Written By : D. Klutstein
Written By : D. Klutstein
I was told that I am stuck on the Sabbath. I believe that YHWH is. The Torah starts with the Sabbath as Gods gift to mankind in Genesis 2:2-3 YHWH order making the Sabbath Holy as a remembrance of the creation both physical and spiritual. Yeshua Himself tells us that the Sabbath is God’s gift to man (Mark 2:27). Recently the doctor discovered (6000 years later) that the best time for the rejuvenation of man is from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Man needs to reconnect with the creator, spend time with him, friends and family. Our father appointed this time for us. He wants quality time with his children. We go out of our way to keep service and medical appointments, but often disregard our appointment with our creator. The Sabbath was given to Adam NOT to the Jews. Yeshua himself was the Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8), and rose from the dead on the Sabbath. Yet, some teach that all of the ten commandments were taught by Yeshua, except for the 4th (Keep and Observe the Sabbath). Yeshua, as was his habit went to the synagogue, to worship, read the word, teach, heal, and have fellowship (Luke 4:16, Mark 6:2, Mat- thew 12:12 etc). Yeshua never taught that the Sabbath was abolished (for that matter none of the law of God Matthew 5:17-21) but it is a time to do good. On the contrary, Yeshua asked us to pray that the Day of judgment does not fall in winter nor on the Sabbath (Matthew 24:20) to ease our flight, even though it is permissible to break the Sabbath to save one’s life (Matthew 12:10-12). The disciples waited for the Sabbath to be over before going to the tomb. They did not travel on the sabbath (Acts 1:12, 13:14) and like Yeshua went to the synagogue (Acts 17:1-2, 18:4).
The early non Jewish believers also kept the sabbath as we read in Iraeneus Against Heresies, BOOK 3, Chapter XII ” For all those who are of a perverse mind, having been set against the Mosaic legislation, judging it to be dissimilar and contrary to the doctrine of the Gospel, have not applied themselves to investigate the causes of the difference of each covenant. Since, therefore, they have been deserted by the paternal love, and puffed up by Satan, being brought over to the doctrine of Simon Magus, they have apostatized in their opinions from Him who is God, and imagined that they have themselves discovered more than the apostles, by finding out another god; and [maintained] that the apostles preached the Gospel still somewhat under the influence of Jewish opinions, but that they themselves are purer [in doctrine], and more intelligent, than the apostles.” Unfortunately the church today takes an antinomian stand, and rejected the teaching of Yeshua and his disciples. Yeshua gave theTorah to Moses (John 6:37), in which it says that anyone going against YHWH commands is not of God and should be put to death (Deut 13:1-5). In addition the church claimed the right to change the Sabbath to Sunday (See Cardinal Gibbons in the Catholic Mirror) and American Congregationalists: No authority in the New Testament for substitution of the first day for the seventhThe current notion that Christ and His apostles authoritatively substituted the first day for the seventh, is absolutely without any authority in the New Testament." Dr. Lyman Abbott, in the Christian Union, June 26, 1890. Anglican: Nowhere commanded to keep the first day "And where are we told in the Scriptures that we are to keep the first day at all? We are commanded to keep the seventh; but we are nowhere commanded to keep the first day. The reason why we keep the first of the week holy instead of the seventh is for the same reason that we observe many other things, not because the Bible, but because the church, has enjoined [commanded] it." Isaac Williams, Plain Sermons on the Catechism, Vol. 1, pp 334, 336 By honoring the Sabbath we declare God as the creator and King of the universe. We show our trust in his provision. We accept the covenant which sign is the Sabbath.
The Sabbath is required for non-jews to participate in the millennium kingdom of the messiah (Is 56:1-8), and for the eternal kingdom of the messiah (Is 66:23-24). It is a sign forever between YHWH and his people(Is 58:13-14). Finally the Sabbath is a taste of the world to come (Heb 4:1-11). Let us all enter His Sabbath with thanksgiving.