Why wasn't the Sabbath a law in Genesis? Its mentioned right at Creation.

[Richard.20.12]

> Neither the sabbath nor the dietary laws have ever applied to gentiles.

What about in the 10 Commandments where it says in Exodus 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates.

Note the end: Stranger within thy gates. Strangers would probably not have been believers yet they had to abide by that law. Probably so they weren't a bad influence on others.

All through the Old Testament there are non-Jewish believers. It would be natural to assume they would adopt the same guidelines to their life as their faith proclaimed.

 

[Clare73]

I mean starting with Adam. Did Adam observe the Sabbath and everyone else up to the flood? After the flood there was quite a while before they were not in Egypt. They didn't go from 8 to millions overnight. Its about 1600+ years from Creation to the flood and hundreds of years between the flood and Egypt. Here's a rough timeline which shows over 2500 years between Creation and the 10 Commandments.
Why wait so long before rules were laid down I wonder? Bible Timeline

Because slavery played an important role in the revelation of the gospel.

It was an experiential picture of the meaning of slavery to sin. . .and also slaves to righteousness in the deliverance from sin at the cross.
An important picture of the permanent nature of all mankind, which is ownership and slavery, either to God or to sin.

 

[Richard.20.12]

> Correct, and the Sabbath didn't apply to man until the law of Moses.

What in the Bible supports that statement? I find that odd. Why would God so emphatically bless the Sabbath at Creation then be OK with people ignoring it for 2500+ years? Doesn't seem logical. I think it was ingrained in society for believers back then. Much like the most basic of guidelines of do not kill each other, do not steal, etc. The fundamentals. I think the Sabbath was a fundamental back then.

 

[Richard.20.12]

Because slavery played an important role in the revelation of the gospel.

It was an experiential picture of the meaning of slavery to sin, as well as slavery to righteousness in the deliverance from sin at the cross.
An important picture of the permanent nature of all mankind, which is ownership and slavery, either to God or to sin.

Agreed. But I don't see the relevance of that to this discussion. Of course one could argue that one who works on the Sabbath is slave to their work! Sure is lots of proof of that today!

 

[Clare73]

I couldn't care less about the Talmud which was written by men. Only the Bible, thank you.

Even when it relates to establishing and understanding the facts?

 

[Richard.20.12]

> That's why it doesn't appear in Genesis.

I beg to differ. It didn't take very long to appear at all. Just one day after man was created!
Genesis 2:
2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

 

[Clare73]

> I think about how the earth was "lawless" up until Noah. People were running around, doing whatever. Perhaps God allowed this to show us what happens when there IS no law to govern us...
Good point but why wait so long? That's my point. Over 1600 years between Creation and the flood. That's quite a long teaching time for us "running around, doing whatever". And yes, of course basic things were a given. Like don't slaughter your brother when he [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]es you off. Mom and dad might get upset.

> We have no way of knowing whether or not Adam and Eve and their descendants practiced adherence to the Sabbath. We assume they did, at least, to a point, but we don't know for certain.

As it was stated so clearly at Creation I think we can presume any believer followed it back then. Basic things like murder and theft would be common sense. How they punished those that transgressed we don't know. But I bet the Sabbath was the first guideline to be ignored as people wandered away from their faith back then.

Not sure why anyone would view God's full-time rest from creation (Hebrews 4:4) as a "guideline" for anything.

 

[Clare73]

> Neither the sabbath nor the dietary laws have ever applied to gentiles.

What about in the 10 Commandments where it says in Exodus 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates.

Note the end: Stranger within thy gates. Strangers would probably not have been believers yet they had to abide by that law. Probably so they weren't a bad influence on others.

All through the Old Testament there are non-Jewish believers. It would be natural to assume they would adopt the same guidelines to their life as their faith proclaimed.

They may well have adopted them, but if they weren't circumcised and part of the people of God, they weren't under the penalty of sacrifice for not observing them.

 

[Richard.20.12]

>> I couldn't care less about the Talmud which was written by men. Only the Bible, thank you.

> Even when it relates to establishing and understanding the facts?

Nothing manmade is infallible. Agreed?
Was the Talmud written by God or man?
There's your answer.

Why not just use the Bible? Its all there.
Now if you want to use historical events that have been well documented throughout history, that's fine. Note: Well documented so various people assert something happened, not one source. Look through history and you'll see all corrupt movements usually have a bad leader leading them over the cliff. Problems start when we put our faith in one source, one leader, when that leader is not our Father.

I believe the Jewish blind faith of the Talmud has been their greatest failing and error over time. It solidified all their midguided thoughts about their Savior and confirmed their rejection of Him. Confirmation Bias started early in this world. Jews today are at the top of almost every profession and skill yet they are almost all blind to the most important aspect of their life: Salvation through their Savior Jesus. The Bible is strewn with similar examples of such irony. So many were so adept at many things yet couldn't see God in their life trying to guide them. Some drifted away for no sensible reason, like Solomon. So many started well then lost their way. Look at the Christian movement today. So many organization leaders lost their way after starting well with great intentions and doing really good work in the beginning. Usually its rooted in power, money and influence. It seems to be very dehabiliting for the mind.

 

[Richard.20.12]

They may well have adopted them, but if they weren't circumcised and part of the people of God, they weren't under the penalty of sacrifice for not observing them.

Not sure about that. Does the Bible actually state they were not under penalty? I would think that if they were "within their gates", as in living in their society, they would have been subject to the rules and punishments of that society, much like any society. The punishments of breaking some of these rules was death after all. These were severe punishments and you think that would be ignored because they were from abroad?

 

[Richard.20.12]

They may well have adopted them, but if they weren't circumcised and part of the people of God, they weren't under the penalty of sacrifice for not observing them.

As for circumcision aren't there several examples in the Old Testament of Gentiles getting circumcised to be part of Jewish society? (Mostly so they could trade with them).

 

[Richard.20.12]

Not sure why anyone would view God's full-time rest from creation (Hebrews 4:4) as a "guideline" for anything.

I can't imagine why they wouldn't! God sets the example, we follow. Otherwise why would it be mentioned so emphatically, so early, in the Bible? What would be the point of even mentioning it in the Genesis account of Creation?

 

[Clare73]

Correct, and the Sabbath didn't apply to man until the law of Moses.

What in the Bible supports that statement?

What in the Bible supports the statement that Abraham didn't have two noses?

Wrong question. . .what in the Bible supports the statement that they did?

I find that odd. Why would God so emphatically bless the Sabbath at Creation

God blessed the seventh day, which does not mean "Sabbath."

then be OK with people ignoring it for 2500+ years? Doesn't seem logical. I think it was ingrained in society for believers back then. Much like the most basic of guidelines of do not kill each other, do not steal, etc. The fundamentals.
I think the Sabbath was a fundamental back then.

There is no Biblical basis for that.
There is no "Sabbath" in Genesis. There is reference only to God's full-time rest (Genesis 2:3).
"Sabbath" was first commanded in Exodus 16:23, and then legislated as law in Exodus 20:8.

 

[Richard.20.12]

> Although God's rest on the seventh day (Genesis 2:3) did foreshadow a future Sabbath law, there is no Biblical record of the Sabbath before the children of Israel left the land of Egypt. Nowhere in Scripture is there any hint that Sabbath keeping was practised from Adam to Moses.

That is true technically. I just think it odd that it would be mentioned so clearly in Genesis 2:3 if God was OK with us ignoring it for 2500 years. Why mention it in Genesis 2:3 if God didn't care if it was observed? Does that really make any sense?

 

[Richard.20.12]

> Not sure why anyone would view God's full-time rest from creation (Hebrews 4:4) as a "guideline" for anything.

Hebrews 4:4
"For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”
Doesn't that just confirm Genesis 2:3?
"3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."

I would think that natural reaction of people to that would be to emulate that, not to ignore it.

 

[Clare73]

Slavery played an important role in the revelation of the gospel.

Agreed. But I don't see the relevance of that to this discussion. Of course one could argue that one who works on the Sabbath is slave to their work! Sure is lots of proof of that today!

Well, I was thinking of the 430 years being part of the "long time."
There were less than 1000 years between the flood and the Exodus, of which 430 were spent in Egypt where they would not have been able to offer sacrifice, which leaves only about 600 years in that "long time."
Time before the flood doesn't count, because revelation couldn't move forward before Noah and his family.

 

[Clare73]

As for circumcision aren't there several examples in the Old Testament of Gentiles getting circumcised to be part of Jewish society? (Mostly so they could trade with them).

Evidence?

 

[Clare73]

I can't imagine why they wouldn't! God sets the example, we follow. Otherwise why would it be mentioned so emphatically, so early, in the Bible? What would be the point of even mentioning it in the Genesis account of Creation?

You are right to ask why it is even mentioned, which seems to indicate a special purpose.

But what is emphatic in Genesis? It is simply stating the facts of the creation account in God's order of creation, which included rest. . .and for a significant reason.
And all the law is emphatic, not just the one on the Sabbath.

It is mentioned because he would use it in the Law of Moses, in the same way much of the law of Moses (sacrifices, defilements, cleansings, feasts, etc.) was used--to foreshadow Christ and his work on the cross--in this case, our full-time salvation rest in Christ, from our own work to save, and in his work which saves. (Hebrews 3:7-4:11)

 

[Clare73]

Not sure why anyone would view Gods full-time rest (Genesis 2:3) as a guideline for anything.

Hebrews 4:4
"For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way:
“And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”
Doesn't that just confirm Genesis 2:3?

Confirm what?
Yes, it confirms a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

"3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."
I would think that natural reaction of people to that would be to emulate that, not to ignore it.

So man decided to rest full-time from work in emulation of God on the seventh day?

Are you just shooting from the hip?

 

[Richard.20.12]

> The same author who wrote Exodus is the same author who wrote Genesis. Once the Word reveals the meaning of something it doesn’t change the next time you see it.

Well really authorship is immaterial as it was really written by God. It matters little who held the pen. One could point out there were writing styles identifiable in these writers but let's never think they had much if any power of the actual content. And we wouldn't want them to as humans are rather prone to error.

You make a good point about natural consistency throughout the Bible. It wouldn't make much sense to have something highlighted then for God to be OK with us ignoring it for long periods of time. Especially as it was so pronounced at Creation and stated as blessed. In short, we probably shouldn't ignore what God has blessed!