Revised July 20, 2001
Introduction
The Sabbath is the 4th
commandment (Exodus 20:8-11) of the
Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) in
the Bible. Death was the penalty for desecrating the Sabbath. Therefore, it is
an important commandment of Yahweh, the Father and you will find out our
Creator takes this commandment very seriously. If you are well grounded in the
scriptures, you will understand that when the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaChodesh)
places words or principles in a certain order, there is an important reason for
it. You will also understand how Yahshua of Nazareth, our Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6-7, Zachariah 12:10-14),
interpreted the Spirit of the Law concerning the Sabbath in Matthew, Mark, Luke
and John in light of the Torah.
You will recognize that the
Sabbath is a spiritual and symbolic mark of the marriage covenant between our
Everlasting Father, who is symbolically the Bridegroom, and His People, that is
symbolically represented as the Bride. Keeping the Sabbath may also be symbolic
of having the Mark of God versus the Mark of the Beast in the last days.
There are three excellent
companion studies that should be read with this overview. One titled, “Biblical
Holy Days” from Yahweh’s New Covenant Assembly. You can get it at www.ynca.com/pdf/bhd.pdf. The other
is titled, “A Family Guide To The Biblical Holidays” by Robin Scarlata
& Linda Pierce. You can get this from www.6001.com.
The third set is from
A complete list of all
scriptural references to the “Sabbath” can be found at the end of this overview
in the Appendices along with acknowledgments. This overview covers all the
relevant passages that have the word “sabbath” in the Bible.
The “New” Testament or more
correctly the renewed Testament or
B’rit Chadashah must be read and interpreted in the context of the Tanach
(Torah, Prophets & Holy Writings), or more commonly known as the “Old”
Testament. If you are a believer who is not familiar with this concept, please
investigate this further because it is fundamental in understanding the
scriptures. If you like, I can provide some references for this
investigation. You may contact me at Admin@BethLechem.org. The
concept is quite involved and is beyond the scope of this overview. Not
understanding this concept can often mislead the believer when reading the
scriptures.
One fundamental problem
arising from the lack of understanding this concept is scripture is often taken
out of context, mis-interpreted and mis-translated. A common example is the
majority of the Body of Messiah believes that “the law is abolished.” In order
to support this idea, specific set of verses in the Book of Galations and
Romans among other passages are often cited and used out of context and
mis-interpreted. What is even worse is some of these passages that are cited
are poor translations or completely mis-translated. A good review of the Book
of Galations interpreted in proper context is by Monte
It is important to recognize
that scriptural principles have legal precedence according to the Spirit of the
Law. Our Everlasting Father, Yahshua of Nazareth expects us to know this. We
find this out by carefully reading the scriptures about the Sabbath referenced
in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. After all, the scriptures explicitly reveal
that our God is a God of Law. This fact is observed even in the physical
universe in contrast to the spiritual world. Modern science has discovered Laws
of Physics, Aerodynamics, Thermodynamics, Mathematics, etc. We as believers
know that it was Yahweh who established these physical laws.
You will gain an understanding
of how legal precedence works within Biblical principles at the completion of
this overview. I noted earlier, our Everlasting Father, Yahshua of Nazareth
interpreted the Tanach in the B’rit Chadashah using legal precedence in light
of the Spirit of the Law versus the letter of the Law. If you are a believer
that thinks the “law is abolished” be sure to commit yourself to completing
this overview. You will find passages and principles in this overview alone
that will begin to expand your understanding. You will learn that keeping the
Sabbath is instrumental in the worship of our Everlasting Father.
Before proceeding with the
principles of the Sabbath, let’s establish a few key fundamental principles in
scripture. The understanding of these principles is a pre-requisite for
understanding the principles of Sabbath.
This study focuses
pre-dominantly on scripture and legal precedent in the Spirit of the Law. In some of the works I have reviewed on the
Sabbath so far, I find more flowery commentary about why the Sabbath should be
observed. A lot of these commentaries appear to be based on personal feelings
about the Sabbath rather than the explicit and implied instructions our
Everlasting Father gives us in scripture. The commentaries I reviewed often
placed Biblical principles in the context of worldly philosophy and ideas. Too
often, doctrines arising from the “pulpit” are intermingled with philosophies
and ideas in the context of one’s own culture instead of pure scripture. In the
West, it is Western philosophies and ideas, and sometimes Jewish traditions
that nullify the Word of Yahweh. These commentaries typically provide a partial
picture of the full revelation of scripture relating to the Sabbath because of
an incomplete approach. Colossians 2:8
(NIV) warns us about following after philosophy of men. Matthew 15:3-9 (NIV) warns us about
traditions that nullify the Word of Yahweh.
Colossians
2:8 (NIV)
8 Beware
lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the
tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Matthew
15:3-9 (NIV)
3 Jesus
replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your
tradition? 4 For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who
curses his father or mother must be put to death.' 5 But you say that if a man says to his
father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a
gift devoted to God,' 6 he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you
nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites!
Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8 "'These people honor me
with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.'"
This overview will identify
principles based on the Word of Yahweh within the context of the scriptures in
the Bible and will try to paint a more complete picture of the Spirit of the
Law regarding Sabbath principles. Let’s literally
search the scriptures like the Bereans, Acts
17:11 (NIV):
Acts 17:11
(NIV):
11 Now the
Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received
the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to
see if what Paul said was true
An important reminder,
scripture reveals to us that Yahweh rejects His people because they
intentionally ignore the knowledge of Torah (Law). If you investigate yourself,
you will find that the word “law” is used synonymously with the word “Torah.” Hosea 4:6 (NIV) states:
Hosea 4:6
(NIV)
6 my
people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. "Because you have
rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have
ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.
In this overview, I attempt
to establish doctrine concerning the Sabbath day. The Holy Spirit, through Apostle Paul,
reminds us that scripture is useful for establishing and constructing doctrine
in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV):
2 Timothy
3:16-17 (KJV)
16 All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man
of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Our Everlasting Father
Himself reminds us to use our minds
in His first and greatest commandment in Matthew
22:34-39 (NIV).
Matthew
22:34-40 (NIV)
34 Hearing
that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of
them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 "Teacher,
which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your
God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest
commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as
yourself.' 40 All the Law and the
Prophets hang on these two commandments."
An important needs to be made
at this time. It appears that believers who exercise their minds often forget
the “heart” and “soul” by not walking in “love.” Believers exercising their
“heart” and “soul” often forget their “minds” by not studying the scriptures to
a depth that is needed. So this is a warning to the reader that a balance is
needed. Note that the Messiah says the “Law and Prophets” hang on the two
greatest commandments. Our Everlasting Father simplified the meaning of the Law
and Prophets according the Spirit of the Law, therefore when one follows the
Law and Prophets, they are following the two greatest commandments.
These two greatest commandments
are even consolidated and simplified into one single commandment in Romans 13:9-10 (NIV) and Galations 5:14-15 (NIV) by the Ruach
HaChodesh.
Romans
13:9-10
9 The
commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder,"
"Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other
commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your
neighbor as yourself." 10 Love
does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Galatians
5:14-15
14 The
entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as
yourself." 15 If you keep on
biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each
other.
There is a good reason why
the two greatest commandments are summed up into one. One commandment deals
with the Father and the other deals with our neighbor. Remember our Everlasting
Father himself said He is also our friend in John 15:9-17 (NIV). In essence, our Everlasting father is also our
neighbor because in one respect He is our friend.
John 15:13-17
(NIV)
13 Greater
love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's
business. Instead, I have called you friends,
for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear
fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in
my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Also note that our Messiah
consolidated the first five of the Ten Commandments into the first and greatest
commandment. Next He consolidated the
second five of the ten commandments as the second greatest commandment. This
study is beyond the scope of this overview so please refer to this link from
Yahweh’s New Covenant Assembly (www.YNCA.com),
“Love: How it Fulfills the Law” at www.ynca.com/love.htm.
The concepts covered in the Bible study is fundamental to understanding the
relationship between the Two Greatest Commandments to the Ten Commandments and
the remainder of the Law.
How does our Everlasting
Father define “love?” The scriptures reveal that love has multiple definitions
and is beyond the scope of this overview. For an in-depth study of love per the
scriptures, please review the study titled, “How Does Yahweh Define Love?” at www.MalkhutYahwehAvodah.org. For this study
on the Sabbath, I focus on one definition of love as commandment keeping.
In essence, according to this definition as revealed by scripture, the Law is
Love and Love is the Law. Take a close look at the scripture in John 15:13-17
above, the three scriptures below, and all of Psalm 119. The scriptures reveal that commandment keeping is just
one definition of love. Notice how love and command keeping are mentioned
together.
Exodus
20:4-6 (NIV)
5 You shall not bow down to them or worship
them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for
the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
6 but showing love to a thousand [ generations] of those who love me and
keep my commandments.
John 14:15
(KJV)
15 If ye love
me, keep my commandments.
John 14:21
21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them,
he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and
I too will love him and show myself to him."
John 15:9-10
9 "As
the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If
you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my
Father's commands and remain in his love.
Psalm 119 –
please refer to your Bible. This Psalm explicitly reveals to us that the Law is
love.
1 John 5:1-4
(KJV)
5:1
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that
loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2 By this we
know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his
commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his
commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 4 For whatsoever is
born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the
world, even our faith.
Yahshua HaMaschiach himself
tells us that commandment keeping is important to the least of the
commandments. Take a look at Matthew
5:17-20 (NIV) and Matthew 4:4 (KJV).
Matthew 5:17-20
(NIV)
17 "Do
not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come
to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and
earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by
any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Anyone
who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the
same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever
practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of
heaven.
Matthew 4:4
(KJV)
4 But he
answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Some may argue, “well, we
can’t keep all 613 laws,” and therefore choose to ignore the Law (Torah). That
is true- it is difficult to keep 613 laws less the sacrificial laws (so there
are a lot less than 613 laws today). Fortunately we have Grace and mercy
through Messiah’s sacrifice. Messiah came and fulfilled the sacrificial laws
and now we can pray the Father directly through Messiah our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14) for forgiveness for
intentional and unintentional sins. No longer do we have to bring a live lamb
or goat for sacrifice to the
Proverbs 28:9 (NIV) below reveals the importance of why we must not ignore the Law of God
(Torah) intentionally.
Proverbs
28:9 (NIV)
9 If anyone
turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable.
By the way, do you know that
there are millions of man-made laws on the books today? Do you know how many
laws you must obey just to do your annual income tax, keep your driver’s
license, keep your home and take out a loan? There are so many, you must hire
experts or inquire with professionals in the field merely to understand them-
accountants, real estate agents, loan officers and state representatives. I
only listed the basics. Do you think there are at least several hundred laws
involved here? Do you know why we have all these millions of laws? Take a look
at the following verse in Ezekiel 20:21-26 (NIV):
Ezekiel
20:21-26 (NIV)
21
"'But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees,
they were not careful to keep my laws-although the man who obeys them will
live by them-and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would
pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in the desert. 22 But
I withheld my hand, and for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from
being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them
out. 23 Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the desert that I would
disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries, 24
because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees and desecrated
my Sabbaths, and their eyes [lusted] after their fathers' idols. 25
I also gave them over to statutes that were not good and laws they could not
live by; 26 I let them become defiled through their gifts-the sacrifice of every
firstborn-that I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the
LORD.'
Notice there is a direct
relationship according to scripture that tells us why we are given over to “statutes that were not good and laws they could not live
by.” The reason is simple- people did not accept Yahweh’s laws and
Sabbaths.
By now we should be familiar
with the concept that one definition of “love” is commandment keeping. In
pursuit of this definition of love, we have to be careful not to lose site of
the other definitions of the principle of love revealed in scripture. I won’t
cover these principles in detail here but will share four other basic
principles of love in scripture. The first is in verse John 15:12-14 (NIV) where our Everlasting Father says:
John
15:12-14 (NIV)
12 My
command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no
one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my
friends if you do what I command.
And another principal of love
such as fatherly love is revealed in the following verse where our
Everlasting Father, Yahshua of Nazareth washes His disciples’ feet. Just as a
father and mother washes and bathes their newborn infant son, our Creator,
similarly washes the feet of His Sons as Father and Friend. Take a look at John 13:3-16 (NIV):
John 13:3-16
(NIV)
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all
things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel
around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash
his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around
him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said
to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
7 Jesus
replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will
understand."
8
"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus
answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." 9
"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my
hands and my head as well!" 10 Jesus answered, "A person who has had
a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean,
though not every one of you." 11 For he knew who was going to betray him,
and that was why he said not every one was clean. 12 When he had finished
washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do
you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call
me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I,
your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one
another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done
for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is
a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
Of course one of the most
well known principles of love is in Romans 13:10 (KJV) where it is
written:
Romans
13:8-10 (KJV)
8 Owe no man
any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled
the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou
shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and
if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying,
namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his
neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Notice the second five of the Ten Commandments are outlined here and how these commandments are related to “loving your neighbor.” Note the passage also says, “if there be any other commandment.” This points to other laws in the Torah that deal directly with “loving your neighbor.” By walking in love towards our neighbor, in many ways, we fulfill the requirements of the Torah. Be careful, this passage can also be taken out of context of the scriptures to say, “all you have to do is love.” I’m impressed that when I hear someone say this, they understand “love” in the context of their own culture without understanding the definition of “love” according to the scriptures. I’m impressed that some of these same people are also involved in idolatry, occult and sexual immorality as defined in scripture.
Here’s one more definition of love. Take a look at Revelation 3:9 (NIV) where it is written:
Revelation
3:19 (NIV)
19 Those
whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.
Notice that the act of rebuke
is also a form of love. So if someone is truly acting on the leading of
the Ruach HaChodesh and rebukes you, it is an act of love.
Many passages of scripture
reveal that we may learn, grow in understanding, and reason.
Therefore we should make an effort to seriously educate ourselves in scripture
diligently and methodically. Take a look at Isaiah 29:24 (KJV) and Isaiah 1:17-18 (KJV):
Isaiah 29:24
(KJV)
24 They also
that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured
shall learn doctrine.
Isaiah
1:17-18 (KJV)
17 Learn
to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead
for the widow. 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the
LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
The Bible is a book. It has a
beginning, the Book of Genesis, and it has an end, the Book of Revelation. Just
like any book, it’s arrangement with a beginning and an end suggests that it
should be read like any other book- front to back in an effort to comprehend
the material. In contrast most believers have spent more time in “doctrine of
men” then in the Word. A high school freshman in the
Therefore, let us search
and examine the scriptures, the Tenach as well as the B’rit Chadashah,
concerning the Sabbath principles and establish doctrine. And, don’t forget Christ is Yahweh, the Father, in the
Flesh and Christ does the Father’s Will. All scripture of the Bible is the
Word of Christ, Yahshua of Nazareth. Christ is the supreme image of Yahweh
(2 Corinthians 4:4, Colossians 1:15,
Hebrews 1:3). Many believers of Messiah say they “hear” from the Holy
Spirit (Ruach HaChodesh), but yet there are many false and conflicting
doctrines within the Body of Messiah. Therefore it is evident that many who
claim to “hear” directly from the Holy Spirit are not hearing from the Holy Spirit but from deceiving
spirits.
It should be evident that the
loudest and clearest voice from the Holy Spirit are the words that the
Spirit put down in writing in the
scriptures. However, also be sure to listen to those who do say they “hear”
from the Holy Spirit and discern their claims by testing them against the
written Word. The best way to discern if something is from the Holy Spirit is
to know the Word by understanding the Spirit of the Law (“the intent”) as well
as the Letter of the Law.
All members of the Body of
Messiah should be aware that there are different kinds of gifts of the Spirit.
Take a look at 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
(NIV):
1
Corinthians 12:4-11 (NIV)
4 There
are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different
kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working,
but the same God works all of them in all men.
7 Now to
each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one
there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of
the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts
of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to
another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to
another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the
interpretation of tongues. 11 All
these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one,
just as he determines.
Notice the nine
manifestations of spiritual gifts. This overview on the Sabbath is a “message of knowledge” and you can
integrate this into your own ministry or use it as a foundation for other
studies. 1 Corinthians 14:18-19
reveals to us the importance of instruction over other types of gifts.
1
Corinthians 14:18-19
18 I thank
God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I
would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand
words in a tongue.
If you happen to find an
error in doctrine that is presented
here, or find ways to improve this study, or read a section that is not clear,
please notify me at Admin@BethLechem.org.
This overview will be revised from time to time as greater understanding of
scripture is revealed. If you benefited from this overview, a small donation in
cash or check will be helpful. This is not a tithe but merely a donation to
help support the time that is involved in making studies like this available
for free distribution. Please send to
Identifying Principles of Sabbath
First we’ll examine what the
scriptures say about the Sabbath, identify the principles and then comment on
how to keep the principles so as not to desecrate the Sabbath.
The best way to understand
the Sabbath day is to see what Yahweh, the Father has to say about it in His
Book, the Bible. First, let’s do a computer search of the word “Sabbath”
throughout the scriptures from both the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible
and then from the New International Version of the Bible (NIV). It is
understood that the KJV renders a more pure translation of the original
scriptures, but often the NIV has to be used because it is hard to understand
“Old English.” So, KJV proponents will have to bear with me. This overview will
address 90% of the verses that have the word “Sabbath” associated with them.
Verses that address repetitive scriptural passages or principles are not
counted in the percentage calculation.
The first occurrences of the
word “Sabbath” is found in Exodus
16:21-30 (NIV). In these verses there are four occurrences of the word
Sabbath. Immediately we learn that the Sabbath day is the seventh day of the
week. Next we learn of three principles of the Sabbath. We also learn
that Yahweh, the Father is displeased when a principle of the Sabbath is
broken. First go ahead and read directly from the scripture below to see what
the Spirit of Yahweh (Ruach HaChodesh) says about the Sabbath:
Exodus
16:21-30 (NIV)
21 Each
morning everyone gathered as much as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it
melted away. 22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much--two omers for
each person--and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses.
23 He said to them, "This is what the LORD commanded: 'Tomorrow is to
be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath
to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil.
Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.'"
24 So they
saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots
in it. 25 "Eat it today," Moses said, "because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. You will not find
any of it on the ground today. 26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the
seventh day, the Sabbath, there will
not be any."
27
Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but
they found none. 28 Then the LORD said
to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my
instructions? 29 Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day
he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the
seventh day; no one is to go out." 30 So the people rested on the
seventh day.
Based on the scriptures above
we can identify a few basic principles of the Sabbath day. First, it is the 7th
day of the week, it is a day of rest, one should not cook on the Sabbath and
food should be prepared in advance, and no one is to travel. The 7th
day is from sundown, 6th day to sundown on the 7th day.
Remember, according to scripture, days begin at sundown and end at sunset.
Mis-translations combined with mis-interpretation of scripture taken out of
context has lead to the identification of Sunday as a “Sabbath” day. To better
understand why this is not the case, investigate Bible studies from
congregations that observe the Sabbath day. Also the overview at www.MalkhutYahwehAvodah.org
titled, “Principles of the Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread &
Firstfruits: How to keep the Passover according to the Bible, Why the Messiah
was not Resurrected on Sunday but instead the Third Day,” will be very
revealing. A detailed investigation of this is beyond the scope of this
overview, so please research on your own.
Let’s continue and find out
what else Yahweh has to say about the Sabbath. Our search reveals more
scripture on the Sabbath in Exodus
20:8-11 (NIV):
Exodus
20:8-11 (NIV)
8
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping
it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the
seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD
your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or
daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien
within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the
earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day.
Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath
day and made it holy.
We can identify two more
principles of the Sabbath. One is to keep the Sabbath holy. The next is- do
not do any work or make a son or daughter, or servant, or animal, or alien
work. OK, let’s continue to search the scriptures. The next time we find the
Sabbath is in Exodus 31:12-18 (NIV):
Exodus
31:12-18 (NIV)
12 Then the
LORD said to Moses, 13 "Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign
between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am
the LORD, who makes you holy.
14
"'Observe the Sabbath, because
it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death;
whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. 15
For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.
16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath,
celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 17 It will be
a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the
heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and
rested.'"
18 When the
LORD finished speaking to Moses on
The serious nature of the
Sabbath can be easily identified in these passages. First it is a sign (mark)
between Yahweh and His people. Next, we identify that the penalty for
desecrating the Sabbath or working on the Sabbath is death. Let’s continue, Exodus 35:1-3 (NIV) reads:
Exodus
35:1-3 (NIV)
35:1 Moses
assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, "These are the
things the LORD has commanded you to do: 2 For six days, work is to be done,
but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be
put to death. 3 Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day."
Here we find an interesting
principle of “do not light a fire” on the Sabbath. Note that the principle
of not lighting a fire is a related principle to the principle about not
“baking and boiling” on the Sabbath. Not baking and boiling have their
foundations built on two fundamental principles, one is the principle of rest
and the other is the principle of not lighting a fire. Therefore, the activity
of baking and boiling involves the person in lighting and managing a fire,
cooking, and therefore is not resting. In essence, the activity of baking and
boiling also violates two other fundamental principles- that of rest and not
lighting a fire.
The next series of verses
where we find the word “Sabbath” is in Leviticus. All references to the Sabbath
in Leviticus are related to Sabbaths in the context of the Feasts of the Lord,
and in the context of the Sabbath rest of the land. It is interesting to note
that even the land, perceived as a non-living thing, must rest. These
Sabbaths related to the Biblical Holy Days such as Passover, Feast of
Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks, Day of Atonement, and Feast of Tabernacles
are beyond the scope of this overview. This overview is focused primarily on
the weekly Sabbath.
One of the most memorable and
frightening punishments given to a person for desecrating the Sabbath day is in
Numbers 15:32-36 (NIV). Let’s see
what the Holy Spirit says:
Numbers
15:32-36 (NIV)
32 While the
Israelites were in the desert, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. 33 Those who found him
gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, 34 and
they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to
him. 35 Then the LORD said to Moses, "The man must die. The whole
assembly must stone him outside the camp." 36 So the assembly took him
outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the LORD commanded Moses.
This man was obviously
desecrating the Sabbath by working- getting ready to prepare a fire, and
carrying a load. It is clear that the man was opposing three principles of the
Sabbath. Yahweh in accordance with His Law issued the death penalty. Note the
principle of not carrying a load on the Sabbath has not yet been revealed up to
this point in our search of scripture but it is clearly expressed later in
Nehemiah and Jeremiah. By reading the verse above by itself we do not get the
impression that this man was defiantly sinning against Yahweh. However, once we
understand the principle of mercy from Yahweh and read the verse previous to
this one which is Numbers 15:30-31, we know this man was intentionally
transgressing Yahweh’s Law.
The next time we find the
word “Sabbath” where the scriptural references are not a repeat of the
principles already addressed is in 2
Kings 11:4-11 (NIV). Here we have a situation where Jehoiada, a priest of
the LORD, endorses duty of guards on the Sabbath for the protection of the
king. Obviously, the principle of not working on the Sabbath appears to be
broken- or is there a higher principle to be applied? What is the principle
that takes on a higher legal precedence? Before we identify this principle,
let’s read 2 Kings 11:4-11:
2 Kings
11:4-11 (NIV)
4 In the
seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the
Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the LORD.
He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the LORD.
Then he showed them the king's son. 5 He commanded them, saying, "This is
what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on
duty on the Sabbath-a third of
you guarding the royal palace, 6 a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the
gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple- 7 and you who are
in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king. 8 Station
yourselves around the king, each man with his weapon in his hand. Anyone who
approaches your ranks must be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he
goes."
9 The
commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each
one took his men-those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty-and came to Jehoiada the
priest. 10 Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged
to King David and that were in the temple of the LORD. 11 The guards, each with
his weapon in his hand, stationed themselves around the king-near the altar and
the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.
Why were the guards ordered
to work (go on duty) on the Sabbath by a priest of the Lord? This, at first
seems to contradict all that we have learned in the scriptures up to this point
in reference to the Sabbath. A closer examination of the scriptures reveals
that the principles of saving life, showing mercy and healing are higher
principles than that of resting on the Sabbath. Yahshua HaMashiach
identifies this principle in Mark 3:1-6
(NIV).
Here is the scripture
reference to Mark 3:1-6, where the principle of saving life is expressly
mentioned to be of higher legal precedence over other fundamental Sabbath
principles on the Sabbath day.
Mark 3:1-6
(NIV)
3:1 Another
time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2
Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him
closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.
3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of
everyone."
4 Then Jesus
asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?"
But they remained silent.
5 He
looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts,
said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and
his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began
to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
Messiah demonstrates that “doing
good” is to show mercy, healing and saving life on the Sabbath. Showing
mercy, healing and saving life is of a higher legal precedence than the
principle of rest on the Sabbath. Rest is the first principle of the seven
Sabbath principles. Because of this, it is implied that doing good by showing
mercy, healing and saving life is also of higher legal precedence than the other
six Sabbath principles such as lighting a fire, cooking, not carrying a load,
etc.
Note that the next time we
identify the word “Sabbath” where a principle can be identified is in 2
Chronicles 23:1-10. The scripture is a repeat of 2 Kings 11:4-11. It is the
same scenario. You will notice that the Bible has this pattern of repetition
throughout the scriptures. As a result I won’t address the reference to the
Sabbath again in Chronicles relating to Jehoiada. Another principle that is of
a higher legal precedence than the seven fundamental principles of the Sabbath
is portrayed in 2 Kings 11:4-11 and 2 Chronicles 23:1-10. This is the principle
of protecting the
Nehemiah 10:28-31 (NIV) shows that buying and selling grain and merchandise
on the Sabbath is a violation of the principle of not working on the Sabbath
day:
Nehemiah
10:28-31 (NIV)
28 "The
rest of the people-priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants and
all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the
Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are
able to understand- 29 all these now join their brothers the nobles, and bind
themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through
Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations
and decrees of the LORD our Lord. 30 "We promise not to give our daughters
in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons. 31
"When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the
Sabbath, we will not buy from them
on the Sabbath or on any holy day.
Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.
As we continue to search the
scriptures, as did the Bereans, we find that the verses in Nehemiah 13:15-22 (NIV) reveal more kind of activity that desecrate
the Sabbath day. In reading the scriptures, it is evident several principles of
the Sabbath is being broken. Buying and selling and lifting loads is working.
Because of these activities the Sabbath is desecrated. In this passage we are
able to identify a higher principle that working to uphold Yahweh’s Sabbath
laws is greater than the principle of rest on the Sabbath. That’s why the
Levites could be on duty to guard the gates on the Sabbath to make sure the
Sabbath is being kept. Take a look:
Nehemiah
13:15-22 (NIV)
15 In those
days I saw men in
19 When
evening shadows fell on the gates of
The search continues and the next
time we find the word “Sabbath” is in Isaiah
56:2 (NIV) and Isaiah 56:6-7 (NIV).
Desecrating the Sabbath is evil but keeping it without desecrating it is a
blessing- even for foreigners. If you are one that thinks the Sabbath is a
curse of the Law, think again, because you have mis-interpreted the B’rit
Chadashah by not knowing the Tenach.
Isaiah 56:2
2 Blessed
is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and
keeps his hand from doing any evil."
Isaiah
56:6-7
6 And foreigners
who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD,
and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath
without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant-- 7 these I will
bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house
will be called a house of prayer for all nations."
Notice that this verse
challenges anyone who says that the Sabbath is “only for the Jew” because
Yahweh clearly states that “his house” is to be called a house of prayer for
“all nations” in a verse that is in the context of speaking about the Sabbath.
In addition, it is a fundamental principle in the Torah that any “alien” living
in Israel must keep the same commandments as did the Israelites- all you need
to do is review all the passages where the word “alien” is found. If you have a
computer, search for the word, if not, look it up in the concordance in the
back of your Bible. This is a fundamental principle and is easily recognized by
just reading the Torah. This principle is closely associated with the principle
in the B’rit Chadashah where Gentiles are grafted onto “
There is another important
concept that should be understood that nullifies any argument that presumes the
Law of Yahweh is only for a specified period of time, or only for
This next verse in Isaiah 58:13-14 (NIV) clearly tells us
how blessed our relationship to our Father will be, by keeping the Sabbath, by
not doing as we please, by keeping it holy, not traveling by feet, calling it a
delight, not speaking idle words, etc.:
Isaiah
58:13-14 (NIV)
13 "If
you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call
the Sabbath a delight and the
LORD's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, 14 then you will
find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of
the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." The
mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Notice that “idle” words
should not be spoken of on the Sabbath. You are encouraged to investigate what
this means but my strong impression is that one should avoid long conversations
that do not have to do with sharing the Word of God. If you are one that has been taught that the
Sabbath is just for the Jews or is not applicable in the 2,000-year period
between the Messiah’s first and Second Coming, think again. The following is
one of a few key verses that is a witness to the perpetual covenant of the
Sabbath day. Isaiah 66:22-24 (NIV)
is clear that Yahweh’s Sabbath is observed even in the New Heaven and Earth:
Isaiah
66:22-24
22 "As
the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before
me," declares the LORD, "so will your name and descendants endure. 23
From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before
me," says the LORD. 24 "And they will go out and look upon the
dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; their worm will not die, nor will
their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind."
Notice the verse above is
speaking of the time at the end of the 6th Millennium. The term “their
worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched” speaks about the time after
the Day of Judgment. Also note that the Sabbath is a topic that is brought up
by Yahweh in the midst of verses speaking about the creation of the new heavens
and the new earth and day of judgment. Also notice the Sabbath is referenced
as, “one Sabbath to another.” This obviously indicates the Sabbath is observed
periodically. Also notice the verse where it says, “one New Moon to another.”
This indicates we will be following the scriptural way of keeping “times and
seasons” – by observing the New Moon. The observance of the New Moon determines
when the Feasts of the Lord are to be observed. The New Moon also determines
the Sabbath Days. This study is beyond the scope of this overview. Please refer
to the Bible study titled, “Why the Sabbath is Determined by Sighting of New
Moons” from www.MalkhutYahwehAvodah.org.
The fact that the Sabbath is
mentioned in a passage that speaks about the “new heavens and the new earth”
should reveal the constancy of the Sabbath and it’s importance to our
Everlasting Father. Remember, the Sabbath was established in Genesis – at the
creation. Notice the term “all mankind” is used, meaning Jew and Gentile.
At this point its appropriate
to reference a verse in Zachariah 14:16
that establishes the constancy of the Feasts Days where the Holy Spirit makes
reference to the Feast of Tabernacles. Keep in mind there are Sabbaths within
the Feast Days. The first and last days of the Feast of Tabernacles are Sabbath
days. Similarly it is the same for Feast of Unleavened Bread. Zachariah 14:16
establishes that the Feast of Tabernacles is to be kept even in the millennial
reign of Christ:
Zachariah
14:16-19
16 Then the
survivors from all the nations that have attacked
The Feast of Tabernacles is
key to the worship of Yahweh, just as is the Sabbath day and other Feast Days.
This should be pretty clear and evident. I reference this verse here to show,
in consideration of all that we have and will review, that not only are
Sabbaths and Feast Days observed up to Messiah’s first coming, but also in the
two-thousand year period before His Second Coming, they will be observed in His
millennial reign, and even in the New Heavens and New Earth.
The study of the significance
of the Feast Days and why we should be obedient in observing them is beyond the
scope of this overview. I recommended earlier the book titled, “A family
guide to the Biblical Holidays” by Robin Scarlata & Linda Pierce and
another study titled, “Biblical Holy Days” by Yahweh’s New Covenant
Assembly. Be sure to get these two books and the Bible studies on the Feast
Days from www.MalkhutYahwehAvodah.org.
The next set of verses
regarding the Sabbath is in Jeremiah
17:19-27 (NIV). These sets of verses re-confirm the principles regarding
the Sabbath day and punishment for desecrating it that we have already
reviewed. Let’s take a look:
Jeremiah
17:19-27 (NIV)
19 This is
what the LORD said to me: "Go and stand at the gate of the people, through
which the kings of
Ezekiel 46:1-12 speaks of the Sabbath day during the millennial reign of Messiah. I
won’t cover this here. One should reason at this point that if the Sabbath day
is so important up to the point of Messiah’s first coming, and it will be
observed in the millennial reign, and it is observed in the New Heaven and New
Earth, why do some argue that there is an exception in the 2,000 year period
between the Messiah’s first coming and second coming? Up to this point, it’s
quite obvious that we are to follow the Sabbath day and not desecrate it during
the 2,000-year period between Messiah’s first and Second Coming. For those who
remain unconvinced, there is more in light of the B’rit Chadashah or renewed
Testament (“New” Testament) in the following section.
The Seven Principles of the Sabbath
In Light of the B’rit Chadashah (“New” or Renewed Testament)
In this next section we’ll
try and understand fundamental principles of the Sabbath in light of what the
Messiah says and does in the B’rit Chadashah. The passages of scripture we
already reviewed reveal that there are seven fundamental principles of the
Sabbath:
A single reference was made
in the last section to the B’rit Chadashah relating to a passage that revealed
explicitly why a fundamental principle of the Sabbath can be over-ridden. That
reference was to Mark 3:1-6. This passage revealed a principle of higher legal
precedence over the seven fundamental principles of the Sabbath. That principle
was “doing good” in the context of showing mercy, saving life and healing. We also
made a few references within the Tenach that revealed other principles of high
legal precedence that allowed for overriding the fundamental principles of the
Sabbath.
In this section I will
explain the principles of the Law of Yahweh that take a higher legal precedence
over the fundamental Sabbath day principles. We’ll take a look at what our
Messiah reveals to us in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and the remainder of the renewed Testament.
First, let’s outline the
seven fundamental principles or commandments of Sabbath-keeping.
1. It is to be a day of REST
(Exodus 16:23).
2. Do not cook and be sure to
prepare food ahead of time (Exodus 16:21-30).
3. No traveling on the Sabbath,
everyone is to stay in the place where they have settled (Exodus 16-29).
4. No work is allowed, and no
one should be made to work, including the animals (Exodus 20:10).
5. Do not light a fire on the
Sabbath day (Exodus 35:3).
6. Do not carry a load on the
Sabbath day (Jeremiah 17:21).
7. Keep the Sabbath day holy
(Exodus 20:8).
Now
that seven principles of the Sabbath are clearly identified, let’s understand
them and any exceptions to them. Exceptions are a result of Yahweh’s higher
principles according to the Spirit of the Law. Based on the discussion so far,
there are three key principles that take on a higher legal precedence than the
principle of rest on the Sabbath. The first principle of “doing good” in the
context of healing, showing mercy and saving life on the Sabbath takes a higher
legal precedence than all seven Sabbath principles. The second principle is
that working to uphold Yahweh’s Sabbath laws is of a higher legal precedence.
The third principle is the protection of the
The
first occurrence of the word Sabbath in the B’rit Chadashah is in Matthew 12:1-12 (NIV). Here,
Messiah outlines principles that have a higher legal precedence over other
fundamental principles of Sabbath laws. At this point, if you don’t understood
the examination of scripture and development of legal precedence by observation
of incidents within scripture, take a note of Messiah’s own reference to two
events in the Torah and how he uses these two events to establish legal
precedence and principles. These two events are referenced by our Messiah
in the passages below in Matthew 12:3-7 (NIV).
The
passages make it evident that incidents in scripture reveal principles that are
established without direct express commandments from Yahweh. It is a level of
examining scripture that goes beyond merely taking a command that is easily
recognized such as the Sabbath “is to be a day of rest.” Note in Matthew how
Yahshua of Nazareth, our Everlasting Father, uses examples in the Torah to
establish legal precedence. This is an excellent example that demonstrates why
the B’rit Chadashah must be interpreted in the context of the Tanach. The scriptures reveal that our Everlasting
Father EXPECTS US to know and understand legal precedence in His Law. We
know this because our Messiah rebukes the Pharisees for not understanding legal
precedence in the Law and other higher principles of the Torah.
The
passages below in Matthew reveal that the Pharisees only understood the
fundamental principles of the Sabbath. Simply put, they did not know the Torah
well. Let’s take a look at the verses. But first, note that the NIV Bible uses
the letters in parentheses to identify cross-references to other verses in the
Bible. In this case the letters correspond to three verses in the Tanach. The
special references by the NIV Bible are “(z),”
“(a),” and “(b)” in the passages specifically in Matthew 12:3-7 below.
These three references identify the passages our Messiah referenced in the
Tanach when He rebuked the Pharisees. The passages are (z) 1 Samuel 21:1-6 (NIV), (a) Leviticus 24:5,9
(NIV) and (b) Numbers 28:9,10 (NIV). Please carefully
read the next passage in Matthew:
Matthew 12:1-12
(NIV)
12:1 At that
time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads
of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him,
"Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."
3 He
answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions
were hungry? (z) 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the
consecrated bread-which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the
priests.(a) 5 Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple
desecrate the day (b) and yet are innocent? 6 I tell
you that one greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not
sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of
Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
9 Going on
from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10 and a man with a shriveled
hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is
it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"
11 He said
to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it
and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable is a man than a sheep!
Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."
Let’s
re-visit what Messiah said at the start of Matthew 12:1-12:
Matthew 13:3-5
(NIV)
…"Haven't
you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? (z) 4 He entered the house of God,
and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread-which was not
lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.(a) …and yet are innocent?
Let’s see what 1 Samuel
21:1-6 (NIV) says which is referenced by “(z)”
and then we’ll look at Leviticus 24:5,9 referenced by “(a)”:
(z) 1 Samuel 21:1-6 (NIV)
21:1 David went to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he met him, and asked, "Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?"
2 David
answered Ahimelech the priest, "The king charged me with a certain matter
and said to me, 'No one is to know anything about your mission and your
instructions.' As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place. 3
Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever
you can find."
4 But the
priest answered David, "I don't have any ordinary bread on hand;
however, there is some consecrated bread here-provided the men have kept
themselves from women."
5 David
replied, "Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual whenever I set
out. The men's things are holy even on missions that are not holy. How much
more so today!" 6 So the priest gave him the consecrated bread,
since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had
been removed from before the LORD and replaced by hot bread on the day it was
taken away.
The passages above that is
cited by our Everlasting Father to rebuke the Pharisees reveal that David was
given consecrated bread that was not lawful for David to eat but only
for priests. Yahweh showed mercy in this case because David and his men
were hungry. Yahweh did not punish David and his men. Similarly,
Messiah’s disciples were also hungry and “began to pick some heads of
grain” or seeds to eat. This activity should also remind you of Leviticus
19:9-10 where Yahweh commands to leave the corners of the field and
vineyard for the poor and stranger demonstrating mercy. Yahshua HaMaschiach
used the principle of mercy in the Tanach, established when He showed mercy to
David for eating the consecrated bread that was meant only for the priests
according to the Law. Our Everlasting Father used this example in the Tanach in
order to justify His actions on the Sabbath before the Pharisees. Yahshua
was not breaking the Sabbath but merely demonstrating to the Pharisees the
meaning of the Spirit of the Law.
The NIV references Leviticus
24:5-9 (NIV) using reference “(a).”
We are visiting this passage to identify the scripture where it reveals that
the Law says consecrated bread is only for priests and is “most holy” to
the Lord. Based on this, we understand that under circumstances other than
hunger, it would have been breaking Yahweh’s commandment by eating the
consecrated bread and there could have been serious consequences:
(a) Leviticus 24:5-9 (NIV)
5 "Take
fine flour and bake twelve loaves of bread, using two-tenths of an ephah
for each loaf. 6 Set them in two rows, six in each row, on the table of pure
gold before the LORD. 7 Along each row put some pure incense as a memorial
portion to represent the bread and to be an offering made to the LORD by fire.
8 This bread is to be set out before the LORD regularly,
Sabbath after Sabbath, on behalf of the Israelites, as a lasting covenant. 9
It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in a holy place,
because it is a most holy part of their regular share of the offerings
made to the LORD by fire."
When we examine the
scriptures like the Bereans, we can see that Yahweh’s principle of mercy is
among the greatest of His principles.
Let’s take a look at why our
Messiah referenced a passage in Numbers 28:9-10 (NIV) identified by “(b)” in the NIV. The passage in numbers
was reference by Yahshua of Nazareth in Matthew 12:5 (NIV) so let’s
re-visit that passage in Matthew. Next let’s read the passage in Numbers. Go
ahead and read the two sets of passages:
Here’s the passage in
Matthew:
Matthew 12:5
(NIV)
5 Or haven't
you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the
day (b) and yet are innocent?
Here’s the passage in Matthew
referenced by “(b)”:
(b) Numbers 28:9-10 (NIV)
9 "'On
the Sabbath day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect,
together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah
of fine flour mixed with oil. 10 This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath,
in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.
In Numbers 28:9-10
(NIV) above, the priests are administrating the Law and have to kill an animal,
keep up a fire for burnt offerings, lift sacrificed animals and perform
additional tasks that are considered work.
All this would be desecrating the Sabbath unless a higher principle with
a higher legal precedence is recognized. That higher principle is the priests
are making offerings of lambs for the atonement of sins, in essence, this
is the mercy of Yahweh so that He may forgive sins. That is probably
why he said, 'I desire mercy, not
sacrifice.’ in Matthew 12:7.
In consideration of symbolism
and recognizing spiritual meaning in scripture we can establish another
principle based on the passage in Matthew 12:1 where the disciples were
portrayed as “hungry” and eating “seed.” Symbolically, “seed” is synonymous
with the Word of Yahweh (Luke 8:11).
Since we know that the Holy Spirit places every word for a specific reason, we
can try to understand why the disciples were depicted as picking “seed” instead
of “fruit,” “fish,” or some other form of food. Because “seed” is symbolically
equivalent to the Word of God, can we can establish a principle saying that if
we are “hungry” for the Word of God, we should be able to invoke this higher
principle to over-ride fundamental principles of Sabbath?
That is, if we are exercising
Yahweh’s principle of “doing good” in the context of showing mercy, saving life
and healing or being “hungry” for the Word of God can we allow ourselves to
travel, ignite our car engines and minister to others in need of physical and
spiritual healing? By sharing the Salvation of Messiah and the Word of God
(“eating seed”) on the Sabbath, we are in essence potentially saving the
eternal life of our neighbor and loving our neighbor as ourselves.
In light of the analogy above
we must be cautious to build a complete picture of principles, their meanings
and legal precedence by being knowledgeable about other passages in scripture
regarding the Sabbath, etc. Be careful and don’t allow these other principles
of higher legal precedence become an easy excuse to ignore the fundamental
principles of the Sabbath. At the same time, we recognize that the higher legal
principles allow us to perform for the
As we continue our
investigation of the Bible to build a more complete understanding of Sabbath,
you will notice that scripture reveals that fundamental Sabbath principles such
as “not traveling” are observed even in light of our commission to “make
disciples of nations,” (Matthew 28:19).
You will find examples in scripture where Apostle Paul is portrayed as trying
to arrive at his place of destination before a Sabbath day or Feast Day (see
Bible studies from www.YNCA.com). Yahweh established the fundamental principles
of the Sabbath for a reason and scripture reveals that we should try to obey
them to the best of our ability in light of the higher principles of Yahweh’s
Law. By the end of this overview we
should have a better handle on what those reasons may be.
The next instance the word
“Sabbath” occurs in Luke 4:16-17 (NIV):
Luke 4:16-17
(NIV)
16 He went
to
The passage above reveals
that one of the ways to “keep the Sabbath holy” is to share the Word with
people. As a matter of fact, it is known as the “Great Commission,” to make
disciples of all nations. There are other passages similar to this one where
the Messiah is teaching on the Sabbath day. You will also find that Apostle
Paul follows the same pattern – take a look at all the references to the
Sabbath in the indices at the end of this study since I don’t cover passages
that repeat themes. Scripture reveals
that the primary pre-occupation on the Sabbath day should be sharing the Word
of Yahweh whether you are teaching, learning or ministering to others and being
obedient to the fundamental principles of the Sabbath unless we have a
compelling reason to exercise the higher principles according to the Spirit of
the Law.
Let’s continue our search.
The next instance where the word “Sabbath” appears and does not include
scripture that is already covered is in Luke
13:10-16 (NIV). Let’s take a look:
Luke
13:10-16 (NIV)
10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in
one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a
spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at
all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her,
"Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." 13 Then he put his
hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
14 Indignant
because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath,
the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So
come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."
15 The Lord
answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the
stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a
daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set
free on the Sabbath day from what
bound her?"
Christians often fall into
the trap of using passages of scripture like the one above to show that Messiah
“breaks the Sabbath,” or “Messiah has done away with the Sabbath,” or will say
“Messiah is the rest.” Some will state “Messiah did not mention the Sabbath”
when he highlighted the Ten Commandment principles in the B’rit Chadashah. In
fact, the Messiah brings more meaning to the Sabbath by His active
participation in that day according to the Spirit of the Law. Remember also
that animals are to rest on the Sabbath too. The land has Sabbath rests. Based
on these two facts alone, the purpose of Sabbath is significant and grand – one
cannot nullify the Sabbath by making the simple statement “Messiah is the
rest.” The fact that the land and animals must rest reveals another dimension
and purpose of the Sabbath days and Sabbath years that we cannot fully
understand at this time. Based on the scriptures reviewed so far, we know that
assertions like the ones above that are used to avoid the 7th day
Sabbath are presumptuous. They are the result of incomplete understanding
regarding the doctrine concerning the Sabbath day.
In the passage above where
the woman is set free from the evil spirit, the principle of saving life, mercy
and healing is exercised because these principles have a higher legal
precedence in the Spirit of the Law of Yahweh. Anyone who has kept the Sabbath
understands some of the nuances that occur if they have pets or animals that
must be taken care of. If you have been keeping the Sabbath and have a dog, you
know you must take it out for relief sometime during the day otherwise it will
relieve itself in a place you do not want it to. The passage above in Luke
13:10-16 (NIV) comes alive only when you have experienced the keeping of the
Sabbath and have the responsibility of caring for animals. Our Everlasting
Father was right in calling His opponents “hypocrites” because they did not see
their own errors due to their lack of deeper understanding of Yahweh’s Law.
They were not able to see the mercy they showed to their own animals but yet
had difficulty showing mercy to another human being that was suffering before
their eyes.
Here is another verse from Luke 14:1-6 (NIV) that demonstrates the
principle of mercy by healing or saving life has a higher legal precedence than
fundamental Sabbath principles:
Luke 14:1-6
(NIV)
14:1 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the
house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. 2 There in front
of him was a man suffering from dropsy. 3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and
experts in the law, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?" 4 But they remained silent. So taking
hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away.
5 Then he
asked them, "If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well on
the Sabbath day, will you not
immediately pull him out?" 6 And they had nothing to say.
Next is a key verse
that shows that the Sabbath is kept even after Messiah’s crucifixion. Is the
principle of rest to be obeyed on the Sabbath in the “New” Testament? It
certainly is just take a look at the passage in Luke 23:54-56 (NIV):
54 It was
Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was
about to begin.
55 The women
who had come with Jesus from
Notice preparation of spices
and perfumes were done before the Sabbath and the women and Joseph rested on
the Sabbath day. The principle of preparing food (spices) before the Sabbath is
being observed. The Holy Spirit reveals how Messiah’s followers were obedient
in following the fundamental Sabbath principles even after
Messiah’s crucifixion.
The passage above in Luke
23:54-56 (NIV) is a key verse that nullifies any argument stating that there is
no mention of keeping the Sabbath in the “New” Testament. This passage
nullifies even arguments that assert that the “new” covenant does not
officially begin until the book of Acts. The latter explanation is used to show
that the Sabbath has been “done away with.”
It appears that the Ruach HaChodesh intentionally placed the verse about
keeping the Sabbath in Luke 23:54-56 where it is today. Yahweh obviously knew
the future and the kind of convincing arguments that would be made to nullify
the Sabbath. Yahweh places just enough verses in the right places as a witness
to those who are willing to be obedient and listen. Take a close look at where
this verse about keeping the Sabbath is located in the context of the
scriptures.
If we read the passages of
scripture right before Luke 23:54-56 (NIV), we find the passages portray the
crucifixion of Christ on the cross. Interestingly enough, the Holy Spirit
reveals to us that immediately after the Messiah is crucified on the cross,
those that were with Him on that day observed the Sabbath. This is very,
very significant because the renewed covenant begins at the death of the
Messiah on the cross. When His blood was shed, the renewed covenant began. When
Messiah gave up the Ghost, the veil in the Holy of Holies ripped open (Mark
15:37-38).
In the physical world, in the
consummation of marriage, a similar event occurs. When a woman marries a man,
blood is shed and her veil is broken. A marriage covenant between husband and
wife and the resulting intimacy has interesting parallels and symbolism in
comparison with our marriage covenant as a body of believers to our Everlasting
Father and the intimacy that is associated with it. This intimacy is the
ability to spiritually commune with Him in the Holy of Holies. Of course, this
topic relating to the beginning of the renewed covenant and other legal,
symbolic and spiritual meanings in the are beyond the scope of this overview.
You are encouraged to investigate on your own. In this case I refer you to Bill
K. of Kehilat Beth Miqlat who was referenced earlier.
Remember the principle of
“not to carry a load” on the Sabbath? In John
5:1-15 (NIV), Yahshua HaMaschiach interprets the Spirit of the Law and
legal precedence where the principle of “mercy” and “allowance to rest” is of a
higher order. Take a look:
John 5:1-15
(NIV)
5:1 Some
time later, Jesus went up to
7
"Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the
pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes
down ahead of me."
8 Then Jesus
said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9 At once
the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took
place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the
Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat."
11 But he
replied, "The man who made me well said to me, 'Pick up your mat and
walk.'"
12 So they
asked him, "Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?"
13 The man
who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the
crowd that was there.
14 Later
Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again.
Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." 15 The man went away
and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
This appears to be another
example that testifies to the lack of understanding by the people regarding the
principles of the Sabbath according to the Spirit of the Law and in light of
other higher principles of the Torah. Why could this man “pick up his mat” and
walk? Some thought the man was breaking the principle of “not to carry a load
on the Sabbath.” At first glance it might appear to be the case. However, from
what we learned so far, Messiah is exercising the principle of mercy by telling
the man to “pick up your mat and walk.” This man was a disabled person and the
mat was probably all that he had. In light of the principle of rest and mercy,
it’s OK for this man to use his mat because that’s all that he had to use for
rest. It is mercy to allow the man to carry his mat so that he may rest in a
place where he pleases.
John 7:21-24 (NIV) reveals a principle very similar to a principle we reviewed earlier
regarding the allowance of work on the Sabbath in order to uphold a
fundamental principle of the Sabbath. If you remember, the passage was in
Nehemiah 13:15-22 where the Levites were to guard the gates of
John 7:21-24
(NIV)
21 Jesus
said to them, "I did one miracle, and you are all astonished. 22 Yet,
because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from
Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a child on the Sabbath. 23 Now
if a child can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not
be broken, why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the
Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment."
Next, Acts 1:12-14 (NIV) is an important scripture
to understand because it reveals that some short traveling is allowed on the
Sabbath. It is known as a “Sabbath day’s walk.” What is a Sabbath day’s walk?
Well, you’ll have to investigate this for yourself by looking into
Hebraic/Jewish culture during the days of Messiah or check it out in the
Talmud. The Talmud is a collection of books that may help you understand how
scripture was interpreted and understood by the Rabbis during the days of
Messiah. The Talmud contains the writings of Rabbis and how they interpreted
the Law and makes for a good resource in understanding scripture. I have not
looked at the Talmud to date but it’s my goal to do that soon. However, I know
a brother in Messiah who’s knowledge of the Talmud has convinced me that we can
utilize the Talmud as a reference in order to clarify some outstanding issues
that may present themselves while reading the scriptures. When using the
Talmud or any other resource, be sure that you are well grounded in the Bible
to recognize when the Rabbis or an author is “adding to and taking way”
(Deuteronomy 12:32) from Yahweh’s Words. Also, be sure that whenever a
statement is made, there is a comprehensive set of scriptures from the Bible
establishing doctrine to back up a particular statement in the Talmud or any
other written work. I have observed those who have come out of paganized
Christianity in an effort to learn their Hebrew roots fall into the same trap
the Rabbis did two thousand years ago. They lose sight of the Bible and begin
to base their principles of doctrine in the Talmud that may or may not be based
on Biblical principles but “doctrine of men.”
Let’s take a look at Acts
1:12-14 regarding the “Sabbath day’s walk.”
Acts 1:12-14
(NIV)
12 Then they
returned to
I want to note at this point
that scripture reveals both men and women joined together in prayer. I mention
this here since it’s an important point to bring up because some believe that
men and women need to be separated in prayer. However, this obviously is not
the case according to the Ruach HaChodesh. This verse reveals that men and
women may pray together.
All references to the Sabbath
day in the book of Acts reveals to the reader that the Apostles, including
Paul, gathered on the Sabbath day to share scripture. I won’t reference the
scriptures here but you may take a look at the table at the end of this study.
It contains all references to the word “Sabbath” in the Bible. Investigation of
scriptures that relate to Apostle Paul, Sabbaths and The Lord’s Feast Days
reveals Apostle Paul making the effort to reach his destinations for a specific
Feast Days of the Lord. Scripture testifies that Apostle Paul made the effort
to NOT TRAVEL on Sabbath days and Sabbath days that are a part of the Feasts.
This is an important point, because it demonstrates that Apostle Paul was being
obedient to the “Great Commission” as well as fundamental Sabbath principles.
There are related Bible studies from www.YNCA.com
that you may reference. Investigate this further on your own.
The last reference to the
Sabbath is in Colossians 2:16-17 (NIV). This verse is one that is often cited by
those that are not Sabbath keepers to support the premise that the Sabbath
“does not need to be observed.” In light of all that we have searched and
examined, that premise is obviously in gross error. Therefore, Colossians
2:16-17 has to be interpreted with caution in the context of the Tanach because
our interpretation of the passage should not be contradictory to the principle
of the Law on Sabbath and should be consistent. It reads:
Colossians
2:16-17 (NIV)
16 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:
17 Which are
a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Many Sabbath keepers may tell
you that this verse is grossly taken out of context and is a poor translation.
The fact that it is taken out of context to nullify the Sabbath is easily
identified in light of the scriptures we reviewed that support the keeping of
the Sabbath. Let’s take a look at why this verse is a poor translation.
The words in italics are added words. When the word “is” is removed from the verse
that reads, “but the body is
of Christ” we get, “but the body of Christ.” If the passage is read with the
second translation, a different meaning will reveal itself and is consistent
with scripture. The reader will understand that he is to be judged by no man in
meat, drink, or respect of an holyday, new moon, or Sabbath day but
by the BODY OF CHRIST. That is let no man judge but only the assembly of
believers. There are other congregations that write about this potential
translation problem so please investigate this more on your own because a
deeper investigation is beyond the scope of this overview.
Understanding and Following the Sabbath Day and Principles
After leaving the world of
secular belief to observe the Sabbath Day, my family and I found out that the
most difficult part was how to understand and interpret what each of the
fundamental principles of the Sabbath meant. In order to please our Father,
Yahweh, and avoid His Judgment, we made sure we were obedient to the seven
fundamental principles of the Sabbath. For 20 months we kept the seven
fundamental principles of the Sabbath day before coming to a full understanding
of how legal precedence worked in light of other principles of the Law.
The following outline
provides a general idea of the challenges, questions and conclusions my family
and I have come to understand about the fundamental principles of the
Sabbath after almost two years of observing them. Because the scriptures were
designed to be read in the context of the culture and community of believing
members, I hope what is shared with you will bring a clearer understanding of
how Sabbath principles can be followed.
Sabbath is on the 7th
Day:
In order to understand which
day the 7th day is, we must be working with a calendar based on the
Bible. Simply, a Bible based calendar names the days of the week by number like
1st day, 2nd day, 3rd day, 4th day,
5th day, 6th day and 7th day. This is unlike
the Gregorian calendar of the West that has it’s roots from the pagan
Interestingly enough, the
Jews to this day, continue to observe the Sabbath day from sundown Friday
evening to sundown Saturday evening. Remember that days according to Yahweh
begin at sundown. The solar-Gregorian calendar in one respect appears to be in
synchronization with the non-lunar based Biblical calendar concerning the cycle
of the days of the week. Saturday is the 7th day of the week in the
Gregorian calendar. Therefore, based on a solar-Gregorian calendar one might be
observing the Sabbath day from sundown Friday evening to sundown Saturday evening.
Recently, in April of 2001,
during the season of Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, Bill K. of
Kehilat Beth Miqlat (http://scroll.to/unseal),
brought to my attention a lunar-based Biblical calendar. Passover was observed
on the 15th of Aviv where Rosh Chodesh was sited on the evening of
March 26th. We are in agreement in this case with Michael John
Rood’s Biblical Hebrew Calendar for the month of Aviv, 6002. We did not observe
Passover according the traditional calculated Jewish calendar that is also used
by most Messianic Jews. The Lunar based Biblical calendar with associated
references to scripture is described by Jonathan David Brown in his book
titled, “Yahweh’s Appointed Times.” Jonathan can be reached through www.Messianica.net. At the time of this
writing, we are in agreement with Jonathan David Brown’s Lunar based calendar
for the month of Aviv.
The lunar-based Biblical
calendar asserts that the Sabbath is the 7th day after sighting of
the New Moon and at subsequent 7-day intervals until the evening of the 28th
day. It’s the author’s assertion that the true keeping of time based on lunar cycles
was lost at the destruction of the first temple. The Sabbath then is found at
the 1st quarter moon, full moon, 3rd quarter moon and
last crescent moon. In consideration of this, a Believer can look at the phase
of the moon at any point in time and tell when the Sabbath will begin. The
Sabbath may or may not fall on a solar-Gregorian Saturday. For an in depth
overview relating to the Lunar Based Sabbath, refer to the Bible study titled,
“Why the Sabbath is Determined by Sighting of New Moons” from www.MalkhutYahwehAvodah.org.
This is a critical study so do not miss it because you could be observing the
Sabbath on the wrong day.
When does sundown begin?
Yahweh does not provide any more detail as to when sundown begins other than
when the sun goes down. We know that when Yahweh leaves out detail in scripture
of the Bible, there is a reason for it. Therefore, the best way to determine
when sundown begins according to scripture is by visual check.
If you live in the valley may
be you can start Sabbath as the sun goes down over the mountains. If you live
in the plains may be you can start Sabbath when the sun goes down beyond the
plains. The most direct way may be to start Sabbath when it gets dark and there
is no more light. Obviously, end the Sabbath the same way you started it.
The important point is stay
consistent in your family, congregation and community when observing the
Sabbath together- as long as you are not desecrating it. So, if Sabbath is observed
at an earlier time according to another family, respect the earlier time so as
not to make the other family feel they are desecrating the Sabbath. It’s better
to start early than late and desecrate the Sabbath. What happens when you
desecrate the Sabbath unintentionally? This should be an easy answer- pray the
Father in the Name of the Son for forgiveness. See how much easier things are
knowing Messiah’s Grace?
You may run into Jewish
tradition or Rabbinical rules on when the Sabbath begins, but remember, there
is nothing in scripture that gives any more detail when sundown begins the
Sabbath other than at “sundown.” Obviously the observation of the beginning of
sundown is subjective within a certain range. But, may be Yahweh wanted it that
way by leaving out the details.
Some congregations even
assign specific timetables, but at this point aren’t we “adding to scripture?”
Let’s also stay away from using modern technology to calculate sundown such as
satellite technology. Let’s stay within the spirit of the Law. When Yahweh
leaves something out, there is a reason. Let’s observe sundown the same way our
forefathers did. I doubt they had wristwatches or satellite systems, but
instead they made visual observations.
It is also important to try
to understand the Jewish and Rabbinical rules on the Sabbath and see why a
certain rule was made. Be careful to not easily dismiss their practices because
we can all learn from the Rabbis and Jewish practices because many of these
practices are lead by the Spirit or Ruach HaChodesh. After some review, you may
feel that a particular way of beginning the Sabbath is by the Spirit. Of
course, test the spirit against scripture so long as the rule or tradition does
not interfere with and make of no effect Yahweh’s Law.
One Rabbinical rule, for
example, measures sundown when three stars can be seen in the sky. Why? my
guess is that they wanted to maintain consistency in the community so that no
one offends someone else in observing the Sabbath. My guess is not based on any
inquiry into the Talmud, but it would be a step in the right direction to
reference the Talmud to find out why the “three star” rule was established.
Inquiry into the Talmud will be a future goal. The observation of three stars
in the sky no doubt narrows the time for when sundown begins and is more
accurate, making it possible for a large community of believers who live close
together to begin the Sabbath in synchronization. But, what happens when it is
cloudy? Obviously, the rule no longer works. Even through clouds, the simple
rule of sundown when it is dark still works.
The First Principle of REST:
When you first begin to
observe the Sabbath day, you’ll find yourself wrestling with the definition of
“rest.” The basis for this principle is established in Exodus 16:23 where it is
written, “…Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD.”
How can we tell what is rest? By now you should have some idea of what “rest”
means not only by the letter of the Law but by the Spirit of the Law. Don’t
forget that if you are having a hard time understanding “rest” there is a good
reason for it. Almost all of us have been brought up in a Babylonian world and
if you are just starting to observe the Sabbath, you will realize that you have
no community to turn to for general guidance. No doubt the scriptures are
designed to be shared and understood with the guidance of the community around
us that are lead by the Spirit (Ruach HaChodesh) and Truth (Torah).
One way to look at what
“rest” means is to review scripture directly or by counseling with those who
are already following the Sabbath. Here is where you let the Ruach HaChodesh
lead the way on the details. Prayer is key to understanding the Will of the
Father- so pray for specific answers. The six other fundamental principles of
the Sabbath also give us an impression about what it means to rest. Let’s take
a look at how the principles relate to the principle of rest.
In looking at the second
principle of the Sabbath which is “…bake what you want to bake and boil what
you want to boil..,” we get the general impression that general household
chores shouldn’t be performed. A chore such as cooking and preparing food is
not rest. The second principle of the Sabbath is obviously based on the spirit
of the first principle of rest.
The third principle,
“Everyone is to stay where he is on the 7th day; no one is to go
out,” gives the general impression that any form of traveling is not rest. We
do find out from another passage of scripture that a “Sabbath-day’s journey” is
acceptable on the Sabbath.
The fifth principle, “Do not
light a fire…” in the context of having to build a fire is not rest. Don’t
rationalize here and think you can light a BBQ grill because all you have to do
is flick a switch. Besides, we shouldn’t be cooking anyway. The Law says don’t
light a fire, so don’t do it and don’t try to second-guess Yahweh on why he
made the rule. Few may point out that “in those days” lighting a fire required
a lot of work and that is why this principle is established. This is a good point but it is certainly
should not be used to nullify the fifth principle.
The sixth principle
establishes that picking up a load is not rest, but this could become a
dilemma. What kind of load? We can tell from scripture that small loads are OK
because obviously the animals that had to be taken care of on the Sabbath
required some form of “work” or lifting of a load. How about eating food on the
Sabbath? Eating food is intended on the Sabbath based on scripture. Therefore
some form of “work” is involved because eating food requires some personal
activity and lifting of small loads. Should you clean up after eating? Probably
not unless you are restricted to a small space and have to clean up in order to
use a given space. My family will generally leave plates and utensils in the
sink and clean after Shabbot. We’ll avoid any maintenance or cleaning until
after Shabbot. A good rule of thumb is any activity that causes exertion is not
rest within the Spirit of the Law.
Based on scripture any form
of work that involves your day-to-day profession is desecrating the Sabbath.
You shouldn’t even be thinking about your work on Sabbath.
Keep in mind don’t let the
letter of the Law keep you from cleaning up after a cup of spilled milk if that
happens on the Sabbath day. It’s important to stay within the Spirit of the Law
and not allow the letter of the Law to prevent you from cleaning up after a cup
of spilled milk that could cause someone to slip and fall, or even become a
nuisance on the floor. I hope this example helps to set a basic understanding.
Another way to understand
what it means to “rest” is to understand the Jewish tradition and Rabbinical
laws in the Talmud. Be careful here, because Jewish tradition and Rabbinical
law often go too far as to make Yahweh’s laws of “none effect” by adding
to the Law of Yahweh. One can often find themself tied up in so many rules of
the Sabbath day that Sabbath is no longer
a rest but becomes a real challenge of nerves. You will understand what
I mean once you start your investigation and compare Jewish practices on the
Sabbath to what the Bible says about “rest.” Although the Messiah condemns the
Rabbis in Matthew about traditions that make Yahweh’s laws of “none effect,” he
also makes a statement that tells the believer to respect the Rabbis in Matthew 23:1-4 (NIV):
Matthew 23:1-4 (NIV)
23:1 Then
Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 "The teachers of the
law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3 So you must obey them and do
everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not
practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's
shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move
them.
Notice the verse that says,
“They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders.” After getting a
glimpse of some of the Sabbath rules set-up by the Rabbis, this verse in
Matthew gives a strong impression that at least one aspect of the “heavy loads”
was the rules and regulations set-up by the Rabbis regarding the Sabbath. I
also think the phrase “do everything they tell you” must be taken in
consideration of other principles of Law in scripture. I read this to mean that
we must “do everything they tell you” until it interferes with the Letter and
Spirit of Law of Yahweh. The indication is that we don’t want to break the
Sabbath or other Laws of Yahweh by “doing everything they tell you.” A similar
statement is made about civil law in 1
Peter 2:13 (NIV):
1 Peter 2:13
(NIV)
13 Submit
yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men:
whether to the king, as the supreme authority,
Again, in consideration of
other principles of Law in scripture, it indicates that we submit to civil law
to the extent that we do not break the Letter and Spirit of Yahweh’s Law.
The Second Principle of Not
Cooking and Preparing Food Ahead of Time:
The basis for this principle
is in Exodus 16:21-30 where it is written, “…bake what you want to bake and
boil what you want to boil.” A related principle is written in Exodus 35:1-3,
“Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings.”
In consideration of the two verses and the commentary in the last
section, “The First Principle of Rest” on the Sabbath, we can be confident that
we are not to cook or prepare food during Sabbath. Obviously by having food
prepared and cooked ahead of time, we are resting from any labor involved in
the process of cooking and preparing food on the Sabbath.
The question remains- can we
heat food on the Sabbath? This is difficult to tell but we can consider that in
colder winter months a fire has to be lighted with enough wood for two days so
as to avoid having to kindle a fire. In consideration of this, we could almost
conclude that it might have been appropriate to warm food on the Sabbath over a
fire that has already been lit. Please pray about this. At this point we will
not use a gas stove or electric oven on the Sabbath because using them is
essentially lighting a fire.
In my family we did not
hesitate to use a microwave oven from time to time to heat prepared
foods in two years while observing the Sabbath. One reason was the microwave
oven doesn’t use a fire. However, we recently re-considered our use of the
microwave. After distribution of this study on the Sabbath, a sister in Messiah
shared her testimony with me regarding the use of the microwave. Her thoughts
after reading this study concerning the use of the microwave on Sabbath
confirmed my original thoughts that we should not use the microwave because of
the 2nd principle. Although it does require the lighting of a fire,
by using the microwave, we may be in essence breaking the spirit of the law in
the 2nd principle of the Sabbath. As of the latest writing, we no
longer use the microwave on Sabbath.
I remember hearing about
African Jews returning to
I highly recommend you pray,
spend time in fellowship with those who follow the Sabbath, and look into the
Talmud to find the Jewish practices as they occurred during the days of
Messiah’s first coming.
The Third Principle of No
Traveling:
The principle is based on
Exodus 16:29 where it is written, “Everyone is to stay where he is on the
seventh day; no one is to go out.” It’s quite obvious that this command keeps
us from traveling by any means. I want to note that driving breaks two
fundamental Sabbath principles. By driving, you are traveling and lighting a
fire by igniting your engine. Even in the day where there were no cars, in
order to travel one might have to load up an animal and that would be making
the animal work. Again, two fundamental Sabbath principles are broken in order
to travel.
It’s quite obvious that by
not leaving our homes or places where we have settled, we can rest. Had our
society grown up in close bible-believing communities, we would be home in
fellowship with one another within a “Sabbath day’s journey.” But today, we are
all spread out and dispersed. In
What my family found
rewarding by not traveling is the chance spend time in fellowship with others
and spend the entire Sabbath together. That way, we are obedient to the Third
Principle and can also fellowship and study scripture the entire Sabbath day.
Evidently the Third principle appears to enhance fellowship by keeping people
within their own communities – thus the command of “love your neighbor as
yourself.”
How do we address the Third
Principle when we find Messianic Congregations having a Sabbath service on the
Sabbath day? Obviously, two fundamental principles of the Sabbath are being
broken- that of not lighting a fire and not traveling because members have to
travel to their congregations by car. Unfortunately, most Messianic
Congregations do not have a system set-up where the members can stay over-night
and fellowship. I heard of one congregation where the Pastor encourages
over-night stays so that members can be obedient to the third principle of the
Sabbath.
Unfortunately we are not in
small bible believing communities that have a synagogue or church that is
within a “Sabbath’s day journey.” Therefore, in this day and age, sometimes it
is impossible to attend a Messianic congregation and not have to break at least
two fundamental principles of the Sabbath.
It is interesting to note
that one time I was at a Messianic Congregation in
How do we stay obedient and
partake in fellowship? The question is answered already if you have followed
this study carefully. If it wasn’t for the higher principles of “doing good” in
the context of saving life, healing, showing mercy and being hungry for and
sharing the Word of Yahweh in order to bring others to His Salvation, Yahshua
HaMaschiach, we would be guilty of breaking the fundamental Sabbath principles
when we attend these Messianic Congregations on the Sabbath Day. We should be
aware that when we go out to attend a Messianic Congregation, we are invoking
these higher principles but yet breaking the fundamental principles when we
shouldn’t have to. Sometime we have no choice but to invoke these higher
principles because of the times we live in.
For almost two years, from
summer 1999 to winter 2001, my family and I did not travel on Shabbot- even for
a trip to a Messianic Congregation. We live in a 37-foot motor home and I was
able to bring the house to the congregation and stay over-night. Now after
investigating the Sabbath principles I have a reason based on scripture for
allowing myself to travel on Sabbath by car without having to bring my motor
home.
I wasn’t about to break any
of the seven fundamental principles of the Sabbath before coming to an
understanding of why the fundamental Sabbath principles could be broken because
the consequences before Yahweh were too great. Today, we may not be talking
about physical death, what concerned me was spiritual death. The Sabbath is the
4th commandment and desecrating the Sabbath is the penalty of death
according to Yahweh’s Law and it is serious business when you intentionally
desecrate it. The “death penalty” may be physical as well as spiritual if
breaking the Sabbath is repeated and intentional. This overview has personally
provided me with an understanding of legal precedence that I can invoke when it
is necessary to break certain fundamental principles of the Sabbath by
exercising principles that are of higher legal precedence according to Yahweh’s
Word.
The Fourth Principle of Not
Working:
The basis for this principle
is established in Exodus 20:10 where it is written, “…On it you shall not do
any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or
maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.”
By understanding the
principle of “rest” you should have a good idea of what “work” is. Obviously
doing any kind of commercial work such as regular employment, trading, buying
and selling on the Sabbath is work. Working on your yard, car, garden, hobby,
etc. are definitely work and not rest based on all that we have reviewed. A rule
of thumb is any activity that causes you to exert yourself should be considered
work. Sports and activities that causes exertion may be work, but on the other
hand a simple short game of tennis in the middle of the afternoon after
studying the Bible for a few hours could be “rest.” A key verse that reveals
this understanding is the passage about “a Sabbath days journey.” As I
understand it, this is about a half-mile to three-quarters of a mile. After
this length of a journey on foot, one could assume that the average person
would get tired. Look into this some more on your own.
At this time, I want to share
a personal experience we had while attending Feast of Tabernacles in the fall
of 2000. As you know the Feast of Tabernacles is a 7-day event with the 8th
day being a day of congregation. The first and last days are to be Sabbaths.
For the feast we attended, there was a dinner on the evening of the 7th
day of the feast and that dinner extended into the Sabbath of the 8th
day. My family and a couple friends considered attending the dinner but
questioned how the dinner could be held without desecrating the Sabbath of the
8th day. You see, when a dinner event is held for a large number of
people, there are going to be workers serving and cleaning up after the dinner.
I realized that this could be desecrating the Sabbath because the event causes
“manservant or maidservant…nor the alien within your gates” to work. I
seriously considered not attending the dinner early in the week because of this
reason. Later, I figured that this is the first Feast of Tabernacles we’re
attending and we “might as well go” and bought tickets for the dinner anyway.
Besides, this was a messianic congregation holding the event.
Interestingly enough, that
very night the dinner began, we almost didn’t get a table and were the last
ones to be seated. When we were seated, the service almost didn’t get us the
necessary tablecloth, dinner plates, candlesticks and other materials for the
table setting. I thought to myself “why is this happening?” Everyone else was
seated and their table settings in place. When we did get our table settings,
we got a tablecloth that only covered ¾ of the table, we got one Sabbath
candlestick instead of two, and plastic wine cups instead of the fancier glass
cups that everyone else got. I thought to myself, “this is interesting, what is
Yahweh trying to say.” It was interesting that we only got one Sabbath
candlestick. I pondered what all this meant and prayed for understanding
because I had no idea. That night I noticed another couple that we had met
during the week and spent time with did not attend. I wondered why.
The Feast of Tabernacles was
over within the next day, and we went home. I still didn’t understand why we
experienced what we did. About a week later I happened to talk to the couple
that did not attend the dinner during the last night of the Feast of
Tabernacles. I ask why they didn’t attend and the answer I got surprised me.
The answer why they didn’t attend was that the wife “felt in her Spirit that
attending would be endorsing the work of others on Sabbath.” This was my
confirmation and I saw it as an answer to prayer. It impressed me that I was
right in originally thinking to not attending the dinner on the last day of the
Feast of Tabernacles because we would be desecrating the Sabbath. Now I saw the
meaning of why our table received only one candlestick, it was a lesson
directed at me regarding the 4th principle of the Sabbath day that I
pondered about early in the week of the feast. In spite of the fact that this
was a large messianic event, it appears that many did not understand the 4th
principle of the Sabbath day.
The Fifth Principle of Not
Lighting a Fire:
The basis for this principle
is established in Exodus 35:3, where it is written, “Do not light a fire in any
of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”
Many will have a problem with
this one because driving a car is lighting a fire thousands of times per
minute. Driving a car is also traveling. Do you think this is crazy? Think
again. Our modern day world is not a world that is geared towards Sabbath
keeping routines and systems. By the way, the car was only invented very, very
recently or only about 100 years ago. Like I said earlier, even in the days
when there were no cars, you wouldn’t be riding your animals on the Sabbath to
travel because it would be making them work.
Simply put, don’t light a
fire unless you are in need of warmth due to the weather. The lighting of a
fire because you need to keep warm is exercising the higher principle of mercy.
This situation is similar to when Messiah’s disciples were feeling the physical
discomfort of hunger. In this case you are feeling the physical discomfort of
being cold.
Again, before understanding
how to relate higher principles such as mercy over the fundamental principle of
the Sabbath such as “do not light a fire,” we as a family kept warm on the
Sabbath on colder winter nights by wearing warm clothing and using a down
blanket. We have a gas furnace and it has to be lighted for heat so on the
Sabbath we never used it. We did this for almost 20 months after identifying
with the fundamental principles of the Sabbath, but before learning the higher
principles. We did not find one believer who could explain why we could light a
fire on the Sabbath and support their position using direct references and
examples from scripture. It was clear to us that scriptures tell us “do not
light a fire” so we made sure we followed it at it’s basic level of
understanding.
Now, after understanding the
fundamental principles of the Sabbath in light of higher principles in the
scriptures as revealed by our Everlasting Father, we feel very comfortable
lighting our gas powered furnace on the Sabbath day when it is cold and
physically uncomfortable. One thing that we learned by keeping the fundamental
principles of the Sabbath was how to keep warm without a fire by conserving
one’s own body heat. Keep this one in mind for the Tribulation. That is, get
yourself some clothing and blankets so that you may keep warm during the winter
with little or no firewood, electric or gas.
A dilemma we ran into when
first learning of this principle of “do not light a fire” was the issue of
turning on lights. For many Jews, they believe turning on the lights is
“lighting a fire.” As a result, in our modern age, some use automated light
switches to control their house lights on the Sabbath day. When we first
started following the Sabbath, we did not know of any other family that
followed the Sabbath and therefore had no reference about what “do not light a
fire” really meant. We interpreted the phrase at face value and thought the
same thing as the Jews. That is, we thought that turning on a light was
“lighting a fire.” When we first started following the Sabbath, we were attending
a
For the first three to four
Sabbaths, my family turned off all our lights and electric. As a result we had
to sleep early because it got dark outside. It was interesting that later we
learned that a light bulb operates in a vacuum and therefore does not burn like
a fire. This was the explanation given by a congregation leader at Yahweh’s New
Covenant Assembly. This was the start of our Sabbaths with light. He made a
good point. We should take the scripture in this case at face value- do not
kindle a fire on the Sabbath. Therefore, turning on lights is OK. This goes to
show how far removed we are today from understanding the true meaning of the
scriptures without a thorough investigation. As I understand it today,
Sabbath-keeping Jews filled their oil lamps with enough oil before Sabbath and
light them. This way they would have light for Sabbath.
Here is an additional thought
- the ability to be able to see is a physical need- very much like hunger so by
the mercy principle of our Messiah, we should feel comfortable in lighting a
candle on the Sabbath if we are caught in the dark.
The Sixth Principle of Not
Carrying a Load:
The basis for this principle
is established in Jeremiah 17:21, where it is written, “…Be careful not to
carry a load on the Sabbath day…” What is a “load?” Again, a rule of thumb
should be anything that causes exertion or interferes with your rest or your
ability to study and share the scriptures. If we are observing the Sabbath day
the way we should, there should be no reason to carry any loads.
There are some dilemmas that
I encountered in trying to observe this command when attending a Sabbath
service or attending a teaching that requires an overnight stay at a hotel. The
overnight stay at a hotel on the Sabbath opens up a can of worms. So let’s talk
about that last.
When attending a service on
the Sabbath, often we find ourselves having to clear the fold-up chairs, in
essence “lifting a load” or put away food trays after an “oneg” or congregation
“pot-luck.” This is a real dilemma- is it better to leave the chairs alone? and
leave the empty pot-luck trays where they are until after the Sabbath? Or can
the “mercy” principle be exercised because believers are “doing good” since the
congregation is gathered together to share the Word of God and there is no
other way to handle this due to other outstanding circumstances when a facility
is being rented, etc. Think about his one. The impression is that preparation
should be made ahead of time whenever possible to avoid “work.”
The hotel example opens up a
“can of worms.” Unfortunately, because the reverence for the Sabbath is not
understood, there are many events for the Body of Messiah that takes place on
the Sabbath day. It would be better if these events are held on a day other
than the Sabbath day. Often these events are at hotel convention centers and
many are important events or gatherings. These events make it almost impossible
for the person attending to be obedient to the fundamental principles of the
Sabbath. The believer, by attending, endorses the work of others, gets involved
in commercial transactions such as room rentals, travel, lift loads such as
luggage, etc.
Just how far can the mercy
principle in the context of “doing good” be exercised? This is again another
dilemma. A rule of thumb is to try to make the best effort to stay obedient to
the fundamental principles of the Sabbath while serving the
For example, get to the hotel
before Sabbath. If you have to check out on the Sabbath, be sure you have your
room pre-paid before Sabbath. Carry a light load for luggage. Don’t use the
restaurant for purchasing your food. Have food prepared ahead of time and bring
it with you. Avoid having the hotel staff do any additional work as a result of
your own specific requests. Avoid endorsing the work of others.
Be lead by the Ruach
HaChodesh, understand what the Spirit put down in writing, and then pray for
guidance. Be sincere and honest with Yahweh and make the effort to be obedient.
Again, it is important to review the Talmud and Judaism during the days of
Messiah’s first coming to get a “feel” for the meaning of these principles.
Then compare the practices against the Tanach and B’rit Chadashah to make sure
that the Spirit of the Law is understood.
The Seventh Principle of Keeping
the Sabbath Holy:
The basis for this principle
is established in Exodus 20:8, where it is written, “Remember the Sabbath day
by keeping it holy.” The concept of holiness is beyond the scope of this overview
and this concept can be better understood by reading the Torah- the first five
books of the Bible. In any case, here is a brief overview.
Yahweh speaks of what is holy
and unholy, clean and unclean in the Torah, so to understand what is Holy you
need to read the Torah. For example, touching a dead body or dead animal is
unclean (see Leviticus) and therefore unholy. Because the Sabbath is to be kept
holy, we avoid touching a dead body or animal. Similarly, having sex on the
Sabbath day is unholy for it is unclean because of the emission of semen (Leviticus 15:16, 18). Similarly having
sex during a woman’s period of uncleanness (Leviticus 18:19, Leviticus 15:28)
is also unholy or unclean. Since marital sex is a part of the life of every
believing husband and wife, it should be addressed in context of the Sabbath
and the principle of keeping the day Holy. I only offer a glimpse into this
subject and it is appropriate to seek additional counsel regarding this by
inquiry into the Talmud, Jewish practices and how these Laws were to be
understood and followed during Biblical days. Let’s not get confused that sex
is not good but can be considered an act of uncleanness on a day Holy to the
Lord.
When getting a glimpse of the
issue of uncleanness and sex on the Sabbath we must get a quick glimpse of
Marriage, Sex, Family and Divorce as it is portrayed in scripture, otherwise
the reader can get the wrong idea about marital sex and think it is not good.
Sometimes it’s unavoidable to address one topic such as the Sabbath and not
address another related topic such as marital sex on Sabbath. The topic of
uncleanness and marital sex on a Holy day often can give an uninformed reader
the wrong idea that marital sex is unclean and not good- leading to false
doctrines. Based on what I have gathered, the false views on marital sex lead
to forced celibacy in the history of the church that was damaging to the men
and women involved causing adultery, abortion, homosexuality, lesbianism and
sexual exploitation of children. A detailed review is beyond the scope of this
overview. Please investigate this on your own.
So that you don’t get a
negative idea about marital sex, let’s go over a few scriptures quickly. Yahweh,
the Father, teaches that marital sex and marriage is good and blessed (Genesis 1:22, Genesis 9:7, Genesis 35:11).
Sex is a mark of the creation, almost every living organism sexually
multiplies, and even the angels can have sex because we know that they
procreated with daughters of men by leaving their first domain (Genesis 6:4, Jude 6). Forbidding
marriage is doctrine of demons, (1
Timothy 4:1-3). A detailed study of scripture reveals that sex is the
consummation of marriage and therefore sex is marriage. Here is just one
reference to this principle, Exodus
22:16. It’s also interesting to note the our Everlasting Father commands
husband and wife to not deny sex from each other except in an agreed
arrangement between husband and wife for prayer and fasting (1 Corinthians 7:3-5). As a matter of
fact, the Holy Spirit, through Apostle Paul acknowledges that not having
marital relations or marital sex may cause a lustful desire (1 Corinthians 7:9). God Almighty
encourages marital sex and romance in marriage- please read the Song of
Solomon. For more on the topic of Marriage, Sex, Family and Divorce, see
the Bible study on “Lawful Marriage, Sex, Family and Divorce” from
Kingdom of Yahweh Ministry. Hopefully this quick review shows that sex is a
part of marriage and romance and is blessed by our Creator although there are
certain times when sex is considered unclean.
Finally, What do we do on
Sabbath?
As a family on most
occasions, we start the evening with prayer, praise and intercession that
includes sounding the Shofar and playing worship music.
Next we’ll observe the Lord’s
Supper but if it gets too late, we wait until the day of Sabbath. We will make
sure we observe the Lord’s Supper in addition to keeping the fundamental
principles of the Sabbath. This is not an option to us because of what we
learned in the video titled, “Covenant Meal, The Lord’s Table” by Dick Reuben
(you may get this video at www.DickReuben.org).
From time to time we’ll
incorporate some of the traditional prayers such as the Shema in worship. We’ll
read the psalms in prayer in both English and Hebrew. Sometimes we will have a
Sabbath dinner and on very few occasions do we observe Havdalah. I view this as
a spirit filled optional custom that enhances the worship of our Everlasting
Father, Yahweh. We usually don’t light Sabbath candles since there is no
command to do so. I also view this as an optional spirit filled act of worship.
On the day of the Sabbath, we’ll study the scriptures according to the topic of
interest at the time. Most of Sabbath is occupied with studying the scriptures.
Events during the Passover
season, and during the counting of the Omer in the year (2001) convinced me to
follow the weekly Torah readings. The topics of the weekly Torah readings
strongly coincided with the main events of the week- so now I make sure my
family follows the weekly Torah readings according to the traditional passages
scheduled from a messianic perspective.
From time to time we’ll
attend a messianic congregation on either Erev Shabbat or on Shabbat. On few
occasions a full service is done at home in accordance with a program from a
Messianic Congregation.
A Few Fundamental Principles That You Should Know
About the Body of Messiah
This overview so far should
establish the constancy of the Sabbath and it’s importance to our Everlasting
Father. Because the Sabbath is part of the Law, once we establish the constancy
of the Sabbath, we establish the constancy of the Law. Therefore, the premise that
“the law is abolished” does not stand. The concept that the Sabbath is a sign
of the marriage covenant between our Everlasting Father and His Bride (His
People) should also be understood and will be covered in the next section.
The next step in strengthening
your understanding of the scriptures is to understand the Feasts of the Lord
and follow them in obedience to our Everlasting Father. You will be surprised
at the amount of revelation that is received by being sincerely and joyfully
obedient to the command of our Everlasting Father to observe his Feasts. At
this point let’s review some other basic principles in the scriptures that we
should be familiarity with.
I have been in congregations
that lack the depth of understanding scripture to the point where redundant
themes are communicated every week without ever acknowledging a need for
greater revelation or understanding – kind of like a broken record. Next, I’ve
visited congregations where the focus is on “succeeding in life” or “how to
handle stress.” These were too “worldly” and did not help me better understand
the Word of Yahweh and the Kingdom to come. Therefore, I hope this next section
expands your horizons on principles in the Bible that we should be aware of.
PRINCIPLE: …last will be first
and the first will be last….
The following verse protects
the believer from relying only on those in the Body of Messiah who can make
such claims as “I’ve been born again for 34 years” or “I’ve been studying the
Bible for 17 years.” These types of claims can often be used to gain support
for a particular doctrine or belief system about the Word of Yahweh without a
balanced presentation of scripture. Take a note below where our Everlasting
Father says “So that last will be first and the first will be last.” Let’s
review Matthew 20:8-16 (NIV):
Matthew
20:8-16 (NIV)
8 "When
evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers
and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to
the first.'
9 "The workers
who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. 10 So
when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each
one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to
grumble against the landowner. 12'These men who were hired last worked only
one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the
burden of the work and the heat of the day.'
13 "But
he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you
agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the
man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don't I have the right to do
what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'
16 "So
the last will be first, and the first will be last."
The owner of the vineyard is
symbolically our Everlasting Father and the workers are those in the Body of
Messiah. Basically, Yahshua HaMaschiach is saying that He alone decides whom he
advances in the Body of Messiah, and He may choose a newly born-again believer
to have as much or greater reward of the Spirit as one whom has been born-again
for many more years. Therefore, we should take heed of the message given by all
those in the Body of Messiah and discern the Spirit by knowing the Word of
Yahweh.
Next be aware that there will
be those who will challenge the very scriptures that you just read by making a
very simple but powerful statement saying that “in the last days there will be
many that will bring false teachings” and cite a few passages of scripture. To
many, the teaching of being obedient to the Sabbath will be “new.” They will
assume that because this apparently is a “new” teaching to them, it is false
and claim we are in the last days. Yet, don’t forget, most churches today are
the “children” of the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church is
portrayed as the Beast out of the Earth that is lead by the False Prophet in
the Book of Revelation. Therefore, we must be wary of the teachings in the
“church” and test doctrine against scripture in the Bible. Today, the
prevailing doctrine in the “church” is that the “Law is abolished.” The church
itself is portrayed as an apostate church in the last days- this is the
PRINCIPLE: … In the last days…men
will arise and distort the truth…
So when did the “last days”
begin? The Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul reveals that immediately after
Apostle Paul leaves the ministry that false teachings will enter the
congregations. Take a look at Acts
20:28-31 (NIV):
Acts
20:27-31 (NIV)
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the
flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the
We know that false teachings
entered the “church” immediately after Apostle Paul “leaves.” It was
prophecized in Acts. It has always been the minority that has followed the Word
of God according to His Ways. During the Days of Noah, it was only one family.
When
John 6:66
(NIV)
66 From this
time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
Therefore, do not let yourself
be overwhelmed and convinced that the majority is right and be strong by
standing on the Word and use discernment by understanding the Word. Also keep
in mind that success and growth of a congregation is not a good measure of the
amount of truth a congregation is following. The opposite is also true- just
because a congregation is apparently small doesn’t mean that it is walking in
truth either. Therefore, the only measure of truth is the Word of God.
In consideration that one-day
equals a thousand years and man’s rule on earth is to be six thousand years, we
can observe that the “last days” can be the 5th and 6th
days before Messiah’s Second Coming.
PRINCIPLE: … Yahweh to reveal
truth to the extent it is followed…
It’s important to note that
the scriptures show that Yahweh will reveal the truth to the extent that one is
willing to follow it. This principle is established in Deuteronomy 29:29 (KJV) where it is written:
Deuteronomy
29:29 (KJV)
29 The
secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed
belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the
words of this law.
At face value, the verse does not appear to state
what I just noted. Michael John Rood of www.6001.com
wrote on his site the same principle that “God will only reveal the truth to
the extent one is willing to follow it.” However, Michael did not have a
reference to scripture for the principle he stated. So I pursued to ask Bill
K. of congregation Kehilat Beth Miqlat (http://scroll.to/unseal). He stated that
the original Hebrew words behind the KJV translation actually reveal to us that
the verse does explicitly state that, “Yahweh will reveal the truth to the
extent that one is willing to follow it.” In the Hebrew, the phrase “unto us
and to our children” is rendered as follows:
(and to our children) (unto us)
You
cannot see it here with the font that is used, but above the Hebrew letters
translated, “and to our children” are seven dots and above the Hebrew letters
translated, “unto us” are three dots. If you want to see the dots appropriately
rendered, check an original Torah scroll or “The Interlinear NIV Hebrew-English
Old Testament” by John R. Kohlenberger III. According to Bill K., these ten
dots are found only once in the text of the Torah, and when asked about the
meaning of these ten special dots, the Rabbis explain that in the context of
the verse the dots mean “God will reveal the truth to the extent one is willing
to follow it.” This is the answer that is given according to an ancient Jewish
custom. Keep in mind, there are many Jewish customs that are Spirit led. If you
want to understand what some of these customs are that are Spirit-led, be sure
to see the video titled, “The Passover Seder” by Dick Reuben. His website can
be reached by typing, http://www.dickreuben.org
on your browser.
The
example above and other examples similar to this, where we must go back to the
original Hebrew and Greek texts to understand the real meaning of a particular
word or phrase support a profound statement by Bill K.. The statement is
that all translations “add and take away from” the Word of God. We are warned
not to “add or take away from” the Word of God (Deuteronomy 12:32). In essence, we as a believer should learn to
speak, read and write in the original Hebrew and Greek. It is obvious there are
all kinds of translation problems that end up changing the meaning of the Word
of Yahweh. In light of this, there is no doubt that translations “add to and
take away” from the Words of our Everlasting Father- breaking his command in
Deuteronomy 12:32.
PRINCIPLE: … Teaching is OK as
long as we know who is our teacher…
You
may find yourself presented with the following verse in order to discourage
receiving sound doctrine that is presented to you by fellow believers. Here is
the verse:
Matthew
23:8-11 (NIV)
"But
you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all
brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father,
and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one
Teacher, the Christ.
After
being presented with this verse, one might think “oops” I shouldn’t follow men
or receive “teaching” from them because the verse apparently seems to indicate
this if taken without understanding of the full context in scripture. The verse
is correct that it is our Everlasting Father that teaches us but upon hearing
this many forget that there are those in the Body of Messiah who are given the spiritual
gift of teaching. Teaching is an activity in the Body of Messiah (1
Corinthians 12:7, Timothy 5:17, Acts 4:2, Titus 2:7,9)
PRINCIPLE: … We are grafted onto
Christianity today is
practically a new tree, refusing to be grafted onto the natural Olive Tree-
Romans
11:17-24 (NIV)
17 If some
of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have
been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the
olive root, 18 do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You
do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then,
"Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." 20 Granted.
But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not
be arrogant, but be afraid. 21 For if God did not spare the natural
branches, he will not spare you either.
22 Consider
therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but
kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you
also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will
be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 After all, if you
were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature
were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these,
the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
PRINCIPLE: … Don’t be a worker of
iniquity or lawlessness…
One
of the most frightening warnings to members in the Body of Messiah or believers
is in Luke 13:25-28 (KJV). It is a warning for those who work
“iniquity.” Iniquity is equivalent to “lawlessness.” Because Torah is
synonymous with “Law,” those who work iniquity are preaching against Law in the
Torah. Notice that this verse applies to believers who call upon Messiah. Take
a look at what our Everlasting Father says:
Luke
13:24-28 (KJV)
24 Strive to
enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in,
and shall not be able.
25 When once
the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to
stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us;
and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
26 Then
shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou
hast taught in our streets.
27 But he
shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers
of iniquity.
28 There
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac,
and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the
Another
verse that is very similar to the one above is Matthew 7:15-23. Be sure
to take a look at that one too.
PRINCIPLE: … We are responsible
for understanding scripture individually…
According
to Mary Wyatt of
Isaiah 9:16
(KJV)
16 For the
leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are
destroyed.
Based
on the scripture above, the point she makes is very convincing.
PRINCIPLE: … Our Everlasting
Father can give you a reprobate mind…
That’s
right, if you turn away from God and the knowledge of Him, you’re at risk for
receiving a “reprobate” mind.
Romans 1:28
(KJV)
28 And even
as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to
a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
PRINCIPLE: … Avoid trampling on
Grace…
In the context of the verse below in Hebrews 10:26-30 (NIV) the act of “trampling on Grace” is the act of deliberate sinning. In context of scripture, the “knowledge of the truth” is the knowledge that Messiah is our Salvation and redemption for our sins. Truth is also synonymous with Torah and sin is the transgression of the Law or Torah. Therefore, those who have received the knowledge of the Truth and continue to ignore the Law or Torah are in essence trampling on the Grace of Messiah. It’s a very dangerous thing to do according to the verse referenced in Hebrews.
Hebrews
10:26-30 (NIV)
26 If we
deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth,
no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment
and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who
rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three
witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished
who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy
thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the
Spirit of grace?
PRINCIPLE: … Salvation can be
lost…
I
think a few verses above made the point that salvation for those in the Body of
Messiah can be lost for intentional sin. There are two other sets of verses in
the scriptures that confirm this principle. One is the parable of the Ten
Virgins (Matthew 25:1-12 KJV), and the other is the story of the
Matthew
25:1-12
25:1 Then
shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their
lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and
five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil
with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the
bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a
cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all
those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the
wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered,
saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to
them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the
bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and
the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying,
Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I
know you not.
This
parable is obviously about believers being rejected by Messiah. For a more
in-depth review of this parable see the Bible study titled, “The Parable of
the Ten Virgins and The Church of Laodicea – A Warning to Believers” from www.MalkhutYahwehAvodah.org. Let’s
take a look at what Messiah says about
Revelation
3:15-17
15 I know
your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or
the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to
spit you out of my mouth.
We
see again, members of the Body of Messiah being rejected. Why? Investigate some
more on your own.
PRINCIPLE: … Mercy is key –
remember the thief on the cross…
All
this talk about rejection can get one a little nervous, but never lose sight that
Yahweh is all-merciful for those who truly repent before Him and sincerely
pursue His ways. Remember, the story of the thief on the cross. He was a
transgressor of the Law (Torah) and may not have even celebrated Sabbaths and
Feast Days properly. Take a look at how Messiah forgave the man for true
repentance:
PRINCIPLE: … We are called to
separate ourselves at a certain point…
We
are called to minister but at the same time we are called to separate ourselves
from those who insist on teaching false doctrine where that false doctrine is
fundamentally contrary to scripture. It takes good judgment to know when to
separate but remember that Yahweh, our Everlasting Father is long-suffering and
therefore, we should be long-suffering. At least you know now that there is a
scriptural principle for separation when led by the Spirit. Take a look at Romans
16:17 (NIV) and Isaiah 8:20 (KJV):
Romans
16:17-19 (NIV)
17 I urge
you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in
your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from
them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own
appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive
people. 19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full
of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent
about what is evil.
Isaiah 8:20
(KJV)
20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
The
point you shouldn’t forget here is don’t be naïve or “simple minded.” Other
translations use the term terms “simple minded,” “unsuspecting,” etc. instead
of “naïve.” Take heed to the warning our Everlasting Father, Yahweh, gives us. Don’t
be simple minded. This is another witness in scripture reminding us to
use our minds. Don’t listen to simple “phrases” or “slogans” or principles that
sound good. Notice how the Ruach HaChodesh placed the word “obedience” in the
context of this passage. Investigate what the Holy Spirit put down in writing
in the Bible.
PRINCIPLE: … Don’t carve out the Word for
that practice is idolatry…
Is
there idolatry in the Church today? Are professing Christians bowing down to
carved out wooden idols? Idols that are created as an image of God but
according to the way people want to see God?
Believe
it or not, there are professing Christians who are still bowing down to wooden
idols carved out of an image of a god from scripture they like that they want
to see and believe, and gather together the rest of scripture they don’t like
and ignore or hide it.
How
can this be you say? It can be because those who want to believe in a God and
create an image of God according to their own desires are carving out the Word
of God from the scriptures according to their own ways. In essence, we have a
wooden idol that is carved out for worship. Interestingly enough the Bible is
made of wood (paper) and when it is carved out to fit our own culture and
understanding, it becomes a wooden idol.
Sabbath: A Marriage Covenant
In
Work
Sabbath: The Mark of God vs. Mark of the
Beast
In
Work
Bible References
|
References in the Tanach & B’rit Chadashah for “Sabbath” |
||
|
Scripture |
Used
in Overview |
Comment |
|
Exodus
16:23,25,26,29 |
Yes |
Foundation
Principles |
|
Exodus
20:8,10,11 |
Yes |
Foundation
Principles |
|
Exodus
31:14,15,16 |
Yes |
Foundation
Principles |
|
Exodus
35:2,3 |
Yes |
Foundation
Principles |
|
Leviticus
16:31 |
Beyond Scope |
Sabbath
in Feasts/Land |
|
Leviticus
23:3,11,15,16 |
Beyond Scope |
Sabbath
in Feasts/Land |
|
Leviticus
23:24 (KJV only) |
Beyond Scope |
Sabbath
in Feasts/Land |
|
Leviticus
23:32 |
Beyond Scope |
Sabbath
in Feasts/Land |
|
Leviticus
23:39 (KJV only) |
Beyond Scope |
Sabbath
in Feasts/Land |
|
Leviticus
24:8 |
Beyond Scope |
Sabbath
in Feasts/Land |
|
Leviticus
25:2,4,6 |
Beyond Scope |
Sabbath
in Feasts/Land |
|
Leviticus
26:34 (NIV only) |
Beyond Scope |
Sabbath
in Feasts/Land |
|
Numbers
15:32 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
Numbers
28:9,10 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
Deuteronomy
5:12,14,15 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
2
Kings 4:23 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
2
Kings 11:5 (KJV only) |
Yes |
|
|
2
Kings 11:7,9 |
Yes |
|
|
2
Kings 16:18 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
1
Chronicles 9:32 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
2
Chronicles 23:4,8 |
Yes |
|
|
2
Chronicles 36:21 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
Nehemiah
9:14 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
Nehemiah
10:31 |
Yes |
|
|
Nehemiah
13:15,16,17,18,19,21,22 |
Yes |
|
|
Psalms
92:1 (NIV only) |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
Isaiah
56:2,6 |
Yes |
|
|
Isaiah
58:13 |
Yes |
|
|
Isaiah
66:23 |
Yes |
|
|
Jeremiah
17:21,22,24,27 |
Yes |
|
|
Ezekiel
46:1,4,12 |
Beyond Scope |
Sabbath
Day in Millennium |
|
Hosea
2:11 (NIV only) |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
Amos
8:5 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
Matthew
12:1,2,5,8,10,11,12 |
Yes |
|
|
Matthew
24:20 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
Matthew
28:1 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
Mark
1:21 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
Mark
2:23,24,27,28 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
Mark
3:2,4 |
Yes |
|
|
Mark
6:2 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
Mark
15:42 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
Mark
16:1 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
Luke
4:16,31 |
Yes (16) |
|
|
Luke
6:1,2,5,6,7,9 |
Yes |
|
|
Luke
13:10,14,15,16 |
Yes |
|
|
Luke
14:1,3,5 |
Yes |
|
|
Luke
23:54,56 |
Yes |
|
|
John
5:9,10,16,18 |
Yes |
|
|
John
7:22,23 |
Yes |
|
|
John
9:14,16 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
John
19:31 |
Repeated or N/A |
|
|
Acts
1:12 |
Yes |
|
|
Acts
13:14,27,42,44 |
Referenced |
Apostles
Observing Sabbath |
|
Acts
15:21 |
Referenced |
Apostles
Observing Sabbath |
|
Acts
16:13 |
Referenced |
Apostles
Observing Sabbath |
|
Acts
17:2 |
Referenced |
Apostles
Observing Sabbath |
|
Acts
18:4 |
Referenced |
Apostles
Observing Sabbath |
|
Colossians
2:16 |
Yes |
|
Bible References (To Include Later)
|
References in the Tanach & B’rit Chadashah for “Sabbaths” plural |
||
|
Scripture |
Used
in Overview |
Comment |
|
Exodus
31:13 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Leviticus
19:3,30 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Leviticus
23:15,38 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Leviticus
25:8,8 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Leviticus
26:2,34,35,43 |
Not Yet |
|
|
1
Chronicles 23:31 |
Not Yet |
|
|
2
Chronicles 2:4 |
Not Yet |
|
|
2
Chronicles 8:13 |
Not Yet |
|
|
2
Chronicles 31:3 |
Not Yet |
|
|
2
Chronicles 36:21 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Nehemiah
10:33 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Isaiah
1:13 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Isaiah
56:4 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Lamentations
1:7 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Lamentations
2:6 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Ezekiel
20:12,13,16,20,21,24 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Ezekiel
22:8,26 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Ezekiel
23:38 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Ezekiel
44:24 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Ezekiel
45:17 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Ezekiel
46:3 |
Not Yet |
|
|
Hosea
2:11 |
Not Yet |
|