The Sabbath: Universal law or Mosaic shadow?

[SabbathBlessings]

As acts says concerning what was taught of Moses regarding Gentiles. They kept the laws given to Noah, as taught there. We walk in the steps of faith as our father Abraham, as he walked
Paul never brought Gentiles into the temple! He commited no offence against the law concerning the temple, to defile it.
Ac 21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.
Ac 21:27 And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,
Ac 21:28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.
Ac 21:29 (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)

Paul committed no such offense of temple law to pollute it.

Ac 24:6 Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.

Ac 25:8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.

The disciples and Jesus kept the seventh day Sabbath. It's recorded throughout the New Testament. They are our example to follow. The scripture you quoted is out of context to this subject.

And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks. Acts 18:4

And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Acts 13:42

And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. Acts 13:44

Luke 4:16 So He (Jesus) came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth.


God's Sabbath is a perpetual covenant Exodus 31:16-17 and we see that fulfilled as the Sabbath day will continue to be the Lords chosen day of worship for eternity Isaiah 66:23



I am off for now, but hope this helps.

God bless

 

[SabbathBlessings]

If you claim that you obey God's law because you follow the "letter of the law" as a way of showing it...Then the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law does the same mistake...they want people to see them doing good and follow God because is "written" in the law... "they worship me with their mouth but their "hearts" is far from me"...

It would help if you quoted me instead of making remarks that I have never posted and I believe only God know what is inside my heart and my reasons why I obey God.

Let me help you add context to Matthew 15. Jesus is referring to people who keep their man-made traditions over keeping the commandments of God and those who do that "worship in vain"


Matthew 15:3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— 6 then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

Hope this helps. I am off for now. God bless

 

[ralliann]

418416"]Brother, the Sabbath is a universal law because God established the Sabbath before sin entered our world as expressed in Hebrews 3 and 4.[/quote]
That is not Noachide law as taught every Sabbath in the synagogue
.

​

 

[guevaraj]

That is not Noachide law as taught every Sabbath in the synagogue

Sister, that's a human tradition that contradicts Hebrews 3 and 4! Remembered as the Sabbath is God's "rest" in the Promised Land. God established His "rest" on the seventh day of creation before sin entered our world. Since Joshua there is a tradition that the Sabbath in the Promised Land is the seventh day of the week when God tells us in Hebrews 3 and 4 that they never entered His "rest" during the 40 years with Manna where they kept the seventh day of the week near the Promised Land. The reason is that the Sabbath in the Promised Land is not a day of the week as it was in Eden. The Sabbath in the Promised Land actually falls between two days of the week because God taught them to remember the Sabbath in the Eden time zone.

God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world. We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.” But in the other passage God said, “They will never enter my place of rest.” (Hebrews 4:1-5 NLT)​

United in our hope for the soon return of Jesus, Jorge

 

[ralliann]

Sister, that's a human tradition that contradicts Hebrews 3 and 4!

It does not contradict Heb 3-4. The apostles did not command us to keep the saturday Sabbath. Heb 3-4 do not either. Jews never taught that the Sons of Noah were to keep the Saturday Sabbath either. So those things were a moot point when the prohibitions were given at the Jerusalem council.
Since the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem nobody keeps the Sabbath according to the
law of Moses. Sacrifices were to be brought to the temple on the sabbath. All the ritual laws of purity applied. Not only did the apostles purify themselves, but maintained when among Jews so they did not cause anyone else to become ritually impure. Ritual purity was a must to go to the temple or bring any offerings. It defiled the temple.

 

[guevaraj]

It does not contradict Heb 3-4. The apostles did not command us to keep the saturday Sabbath. Heb 3-4 do not either. Jews never taught that the Sons of Noah were to keep the Saturday Sabbath either. So those things were a moot point when the prohibitions were given at the Jerusalem council. Since the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem nobody keeps the Sabbath according to the law of Moses. Sacrifices were to be brought to the temple on the sabbath. All the ritual laws of purity applied. To not defile the temple

Sister, God calls us in Hebrews 3 and 4 to enter His "rest", established on the seventh day of creation.

God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world. We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.” But in the other passage God said, “They will never enter my place of rest.” (Hebrews 4:1-5 NLT)​

The reason God takes us to the beginning with the word "rest" is because the tradition since Joshua of the Sabbath is incorrect outside of the Promised Land. We have not understood God's definition of a weekday in Genesis since Joshua because of the human tradition in the Promised Land of the Sabbath as a weekday as it was in Eden when the Sabbath actually falls between two days of the week in the Promised Land. There are two announcements in the message of Hebrews 3 and 4 about God's "rest" on the seventh day of creation. First, why didn't they enter His "rest" during the 40 years that they kept the seventh day of the week with Manna from morning to morning near the Promised Land? Second, why didn't Joshua give them God's "rest" even though they entered God's "rest" in the Promised Land from evening to evening? What didn't those under Joshua understand about the Sabbath lesson with Manna from morning to morning that God expects us to understand? What is different about the Sabbath with Manna for 40 years from morning to morning and the Sabbath in the Promised Land from evening to evening? My church assumes the sentence in Genesis 1:5 starts the first day on an evening, but it only gives the end of the first day as a "night" from evening to morning. The first day ends in a morning and not in an evening like the Sabbath in the Promised Land. The first day started before this sentence, in the special case of the first day from first light to light again in the "morning".

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was EVENING, and there was MORNING—the first day. (Genesis 1:3-5 NIV)​

From evening to morning is what God called "night", we are missing a morning to evening that God called "day".

Notice that God did not say in the next passage the "night" half from evening to morning as He said on the first day.

It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbath.” (Leviticus 23:32 NKJV)​

United in our hope for the soon return of Jesus, Jorge

 

[Kilk1]

This brief article will help answer your question.

Seven Laws of Noah - Wikipedia

If valid, keeping the Sabbath isn't listed among the seven laws of Noah, and hence, it wouldn't be a universal law. Is that what you mean? Granted, the seven laws of Noah seem to be tradition rather than from Scripture.

 

[DamianWarS]

Hello everyone! I've been doing some study on whether the Sabbath (i.e., ceasing from work on the seventh day of the week, Saturday) was a universal law for all of mankind or a Mosaic commandment for the Jews. While some things are commanded in the Old Testament for Israel (and thus are not binding on Christians today), such as circumcision, other commands are universal and apply at all times, such as the prohibition against murder and adultery. The following is a three-reason case for the position that the Sabbath is a Mosaic shadow. If my case is flawed, you're my friend to let me know.



The Old Testament itself

First off, the Sabbath is said to be connected with the covenant of the children of Israel. To my knowledge, the rest of humankind is never told to observe the Sabbath (excluding proselytes to Judaism, of course). For example, Exodus 31:16–17 says specifically, "Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant" (NKJV, emphasis mine). We’re not under the old, Mosaic covenant, since it was made obsolete by the new, universal covenant (Hebrews 8:8-13).


Similarly, Nehemiah 9:5-15 lists a brief chronology of God's people from creation to Moses, emphasizing all that God had done, and puts the Sabbath as being “made known” during the time of Moses—not the time of creation (Nehemiah 9:6) or even the time of Abraham (Nehemiah 9:7-8), but the time of Moses (Nehemiah 9:14). (Granted, God blesses the seventh day in Genesis 2:2‐3, but it doesn’t say man did so. We never see man told to keep the Sabbath until Moses. More on this later.)


Ezekiel 20:10-12 mentions both points made in Exodus and Nehemiah: This passage mentions how God brought Israel out of Egypt (v. 10), how He gave them statues and judgements (v. 11), and how He gave them His Sabbaths "to be a sign between them and Me" (v. 12, NKJV).


So in Exodus, the Sabbath is specifically tied to the Mosaic covenant with Israel. In Nehemiah, God isn't said to have made the Sabbath known until the time of Moses. In Ezekiel's account, both are said to be the case, that God 1) "gave" the Sabbath during the time of Moses and 2) did so to be a sign between Israel and God.


Universal laws, such as the prohibition of murder, are condemned everywhere—before Moses (Genesis 9:6), during Moses (Exodus 20:13), and after Moses (Revelation 21:8). If the Sabbath were a universal law, why are Jews always the ones told to keep it, never the Gentiles (other than proselytes to Judaism, of course), and why is Israel singled out as the people it's for?



Jesus's treatment of the Sabbath

While Jesus was on earth, did He treat the Sabbath as a universal law like the universal laws against murder or adultery, or did He see it more in line with the Mosaic commandments like circumcision and eating only meats considered clean?


Regarding universal laws such as murder or adultery, we see that Jesus was stricter than the Pharisees in passages such as Matthew 5:17-30. However, He was more lenient than the Pharisees on the Sabbath. When the Pharisees confronted Him about it, Jesus referenced certain Mosaic laws that overrode the practice of the Sabbath on special occasions. He referenced work the priests did in the temple (Matthew 12:5) and circumcision (John 1:21-24), among other things.


Could Mosaic laws ever supersede a universal law such as murder or adultery? I don’t think so. Yet, Mosaic laws did supersede the Sabbath. Thus, Jesus' defense for doing the things He and His disciples did on the Sabbath assumes the Sabbath is a Mosaic law, not a universal law that could never be superseded.



The Sabbath as a shadow

Finally, Hebrews 4:1-11 tells us to make sure we don't fall short of God's rest (Hebrews 4:1). However, those who heard God's good news before us were rejected, God swearing they would not enter His rest (Hebrews 4:2-3). However, God's work was finished from the foundation of the world when He rested on the seventh day of creation, but He says those who rejected Him won't enter His rest (Hebrews 4:3-5).


There has to be some people who enter God's rest, though, so there’s another day, "Today," referenced back in Psalm 95:7-8 (Hebrews 4:6-7). This proves that God's rest isn't merely the physical Promised Land, since Psalm 95 was written after they entered the Promised Land, so it's speaking of another day (Hebrews 4:8). Therefore, there remains a Sabbath rest for God's people (Hebrews 4:9). It obviously isn't the literal Sabbath, but rather a rest we must be diligent to enter (Hebrews 4:10-12).


It seems that Sabbatarians have a point in saying the Sabbath commanded for Israel was connected with Genesis 2:2-3, in which God rested on the seventh day (Exodus 20:11; Exodus 31:16‐17). However, isn't Hebrews 4 saying that our Sabbath rest is found in the rest that "remains" for God's people, the one we must be diligent to “enter,” rather than in keeping the literal Sabbath? Doesn't the passage suggest that the Mosaic Sabbath is a shadow of something bigger, of the rest that we're obtaining as Christians? If so, then it seems Paul would tell us not to be judged about the old Sabbath days in Colossians 2:16–17 (NKJV, emphasis mine):


So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.


Mosaic practices are shadows, and it seems the Sabbath qualifies as such.



Conclusion

As argued, the Sabbath 1) was given specifically as part of a covenant with Israel, not other nations; 2) was treated as a Mosaic covenant (not a universal law) by Jesus; and 3) is spoken of as being a shadow of something greater.


Do these arguments hold up? They each are independent arguments, so if any of them stand, then the Sabbath is not binding on Christians today. Conversely, if the Sabbath is binding, then all three arguments would have to be false, from what I can tell.


I'm open to hearing the other side, as that's the best way to "Test all things" in order to see if my train of thought qualifies as "what is good" (1 Thess. 5:21, NKJV). I certainly wouldn't want to think something isn't binding if, in reality, it is. Thanks in advance for your input!

the surface meaning of the commandment is for the Jews but the commandment is something far deeper. the commandment itself is not rooted in law it is rooted in the 7th day and has a deeper meaning of spiritual rest, not physical rest. So we still value and honor the commandment but we need to recognize what it points to not its interjection state in the law. The sabbath is not defined by the 4th commandment but rather the 4th commandment has a very physical pragmatic focus of the sabbath locked in a specific point of time and under the lens of Moses it is law, under the lens of Christ it is something more powerful. The Sabbath points to a restoration that only Christ can give, a rest from the toil and work that only the natural can give, which includes all the dirt and grime that is a part of it. The focus shifts to redemption and cleansing from this work. You can call this a salvation metaphor but our goal is not "salvation or to be "saved" it is going back to the garden experience and Christ allows us to enter that garden again and walk with God in the cool of the day rather than hide from him trying to cover up our shame. To look to the Sabbath and only see the 4th commandment not only misses the point but it is dull and uncreative and seems to sweep the rest of scripture under a rug.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

the surface meaning of the commandment is for the Jews but the commandment is something far deeper. the commandment itself is not rooted in law it is rooted in the 7th day and has a deeper meaning of spiritual rest, not physical rest. So we still value and honor the commandment but we need to recognize what it points to not its interjection state in the law. The sabbath is not defined by the 4th commandment but rather the 4th commandment has a very physical pragmatic focus of the sabbath locked in a specific point of time and under the lens of Moses it is law, under the lens of Christ it is something more powerful. The Sabbath points to a restoration that only Christ can give, a rest from the toil and work that only the natural can give, which includes all the dirt and grime that is a part of it. The focus shifts to redemption and cleansing from this work. You can call this a salvation metaphor but our goal is not "salvation or to be "saved" it is going back to the garden experience and Christ allows us to enter that garden again and walk with God in the cool of the day rather than hide from him trying to cover up our shame. To look to the Sabbath and only see the 4th commandment not only misses the point but it is dull and uncreative and seems to sweep the rest of scripture under a rug.

According to scripture there is a physically rest which is described in the 4th commandment by stop doing all work so we can keep the Sabbath day holy. Exodus 20:8-11. In doing that we receive the rest in Christ when keeping the Sabbath day holy. We are blessed when we obey God Hebrews 4:9-10 and not when we are disobedient. Hebrews 4:6

Nowhere does it say the Sabbath day was a holy day for only Jews. it's the holy day of our Creator and Savior Genesis 2:1-3, Exodus 20:10, Isaiah 58:13 that Jesus tells us is made for man Mark 2:27 and all flesh (not just Jews) who are saved will continue worshipping the Lord on His holy day for eternity Isaiah 66:23 as promised by God. Exodus 31:16-17

 

[DamianWarS]

According to scripture there is a physically rest which is described in the 4th commandment by stop doing all work so we can keep the Sabbath day holy. Exodus 20:8-11. In doing that we receive the rest in Christ when keeping the Sabbath day holy. We are blessed when we obey God Hebrews 4:9-10 and not when we are disobedient. Hebrews 4:6

you are defining Sabbath through the lens of the law, even your reading of Hebrews. Sabbath is far greater. Our labour is spiritual toil.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

you are defining Sabbath through the lens of the law, even your reading of Hebrews. Sabbath is far greater. Our labour is spiritual toil.

I don't define the 4th commandment, God did. Exodus 20:8-11, Isaiah 58:13

Sabbath is far greater, but you don't receive its blessing by being disobedient to God as shown very clearly in Hebrews.

Hebrews 4:6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience

Everything is conditional

Isaiah 58:13 “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
From doing your pleasure on My holy day,
And call the Sabbath a delight,
The holy day of the Lord honorable,
And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways,
Nor finding your own pleasure,
Nor speaking your own words,
14 Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord;
And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,
And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.
The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

 

[DamianWarS]

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was EVENING, and there was MORNING—the first day. (Genesis 1:3-5 NIV)
From evening to morning is what God called "night", we are missing a morning to evening that God called "day".

evening and morning are contrasting elements in the text and are synonymous with darkness/light. they are explicitly defined together as a whole day "And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day." the order is consistent with how a day is thought to end at sunset which then ushers the new day in darkness waiting for the light. This foreshadows Christ and salvation as light overcomes and transforms darkness, not darkness overcoming and transforming light. We must die first before we are resurrected. We must go be immersed in water first before we rise out of the water.

 

[DamianWarS]

I don't define the 4th commandment, God did. Exodus 20:8-11, Isaiah 58:13

sabbath predates these references so you are applying a confined definition

Sabbath is far greater, but you don't receive its blessing by being disobedient to God

again you are looking at things through the lens of law but we follow Christ not law otherwise we would be disobedient to a whole pile of other things.

Everything is conditional

perspective is everything.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

evening and morning are contrasting elements in the text and are synonymous with darkness/light. they are explicitly defined together as a whole day "And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day." the order is consistent with how a day is thought to end at sunset which then ushers the new day in darkness waiting for the light. This foreshadows Christ and salvation as light overcomes and transforms darkness, not darkness overcoming and transforming light.

Yes, agree the day starts in the evening according to the bible and end at evening (sunset to sunset). The teaching of @guevaraj is unique to him and not of the SDA church.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

sabbath predates these references so you are applying a confined definition


again you are looking at things through the lens of law but we follow Christ not law otherwise we would be disobedient to a whole pile of other things.


perspective is everything.

I see no scripture that you presented to make your case.

If you are following the Spirit of the law, you automatically are keeping the letter. The Spirit of the law does not grant you permission to worship other gods, bow to idols, break the holy Sabbath day or vain Gods name, which is how we show love to God when we do these things. The Spirit of the law does not allow for murder stealing coveting or lying. The Spirit of the law is greater than the letter, not lesser.

Jesus came to magnify the law of God which does not mean make lesser Isaiah 42:21.

 

[Kilk1]

God never calls the Sabbath for the Jews. God tells us the Sabbath is HIS holy day.

I'd say the Sabbath is for both, not one to the exclusion of the other. Your second statement is true, then, but the first seems false, as the verses below show (NKJV, emphasis mine):

• Exodus 16:29: "See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath..."
• Exodus 31:14: "Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: 'Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.'"
• Exodus 31:16: "Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant."
• Etc., etc.

The fact that it was specifically a sign between God and Israel suggests it was only for them, unless we see it extended to anyone else. Can you name any Gentiles in Scripture who kept the Sabbath?

Jesus told us the Sabbath was made for man (does not say Jews) Mark 2:26 and man was created on the sixth day, before any Jews Genesis 1:26 and the next day was God's holy Sabbath day Genesis 2:1-3. That first Sabbath must have been glorious!

The same Jesus who said the Sabbath was made for man also referenced certain Mosaic laws that overrode the practice of the Sabbath on special occasions. He referenced work the priests did in the temple (Matthew 12:5) and circumcision (John 1:21-24), among other things. Could Mosaic laws ever supersede a universal law such as murder or adultery?

In saying the Sabbath was made for man, the contrast isn't that the Sabbath was made for man and not for Jews; it's that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. If the word "man" must mean "both Jews and Gentiles," then do you believe that the Old Testament laws of clean/unclean apply today?

Leviticus 5:2-3 (NKJV, emphasis mine) : "Or if a person [does not say Jews] touches any unclean thing, whether it is the carcass of an unclean beast, or the carcass of unclean livestock, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and he is unaware of it, he also shall be unclean and guilty. Or if he touches human uncleanness—whatever uncleanness with which a man [does not say Jews] may be defiled, and he is unaware of it—when he realizes it, then he shall be guilty."

I can give other examples where "man" is used where it doesn't automatically prove that it's "both Jews and Gentiles," but I assume this should be enough.

The verses you indicate Col 2:16 is not referring to the seventh day Sabbath if you back up to Col 2:14 it says this: 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

God's Sabbath day is "holy" and "blessed" a day of solemn rest so that is certainly not contrary to us. The Sabbath is also a commandment of God Exodus 34:28 not an ordinance and you read Col 2:16 it is speaking about food and drink and there is nothing in the Sabbath commandment that is about food or drink. Did you know there are two Sabbaths in the bible? The seventh day Sabbath that is a commandment of God that is a covenant of Ten, not nine that is kept in the Most Holy of God's Temple and the annual sabbath(s) feast days that is an ordinance that is about food and drink offerings to that ended- see Hebrews 10 with Christ as our sacrifice.

So are you saying that the annual Sabbaths were against us and contrary to us, but not the weekly Sabbaths? What is contrary to us about the yearly Sabbaths that aren't about the weekly Sabbaths?

If you go up to Col 2:17 it refers to as being a shadow of things to come. The weekly seventh day Sabbath is not a shadow of anything it points to creation Genesis 2:1-3 "Remember" the Sabbath is a memorial of Creation why would we want to forget that?

But that was my point in the section "The Sabbath as a shadow." It seems the Sabbath is a shadow. If I'm wrong, could you explain what Hebrews 4 means, my explanation of which I've already given? In order to allow you not to have to scroll back up, I'll post that section here: Hebrews 4:1-11 tells us to make sure we don't fall short of God's rest (Hebrews 4:1). However, those who heard God's good news before us were rejected, God swearing they would not enter His rest (Hebrews 4:2-3). However, God's work was finished from the foundation of the world when He rested on the seventh day of creation, but He says those who rejected Him won't enter His rest (Hebrews 4:3-5).

There has to be some people who enter God's rest, though, so there’s another day, "Today," referenced back in Psalm 95:7-8 (Hebrews 4:6-7). This proves that God's rest isn't merely the physical Promised Land, since Psalm 95 was written after they entered the Promised Land, so it's speaking of another day (Hebrews 4:8). Therefore, there remains a Sabbath rest for God's people (Hebrews 4:9). It obviously isn't the literal Sabbath, but rather a rest we must be diligent to enter (Hebrews 4:10-12).

It seems that Sabbatarians have a point in saying the Sabbath commanded for Israel was connected with Genesis 2:2-3, in which God rested on the seventh day (Exodus 20:11; Exodus 31:16-17). However, isn't Hebrews 4 saying that our Sabbath rest is found in the rest that "remains" for God's people, the one we must be diligent to “enter,” rather than in keeping the literal Sabbath? Doesn't the passage suggest that the Mosaic Sabbath is a shadow of something bigger, of the rest that we're obtaining as Christians? If so, then it seems Paul would tell us not to be judged about the old Sabbath days in Colossians 2:16-17 (NKJV, emphasis mine):

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Mosaic practices are shadows, and it seems the Sabbath qualifies as such.

We also know the Sabbath has not ended because Jesus references it after He has descended back to heaven that it would still be kept Matthew 24:20 and is still a commandment after Jesus died Luke 56:23 and it continues to be the Lord's chosen day of worship for eternity Isaiah 66:23.

God bless

It would be hard to travel during the Sabbath in those days whether you personally needed to practice the Sabbath or not. Why? The Jews kept the Sabbath, and being in Jerusalem meant you were surrounded by Jewish law. As Albert Barnes explains (bold emphasis and bracketed text mine; italicized emphasis his), "Journeys were prohibited by the law on the sabbath, Exodus 16:29. The law of Moses did not mention the distance to which persons might go on the sabbath; but most of the Jews maintained that it should not be more than two thousand cubits. [...] Jesus teaches them to pray that it might not be on the sabbath, because if they should not go farther than a sabbath-day’s journey, they would not be beyond the reach of danger; and if they did, they would be exposed to the charge of violating the law [whether they were still under the law or not]. It should be added, that it was almost impracticable to travel in Judea on that day, as the gates of the cities were usually closed, Nehemiah 13:19-22."

Therefore, it didn't matter whether they were to keep the Sabbath or not. All those practicing Judaism would've made travel impracticable regardless (whether by charging them for breaking the law or closing the gates), so Christians needed to pray that it wouldn't be on the Sabbath. And again, the same Jesus who said the Sabbath was made for man also referenced certain Mosaic laws that overrode the practice of the Sabbath on special occasions. He referenced work the priests did in the temple (Matthew 12:5) and circumcision (John 1:21-24), among other things.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but could Mosaic laws ever supersede a universal law such as murder or adultery? I don’t think so. Yet, Mosaic laws did supersede the Sabbath. Thus, Jesus' defense for doing the things He and His disciples did on the Sabbath assumes the Sabbath is a Mosaic law, not a universal law that could never be superseded.

In conclusion, doesn't the Bible teach that the Sabbath 1) was given specifically as part of a covenant with Israel, not other nations; 2) was treated as a Mosaic covenant (not a universal law) by Jesus; and 3) is a a shadow of something greater?

Sincerely,
Kilk1

 

[SabbathBlessings]

I'd say the Sabbath is for both, not one to the exclusion of the other. Your second statement is true, then, but the first seems false, as the verses below show (NKJV, emphasis mine):

• Exodus 16:29: "See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath..."
• Exodus 31:14: "Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: 'Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.'"
• Exodus 31:16: "Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant."
• Etc., etc.

The fact that it was specifically a sign between God and Israel suggests it was only for them, unless we see it extended to anyone else. Can you name any Gentiles in Scripture who kept the Sabbath?


The same Jesus who said the Sabbath was made for man also referenced certain Mosaic laws that overrode the practice of the Sabbath on special occasions. He referenced work the priests did in the temple (Matthew 12:5) and circumcision (John 1:21-24), among other things. Could Mosaic laws ever supersede a universal law such as murder or adultery?

In saying the Sabbath was made for man, the contrast isn't that the Sabbath was made for man and not for Jews; it's that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. If the word "man" must mean "both Jews and Gentiles," then do you believe that the Old Testament laws of clean/unclean apply today?

Leviticus 5:2-3 (NKJV, emphasis mine) : "Or if a person [does not say Jews] touches any unclean thing, whether it is the carcass of an unclean beast, or the carcass of unclean livestock, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and he is unaware of it, he also shall be unclean and guilty. Or if he touches human uncleanness—whatever uncleanness with which a man [does not say Jews] may be defiled, and he is unaware of it—when he realizes it, then he shall be guilty."

I can give other examples where "man" is used where it doesn't automatically prove that it's "both Jews and Gentiles," but I assume this should be enough.



So are you saying that the annual Sabbaths were against us and contrary to us, but not the weekly Sabbaths? What is contrary to us about the yearly Sabbaths that aren't about the weekly Sabbaths?



But that was my point in the section "The Sabbath as a shadow." It seems the Sabbath is a shadow. If I'm wrong, could you explain what Hebrews 4 means, my explanation of which I've already given? In order to allow you not to have to scroll back up, I'll post that section here: Hebrews 4:1-11 tells us to make sure we don't fall short of God's rest (Hebrews 4:1). However, those who heard God's good news before us were rejected, God swearing they would not enter His rest (Hebrews 4:2-3). However, God's work was finished from the foundation of the world when He rested on the seventh day of creation, but He says those who rejected Him won't enter His rest (Hebrews 4:3-5).

There has to be some people who enter God's rest, though, so there’s another day, "Today," referenced back in Psalm 95:7-8 (Hebrews 4:6-7). This proves that God's rest isn't merely the physical Promised Land, since Psalm 95 was written after they entered the Promised Land, so it's speaking of another day (Hebrews 4:8). Therefore, there remains a Sabbath rest for God's people (Hebrews 4:9). It obviously isn't the literal Sabbath, but rather a rest we must be diligent to enter (Hebrews 4:10-12).

It seems that Sabbatarians have a point in saying the Sabbath commanded for Israel was connected with Genesis 2:2-3, in which God rested on the seventh day (Exodus 20:11; Exodus 31:16-17). However, isn't Hebrews 4 saying that our Sabbath rest is found in the rest that "remains" for God's people, the one we must be diligent to “enter,” rather than in keeping the literal Sabbath? Doesn't the passage suggest that the Mosaic Sabbath is a shadow of something bigger, of the rest that we're obtaining as Christians? If so, then it seems Paul would tell us not to be judged about the old Sabbath days in Colossians 2:16-17 (NKJV, emphasis mine):

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Mosaic practices are shadows, and it seems the Sabbath qualifies as such.


It would be hard to travel during the Sabbath in those days whether you personally needed to practice the Sabbath or not. Why? The Jews kept the Sabbath, and being in Jerusalem meant you were surrounded by Jewish law. As Albert Barnes explains (bold emphasis and bracketed text mine; italicized emphasis his), "Journeys were prohibited by the law on the sabbath, Exodus 16:29. The law of Moses did not mention the distance to which persons might go on the sabbath; but most of the Jews maintained that it should not be more than two thousand cubits. [...] Jesus teaches them to pray that it might not be on the sabbath, because if they should not go farther than a sabbath-day’s journey, they would not be beyond the reach of danger; and if they did, they would be exposed to the charge of violating the law [whether they were still under the law or not]. It should be added, that it was almost impracticable to travel in Judea on that day, as the gates of the cities were usually closed, Nehemiah 13:19-22."

Therefore, it didn't matter whether they were to keep the Sabbath or not. All those practicing Judaism would've made travel impracticable regardless (whether by charging them for breaking the law or closing the gates), so Christians needed to pray that it wouldn't be on the Sabbath. And again, the same Jesus who said the Sabbath was made for man also referenced certain Mosaic laws that overrode the practice of the Sabbath on special occasions. He referenced work the priests did in the temple (Matthew 12:5) and circumcision (John 1:21-24), among other things.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but could Mosaic laws ever supersede a universal law such as murder or adultery? I don’t think so. Yet, Mosaic laws did supersede the Sabbath. Thus, Jesus' defense for doing the things He and His disciples did on the Sabbath assumes the Sabbath is a Mosaic law, not a universal law that could never be superseded.

In conclusion, doesn't the Bible teach that the Sabbath 1) was given specifically as part of a covenant with Israel, not other nations; 2) was treated as a Mosaic covenant (not a universal law) by Jesus; and 3) is a a shadow of something greater?

Sincerely,
Kilk1

I will respond more to this later when I have more time since I am leaving out of town.

Just some quick thoughts though:

Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man Mark 2:27, He did not say Jews only, so that should clear up any confusion if God only wants Jews to keep holy the same day that God keeps holy. Israel in the bible has a deeper meaning- it's God's people and not necessarily a nationality.

Does God only want a sign between Him and Israel or a sign between Him and God's people i.e., people who follow God's Word?

Does God only want to sanctify the Jews or everyone who follows God's Word?

God makes no distinction between Jews or Gentiles if you are one in Christ Gal 3:28

Will heaven be segregated and only the Jews who are saved will worship the Lord on His holy Sabbath day or will it be "ALL FLESH" who are saved that will be worshipping the Lord and HIS holy Sabbath day for eternity Isaiah 66:23

Wish I had more time but that's all I have for now maybe @LoveGodsWord or @Freth or @BobRyan can respond to the rest of your post. Getting this right is important because we are talking about the holy day of the Lord thy God, Exodus 20:10 Isaiah 58:13 13 that God commanded us to Remember and keep holy Exodus 20:8 which sadly is not being taught today, but that was predicted in the scriptures. The same universal law of murder, adultery etc. is the same covenant that God gave the Sabbath. This is a covenant of Ten according to God Exodus 34:28 not nine. These laws are written in our hearts in the New Covenant Jer. 31:33, Hebrews 8:10 so we obey now out of our love John 14:15, John 15:10, 1 John 5:3 and written in our minds so we remember to do them James 1:22, Revelation 22:14

God bless!

 

[Kilk1]

so ... of the commandments (the 10) .... are all "mosaic law" ... and so we don't need to keep any of them?

we are to follow in the steps of Christ and He kept the 7th day Sabbath.

1 Peter 2:21

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

As stated before .... commandments are kept out of love and for no other reasons .... if so then they are works ... so if the Sabbath and all of His commandments are not a delight ... then one's attempt to keep them are in vain.

Jesus demonstrated by His entire life the Sabbath was to be kept .... else He would not have kept it.

and please don't give the "Jesus was a Jew argument" as some do ... Jesus IS God .... who knows more about God than God Himself?

Follow the lamb wherever He goes.

I didn't say that all of the Ten Commandments are no longer binding today. In fact, I listed the prohibitions against murder and adultery as prime examples of universal commandments. However, the Ten Commandments itself is Mosaic in nature, but most of its commandments are reiterated in the New Testament, all except the Sabbath, as far as I know. Are you saying that the Ten Commandments is binding today? If so, why does Paul call it "the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones," calling it "what is passing away" (2 Corinthians 3:7-11, NKJV)?

Also, in Romans 7, Paul says that a woman can't remarry if her husband's still alive. However, if he's dead, she's released from the law of her husband (Romans 7:1-3). In the same way, we've become dead to the law in order to be married to Christ (Romans 7:4). This doesn't mean the law is sin, however; after all, the law we've become dead to taught, "You shall not covet" (Romans 7:7). Here's a question: Where in the law we've become dead to is the command, "You shall not covet"?

I think the "Jesus was a Jew argument" is valid, actually. If we had to follow everything Jesus did as a Jew, then do we need to be circumcised (Luke 2:21)? Do we need to tell lepers to show themselves to the priests and offer what Moses commanded to offer (Mark 1:44)? Etc., etc.

 

[Freth]

However, the Ten Commandments itself is Mosaic in nature, but most of its commandments are reiterated in the New Testament, all except the Sabbath, as far as I know.

The Sabbath is indeed reiterated in the New Testament. Jesus kept the Sabbath, even in death. The disciples kept the Sabbath. Jesus mentions the Sabbath being kept when the great tribulation starts. Isaiah mentions the Sabbath being kept in heaven perpetually (yes, I know that's OT). Jesus calls Himself Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus said that the Sabbath is made for man.

Jesus and the disciples led by example throughout the New Testament. The first four commandments were being observed, as is made clear in scripture. "If you love me, keep my commandments," is an all-encompassing statement concerning the law of God. How do we know this? John 6:38, "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me."

 

[Kilk1]

Brother, the Sabbath is a universal law because God established the Sabbath before sin entered our world as expressed in Hebrews 3 and 4. Jesus died so we can do the good things He planned for us "long ago", before sin entered the human family.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)​

The purpose of creating us anew is given in the previous verse: so that we can do the good things He planned for us "long ago". Long ago, God planned for us the seventh day of creation, before sin entered the human family, to remember His "holy" day. We will remember "the Lord's day" as God told us beforehand in Hebrews 3 and 4!

God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world. We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.” But in the other passage God said, “They will never enter my place of rest.” (Hebrews 4:1-5 NLT)​

United in our hope for the soon return of Jesus, Jorge

I appreciate your kind response. I'm not sure the Sabbath command was given to man before the time of Moses. Is this taught anywhere in Scripture? Even if it is, wasn't Adam commanded things that aren't universal laws, such as to tend the garden (Genesis 2:15), to name the creatures (Genesis 2:19), and to abstain from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17)?

Also, while there are things God planned for us, is the Sabbath one of them? It seemed that was planned for the Jews:

• Exodus 16:29: "See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath..."
• Exodus 31:14: "Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: 'Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.'"
• Exodus 31:16: "Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant."
• Etc., etc.

While the Sabbath was planned for the Jews, does the Bible ever say it was planned for us? For us, we're told not to come short of God's "rest" (Hebrews 4:1), a "rest" connected with the rest God had on the seventh day of creation (Hebrews 4:3-4). What is this "rest"? I think the answer is key. The disobedient weren't able to enter the "rest" even though God rested way back at the beginning of creation, on the seventh day (Hebrews 4:3-5). And since the "rest" must be entered in by some and since it wasn't entered in by the disobedient, then it must be a different day than when they entered Canaan; in other words, the day is "Today" (Hebrews 4:6-7). Otherwise, the Psalmist, who already was in Canaan, wouldn't have spoken of "Today" as being another day (Hebrews 4:8). So there remains a Sabbath rest for God's people, (Hebrews 4:9), one we must be diligent to enter (Hebrews 4:10-11).

Doesn't the passage suggest that our connection to God's seventh-day rest isn't in the Jewish Sabbath (i.e., not working every Saturday), but rather, the rest that we're obtaining as Christians? If so, then it seems Paul would tell us not to be judged about the old Sabbath days in Colossians 2:16–17 (NKJV, emphasis mine):


So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.


While the Jews remembered God's day of rest by keeping the Sabbath (i.e., not working on Saturdays), doesn't Hebrews 4 teach that our connection to God's day of rest is actually by being diligent to obtain salvation "Today" (Hebrews 4:9-11)? What do you think?