Christ created the Sabbath in the garden of Eden, commanded it at Mount Sinai, kept it in His life and in His death, continued it through the early church. Because Antichrist had thought to change it, which has confused millions of people regarding this commandment, Christ is now restoring the truth of the Sabbath after that apostasy. It will be clearly seen, that the duty of keeping the Sabbath holy comes to every person, not the Jew only; and that Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath.
What did Antichrist the Papacy think to change, as we saw in a previous study? Daniel 7:25
“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.”
The commandments were written by God in stone, what did Christ say about changing them? Matthew 5:18
“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
Is even one change in the law morally possible? James 2:10
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.“
The fourth commandment is connected to time, what is its name and our duty? Exodus 20:8
“8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
What did God do to that day and why? Exodus 20:11
“For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”
What day is the Sabbath and what are we not to do on that day? Exodus 20:9-10
“9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 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:”
When was the Sabbath established? Genesis 2:1-3
“1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 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.”
Who created all things and therefore established the Sabbath? John 1:1-3,14
“1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. .. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
For whom was the Sabbath made, and Who therefore is the Lord of it? Mark 2:27-28
“27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: 28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.”
What was Christ’s custom? Luke 4:16
“And he 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 for to read.”
On what days did Jesus die and then rest in the grave? Luke 23:52-54
“52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. 54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.” (The day of preparation is generally known as Good Friday in mainstream Christianity. Saturday, or Sabbath follows it.)
Did Jesus’ disciples keep the Sabbath holy after Jesus’ death? Luke 23:55-56
“55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. 56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.”
On which day of the week did He rise from the grave? Luke 24:1-3
“1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.” (The day Christ resurrected, which follow the Sabbath, is generally known as Easter Sunday, this is the first day.)
Which day is then the Sabbath?
The seventh. Those that remember to keep Sabbath holy, have their worship services on the Sabbath, because this is what Jesus did.
What are three other examples that show which day the Sabbath is?
#1 Weekdays & the Calendar.
The week cycle, unlike the day, month, and year, is not connected to the movements of any heavenly body. The names of the seven days of which the week is composed were derived by the Egyptians from the seven celestial bodies then known. The Romans, in their names for the days, observed the same order, distinguishing them as follows:
|
Bible Name
|
Pagan Name
|
Meaning
|
Typical Name
|
|
First Day
|
Dies Solis
|
Sun’s day
|
Sunday
|
|
Second Day
|
Dies Lunae
|
Moon’s day
|
Monday
|
|
Third Day
|
Dies Martis
|
Mars’ day
|
Tuesday
|
|
Fourth Day
|
Dies Mercurii
|
Mercury’s day
|
Wednesday
|
|
Fifth Day
|
Dies Jovis
|
Jupiter’s day
|
Thursday |
|
Sixth Day
|
Dies Veneris
|
Venus’ day
|
Friday
|
|
Seventh Day
|
Dies Saturni
|
Saturn’s day
|
Saturday
|
We can see at a glance that the origin of English names for the first, second, and seventh days are based on a direct reference to celestial bodies, which were worshipped as gods. The remaining four are names based on Tiu, Woden, Thor, and Frigga, northern deities equivalent to the other celestial bodies Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus, as found in classical mythology.
When Pope Gregory XIII reformed the calendar October 1582 (hence the term Gregorian calendar), he removed 10 days from the calendar. He made Friday October 15 to follow Thursday October 4. He did not change the weekly cycle, but just skipped days.
#2 Languages
More than 100 ancient and modern languages show that the seventh day of the week was named “Sabbath” or its equivalent. Here is a selection (18):
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|
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#3 Jews
Jesus was a Jew and kept Sabbath. From those biblical times till today, the Jews still observing it as Sabbath, Shabat, or the day of rest. The Jew will affirm that the Sabbath is on the seventh day of the week, or Saturday.
Did Christ expect His followers to keep Sabbath holy about 40years (70 AD) after returning to heaven? Matthews 24:20
“But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:”
On what day did members of the early church, including its gentile converts, attend God’s house? Acts 13:14, 42, 44
“14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. .. 42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. .. 44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.” (See also Acts 18:4.)
What was Paul’s custom on the Sabbath? Acts 17:1-2
“17 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures”.
How does Satan feel about God’s Sabbath keeping people at the end of the world? Revelation 12:17
“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
What does God supply them that obey all His commandments, to resist Satan the dragon? Revelation 14:12
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
Jesus created the Sabbath and also kept it holy, what does He ask you and I to do? Luke 9:23
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (See also John 10:27.)
Friend,
Is it your desire to follow Christ in all things and honour God by keep His Sabbath holy as Christ also does? Consider what would keep you from do so; ask God for help to keep the Sabbath holy and He will answer.
Dictionaries Merriam-webster.com defines Sunday as: The first day of the week : the Christian analogue of the Jewish Sabbath Yourdictionary.com & Thefreedictionary.com defines Saturday as: Sat·ur·day (str-d, -d)n.1. Abbr. Sat. or S The seventh day of the week. 2. The Jewish Sabbath. Oxforddictionaries.com defines Sabbath as: A day of religious observance and abstinence from work, kept by Jews from Friday evening to Saturday evening, and by most Christians on Sunday: Merriam-webster.com defines Sabbath as: 1a : the seventh day of the week observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening as a day of rest and worship by Jews and some Christians b : Sunday observed among Christians as a day of rest and worship Saturday: The last day of the week
Sunday: The christian sabbath; the first day of the week, Sabbath 1) The day which God appointed to be observed by the Jews as a day of rest from all secular labor or employments, and to be kept holy and consecrated to his service and worship. …the seventh day of the week, the day on which God rested from the work of creation. .. 2) time of rest. Quotations from Jesus “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) “11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” (Exodus 20:11) Quotations from Protestants “The “Doctrinal Catechism,” pp. 174, 352, offers proof that Protestants are not guided by the Scriptures. We present two of the questions and answers: Question: Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals of precept? Answer: Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her, she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no scriptural authority. Question: When Protestants do profane work on Saturday, or the seventh day of the week, do they follow the Scriptures as their only rule of faith, do they find this permission clearly laid down in the Sacred Volume? Answer: On the contrary, they have only the authority of tradition for this practice. In profaning Saturday, they violate one of God’s commandments, which He has never clearly abrogated, ‘Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.'” G.C. 447. Baptist – “It is sometimes argued that Christ abrogated (annulled) the Mosaic law, and therefore there is no longer any obligation to keep the Sabbath; but He (Jesus) Himself declares that He came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. Notice that He never says that He abrogated the Sabbath.” Baptist Sunday School Quarterly, March 1929. Lutheran – “The observance of Sunday as the Lord’s Day is not founded on any commandment of God, but on the authority of the church.” Martin Luther, Augsburg Confession, Article 28. Presbyterian – “In the interval between the days of the apostles and the conversion of Constantine, (336 A.D.) the Christian commonwealth changed its aspect … Rites and ceremonies of which neither Paul or Peter ever heard, crept silently into use, and then claimed the rank of divine institution.” Dr. W. D. Killen, The Ancient Church, preface. Quotations from Catholics The following is taken from the “Catholic Christian Instructed,” 17th edition, revised and corrected, pp. 272, 273: Question: What warrant have you for keeping Sunday preferably to the ancient Sabbath which was Saturday? Answer: We have for it the authority of the Catholic church, and apostolic tradition. Question: Does the Scripture anywhere command the Sunday to be kept for the Sabbath? Answer: The Scripture commands us to hear the church (St. Matt. 18:17; St. Luke 10:16), and to hold fast the traditions of the apostles, 2 Thess. 2:15. But the Scripture does not in particular mention this change of the Sabbath. Priest T. Enright – “I have repeatedly offered $1,000 to anyone who can prove to me from the Bible alone that I am bound to keep Sunday holy. There is no such law in the Bible. It is a law of the holy Catholic Church alone. The Bible says, ‘Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.’ The Catholic Church says, ‘No, by my divine power I abolish the Sabbath day and command you to keep holy the first day of the week!’ And lo! The entire civilized world bows down in a reverent obedience to the command of the holy Catholic Church.” Redemptorist College, Kansas City, Missouri, Letter, January 11, 1892. Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine – Question: “Which is the Sabbath day?” Answer: “Saturday is the Sabbath day.” Question: “Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?” Answer: “We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (336 A.D.) transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.” pp. 49-50. Catholic Mirror – “The Catholic Church over one thousand years before the existence of a Protestant, by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday.” September 28, 1893.Extra info...
Look Up the Verses Yourself...
Christ created the Sabbath in the garden of Eden, commanded it at Mount Sinai, kept it in His life and in His death, continued it through the early church. Because Antichrist had thought to change it, which has confused millions of people regarding this commandment, Christ is now restoring the truth of the Sabbath after that apostasy. It will be clearly seen, that the duty of keeping the Sabbath holy comes to every person, not the Jew only; and that Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath.
What did Antichrist the Papacy think to change, as we saw in a previous study? Daniel 7:25
- The commandments were written by God in stone, what did Christ say about changing them? Matthew 5:18
- Is even one change in the law morally possible? James 2:10
- The fourth commandment is connected to time, what is its name and our duty? Exodus 20:8
- What did God do to that day and why? Exodus 20:11
- What day is the Sabbath and what are we not to do on that day? Exodus 20:9-10
- When was the Sabbath established? Genesis 2:1-3
- Who created all things and therefore established the Sabbath? John 1:1-3,14
- For whom was the Sabbath made, and Who therefore is the Lord of it? Mark 2:27-28
- What was Christ’s custom? Luke 4:16
- On what days did Jesus die and then rest in the grave? Luke 23:52-54
- Did Jesus’ disciples keep the Sabbath holy after Jesus’ death? Luke 23:55-56
- On which day of the week did He rise from the grave? Luke 24:1-3
Which day is then the Sabbath?
The seventh. Those that remember to keep Sabbath holy, have their worship services on the Sabbath, because this is what Jesus did.
What are three other examples that show which day the Sabbath is?
#1 Weekdays & the Calendar.
The week cycle, unlike the day, month, and year, is not connected to the movements of any heavenly body. The names of the seven days of which the week is composed were derived by the Egyptians from the seven celestial bodies then known. The Romans, in their names for the days, observed the same order, distinguishing them as follows:
|
Bible Name
|
Pagan Name
|
Meaning
|
Typical Name
|
|
First Day
|
Dies Solis
|
Sun’s day
|
Sunday
|
|
Second Day
|
Dies Lunae
|
Moon’s day
|
Monday
|
|
Third Day
|
Dies Martis
|
Mars’ day
|
Tuesday
|
|
Fourth Day
|
Dies Mercurii
|
Mercury’s day
|
Wednesday
|
|
Fifth Day
|
Dies Jovis
|
Jupiter’s day
|
Thursday |
|
Sixth Day
|
Dies Veneris
|
Venus’ day
|
Friday
|
|
Seventh Day
|
Dies Saturni
|
Saturn’s day
|
Saturday
|
We can see at a glance that the origin of English names for the first, second, and seventh days are based on a direct reference to celestial bodies, which were worshipped as gods. The remaining four are names based on Tiu, Woden, Thor, and Frigga, northern deities equivalent to the other celestial bodies Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus, as found in classical mythology.
When Pope Gregory XIII reformed the calendar October 1582 (hence the term Gregorian calendar), he removed 10 days from the calendar. He made Friday October 15 to follow Thursday October 4. He did not change the weekly cycle, but just skipped days.
#2 Languages
More than 100 ancient and modern languages show that the seventh day of the week was named “Sabbath” or its equivalent. Here is a selection (18):
|
|
|
#3 Jews
Jesus was a Jew and kept Sabbath. From those biblical times till today, the Jews still observing it as Sabbath, Shabat, or the day of rest. The Jew will affirm that the Sabbath is on the seventh day of the week, or Saturday.
- Did Christ expect His followers to keep Sabbath holy about 40years (70 AD) after returning to heaven? Matthews 24:20
- On what day did members of the early church, including its gentile converts, attend God’s house? Acts 13:14, 42, 44
- What was Paul’s custom on the Sabbath? Acts 17:1-2
- How does Satan feel about God’s Sabbath keeping people at the end of the world? Revelation 12:17
- What does God supply them that obey all His commandments, to resist Satan the dragon? Revelation 14:12
-
Will the Sabbath be kept when God makes the new heavens and the new earth, one with only peace and joy, and no sorrow nor death? Isaiah 66:22-23
- Jesus created the Sabbath and also kept it holy, what does He ask you and I to do? Luke 9:23 (See also John 10:27.)
Friend,
Is it your desire to follow Christ in all things and honour God by keep His Sabbath holy as Christ also does? Consider what would keep you from do so; ask God for help to keep the Sabbath holy and He will answer.
