvation for all mankind *
Colossians 2:17;
Hebrews 10:1-17. It is "impossible" for Gods' 4th commandment Sabbath of the 10 commandments to be a "shadow law" of anything but here is the reasons why....
1. God's Sabbath was made "before" sin and before the laws and Gods' plan of salvation was given to all mankind *
Genesis 2:1-3.
2. According to the scriptures the Sabbath was made for mankind when mankind was in perfect harmony with their creator and sinless and walked and talked with God face to face. Adam and Eve were created on the 6th day and the Sabbath was made for mankind on the seventh day *
Genesis 1:26-31;
Genesis 2:1-3 and
Mark 2:27 of creation where God blessed the "seventh day" of creation and made it a holy day of rest for all mankind.
3. God's Sabbath is a part of the "finished work of creation" it is day seven of a seven day week that God blessed and made a holy day of rest for all man *
Genesis 2:1-3
4. God's 4th commandment of the 10 commandments points "backwards" to the finished work of creation, not "forwards" to things to come. For example God's 4th commandment of the 10 commandments starts off as "REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY TO KEEP IT HOLY" (memorial - remember) -
Exodus 20:8. God's 4th commandment therefore is a "memorial" of the "finished work of creation" this is also shown when it is written " [10], But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD your God" and also the reason for the memorial commandment that points backward to the "finished work of creation" as further evidence is given in "v11, For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: why the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."
5. There was no JEW, there was no ISRAEL and there was no Moses when God made the "seventh" day Sabbath rest for all mankind *
Genesis 2:1-3;
Mark 2:27. Jesus is Lord and creator of the Sabbath and he commands his people to keep it as a memorial of the finished work of creation and a holy day rest and a celebration of God as the creator of heaven and earth *
Mark 2:28;
Exodus 20:8-11;
James 2:10-11;
Hebrews 4:9
6. Shadow laws point "forward" to things to come not backwards to things completed which the Sabbath and God's 4th commandments points back to.
7. JESUS is the Lord and creator of the Sabbath and kept it as a holy day of rest and taught us how to correctly keep the Sabbath the way he intended it to be kept.
8. The Sabbath will continue to be kept after the second coming in the new heavens and new earth. *
Isaiah 66:22-23.
The above scriptural evidence is provided to prove that it is impossible and not biblical to claim that the Sabbath is a shadow of anything. God does not change his laws so that we are free to break them.
Hebrews 3 and
Hebrews 4 actually prove the Sabbath is still to be kept by the people of God who believe and follow Gods Word and that we enter into God's Sabbath rest only as we believe and follow Gods' Word. Let's look at what the scriptures actually say. The key here is letting the scriptures define what "God's Rest" in
Hebrews 4.
WHAT IS GOD'S REST/HIS REST/MY REST IN
HEBREWS 4 AND OTHER SCRIPTURE?
HEBREWS 4:1-11
[1], Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into
HIS REST, any of you should seem to come short of it.
[2], For to us was the gospel preached, as well as to them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
[3], For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into
MY REST: ALTHOUGH THE WORKS WERE FINISHED FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.
[4], FOR HE SPOKE IN A CERTAIN PLACE (GENSIS 2:1-3) OF THE
SEVENTH DAY ON THIS WISE, AND
GOD DID REST THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS.
[5], And in this place again, If they shall enter into
MY REST.
NOTE: CONTEXT is God's REST from the SEVENTH DAY SABBATH REST OF CREATION (
v4-5) and those who BELIEVE and FOLLOW GOD's WORD enter into God's SABBATH REST as GOD did on the SEVENTH DAY of the week. CONTEXT is GOD's SEVENTH DAY SABBATH REST and those who BELIEVE AND FOLLOW GOD'S WORD enter into that rest which God's WORD defines as the SEVENTH DAY SABBATH which is GOD'S REST! Let's continue...
6], Seeing therefore it remains that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached
entered not in because of unbelief:
[7], Again, he limits a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
[8], For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
[9],
SO THEN IT REMAINS FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD TO KEEP THE SABBATH.
Now notice
Hebrews 4, verse 9: “There remains therefore a SABBATH
rest to the people of God.” In verses 1, 3, 4 and 8, the Greek word for “rest” is
katapausin. It means “rest.” But in verse 9, the Greek word for “rest” is
sabbatismos, which is a Hebrew word—
Sabbat, which means “the Sabbath”—combined with a Greek suffix—
ismos, which means “a keeping of” or “a doing of.” Put together,
sabbatismo means “a keeping of the Sabbath.” When correctly translated,
Hebrews 4:9 should read, “There remains therefore a
keeping of the Sabbath to the people of God.”
[10], For he that is entered into
HIS REST (v9 God's SABBATH REST), he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
[11], LET US LABOR THEREFORE TO ENTER INTO THAT REST (God's SEVENTH DAY SABBATH REST)
, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief (
HEBREWS 3).
Hebrews 3 and Hebrews 4 are talking about both the Gospel rest of believing and following God's word; v29 Learn of me; v30 my burden (doing) is light. This agrees with
Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it and God’s rest they enter into which is the seventh day Sabbath rest of
Genesis 2:1-3. This agrees with
Hebrews 4:1-5 where the topic is not our rest but God’s rest from the seventh day after finishing creation on the seventh day Sabbath in reference to His Rest v1; My Rest v3-5with v4 saying For he spoke in a certain place (Genesis 2:1-3) of the seventh day on this wise, and God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
Hebrews 4:9-11 showing that it remains for the people of God to enter into God’s rest and continue keeping the seventh day Sabbath by believing and following Gods’ Word – the gospel (the Word of God).
God bless
