Tag: Seventh day Sabbath

Were you taught the correct Commandments??

January 9th, 2024

By the deceitfulness of Satan many have been taught a variation of Catholic Commandments and not the true written in stone 10 Commandments of the Bible. (Just as I was – on the left side of the picture above, are the commandments I had learned from my catechism growing up as a Lutheran).

Did you know that these changes were prophesied? “And he (the Papacy) shall speak great words against the most High…and think to change times and laws.” (Daniel 7:25)

So, what were some of these changes?

1. The Papacy (Catholic Church) removed the 2nd Commandment, due to their worship of Mary and bowing down to statues. They then moved the Commandments up in number and split the 10th Commandment into two, so there would still appear to be 10 Commandments.

2. The Papacy also changed God’s 4th Commandment; changing God’s Seventh day Sabbath (Saturday) to Sunday (the first day of the week).

NOTE: Please also see comparisons of commandments at the bottom this page. 🙂

“Sunday is a Catholic institution… From beginning to end of Scripture there is not a single passage that warrants the transfer of weekly public worship from the last day of the week to the first.” – Catholic Press, Sydney, Australia, August, 1900.

“Sunday… It is the law of the Catholic Church alone.” – Catholic American Sentinels, June 1893

“Sunday is our MARK of authority… The church is above the Bible, and this transference of the Sabbath observance is a proof of that fact.” – Catholic Record of London, Ontario, September 1, 1923

What does the Lord say?

Matthew 5:17 KJV, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”

“For I am the LORD, I change not;..” (Malachi 3:6)

John 14:15 KJV, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

2 John 1:6 KJV, “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.”

Hebrews 4:4-11 KJV, “For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. (5) And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. (6) Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: (7) Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (8) For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. (9) There remaineth therefore a rest (sabbatismos) to the people of God. (10) For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. (11) Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” (For more information on Hebrews 4 and the Sabbath, visit: https://healinggraceofgod.org/2023/02/21/sabbath-justified/)

God bless 🙂
How does the Bible say we are to keep the Seventh Day Sabbath holy?

April 19th, 2023

Keeping the Sabbath of our God shows that we are willing to forsake our own thoughts and ways during the time our God set aside for us 6000 years ago. It shows our Lord that we have a willingness to learn of Him, study His Word, as well as to think and meditate on Him and all He has created for us. Keeping Sabbath also shows our Father we have a heartfelt desire to obey Him. He sanctified this holy day long ago as a way to gently test our faith in Him as well as glorify Him and declare Him Creator God. Some look at Sabbath as our preverbal tree in the garden. Will we obey Him, or not? When you think about it, we could literally be without sight, speech, or even hearing and we could still glorify Him each and every Sabbath by keeping this day holy in His name. In this case, we can see that without so much as saying a Word, it can be known by others we worship the Creator God by keeping this day holy in whatever way we can.

The Sabbath was made for man to give him rest from physical labor and to worship the very God that not only made him, but all he knows in life. On our Lord’s Holy Sabbath, we can forget all about the day to day activities throughout the week that have become rather routine to us over the many years and use this day to draw closer to our God in study of His Word, in meditation of all He reveals to us about Him, and in prayer to Him for whatever our hearts desire, so long as it is not to consume it upon our lusts of course.

James 4:3 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

As the world comes to a close, I like to look at Sabbath as a way to have a glimpse of that eternal rest with our Lord in His kingdom. When we keep the Sabbath day holy, we show faith and belief in all of God’s promises to us, especially regarding that eternal rest we will experience in His Kingdom.

So … how do we keep this day holy?

First off, let’s look at what we cannot do on Sabbath day. Afterward, we can look at what we can do. You may find what we can do far outweighs what we cannot do. And it’s not so much we cannot do these things because they are evil. We can work 6 days a week can we not? But work in itself is not evil. So, it’s not about sin so much as it is about pleasing our Father by simple obedience to rest on the day He sanctified. In Genesis chapter two we find the first instance of the words “Seventh day” being mentioned.

Genesis 2:2-3 “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.”

The word “sanctified” means “to set apart for holy use.” If we believe this Creator God does as He does because of His eternal perfection in all things, then we are wholly aware that when He chose to rest after doing His work, it is a good thing to do so because He is perfect in all things. This rest of His is an example even unto us, His creation. As we work through the week, are we not creating in a sense with what we do? Some of us actually see this firsthand if we are builders, artists, or even teachers that help create in the mind of their students a better way. If the God we worship saw fit to stop and rest from His work of creation, what does it say of man when he believes he must work on Sabbath because he is unable to provide for his family? How can mankind claim anything he does is more work intensive and necessary than creating all that is seen and unseen? If we believe we are busier than the Creator God, what does that say about us? It says we think pretty highly of self and not much of Him. If the Creator can stop and rest in a work we could never do in a trillion lifetimes, so can we, His creation, kick back and rest.

Exodus 31:13-15 “Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.”

Nehemiah 13:15 “In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.”

Rather blunt is it not? As Nehemiah continues, we find another act of the people that is not allowed on Sabbath.

Nehemiah 13:16-17 “There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?”

We must never buy or sell anything on Sabbath day. This means we should never go into stores, restaurants, gas stations, or even walk up to vending machines to buy a bottle of water. Some will ask why it is wrong to buy on Sabbath when we are not the ones doing the work of selling? I ask, are we not called of our God to be examples to the people God puts in our path? Are we not supposed to display what is acceptable to do as Christians? If we, the Remnant of God, who understand truths which most cannot, step into places of business to purchase items on this holy day we would be condoning work being done on Sabbath. In so doing, we would then be looked upon as hypocrites, and the message we hope to portray is soiled. If we preach we must not work on Sabbath, and then go up to those working and ask them to do their job so we can purchase items from them, what will that say about our Lord’s Law? Now, there are emergencies wherein this is allowed, but we will get into that a little later.

Another blessing we can recognize for Sabbath is food preparation. We are told in Scripture that we must not work at preparing food on Sabbath as this can be easily done on Friday. This is a blessing for those that usually do the work of preparing the food throughout the week because this is one day they do not have to do such things. The Jews of old actually called Friday the day of preparation for that reason, as well as the reason of preparing self for Sabbath. I look at each Sabbath as a day of communion with my Lord, and I like to prepare accordingly.

Exodus 16:23, 30 “And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. So the people rested on the seventh day.”

Since we have different technology today, in that we don’t have to gather wood from the forest, rub sticks together to start a fire, or travel great distance for water, we can simply warm our food on Sabbath by flicking a switch on a stove. No work is needed to do this, so no sin is realized as long as the toil of preparing the food the day before was finished. However, the day is approaching when some of us will find ourselves in the forest hiding from those that seek our lives as we wait for our Lord’s return. Then it would be sin because at this time we would have to gather wood and water. We would do well to pray that this flight of ours doesn’t happen in Winter or on Sabbath itself, as this would test the faith of some. I personally would see no sin in keeping a fire lit on Sabbath to prevent hypothermia, of course. But this would also mean on Friday I would have gathered twice as much wood to keep warm for Friday night and all day Sabbath.

One more thing should be mentioned that would be a good thing to do before Sabbath, is that it is a good idea to right any wrongs done to your fellow man before Sabbath arrives.

Matthew 5:23-24 “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”

As we move along, we find our Lord also instructs us in the Fourth Commandment itself that any servile work of any kind whatsoever is not allowed on Sabbath. Rest means just that, rest.

Exodus 20:8-11 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

What this entails is, no secular work is allowed at all. Even work you’re not paid for like sweeping the floor in your home, mowing your lawn, cleaning your gutters, etc. This also includes work being done on land you own. Within thy gates means just that. Not even the cattle are to work on this day. A lot of farmers have a hard time with this because sometimes the Sabbath is the only day they seem to be able to work the fields due to bad weather the other six days. What they fail to realize is, our Lord knows exactly what the weather is doing beforehand in every area of the planet. He watches them just as He does with any test sent upon His people. Yes, there are occasions of emergency wherein work is allowed. For example, Jesus clearly outlines this in Matthew chapter twelve …

Matthew 12:11-12 “And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?  How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.”

A quick example of this would be a sick loved one. The medicine needed to help them can be purchased on Sabbath day. So, don’t worry if you have to go to the corner market to buy something on Sabbath if it’s an emergency. (Water, cold pack, hot water bottle, blanket, ice, extra clothing, etc.)

This next situation seems to be a gray area for some Sabbath keepers, so I will try to explain it as best I can.

Isaiah 58:13 “If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:”

Doing thine own pleasure covers a myriad of points. A few examples could be games, TV, radio, hobbies, reading magazines, or anything else that would constitute a pleasure outside Sabbath allowances. By the way, “speaking thine own words” can also be defined as sitting on a phone talking with a friend about everyday activities. It would be okay if you were talking with that friend about things in God’s Word and testifying to His goodness and creation of course, but gabbing away on a phone, or in person about topics not appropriate for Sabbath day will make the Sabbath appear like any other day wherein your own pleasures are allowed. If the soul you’re talking with is a nonbeliever you may harm them spiritually. When we refuse to talk with friends on Sabbath about such things, that can be a witness to them. Who knows, one day they may come to know Jesus Christ as we do, and you would have been used by God Himself to help gain a soul for Heaven by making them think about Him when you refused to gab on the phone during Sabbath! So, for you, young people; this can be your own special way to share Jesus with your friends, cousins or anyone else you approach on Sabbath, and it’s as easy as saying, “I will get back to you after Sabbath.”

Some have asked if it’s okay to be intimate with one’s spouse on Sabbath day. I ask, would that not also be considered “thine own pleasure?” This gray area can be well lit when we peer into what Moses was asked to tell the people gathering to meet with the Lord one day long ago …

Exodus 19:10-11, 14, 15 ” And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.”

If this holy day of meeting with the Lord was to be done so in a sanctified manner, would not the Sabbath, which He sanctified in Eden before sin entered the world be just as holy, if not more so? Is this not the same God we commune with that was at Sinai back then? Does He not expect and deserve the same reverence even now especially since He is about to return for us, His people?

The amazing thing here is, there aren’t many things we cannot do on Sabbath. It’s not as restricted as some make it out to be. I don’t look at Sabbath as a day that I can’t do this or that. It’s more like a day I don’t have to do this or that, and I get to do this and that. In other words, there are many things we can do on this holy day that can make it a joy to behold.

For example, Sabbath is the perfect day to forget all about our troubles, our jobs, and any other aspects of life so we can truly rest and relax. On this day, we can find a blessed and oftentimes enriching fellowship with like-minded believers when we attend church. It doesn’t matter if you have no church in your area either. You can do this at home, with friends in a small home church you can start, or if you have Internet, or even a phone you can attend with believers in real time online. Not like the TV and radio pre-recorded services that are mostly all about money anyway. Sabbath has always been the day when believers would gather to worship the Lord. In fact, Jesus Himself, our perfect example, did this perfectly each 7th day He walked among us 2000 years ago. Speaking of Jesus, Luke said …

Luke 4:16 “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.”

Another thing we can do on Sabbath is show God how much we love, honor, and respect Him. Think about that for a moment. He gives us one day a week to do for Him what He has done for us every day of the week since birth. Yes, most of us do this each day as well in evening, mid-day, and morning prayer, but on Sabbath it is especially good to do so because in Heaven itself He is resting and looking upon us with love.

Psalms 89:7 “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.”

As many of us have learned over the years, if we study His Word diligently, to fear Him is to give Him reverence. What better day to do this than on Sabbath when all the host of Heaven are in worship of Him as well. It is written in Matthew 6:10 that His will is done on earth as it is in Heaven,

Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

Malachi 3:6 “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”

And since we understand this God we worship is one that never changes according to Malachi 3:6, then is there Sabbath service in Heaven?

Isaiah 66:22-23 “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.”

This is a holy day! Even in Heaven it is considered holy! Nothing that defileth should enter therein as far as I’m concerned. The reason I believe this is because Sabbath is also kept in Heaven. According to Revelation 21:27, Heaven is a kingdom where,

Revelation 21:27 ” And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

Since we know He never changes, and His will is done on earth as it is in Heaven, then even though the “new heavens and new earth” are future events, we know that we will be worshipping Him each and every Sabbath we are there. If He kept this Sabbath holy before the new heavens and new earth were made, He is keeping it now as well as later because He is a God that never changes. Since we know He kept it back when His Word was penned, this means He keeps it now. A God that never changes means just that, He never changes!

The wonderful thing about all this is, they are keeping Sabbath in Heaven each and every week. Imagine that if you can! When we stop and rest to keep Sabbath here on earth, the Father, His Son Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Enoch, Elijah, Moses and the many that came out of the graves when Jesus resurrected (See Matthew 27:50-52) are also keeping Sabbath in Heaven.

Matthew 27:50-52 “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,”

Not only that, but according to Revelation 5:11 there are,

Revelation 5:11 “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;”

What better day to worship our God than the exact same day all of Heaven worships Him? We are so privileged to take part in such a service that is happening INSIDE HEAVEN on Sabbath each and every week! And since nothing defiles that Heavenly Kingdom, we should do the same here if we want to be considered participants of this holy day. There is no other day on earth that can lay claim to such a blessing! Out of all the days of the week, there is only one considered blessed. Only the Sabbath is kept on earth as it is in Heaven.

Another wonderful thing we can do on Sabbath is to visit the sick and pray for their healing. Do you recall the man that was sick 38 years who laid by the pool of Bethesda waiting for the angel to trouble the waters so he could enter the water to be healed? Do you recall what Jesus did for this man, and when?

John 5:8-9 “Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.  And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.”

Jesus Himself declared on more than one occasion that doing such things on Sabbath was a very good thing.

Matthew 12:10-12 “And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.  And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?  How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.”

The Sabbath day is to be a delight, a day of worship, and a day of rejoicing each and every week. What a blessing He has granted us in this busy world we find ourselves in. Our Lord has promised us that if we keep this day holy, He will bless us. So, on top of all the things we can do on Sabbath, one is we can receive blessings from Heaven for simply keeping one day out of seven for Him. Praise His name!

Isaiah 56:2 “Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.”

What is just one of the blessings we receive for obeying Him?

Acts 5:32 “And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.”

Sabbath is also a day for prayer. Yes, we all pray seven days a week, and many of us do so as Daniel did, three times a day. However, the Sabbath is an especially good day to go to the Throne of grace. The early church did this each Sabbath as Scripture confirms …

Acts 16:13 “And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.”

Why do you suppose they looked upon Sabbath as a better day for prayer? Why is it that “… prayer was wont to be made” on Sabbath by the early church? The Lord does not wait for the Sabbath to pass to answer these prayers.

Sabbath is obviously a day the Lord highly esteems. We know our Saviour Jesus healed many on Sabbath, as well as preached on this day truths that would gain eternal life for many. However, what some fail to remember is that John, the favored apostle of our Lord while “… in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” (Revelation 1:10) received a vision that we know of today as the Book of Revelation. So, as we can see, praying on this day makes for an amazing experience to say the least. In just the few Scripture references shared we found that many were healed, many learned truths that will gain them eternal life, and one was given a vision that has helped billions come to His Truth thus far.

In the Word, we find a simple Truth that cuts very deep into the hearts of those that trust this God we worship …

Isaiah 1:18 “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.”

When we come together on Sabbath day, we find new Truths that can bless our walks. Which in turn blesses us with a stronger faith. When our Lord says “come now, and let us reason together” it is an open invitation to go into His Word and learn of Him and His will for our lives. We can do this seven days a week, yes, but oftentimes the young in Christ need a little help in grasping some of the meat in the Scripture as they travel through His Word. When the minister of God is moved by the Spirit of the Lord on Sabbath to utter Truths we may not understand on our own, we are blessed.

Acts 17:2 ” And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,”

Acts 18:4 “And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.”

In the Old Testament, it was the shewbread that represented the Word of God in the Sanctuary. Each Sabbath we found it was to be changed so as to bring fresh Truth to those coming to feast on His Word given via the priest on Sabbath.

1 Chronicles 9:32 “And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the shewbread, to prepare it every sabbath.”

If you are of a certain age wherein you have seen many Sabbaths in life, you know there have been many times you have received blessings on this holy day. If you were ever a Sunday keeper and then converted to Sabbath keeping you know Sunday was NEVER like this!

It doesn’t matter how many times we read the Bible throughout the week, or attend Sabbath services throughout the years, the Word of God is such that we can always find something new within its pages all throughout our lives. Sabbath allows us to see an eternity of blessings while still looking through a glass darkly here on earth. And as Isaiah 66:23 stated earlier, when we come to eternity, we will still see this day as a blessing each and every week, forever and ever.

One more thing we can do on Sabbath is …

Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Sabbath day can and should be the best day of the week with so many good things we can take part in and be blessed by only on this day.

Below are some ideas as to how to keep the Sabbath holy:

Take nature walks

Children Sabbath schools

Study nature and natural health

Type up Bible studies you can email or snail mail to loved ones

Color Bible pictures for children

Visit the sick

Leave tracts at park tables, outhouses, parking lots, etc.

Sing songs of praise

Visit the elderly

Read the family Bible chapters

Go to a pond and feed the ducks

Go witnessing door to door

Read and study the Bible by yourself

Make 3X5 cards of Scripture and memorize them

Play Bible games

I pray you were blessed!

(This post was reposted with permission from RemnantofGod.org)

Please visit RemnantofGod.org for more information!
Sabbath Justified!

February 21st, 2023

The issue of the sabbath is one that has been obscured by many centuries of tradition. However, does tradition take precedent over truth? Matthew 15:8-9 “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men”. It is possible to think you’re worshipping God whilst not doing the very thing he commands. Luke 6:46 “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say”? The sabbath has been commanded to all of God’s children from the start. It’s one of the ten commandments.

Exodus 20:8-11

King James Version

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it

Was the sabbath Just for the children of Israel?

Many think that the sabbath was just from the time of Moses. However, God merely gave the children of Israel that which was already created. Exodus 16:4-5 “Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.  And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily”. God tested the children of Israel to see if they would keep his sabbath. He says he was going to prove them to see if they will keep his commandments or not. By saying that God makes it clear they were already there. Exodus 16:29-30 “See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day”. We therefore cannot conclude that the children of Israel only had to keep the sabbath after they received the ten commandments. They had received it even before they officially heard it from mount Sinai. This is because the sabbath was made in creation week. Genesis 2:3 “And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made”. Nehemiah confirms that God had merely given the children of Israel the sabbath. Nehemiah 9:13-14 “Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant”. Why did he say he made it known unto them? The children of Israel had lived in Egypt for hundreds of years by that point and their culture was predominantly Egyptian. Many of the children of Israel didn’t keep the sabbath. Hence God made known unto them something they should have been keeping.

Was the sabbath made for Jews?

Mark 2:27 “And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath”. When Jesus says the sabbath was made for man it’s interesting to see some take this as “therefore we don’t need to keep the sabbath”. Pause for one moment. If I tell you clothes were made for humans and not humans made for clothes. What does that mean? Am I saying don’t wear clothes? No! What Jesus is teaching here is the sabbath is made to fit humans and not the other way around. It’s meant to be a delight to mankind and not a burden. This is because the Jewish leadership added many extra commandments to the sabbath, making it weary for themselves. They ended up trying to mould the people to this false standard of righteousness to the point it became a dread. Jesus is clear the sabbath was made for man. If you are part of mankind, the sabbath is for you.

Where in the New Testament does it say we have to keep sabbath?

In writing to the Hebrews Paul explains we must keep sabbath.

Hebrews 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest [believers enter into this rest], as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

Paul is talking about a rest here which belongs to God, which is to do with the creation. What is he talking about?

Hebrews 4:4-6 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day [the sabbath] on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

Paul then goes on to explain that this rest was about the seventh day, the sabbath. He states that in his time there are some that must enter into that rest, or in other words keep the sabbath. He then goes on to say the Jews didn’t enter into that rest (keep the sabbath). Do the scriptures support the Jews of that time not keeping the sabbath properly?

Exodus 16:27-28 “And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?”

Psalm 95:10-11 “|Forty years long [numbers 14:33-34] was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest”.

It’s clear that generation didn’t enter that rest (keep the sabbath).

Hebrews 4:7-10 “Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day [time] There remaineth therefore a rest [sabbatismos] to the people of God”.

The word rest in verse 9 comes from a different Greek as opposed to the other verses. The word sabbatismos (transliterated) is the word used in verse 9, it means a keeping of sabbath. Paul states again that the rest is about. “a certain day”, he even states that Jesus had given them that rest (the sabbath).

In short, Hebrews 4:4-9 is Paul explaining to the believers that the Jews who refused the sabbath, refused it because of unbelief and warns us not make that same mistake and to enter into that rest [keeping the sabbath day].

Hebrews 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

The Christians were keeping sabbath in the New Testament.

The book of acts is a historic account of the major actions of the early church. Notice what day they were worshipping.

Acts 13:14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.

Some may see synagogue and feel “oh but that’s a Jewish service”. The temples at the time were just called synagogues. We would understand this to be church, the gentiles were also coming to the synagogue on sabbath.

Acts 13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

Acts 13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

After this, Paul focuses even more on the gentiles:

Acts 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

Paul and his companions, focusing on the gentiles continue to keep sabbath:

Acts 16:12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.

13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.

Then Paul tries to continue to reason with the gentiles and some Jews who were willing to hear:

Acts 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures

Acts 18:4;11 “And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. … And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them”.

There are over 80 recorded sabbath meetings in the book of Acts. If they worshipped on Sunday, there would be at least one.

Acts 20:7 was not a church service

Acts 20:7-8 “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow [morning]; and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together”. First of all the Christians broke bread all the time. Acts 2:46 “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart”. Many read Acts 20:7 as a church service that’s taking place. However, the It’s night-time. The days were counted sunset to sunset, hence this would be the equivalent of Saturday evening for us. At that time the sabbath is over but it counts as the first day (Sunday). However, it says Paul was ready to depart in the morning (when it’s light). Acts 20:11 “When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed”. For it to be the first day of the week, midnight and Paul not leave till the break of day (sunrise) must mean: this was the evening of Saturday, which went until midnight, Eutychus fell and God revived him through Paul, they continued talking till it was sunrise Sunday. It is obvious the reason they were together is because they just finished spending sabbath day with each other. The reason Paul didn’t depart is because he wouldn’t make such a journey on sabbath but on Sunday he would.

Verses taken out of context

Romans 14:5 “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind”.

Is Paul against Paul? In Romans 14:5 Paul is trying to deal with a problem. In Rome you had a mix of new gentile believers and Jewish converts. The Jews had extra customs which they tried to impose. The new believers, who were gentiles, also had certain days they esteemed highly. Nowhere in the scripture does it mention the seventh day.

The Jews used to fast Monday and Thursday they thought these were especially good days to fast.

“In the Book of Esther an additional fast is recorded (ix. 31; comp. iv. 3, 16), which is commonly observed, in commemoration of the fast of Esther, on the thirteenth of Adar, although some used to fast three days—the first and second Mondays and the Thursday following Purim (Soferim xvii. 4, xxi. 2)”. (Jewish encyclopaedia)

Jesus pointed out some of these fast days in Luke 18:11 Notice what he says about the Pharisee: Luke 18:11-12 “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess”.

Paul had to let the church know that whilst one man may see one day as special another may not, one man may set apart that day unto God and another may not. However, the sabbath is not to thought of as a day for one man to esteem. No.

Romans 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

Colossians 2:16 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:

Some see the term “sabbath days” and think God is talking about the 4th commandment, but don’t ask why are meat, drink, holydays or the new moons mentioned? What they don’t realise is that before the cross there were two types of sabbath days. The annual feast day sabbaths and the weekly sabbath. These two were distinct from each other.

The annual feast day sabbaths/convocations were on set days of the year and so they could be on a different weekday year to year. A feast day sabbath is celebrated with meat offerings and drink offerings. In Leviticus 23 we see that these sabbath days with meat and drink are SEPARATE from the 4th commandment sabbath of God.

Leviticus 23:37 “These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: 38 Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD. 39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath”.

Note in verse 39 If you have a sabbath on the first day of the seventh month. Next year it won’t be a Saturday it could be any other day of the week. These feast day sabbaths were connected to the work of the sanctuary. Which was meant to be a lesson of how the plan of salvation would go down. Hence Paul is writing Colossians 2:16 assuming the reader understands Leviticus 23 as all of Leviticus 23 outlines the different sabbath feasts.

Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.

Notice Paul says Christ abolished the law of commandments CONTAINED IN ORDINANCES.

What does ordinance mean? An ordinance is a decree not all decrees are permanent, think of it like an executive order. It’s not permanent law but it is to be followed until the giver of the law says otherwise (God).

One example of the ordinances God gave the children of Israel was the feast of unleavened bread Exodus 12:17 “And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever”.

Exodus 12:43 “And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the Passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof” Things like the Passover were meant to be temporary to teach the children of Israel how salvation would work. In other words, these ordinances were a shadow of what’s to come. God did not abolish the ten commandments.

Matthew 5:17-18 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Has heaven and earth passed? No. The ten commandments are still binding. when this earth passes and is destroyed God will make a new earth, Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

Galatians 4:10-11 “Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain”. There’s no mention of the sabbath nor the seventh day in this verse. If the observation of days, months and years was a sin in itself then should we as Christians condemn others they say “happy new year?” Let’s see what days, months and times Paul is talking about. Reading a couple verses before we will notice Galatians 4:8-9 “Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?” Paul is talking about them turning again to the weak beggarly elements. Apart from discarding of Christ, some Galatians slipped into old pagan rites. The Galatians ethnically were celts. Some celts worshipped the pagan goddess Cybele, which was also worshipped in other places in the Roman Empire. There would be festivals and feast days dedicated to these gods and goddesses. (There were other pagan gods)

“In Rome, Cybele’s popularity continued to flourish, partially due to her spring festival held in March (some sources say April) called the Megalensia. The festival included public games as well as a theatrical performance at Circus Maximus. It began on March 15 with a procession of reed-bearers (cannophori) and a ritual sacrifice; the latter was for the successful planting of spring crops. On March 22, after a week of fasting and purification, a pine tree (the symbol for Attis) was brought to Palatine Hill temple”. – World History

Jesus is our sabbath?

Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. People take this verse to mean “as long as we’re in Jesus we’re keeping the sabbath”. Jesus doesn’t connect this phrase to the seventh day at all. It’s just an invented idea to avoid the sabbath. However, some are taught this and follow along. Reading one verse later we discover he’s talking about his character and labouring in this life Matthew 11:29-30 “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”. Therefore, when we become meek and lowly like Jesus we will find rest. This has nothing to do with the 4^th commandment rest.

Jesus broke the sabbath?

There are some pastors who are so eager to avoid the sabbath that they will take the accusation of the Jewish leaders 2000 years ago to say, “look Jesus broke sabbath, we don’t have to keep it”. They don’t realise they are then saying Jesus wasn’t the spotless lamb to be offered to God. Mark 3:4-6 “And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him”. If someone believes Jesus broke the sabbath, ask them. Which commandment in the Old Testament states, thou shalt do no miracle upon the sabbath day? The Pharisees were just making things up.

In another instance they caught Jesus’s disciples plucking corn on the sabbath. Matthew 12:1-2 “At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat.  But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day”. Again people take the side of the Pharisees to say by Jesus defending the actions of his disciples, he was condoning sabbath breaking.  What many miss here is that there is a provision in the law to pluck the ears of your neighbour’s standing corn. Deuteronomy 23:25 “When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s standing corn”. The disciples weren’t farmers hence they weren’t breaking sabbath. Had they been farmers harvesting crop then yes it would have been sin. They were merely hungry men satiating their hunger.

Jesus’s defence of his disciples.

Matthew 12:3-4 “But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungered, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests”? David when he was hungry nearly to the point of death ate the shewbread which was only for the priests. Jesus was showing that in times of emergency you do that which is good on the sabbath to make them whole. Matthew 12:12 “…Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days”.

Matthew 12:5 “Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?” Why did Jesus say the priests profane the sabbath? Numbers 28:9-10 “And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: This is the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering”. The sabbath is not here desecrated because God commanded the priests to do this work on sabbath. This kind of work done by a normal man would have been sin.

Matthew 12:6-7 “But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless”. His disciples were innocent, but Jesus explains that there was one greater than the temple in their presence. The one who instructed them how to build it (himself). Had the disciples really been breaking sabbath, he would’ve stopped them. Now Jesus requires sacrifice as they have sinned.

Lord of the sabbath?

Matthew 12:8 “For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day”. This verse is taken to mean Jesus is ruler of the sabbath, therefore I can do what I like on the sabbath because I’m in him and he allowed his disciples to do what they like. The reason Jesus is Lord of the sabbath is because he’s the one that blessed the created and blessed that day. The Father says: Hebrews 1:8;10 “But unto the Son he [The Father] saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.  And, Thou, Lord [Jesus], in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands”. If Jesus created the world, then that means Genesis 2:2 “And on the seventh day God [Jesus] ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made” Jesus is Lord of the sabbath because HE CREATED IT! By keeping that day, you acknowledge Him as Creator. Hebrews 4:8 “For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day”. Exodus 20:11 “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it”.

John keeps sabbath years after Jesus’s ascension.

Revelation 1:10 “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet”. Whilst some think the Lord’s day is Sunday, there are zero verses to substantiate the claim. We can call the sabbath the Lord’s day using scripture.

Mark 2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Isaiah 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

Nehemiah 9:14 And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant.

Its clear John was in the Spirit on the sabbath day. People think the Lord’s day is Sunday because that’s when he resurrected. The ordinance to remember his resurrection is baptism not Sunday. Romans 6:3-4 “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life”.

Jesus validated the continuation of the sabbath.

Jesus gave a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem. He said Matthew 24:15 “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!”

This prophecy was fulfilled by Rome in 70 Ad when Titus came against Jerusalem and sacked the city.

“Now this vast multitude is indeed collected out of remote places, but the entire nation was now shut up by fate as in prison, and the Roman army encompassed the city when it was crowded with inhabitants. Accordingly, the multitude of those that therein perished exceeded all the destructions that either men or God ever brought upon the world” – Wars of the Jews, Book VI chapter VII, Josephus Flavius.

Notice what Jesus warned his disciples next Matthew 24:20 “But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day”. The same way winter didn’t disappear at the cross is the same way the sabbath wasn’t meant to disappear at the cross. Jesus justified that the sabbath would still be an institution in the future.

We will keep sabbath in heaven.

Isaiah 66:22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord”. We will worship the Lord on the new earth from one sabbath to another.

Malachi 3:6 For I am the Lord, I change not…

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Would I really go to the lake of fire over a day?

Without Jesus, were Adam and Eve not destined to hell over a piece of fruit? Which is worse? Biting a fruit or disobeying for 24 hours. Would we not be worse than Adam and Eve? The key point is disobedience. 1 Samuel 15:23 “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…” If you had a partner and you asked them to do something special for a celebration of yours, while on any other day you probably wouldn’t mind, but their disobedience on the day that was special to you would disappoint you.

Who talked continually with the children of Israel in the wilderness? Jesus or the Father?

1 Corinthians 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

Numbers 21:6 And the Lord [Jesus] sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

Jesus put a man to death for breaking the sabbath. Numbers 15:32-35 “And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp”. This man was put to death because they had just received the commandment of the sabbath, yet he broke it in front of the whole camp. If Jesus is willing to put this man to death over gathering sticks on the sabbath, if we work, renovate the house, or buy and sell on the sabbath shall we not also be put to death? It’s obvious this man won’t be in heaven. If the sabbath wasn’t binding, although we have shown overwhelming evidence that it is, This man’s sin wouldn’t be that he broke the sabbath, but rather that he was born 1400 years too early. He would have a just cause to say, “Lord you let thousands of people break this commandment, and do even more than me on the sabbath, I just gathered sticks”. The more logical conclusion is that he would perish, and we also would perish should we work on the sabbath. Jesus leaves these judgements in the Old Testament to show there will be punishment for sin.

There’s a blessing attached to the sabbath

Isaiah 58:13-14 “If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it”. Don’t you want the blessing that comes with obedience to the sabbath. Notice this blessing is only for sabbath keepers.

If the sabbath is so justified why don’t many churches keep it?

Daniel 7:25 “And he [Antichrist] shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time”. It was prophesied that a system would arise which would attempt to change God’s law and they admit this in writing. (see the pope is antichrist series to confirm this with scripture).

“Written by the finger of God on two tables of stone, this Divine code (ten commandments) was received from the Almighty by Moses amid the thunders of Mount Sinai…Christ resumed these Commandments in the double precept of charity–love of God and of the neighbour; He proclaimed them as binding under the New Law in Matthew 19 and in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5)…The (Catholic) Church, on the other hand, after changing the day of rest from the Jewish Sabbath, or seventh day of the week, to the first, made the Third Commandment refer to Sunday as the day to be kept holy as the Lord’s Day…He (God) claims one day out of the seven as a memorial to Himself, and this must be kept holy…” — The Catholic Encyclopaedia, vol. 4, “The Ten Commandments”, 1908 edition by Robert Appleton Company; and 1999 Online edition by Kevin Knight, Imprimatur, John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.

“The Sunday…is purely a creation of the Catholic Church.” — American Catholic Quarterly Review, January 1883.

“Sunday…is the law of the Catholic Church alone…” — American Sentinel (Catholic), June 1893.

“It was the Catholic church which…has transferred this rest to Sunday in remembrance of the resurrection of our Lord. Therefore the observance of Sunday by the Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the (Catholic) church.” — Monsignor Louis Segur, Plain Talk About the Protestantism of Today, p. 213.

“Sunday is our mark or authority…the church is above the Bible, and this transference of Sabbath observance is proof of that fact.” — Catholic Record of London, Ontario, September 1, 1923.

“Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change (Saturday Sabbath to Sunday) was her act…And the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical authority in religious things.” — H.F. Thomas, Chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons.

At the end of the day the two opposite ends on the issue of the sabbath both agree that “a holy day” must be kept. The sabbath keepers say Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. The Catholic Church says Sunday. Whilst both disagree on the day, both agree on why there’s a difference.

Revelation 3:15-16 “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth”.

The current situation is like having Person A accuse Person B of robbing a bank. Person B says yes, I robbed the bank, but I have the authority to rob the bank. Then Person C saying the police don’t care about the robbing anyone robbing the bank. Meanwhile Person C is robbing the bank because Person B taught them how to.

In fact, Catholics admit they taught protestants how to rob the bank!

“I am going to propose a very plain and serious question to those who follow “the Bible and the Bible only” to give their most earnest attention. It is this: Why do you not keep holy the Sabbath Day?

You are a Protestant, and you profess to go by the Bible and Bible only; and yet in so important a matter as the observance of one day in seven as a holy day, you go against the plain letter of the Bible, and put another day in the place of that day which the Bible has commanded. The command to keep holy the seventh day is one of the Ten Commandments. You believe that the other nine are still binding; but who gave you authority to tamper with the fourth?

Why is this? Because, although they talk so largely about following the Bible and Bible only, they are really guided in this matter by the voice of [Roman Catholic] tradition. Yes, much as they may hate and denounce the word [tradition], they have in fact no other authority to allege for this most important change.

In outward act we do the same as yourselves in this matter; we too no longer observe the Sabbath, but Sunday in its stead; but there is this important difference between us, that we do not pretend-as you do-to derive our authority for so doing from a book [the Bible], but we [Catholics] derive it from a living teacher, and that teacher is the [Roman Catholic] Church”.  – The Clifton Tracts (written by Cardinal Wiseman), Vol. 4, published by the Roman Catholic Church.

I pray this study has opened your eyes to see the truth about God’s Holy Sabbath and that you will remember and keep his holy day. The reason God even started that commandment with that word is because he knew at one point in the future we would be taught to forget. That is because God knows Satan’s heart and that he wants to be like him Isaiah 14:12-14 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High”. Satan knows the sacredness of the sabbath as it shows who you honour as Creator. Hence Satan wants to copy the most High by setting up his own sabbath! He wants to lock down this deception by global decree, but the world will be warned. Maranatha!

For more information visit:

https://remnantofgod.org/Sabbath.htm

https://remnantofgod.org/mark.htm

God bless!
What is the Mark of the Beast?

January 21st, 2023
What is the Mark of the Beast?

What does the Bible record as Satan’s favored attack on God’s people for thousands of years?

In Esther chapter three he used government authority to try and force God’s people to break God’s Law. As we know, Mordecai chose to die on the gallows rather than break Commandment # 2. In Daniel chapter three Satan again used government authority to try and force God’s people to break God’s Law. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego chose death in a fiery furnace over breaking Commandment #2. In Daniel chapter six, Satan used government authority to try and force God’s people to break God’s Law. Daniel chose death in a den of lions rather than break Commandment #1. In all three cases, God protected His faithful, and delivered them from certain death.

Mordecai was honored (Esther 6:11; 8:2,15) and became “next” unto the king, (Esther 9:4; 10:2,3) and his enemy was hanged on the gallows in his place. (Esther 7:9,10) While in the fiery furnace heated “seven times hotter” to kill them; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were joined by the Son of God, and the fire caused them no harm. (Daniel 3:23-28) However, the men that threw them into the fire were killed by the flames. (Daniel 3:22) The hungry lions in the den were prevented from harming Daniel as well. (Daniel 6:22,23) On the other hand, the men that tried to force Daniel to sin were thrown into the den with their families to be consumed by the lions. (Daniel 6:24)

In New Testament times Roman law demanded worship of Roman rulers. Out of fear, most of the people did as the Romans demanded. In Acts 12:21-22 it states, “Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.” History records countless scores of Christians died in the Coliseums refusing to break Commandment #1 by worshipping Caesar. Later, a prophecy in Revelation 13:4 declared Pagan Rome “gave power” unto Papal Rome. History recorded this act, and like Pagan Caesars, Catholic Popes declared themselves gods.

“…superior papal authority and dominion is derived from the law of the Caesars.” Lucius Ferraris, in “Prompta Bibliotheca Canonica, Juridica, Moralis, Theologica, Ascetica, Polemica, Rubristica, Historica”, Volume V, article on “Papa,Article II”, titled “Concerning the extent of Papal dignity, authority, or dominion and infallibility”, #19, published in Petit-Montrouge (Paris) by J. P. Migne, 1858 edition.

“The Pope and God are the same, so he has all power in Heaven and earth.” Pope Pius V, quoted in Barclay, Chapter XXVII, p. 218, “Cities Petrus Bertanous”.

With prophetic surety, Vatican law emulated the ancient Roman law, and demanded worship of the popes. For refusing to break Commandment #1, history records over 500 million were killed by the Popes of Rome between 538AD to 1798AD.

“That the Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution that has ever existed among mankind, will be questioned by no Protestant who has a competent knowledge of history . . . It is impossible to form a complete conception of the multitude of her victims, and it is quite certain that no powers of imagination can adequately realize their sufferings.”-W.E.H. Lecky, History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe, vol. 2, p. 32, 1910 edition. (Also see the Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 12, p. 266.)

Out of inherited fear of the bloodthirsty Roman church, most denominations to this day teach the Law of God is no longer required. As Christians, we must ask, why does Satan persist in trying to get people to break God’s Law? If we look in the Word of God, we find it’s because Satan knows, Christians that keep the Law, will not receive the prophecied mark of the beast! In Revelation 14:9-11 we read of those that get the mark. It says, “…the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.“

Keep in mind this speaks of the very last days in history. A time wherein most preach the Law of God is no longer necessary, even though they claim certain commandments, like number six that says “Thou shalt not kill” are still necessary. Did not Jesus Himself say in Matthew 5:18, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” How can the Law be done away with when Jesus says not so much as a speck will pass from the law? Has all been fulfilled as they assume? Has Jesus returned? Has the world ended? Clearly we are still here. Since all has yet to be fulfilled, then His law is still valid for those that follow Christ’s instruction. In fact, upwards of six decades after Calvary, when most preach the law was done away with, the apostle John stated in 1 John 2:4, “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” After the angel shares with John in vision the just desserts of those receiving the mark of the beast, the very next verse says, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12) What’s amazing here is, the Old Testament also spoke of the Law of God as being mankind’s inspired duty in Ecclesiastes 12:13 where it says, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

In Revelation 13:16,17 we find it preaches about Satan’s plan to enforce this mark upon all of mankind. It says, “…he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” As Christians we need to ask, why is this mark so important, and what are the actual features of a mark? With Satan’s biblically recorded past in mind, will this mark also have something to do with breaking God’s law like it has so many times before? It worked well for him in the past on the masses, why not now?

Government declarations or documents must always bear a mark, or an official seal of approval on them in order for them to be considered valid. With that said, what are the actual features of an official mark or seal made by governing bodies? According to both ancient, as well as modern law; an official seal or signature must always have three distinct features to be considered valid. They are…

1. The name of the official
2. The title of the official
3. The territory of the official

For example, when the President of the United States signs a bill into law, he must always sign it,

1.Name “George Washington”

2.Title “President”

3.Territory “of the United States of America”

Collectively his signature reads, “George Washington, President, of the United States of America.” Every document must be sealed in this manner for it to become an official legal document.

The Creator God also has a kingdom as well as a legal document containing the Law for that kingdom. The Lord’s legal document of His Law is the Ten Commandments. Truth is, the Law of God came first. Since the beginning, mankind always copied the structure of governing rule from the Creator God Himself. It first happened so long ago, that most never acknowledge this today. When we look into the midst of the Law of God we find the seal of the living God in the fourth Commandment. It’s no mistake this seal is found within the “Sabbath Commandment.” It reads, “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth….” -Exodus 20:11

In those few words etched by God’s own hand within Commandment #4, we see all three distinct features of an official seal.
1. His name = THE LORD (Notice in Scripture it says, “I am the Lord: that is my name” -Isaiah 42:8)
2. His title = CREATOR (Notice, “the LORD made” in above verse)
3. His territory = HEAVEN AND EARTH (Notice, “Heaven and earth” in above verse)
Collectively His signature reads, “The Lord, Creator, of Heaven and Earth.” The seal of the Creator is clearly found in the Sabbath commandment of His Law. It is an official acknowledgement of His authority as Creator. Of this there can be no question. When we keep His Sabbath, we are expressing by our actions that we “remember the works of the LORD.” (Psalm 77:11) If you read the entire 4th commandment found in Exodus 20:8-11, you will see that the very first word of that Sabbath commandment instructs us to “remember” Him as Creator by keeping this day holy. The word “remember” is actually a prophetic statement by our Lord. When you look at how the entire Christian church today has “forgotten” to worship and obey Him by keeping Sunday holy instead of His Sabbath, you see that even back then, the Lord knew His people would be taught to forget it. This is why Satan seeks to downplay the Law of God in the Christian church today. This is also why he focuses his attack specifically on the Sabbath commandment itself. Keeping that day is an open sign of worship towards the Creator God. That angers Satan because he seeks worship and wants to, “be like the most High.” (Isaiah 14:14)

As Christians, we have known since very early on that Satan wants all of mankind to worship him instead of the Creator. He is doing just that via the popes of Rome by using Sunday sabbath as his standard of compliance. When we keep the Sunday sabbath of the Roman Church, we acknowledge, agree with, and yes, even worship the pope just as prophecy said the majority of earth would be doing in Revelation 13:3. But the Word of God is plain in Acts 5:29 where it says, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” To counteract this Godly mandate in Scripture, Satan has Rome boasting to be the only church worthy of obedience on earth. The fact there’s not a single Scripture from Genesis to Revelation saying God changed His Sabbath to Sunday proves mankind is right now obeying man rather than the Creator God.

“The Bible says, Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day. The Catholic church says, No! By my divine power I abolish the Sabbath day, and command you to keep the first day of the week. And lo, the entire civilized world bows down in reverent obedience to the command of the holy Catholic church!” Father Enright, C.S.S.R. of the Redemptoral College, Kansas City, History of the Sabbath, p. 802

“…you may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify.” -James Cardinal Gibbons, The Faith of Our Fathers (1917 ed.), pp. 72, 73.

So, how is the mark of the beast placed upon the disobedient? First Rome must have control over all necessary government offices around the world to be able to do as they wish. But how will Satan control the common man, which is the largest crop of souls on earth? National ID Cards that have been all over the News the last few years will be a mainstay in this system of control. (For more info, see… www.RemnantofGod.org/ID.htm ) These ID cards will contain your address, work history, educational background, ethnicity, health history, finances, passport, birth certificate, SS#, DL#, marital status, religious denomination, family tree, and criminal records. It will eventually replace all your credit cards as well as the use of cash. No, this card is not the “mark” itself. But it is a way to prevent buying and selling as we learned earlier in Revelation 13 is their prophesied plan. It used to take authorities up to as many as 72 hours to freeze bank accounts. With these ID cards logged into their global network system, it happens instantly anywhere in the world.

In prophecy it is confirmed the hand represents our individual freedom and livelihood. For example, in Jeremiah 38:23 it says, “thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon“ In Ecclesiastes 9:10 it says, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” It is also declared in Scripture that the mind is where we make decisions. In Hebrews 10:16 it literally says the Lord will write His Law “in their minds.“ With that said, are you aware that Scientists have recently mapped the human brain? They actually found the forehead is where our decisions and judgments are made. In other words, we are sealed in the forehead when we make the free will decision to accept either God’s Law, or man’s law. But we are marked in the right hand when we are forced against our will to break God’s Law. In short, the mark is a choice each person will make soon. It’s no different than the choice, Mordecai, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, or Daniel made long ago. Bible history proved Satan always uses governing authorities to enforce laws that go against God’s Law. Today will be no different. To further confirm Rome looks upon this as their mark, see what they say in their own words.

“Sunday is our MARK of authority. . .the church is above the Bible, and this transference of Sabbath observance is proof of that fact” Catholic Record of London, Ontario Sept 1,1923.

Like the governing authorities of ancient Bible history; Vatican City is also global governing authority. In fact, even more so now as they presently have 175 out of 192 nations in covenant with her. The leaders are actually photographed bowing before the Pope in an act of worship to authenticate their allegiance to the Pope. The reason Rome declares they are above the Bible is because all Bible believers are keeping Sunday holy. They know Rome invented it, and they know there is no Scripture to back it up. So, Rome assumes to be above the Bible when they worship as she demands over the Bible. This worldwide agreement with Rome was prophecied to occur in Revelation 13:3 when it said, “all the world wonders after” the Roman Church to follow her lead.

Will Rome do as all governing authorities before her and demand a law that goes against God’s Law? Can prophecy be that accurate?

“This organization proposes in every possible way to aid in preserving Sunday as a civil institution. Our national security requires the active support of all good citizens in the maintenance of our American Sabbath. Sunday laws must be enforced.” Quoted- “principles contained in the Constitution” (then called the American Sabbath Union), The Lord’s Day Alliance, Twenty fifth Report 1913), p6.

Pope John Paul II said, “Christians will naturally strive to ensure that “civil legislation” respects their duty to keep Sunday holy.” -Section 67, “Dies Domini”, July 7, 1998

Final note:

It was also prophecied in Amos 8:11 that in the last days, most Christians will not be, “hearing the words of the LORD.” Most pastors do not know about the prophesied Sunday laws or prophecies about Rome’s plans because they are not taught this in Seminary, or Bible College. Since they aren’t taught this, most Christians never hear of it when they attend their local church. Sadly, because of this, Jesus will “cometh as a thief in the night” to some who are to be “destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” (Hosea 4:6) However, if you study Christian prophecy, and obey the Lord thy God, you won’t be in darkness where “that that day should overtake you as a thief. ” -1 Thessalonians 5:2,4

It is the prayer of this ministry that if you are in a Sunday keeping church, you heed the “voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” – Revelation 18:4

I pray you are blessed!

For more information, please visit https://remnantofgod.org/mark.htm

Tag: Seventh day Sabbath

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