t***@vcn.bc.ca
2009-05-13 02:31:32 UTC
I've always believed the Sabbath and the Ten Commandments
were never abolished. But there are those who say otherwise.
So here, I've assembled in the simplest form, the reasons
why I believe they were never abolished and are still
binding. And I've included my explanation of some verses
that are misunderstood as saying the Commandments were
abolished.
If you ask most people how many days of creation there were,
they'll quickly answer there were six days. Few seem to
know God did in fact, do something and make something on
the seventh day.
These are the things God did on the seventh day:
1) He "ended his work"; 2) He "rested" (Exodus adds the
condition God was in when He rested: "refreshed"). So
unlike the previous six days, the seventh day was created
not by work, but by ending and resting.
Did you know God made something on that seventh day He
created by ending and resting? Genesis 2:3 tells us "God
proceeded to bless the seventh day and make it sacred,"
setting that day apart making the day Holy or Sacred.
God took the most enduring, lasting thing man can know:
a recurring space of time. He made a period of time Sacred.
In Exodus 20:11, we learn it was the Sabbath day that God
had made sacred in Genesis 2:3. (This is why the seventh
day is called Sabbath because the term is derived from the
Hebrew sabbath (=D7=A9=D7=91=D7=AA), meaning "to cease".) This means the
Seventh Day as the day of rest was instituted by God at
the time of creation of the human race; long before there
was a nation of Israel or Jews and was given to them.
In Mark 2:27 Jesus tells us the Sabbath was something that
was MADE. He also tells us who it was made for. He says it
was made for MAN and not for any particular group, race or
nationality (not for Israel only).
If the Sabbath is something that was made, it had to have
a maker. Since scriptures say God is the creator and that
all things were made by the Word (Colossians 1:16-17 and
John 1:3), the seventh day Sabbath must have been made by
God through the Word. John 1:14 says the Word later became
Christ and that's why Christ claims to be lord of the
Sabbath (Mark 2:28, 12:8, Luke 6:5). In Hebrews 13:8 Jesus
Christ is said to be the same yesterday and today, and
forever. If he was lord of the Sabbath yesterday, he is
today and he will still be forever after today.
And in Malachi 3:6, God says, "I am the Lord, I do not
change".
While the first recorded-bible-command given by God is
at Genesis 2:16-17, we know God's commandments, statutes,
and laws must have exited before this before they were
given to the Israelites because it would not make sense
for the Almighty God - the creator of everything seen and
unseen - to begin creation without first establishing laws
and rules. And also for the following reasons:
1) When Cain killed his brother Abel, Cain broke the "You
must not murder" command and God wasn't too pleased
(Genesis 4:10-12). Notice this was before God gave that
command in Exodus 20:13.
2) God was pleased with Abraham because he had "listened
to my voice and continued to keep his obligations to me,
my commands, my statutes, and my laws." (Genesis 26:5)
3) Enoch kept walking with God (Genesis 5:22,24);
4) Abel was said to be "righteous" (Matthew 23:35)
5) Noah "a preacher of righteousness" and walked with God.
6) and several others.
Notice in Genesis 26:5 God uses the word "MY" in
"...listened to MY voice and continued to keep his
obligations to me, MY commands, MY statutes, and MY laws.
" because those things belong to Him.
In Genesis 26:4-5 God said because Abraham obeyed His
voice, and kept His charge, His commandments, His statutes,
and His laws, He and his descendants would be blessed.
After being freed by God from Egyptian slavery, the
Israelites were instructed to keep the weekly Sabbath in
connection with the miraculous provision of the manna food.
God gave the Israelites this test commandment to see if
they will walk in Gods ways or not (Exodus 16:22,23). Of
course, His ways already existed, this was a test to see
if they would obey his ways.
In Exodus 31:16-17 God says "Wherefore the children of
Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath
throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant."
Perpetual means occurring continually. "Their generations"
are still going on today.
Notice in the Commandments God says the Sabbath is a sign
between Him and the children of Israel forever. Isn't
forever is a long time? And why is the Sabbath a sign?
It's a sign because "in six days the LORD made heaven
and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was
refreshed".
In Deuteronomy 5:14 God says the seventh day is a Sabbath
to Jehovah our God. The Sabbath exited and was God's sacred
day before it was given to Israel. It belongs to Him that
made it.
The Ten Commandments were written by Gods' own finger!
The Commandments were the one and only thing that God wrote
with his own finger. He could have inspired someone to
write them for Him but instead, God thought these
Commandments were so very important that He had to write
them Himself! And He didn't just write some regular
parchment, He used something more permanent.
If the Ten Commandments were later done away with, we
should have credible evidence of God and from God
providing proof with an equal act: such as putting it in
writing again on a tablet with His own finger.
At the time the Ten Commandments were given, all nations
had gone into a anti-God and false pagan religion. They
had all loss knowledge of God. In such a god rejecting
world, god raised up from the children of Abraham, Issac,
Jacob and moses etc, a special nation to be His nation,
to be a light to the non-believing gentile; to show other
nations what blessings would follow obedience to His Laws
(Deuteronomy 4:6-8). He used this special nation (Israel)
to show His right ways of life, His Commandments and to
them and their descendants would be given the promises.
(Exodus 31:17) (Galatians 3:29).
"This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew
forth my praise". (Isaiah 43:21).
Matthew 5:14-16 says they are the light of the world and
to let their light so shine before men, that people may
see their good works, and glorify their Father which is
in heaven.
(Incidentally, just because the Sabbath was "given" by God
to a particular group of people, it doesn't mean that that
particular group of people now have it and God no longer
does. The scriptures are clear that everything belongs to
God).
The seventh day began being sacred when God made it sacred.
Its sacredness continued when God instructed the Israelites
to keep the weekly Sabbath sacred. That is why the
Commandment used the word "keep" because it was already
sacred. After all, "You cannot keep cold water hot unless
it has first been made hot"!
God was interested in obedience in observing a day He had
made sacred. That is why when the people refused to keep
his commandments He asked how long must the people refuse
to keep His commandments and His laws! (Exodus 16:28, 29).
The Sabbath was also to remind the Israelites of what God
had done in liberating them from Egyptian bondage.
(Deut. 5:14, 15), Ezekiel 20:12. But it wasn't just as a
reminder of what God had done in freeing the Israelites
from Egypt, because in Deuteronomy 5:14 He begins by
saying the seventh day is a Sabbath to Him. It belongs to
Him. The Sabbath exited and was God's sacred day, before
it was given to Israel. It is a covenant, a sign to time indefinite
"because in six days God made the heavens and
the earth and on the seventh day he rested and proceeded
to refresh himself". And He ends with "That is why
Jehovah your God commanded you to carry on the sabbath day."
The Sabbath is a sign to time indefinite, because Exodus
31:17 "in six days God made the heavens and the earth and
on the seventh day he rested and proceeded to refresh
himself.=E2=80=9D It is binding throughout their generation forever.
About Colossians 2:16
I believe it was written as a warning to the Gentile
Christians at Colosse to protect them from false teachers
who were twisting the message Paul taught. This is the
reason Paul wrote: "Let no man therefore judge you in meat,
or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new
moon, or of the sabbath days".
I see no mention here of abolishing God=E2=80=99s Law or His
holy days. Nothing is done away in these verses. In fact,
it is just the opposite. The very criticism the Colossians
were receiving about their observance of these days proves
they were keeping them. How could they be criticized "with
regard to" days they were not keeping?
This is the way I understand it: The Colossians were pagan
and had never kept these holy days of God before. Now that
they had learned the truth, they were keeping holy the days
God made holy. And Paul is warning them not to return to or
be influenced by their old pagan ways.
"Let no man therefore judge you..." (verse 16) in these
matters, "but the body=E2=80=89... of Christ=E2=80=9D (verse 17). In
Chapter 1:18 it says Christ "is the head of the body, the
church." See also Colossians 2:19. Ephesian 5:23.
In Romans 10:4, Paul explains how the Pharisees tried to
establish heir own righteousness because they thought mere
commandment keeping would be enough. Paul explains in
verse 4 that "Christ is the end of the law for
righteousness to everyone who believes." The words "the
end of the law" means the "aim," the "purpose," of the
law. We lack the spiritual strength to keep the law
ourselves (Romans 7:14-25; 8:3-4). Apart from Christ, no
one can keep God=E2=80=99s law in the spirit because man falls
short. But through Christ, we can be obedient (Philippians
4:13). The aim or end of the law is to help us to become
like Christ.
Romans 14:5 is in reference to eating or not eating meat.
And to not let those who eat meat despise those who don't
eat meat. Days are mentioned because it involved the same
principle: not to despise those who observe one day and
those who don't. If Paul had been talking about such an
important sacred thing as the Sabbath, he would have
mentioned it by the name Sabbath.
Paul taught on the Sabbath in Acts 13:14-15 and gave
public reading of the Law on the Sabbath day. In fact,
when the Gentiles asked him to preach to them on the
next Sabbath day, Paul did not tell them they didn't
have to wait until the next Sabbath because the
Sabbath had been done away. Nor did he tell them that
he could now preach on any day (here was an excellent
opportunity for Paul to show them the Sabbath was no
longer binding). Instead, he had them wait all week
until the next Sabbath because the Sabbath was, and
should still be, binding.
Acts 15:21 say those who preach Moses do so by reading
him aloud every Sabbath day. Didn't Moses preached on
the Sabbath?
And speaking of Moses, in Exodus 3:5 Moses is asked to
take his shoes from off his feet because the place
where he stood was holy ground. In the same way
Isaiah 58:13 says if you turn away your foot from the
sabbath, from doing your pleasure on His holy day; and
call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD,
honourable; and shalt honour him..."
Paul continued observing the Sabbath in Acts 17:2,16:12-15
And in 18:4 "he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath,
and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks".
In 1 Corinthian 11:1 he tells us to "become imitators of
me, even as I am Christ". Because Christ observed the
Sabbath, so did Paul.
In Acts 24:14 Paul says he renders sacred service to the
God of his forefathers (the same God we have) and that
he believe all things in the Law and written in the
Prophets! Also see Acts 25:8.
To those who were keeping the Commandments, Paul also
wrote: "Let no man judge you in eating and drinking
or in respect of a festival or of an observance of the
new moon or of a sabbath; for those things are a shadow
of the things to come, but the reality belongs to the
Christ.=E2=80=9D Col. 2:16, 17.
The Sabbath was binding to non-Jews because the command
includes everyONE and everyTHING to not do any work:
"...nor your manservant, nor your maidservant nor your
ox, ass, cattle nor your any domestic animal of yours
nor your alien resident who is inside your gates, in
order that your slave man and your slave girl may rest
the same as you". (Deuteronomy 5:14) So it wasn't just
for Jewish cattle!
In Hebrews 8:6 nothing is said about finding fault with
God or his laws. The new covenant is not established on
different Laws, but better promises on the same Laws.
"For if the first covenant had been faultless, there
would have been no need to look for a second one". v 7.
Far from doing away with gods laws, the new covenant
make the laws more binding by putting them into their
minds. "I will put my laws in their minds and write
them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will
be my people". That's why Jesus said "Do not think that
I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not
come to destroy but to fulfil"
Colossians 2:14 speaks of death warrant rightly issued
against us because we have all sinned by breaking gods
laws. And that the death warrant is merciful removed
(blotted out) and nailed to the cross or stake. That's
why in Exodus 31:12 God said there was a curse of being
put to death if anyone does any work on the Sabbath day.
"Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the
sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whoever does any work
in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death"
Fortunately, in Galatians 3:13 we read that Christ
released us from the curse of the Law. The death
warrant bearing our sins were nailed to the cross
of Christ who willingly took the death penalty
against humanity on himself. Since the wages of
sin is death, redemption requires the sacrificial
death of the Redeemer. Jesus paid this death for us.
The death sentence is mercifully removed if we admit
and repent of our sins.
In Galatians 4:9-11. Paul says, "You are scrupulously
observing days and months and seasons and years. I fear
for you, that somehow I have toiled to no purpose
respecting you." If Paul says he toiled, I would like to
see where he did this toiling, telling them not to
observe "days and months and seasons and years". I'm
sure he was not referring to the Sabbath. If Paul had
toiled for them to not observe the Sabbath, it would
have been put in writing using the word Sabbath.
What I understand was that Paul was first speaking to the
Jews in verses 1=E2=80=935 and then switched the Gentile in
verses 6=E2=80=9311. And that Paul was NOT talking about God=E2=80=99s
laws when he said the Jews "continued enslaved by the
elementary things belonging to the world" because God=E2=80=99s
law does not enslave and are not elementary things
belonging to the world. And that Paul was speaking of
worldly customs that they adopted over the years
"comprising nearly 2,000 laws added to God=E2=80=99s laws and
statutes". That's why he asks "How is it that you are
turning back again to the weak and beggarly elementary
things and want to slave for them over again?"
After all, God's Laws are not "weak and beggarly
elementary things".
Are not the words "days" and "months" and "seasons"
and "years" in reference to paganism? The Jews were
forbidden to observe "times" such as birthdays, Christmas,
Easter and etc.
When Paul says in verse 6 that: "But now we have been
delivered from the law, having died to what we were held
by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit
and not in the oldness of the letter" doesn't the word
"delivered" mean 'the certain death of'? Paul was saying
that Christ paid the death penalty for us and the law of
God no longer claims our lives but still exits.
In Ephesians 2:15 Paul is speaking of the division between
Jews and Gentiles. In chapters 1 and 2 he use the words
"us" and "we" when referring to Jews and referring to
Gentiles. The Jews had erected a wall of separation
between themselves and the Gentiles. They created many
laws and ordinances that were never given by God and which
separated themselves from Gentiles. Paul says that
Christ's flesh both abolished the enmity and also killed
it off by means of himself caused by the Law of commandments
consisting in decrees. This is the same enmity mentioned
in Genesis 3:15.
Peter tells us to beware of Paul's writings as not
to misunderstand them (2 Peter 3:16).
The person who loves God, keeps his Commandments John 14:15.
"Whoever says I know him but doesn't keep my commandments
is liar and Truth not in him." 1 John 2:4
Deuteronomy 8:11 "Watch out for yourself that you may not
forget Jehovah your God so as not to keep his
commandments and his judicial decisions and his statutes
that I am commanding you today;"
Galatians 3:13 says Christ released us from the curse of
the Law and not the Law itself. If Jesus came to do
away with his Fathers' Law, there would have been no
reason for him to give his life for us. After all, if a
convicted murderer is put to death because he broke the
law, should we remove the law that was against this
murderer after he dies?
In fact, Jesus made it very clear that he hadn't come to
abolish the Law or the Prophets. Read the rest of the
details at Matthew 5:17=E2=80=9319 The word "fulfil" means to do
or perform, not to do away with. The Greek word "pleroo"
does not mean abolish.
James, the half brother of Jesus said: "For whoever
observes all the Law but makes a false step in one point,
he has become an offender against them all." James 2:10-12
Jesus kept the Sabbath. Both He and Paul taught on the
Sabbath. He expected followers would be keeping the
Sabbath at the time of the end and pray that their flight
may not be on the Sabbath (Matthew 24:20). Jesus told us
to follow his teachings. "Be ye followers of me, even as
I also am of Christ" 1 Corinthians 11:1.
Jesus made the Commandments more binding, magnifying
Gods law. He gave example of a few of them such as: "You
have heard that it was said, 'you shall not commit
adultery' but I say to you that everyone who looks at
a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery
with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27). By magnifying
Gods laws, Jesus fulfilled a prophecy written in
Isaiah 42:21. "The LORD is well pleased for his
righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it
honourable."
After Christ died and was resurrected, He told His apostles
to go and make disciples of all the nations teaching ALL
nations (not just Jews) to observe ALL things He had
commanded. Matthew 28:19-20.
Christ's death did not end the need to observe "all things".
In fact, the bible clearly shows the apostles did go on to
observe "all things". Paul for example, said he believes
in "all things which are written in the law and in the
prophets" (Acts 24:14).
After Christ died, Luke described the Sabbath as a
Commandment and made no mention of it having been
abolished. Luke 23:56.
Some people believe that, since the Sabbath commandment
isn't explicitly repeated in the New Testament, it is no
longer binding. But read this:
http://www.gnmagazine.org/booklets/SS/sabbath-command-new-testament.asp
In the future, people keeping Gods Commandments and
living by every word of God which are in the Book of
life, will be persecuted by the dragon (Satan).
Revelation 12:17 speaks of the dragon who "grew wrathful
at the woman, and went off to wage war with the remaining
ones of her seed, who observe the commandments of God and
have the work of bearing witness to Jesus."
But those who persevere and keep the Commandments after
the resurrection are mentioned in Revelation 14:12.
Also see Revelation 22:14 which blesses those "that do
His commandments, that they may have right to the tree
of life, and may enter in through the gates into the
city." Notice it uses the word "do" because "the hearers
of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law
shall be justified" (Romans 2:13).
After Christ returns and establishes His Kingdom on earth,
the Sabbath will be observed! In fact, from one sabbath
to another, shall all flesh come to worship before
Jehovah God (Isaiah 66:23). That's one reason the Sabbath
is important to follow. It foreshadows ("Which are a
shadow of things to come") the coming real rest in the
coming kingdom of God. That's why Paul says to the people
who are following the Sabbath, to not let anyone judge
them. "Therefore, let no one judge you in matters of food
and drink or with respect to a festival, a new moon, or
Sabbath days". (Colossians 2:16-17)
The Sabbath law, has more space devoted to it in the Ten
Commandments than any other of the ten. It is mentioned 61
times in old testament and 56 in the new testament. It is
mentioned 45 times in the Gospels - far more than in the
five books of Moses.
And consider the circumcision controversy:
1) that it was put in writing;
2) it was the apostles who put in writing;
3) the amount of space devoted this controversy as
recorded in the book of Acts. And yet absolutely no space
devoted to the abolishment of the Sabbath - a day made
sacred by God at the creation of the world.
There is an interesting prophecy in Daniel 7:25.
The prophecy puts "times" and "laws" in the same sentence
as it appears to say that the sabbath law will be changed
to a different "time" (Saturday to Sunday). "And he shall
speak great words against the most High, and shall wear
out the saints of the most High, and think to change times
and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a
time and times and the dividing of time." There is a lot
of truth in this when you consider the following changes
man has done:
1)God begins the days at sunset, but man has changed it
so that the "new day" begins at what he now calls
"midnight" which is rarely the middle of what God calls
night (Genesis 1:5).
2)God begins the week with the ending of the true Sabbath,
the seventh day of the week. But man has changed it so
that the week begins two days later: Monday, the second
day of the week!
3)God begins the months with the new moons, but man has
caused the world to begin the months according to his
clumsy man-made calendar.
4)God begins the year in the early spring, when new life
is budding in nature everywhere! But man has caused the
world to begin the year in the middle of dead winter!
5)God gave His children a true rest day, designed to keep
them continually in the knowledge and true worship of the
true God. It was a memorial of His seventh day creation
week. But man has successfully caused the world to observe
the first day of the week, on which the pagans worshipped
the sun - Sunday.
Incidentally, not observing the Sabbath on the seventh day
opens the door to the pagan tradition as Sunday observance
(day of the sun). The bible warns to not follow pagan
traditions.
It is man, not God, who tries to change the Sabbath from
Saturday to Sunday and make Sunday Holy. But no matter
how hard he tries man cannot make anything holy. Nor can
man make un-holy anything God made holy. If the seventh
day was made holy by God, it can only be made un-holy by
God.
If God says the Sabbath is a sign between Him and His
people, then we must observe His Sabbath in order for
us to be His people. This promise was made when the ten
Commandments were laid out: "But if thou shalt indeed
obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be
an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto
thine adversaries" Exodus 23:22.
We honour God by keeping Holy those things He made Holy.
Keeping the Sabbath identifies the true God. God isn't
just the God of Israel, he is God of all humanity.
There are other numerous reasons why I think the Sabbath
and the Commandments are still binding. But I think the
ones I've posted here the ones most important.
Feel free to add or correct me.
were never abolished. But there are those who say otherwise.
So here, I've assembled in the simplest form, the reasons
why I believe they were never abolished and are still
binding. And I've included my explanation of some verses
that are misunderstood as saying the Commandments were
abolished.
If you ask most people how many days of creation there were,
they'll quickly answer there were six days. Few seem to
know God did in fact, do something and make something on
the seventh day.
These are the things God did on the seventh day:
1) He "ended his work"; 2) He "rested" (Exodus adds the
condition God was in when He rested: "refreshed"). So
unlike the previous six days, the seventh day was created
not by work, but by ending and resting.
Did you know God made something on that seventh day He
created by ending and resting? Genesis 2:3 tells us "God
proceeded to bless the seventh day and make it sacred,"
setting that day apart making the day Holy or Sacred.
God took the most enduring, lasting thing man can know:
a recurring space of time. He made a period of time Sacred.
In Exodus 20:11, we learn it was the Sabbath day that God
had made sacred in Genesis 2:3. (This is why the seventh
day is called Sabbath because the term is derived from the
Hebrew sabbath (=D7=A9=D7=91=D7=AA), meaning "to cease".) This means the
Seventh Day as the day of rest was instituted by God at
the time of creation of the human race; long before there
was a nation of Israel or Jews and was given to them.
In Mark 2:27 Jesus tells us the Sabbath was something that
was MADE. He also tells us who it was made for. He says it
was made for MAN and not for any particular group, race or
nationality (not for Israel only).
If the Sabbath is something that was made, it had to have
a maker. Since scriptures say God is the creator and that
all things were made by the Word (Colossians 1:16-17 and
John 1:3), the seventh day Sabbath must have been made by
God through the Word. John 1:14 says the Word later became
Christ and that's why Christ claims to be lord of the
Sabbath (Mark 2:28, 12:8, Luke 6:5). In Hebrews 13:8 Jesus
Christ is said to be the same yesterday and today, and
forever. If he was lord of the Sabbath yesterday, he is
today and he will still be forever after today.
And in Malachi 3:6, God says, "I am the Lord, I do not
change".
While the first recorded-bible-command given by God is
at Genesis 2:16-17, we know God's commandments, statutes,
and laws must have exited before this before they were
given to the Israelites because it would not make sense
for the Almighty God - the creator of everything seen and
unseen - to begin creation without first establishing laws
and rules. And also for the following reasons:
1) When Cain killed his brother Abel, Cain broke the "You
must not murder" command and God wasn't too pleased
(Genesis 4:10-12). Notice this was before God gave that
command in Exodus 20:13.
2) God was pleased with Abraham because he had "listened
to my voice and continued to keep his obligations to me,
my commands, my statutes, and my laws." (Genesis 26:5)
3) Enoch kept walking with God (Genesis 5:22,24);
4) Abel was said to be "righteous" (Matthew 23:35)
5) Noah "a preacher of righteousness" and walked with God.
6) and several others.
Notice in Genesis 26:5 God uses the word "MY" in
"...listened to MY voice and continued to keep his
obligations to me, MY commands, MY statutes, and MY laws.
" because those things belong to Him.
In Genesis 26:4-5 God said because Abraham obeyed His
voice, and kept His charge, His commandments, His statutes,
and His laws, He and his descendants would be blessed.
After being freed by God from Egyptian slavery, the
Israelites were instructed to keep the weekly Sabbath in
connection with the miraculous provision of the manna food.
God gave the Israelites this test commandment to see if
they will walk in Gods ways or not (Exodus 16:22,23). Of
course, His ways already existed, this was a test to see
if they would obey his ways.
In Exodus 31:16-17 God says "Wherefore the children of
Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath
throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant."
Perpetual means occurring continually. "Their generations"
are still going on today.
Notice in the Commandments God says the Sabbath is a sign
between Him and the children of Israel forever. Isn't
forever is a long time? And why is the Sabbath a sign?
It's a sign because "in six days the LORD made heaven
and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was
refreshed".
In Deuteronomy 5:14 God says the seventh day is a Sabbath
to Jehovah our God. The Sabbath exited and was God's sacred
day before it was given to Israel. It belongs to Him that
made it.
The Ten Commandments were written by Gods' own finger!
The Commandments were the one and only thing that God wrote
with his own finger. He could have inspired someone to
write them for Him but instead, God thought these
Commandments were so very important that He had to write
them Himself! And He didn't just write some regular
parchment, He used something more permanent.
If the Ten Commandments were later done away with, we
should have credible evidence of God and from God
providing proof with an equal act: such as putting it in
writing again on a tablet with His own finger.
At the time the Ten Commandments were given, all nations
had gone into a anti-God and false pagan religion. They
had all loss knowledge of God. In such a god rejecting
world, god raised up from the children of Abraham, Issac,
Jacob and moses etc, a special nation to be His nation,
to be a light to the non-believing gentile; to show other
nations what blessings would follow obedience to His Laws
(Deuteronomy 4:6-8). He used this special nation (Israel)
to show His right ways of life, His Commandments and to
them and their descendants would be given the promises.
(Exodus 31:17) (Galatians 3:29).
"This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew
forth my praise". (Isaiah 43:21).
Matthew 5:14-16 says they are the light of the world and
to let their light so shine before men, that people may
see their good works, and glorify their Father which is
in heaven.
(Incidentally, just because the Sabbath was "given" by God
to a particular group of people, it doesn't mean that that
particular group of people now have it and God no longer
does. The scriptures are clear that everything belongs to
God).
The seventh day began being sacred when God made it sacred.
Its sacredness continued when God instructed the Israelites
to keep the weekly Sabbath sacred. That is why the
Commandment used the word "keep" because it was already
sacred. After all, "You cannot keep cold water hot unless
it has first been made hot"!
God was interested in obedience in observing a day He had
made sacred. That is why when the people refused to keep
his commandments He asked how long must the people refuse
to keep His commandments and His laws! (Exodus 16:28, 29).
The Sabbath was also to remind the Israelites of what God
had done in liberating them from Egyptian bondage.
(Deut. 5:14, 15), Ezekiel 20:12. But it wasn't just as a
reminder of what God had done in freeing the Israelites
from Egypt, because in Deuteronomy 5:14 He begins by
saying the seventh day is a Sabbath to Him. It belongs to
Him. The Sabbath exited and was God's sacred day, before
it was given to Israel. It is a covenant, a sign to time indefinite
"because in six days God made the heavens and
the earth and on the seventh day he rested and proceeded
to refresh himself". And He ends with "That is why
Jehovah your God commanded you to carry on the sabbath day."
The Sabbath is a sign to time indefinite, because Exodus
31:17 "in six days God made the heavens and the earth and
on the seventh day he rested and proceeded to refresh
himself.=E2=80=9D It is binding throughout their generation forever.
About Colossians 2:16
I believe it was written as a warning to the Gentile
Christians at Colosse to protect them from false teachers
who were twisting the message Paul taught. This is the
reason Paul wrote: "Let no man therefore judge you in meat,
or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new
moon, or of the sabbath days".
I see no mention here of abolishing God=E2=80=99s Law or His
holy days. Nothing is done away in these verses. In fact,
it is just the opposite. The very criticism the Colossians
were receiving about their observance of these days proves
they were keeping them. How could they be criticized "with
regard to" days they were not keeping?
This is the way I understand it: The Colossians were pagan
and had never kept these holy days of God before. Now that
they had learned the truth, they were keeping holy the days
God made holy. And Paul is warning them not to return to or
be influenced by their old pagan ways.
"Let no man therefore judge you..." (verse 16) in these
matters, "but the body=E2=80=89... of Christ=E2=80=9D (verse 17). In
Chapter 1:18 it says Christ "is the head of the body, the
church." See also Colossians 2:19. Ephesian 5:23.
In Romans 10:4, Paul explains how the Pharisees tried to
establish heir own righteousness because they thought mere
commandment keeping would be enough. Paul explains in
verse 4 that "Christ is the end of the law for
righteousness to everyone who believes." The words "the
end of the law" means the "aim," the "purpose," of the
law. We lack the spiritual strength to keep the law
ourselves (Romans 7:14-25; 8:3-4). Apart from Christ, no
one can keep God=E2=80=99s law in the spirit because man falls
short. But through Christ, we can be obedient (Philippians
4:13). The aim or end of the law is to help us to become
like Christ.
Romans 14:5 is in reference to eating or not eating meat.
And to not let those who eat meat despise those who don't
eat meat. Days are mentioned because it involved the same
principle: not to despise those who observe one day and
those who don't. If Paul had been talking about such an
important sacred thing as the Sabbath, he would have
mentioned it by the name Sabbath.
Paul taught on the Sabbath in Acts 13:14-15 and gave
public reading of the Law on the Sabbath day. In fact,
when the Gentiles asked him to preach to them on the
next Sabbath day, Paul did not tell them they didn't
have to wait until the next Sabbath because the
Sabbath had been done away. Nor did he tell them that
he could now preach on any day (here was an excellent
opportunity for Paul to show them the Sabbath was no
longer binding). Instead, he had them wait all week
until the next Sabbath because the Sabbath was, and
should still be, binding.
Acts 15:21 say those who preach Moses do so by reading
him aloud every Sabbath day. Didn't Moses preached on
the Sabbath?
And speaking of Moses, in Exodus 3:5 Moses is asked to
take his shoes from off his feet because the place
where he stood was holy ground. In the same way
Isaiah 58:13 says if you turn away your foot from the
sabbath, from doing your pleasure on His holy day; and
call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD,
honourable; and shalt honour him..."
Paul continued observing the Sabbath in Acts 17:2,16:12-15
And in 18:4 "he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath,
and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks".
In 1 Corinthian 11:1 he tells us to "become imitators of
me, even as I am Christ". Because Christ observed the
Sabbath, so did Paul.
In Acts 24:14 Paul says he renders sacred service to the
God of his forefathers (the same God we have) and that
he believe all things in the Law and written in the
Prophets! Also see Acts 25:8.
To those who were keeping the Commandments, Paul also
wrote: "Let no man judge you in eating and drinking
or in respect of a festival or of an observance of the
new moon or of a sabbath; for those things are a shadow
of the things to come, but the reality belongs to the
Christ.=E2=80=9D Col. 2:16, 17.
The Sabbath was binding to non-Jews because the command
includes everyONE and everyTHING to not do any work:
"...nor your manservant, nor your maidservant nor your
ox, ass, cattle nor your any domestic animal of yours
nor your alien resident who is inside your gates, in
order that your slave man and your slave girl may rest
the same as you". (Deuteronomy 5:14) So it wasn't just
for Jewish cattle!
In Hebrews 8:6 nothing is said about finding fault with
God or his laws. The new covenant is not established on
different Laws, but better promises on the same Laws.
"For if the first covenant had been faultless, there
would have been no need to look for a second one". v 7.
Far from doing away with gods laws, the new covenant
make the laws more binding by putting them into their
minds. "I will put my laws in their minds and write
them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will
be my people". That's why Jesus said "Do not think that
I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not
come to destroy but to fulfil"
Colossians 2:14 speaks of death warrant rightly issued
against us because we have all sinned by breaking gods
laws. And that the death warrant is merciful removed
(blotted out) and nailed to the cross or stake. That's
why in Exodus 31:12 God said there was a curse of being
put to death if anyone does any work on the Sabbath day.
"Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the
sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whoever does any work
in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death"
Fortunately, in Galatians 3:13 we read that Christ
released us from the curse of the Law. The death
warrant bearing our sins were nailed to the cross
of Christ who willingly took the death penalty
against humanity on himself. Since the wages of
sin is death, redemption requires the sacrificial
death of the Redeemer. Jesus paid this death for us.
The death sentence is mercifully removed if we admit
and repent of our sins.
In Galatians 4:9-11. Paul says, "You are scrupulously
observing days and months and seasons and years. I fear
for you, that somehow I have toiled to no purpose
respecting you." If Paul says he toiled, I would like to
see where he did this toiling, telling them not to
observe "days and months and seasons and years". I'm
sure he was not referring to the Sabbath. If Paul had
toiled for them to not observe the Sabbath, it would
have been put in writing using the word Sabbath.
What I understand was that Paul was first speaking to the
Jews in verses 1=E2=80=935 and then switched the Gentile in
verses 6=E2=80=9311. And that Paul was NOT talking about God=E2=80=99s
laws when he said the Jews "continued enslaved by the
elementary things belonging to the world" because God=E2=80=99s
law does not enslave and are not elementary things
belonging to the world. And that Paul was speaking of
worldly customs that they adopted over the years
"comprising nearly 2,000 laws added to God=E2=80=99s laws and
statutes". That's why he asks "How is it that you are
turning back again to the weak and beggarly elementary
things and want to slave for them over again?"
After all, God's Laws are not "weak and beggarly
elementary things".
Are not the words "days" and "months" and "seasons"
and "years" in reference to paganism? The Jews were
forbidden to observe "times" such as birthdays, Christmas,
Easter and etc.
When Paul says in verse 6 that: "But now we have been
delivered from the law, having died to what we were held
by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit
and not in the oldness of the letter" doesn't the word
"delivered" mean 'the certain death of'? Paul was saying
that Christ paid the death penalty for us and the law of
God no longer claims our lives but still exits.
In Ephesians 2:15 Paul is speaking of the division between
Jews and Gentiles. In chapters 1 and 2 he use the words
"us" and "we" when referring to Jews and referring to
Gentiles. The Jews had erected a wall of separation
between themselves and the Gentiles. They created many
laws and ordinances that were never given by God and which
separated themselves from Gentiles. Paul says that
Christ's flesh both abolished the enmity and also killed
it off by means of himself caused by the Law of commandments
consisting in decrees. This is the same enmity mentioned
in Genesis 3:15.
Peter tells us to beware of Paul's writings as not
to misunderstand them (2 Peter 3:16).
The person who loves God, keeps his Commandments John 14:15.
"Whoever says I know him but doesn't keep my commandments
is liar and Truth not in him." 1 John 2:4
Deuteronomy 8:11 "Watch out for yourself that you may not
forget Jehovah your God so as not to keep his
commandments and his judicial decisions and his statutes
that I am commanding you today;"
Galatians 3:13 says Christ released us from the curse of
the Law and not the Law itself. If Jesus came to do
away with his Fathers' Law, there would have been no
reason for him to give his life for us. After all, if a
convicted murderer is put to death because he broke the
law, should we remove the law that was against this
murderer after he dies?
In fact, Jesus made it very clear that he hadn't come to
abolish the Law or the Prophets. Read the rest of the
details at Matthew 5:17=E2=80=9319 The word "fulfil" means to do
or perform, not to do away with. The Greek word "pleroo"
does not mean abolish.
James, the half brother of Jesus said: "For whoever
observes all the Law but makes a false step in one point,
he has become an offender against them all." James 2:10-12
Jesus kept the Sabbath. Both He and Paul taught on the
Sabbath. He expected followers would be keeping the
Sabbath at the time of the end and pray that their flight
may not be on the Sabbath (Matthew 24:20). Jesus told us
to follow his teachings. "Be ye followers of me, even as
I also am of Christ" 1 Corinthians 11:1.
Jesus made the Commandments more binding, magnifying
Gods law. He gave example of a few of them such as: "You
have heard that it was said, 'you shall not commit
adultery' but I say to you that everyone who looks at
a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery
with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27). By magnifying
Gods laws, Jesus fulfilled a prophecy written in
Isaiah 42:21. "The LORD is well pleased for his
righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it
honourable."
After Christ died and was resurrected, He told His apostles
to go and make disciples of all the nations teaching ALL
nations (not just Jews) to observe ALL things He had
commanded. Matthew 28:19-20.
Christ's death did not end the need to observe "all things".
In fact, the bible clearly shows the apostles did go on to
observe "all things". Paul for example, said he believes
in "all things which are written in the law and in the
prophets" (Acts 24:14).
After Christ died, Luke described the Sabbath as a
Commandment and made no mention of it having been
abolished. Luke 23:56.
Some people believe that, since the Sabbath commandment
isn't explicitly repeated in the New Testament, it is no
longer binding. But read this:
http://www.gnmagazine.org/booklets/SS/sabbath-command-new-testament.asp
In the future, people keeping Gods Commandments and
living by every word of God which are in the Book of
life, will be persecuted by the dragon (Satan).
Revelation 12:17 speaks of the dragon who "grew wrathful
at the woman, and went off to wage war with the remaining
ones of her seed, who observe the commandments of God and
have the work of bearing witness to Jesus."
But those who persevere and keep the Commandments after
the resurrection are mentioned in Revelation 14:12.
Also see Revelation 22:14 which blesses those "that do
His commandments, that they may have right to the tree
of life, and may enter in through the gates into the
city." Notice it uses the word "do" because "the hearers
of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law
shall be justified" (Romans 2:13).
After Christ returns and establishes His Kingdom on earth,
the Sabbath will be observed! In fact, from one sabbath
to another, shall all flesh come to worship before
Jehovah God (Isaiah 66:23). That's one reason the Sabbath
is important to follow. It foreshadows ("Which are a
shadow of things to come") the coming real rest in the
coming kingdom of God. That's why Paul says to the people
who are following the Sabbath, to not let anyone judge
them. "Therefore, let no one judge you in matters of food
and drink or with respect to a festival, a new moon, or
Sabbath days". (Colossians 2:16-17)
The Sabbath law, has more space devoted to it in the Ten
Commandments than any other of the ten. It is mentioned 61
times in old testament and 56 in the new testament. It is
mentioned 45 times in the Gospels - far more than in the
five books of Moses.
And consider the circumcision controversy:
1) that it was put in writing;
2) it was the apostles who put in writing;
3) the amount of space devoted this controversy as
recorded in the book of Acts. And yet absolutely no space
devoted to the abolishment of the Sabbath - a day made
sacred by God at the creation of the world.
There is an interesting prophecy in Daniel 7:25.
The prophecy puts "times" and "laws" in the same sentence
as it appears to say that the sabbath law will be changed
to a different "time" (Saturday to Sunday). "And he shall
speak great words against the most High, and shall wear
out the saints of the most High, and think to change times
and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a
time and times and the dividing of time." There is a lot
of truth in this when you consider the following changes
man has done:
1)God begins the days at sunset, but man has changed it
so that the "new day" begins at what he now calls
"midnight" which is rarely the middle of what God calls
night (Genesis 1:5).
2)God begins the week with the ending of the true Sabbath,
the seventh day of the week. But man has changed it so
that the week begins two days later: Monday, the second
day of the week!
3)God begins the months with the new moons, but man has
caused the world to begin the months according to his
clumsy man-made calendar.
4)God begins the year in the early spring, when new life
is budding in nature everywhere! But man has caused the
world to begin the year in the middle of dead winter!
5)God gave His children a true rest day, designed to keep
them continually in the knowledge and true worship of the
true God. It was a memorial of His seventh day creation
week. But man has successfully caused the world to observe
the first day of the week, on which the pagans worshipped
the sun - Sunday.
Incidentally, not observing the Sabbath on the seventh day
opens the door to the pagan tradition as Sunday observance
(day of the sun). The bible warns to not follow pagan
traditions.
It is man, not God, who tries to change the Sabbath from
Saturday to Sunday and make Sunday Holy. But no matter
how hard he tries man cannot make anything holy. Nor can
man make un-holy anything God made holy. If the seventh
day was made holy by God, it can only be made un-holy by
God.
If God says the Sabbath is a sign between Him and His
people, then we must observe His Sabbath in order for
us to be His people. This promise was made when the ten
Commandments were laid out: "But if thou shalt indeed
obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be
an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto
thine adversaries" Exodus 23:22.
We honour God by keeping Holy those things He made Holy.
Keeping the Sabbath identifies the true God. God isn't
just the God of Israel, he is God of all humanity.
There are other numerous reasons why I think the Sabbath
and the Commandments are still binding. But I think the
ones I've posted here the ones most important.
Feel free to add or correct me.