A STUDY OF THE SABBATH
A question of extreme importance today is that concerning the sabbath. Many are led to believe that the sabbath or seventh day of the week is to be observed as a holy day to God until the end of time. We invite the reader to a brief and honest investigation of the scriptures on this subject.
WHAT WAS THE SABBATH?
The sabbath was a holy day of rest given to the Jews after their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. As part of the ten commandments, the sabbath command was given on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:8-11).
Several points of interest can be discussed from the Bible that will help us understand better this subject. First, the sabbath was given only to the Jews. "I am Jehovah thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage" (Exod. 20:2). "And thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore Jehovah thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day" (Deut. 5:15). "Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments, and madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandst them commandments, and statutes, and a law by Moses thy servant" (Nehemiah 8:13-14). All of the above verses testify that the sabbath day command was exclusive to the Jewish people - only they were brought out of Egypt and given a covenant through Moses on the Mount. The prophet Ezekiel teaches us the sabbath was a "sign" between God and Israel, "that they might know that I sanctifieth them" (Ezek. 20:10-12).
Consequently, and second, the sabbath was not given before Israel's bondage in Egypt and there is no Bible reference to my knowledge that teaches otherwise. It is said that God rested from His works of creation on the seventh day and that He hallowed it (Gen. 2:3). This cannot be denied. Nonetheless, we must understand this in light of the previous verses referred to. Deuteronomy 5:3 teaches that God's covenant to Israel, the sabbath included, was NOT made to their fathers before them but was to begin with that generation who miraculously crossed the Red Sea. We can only conclude that God used the same day on which He rested in creation, but the Bible does not teach the sabbath day was observed by man as holy from creation.
Finally, it is inferred from scripture that the Gentiles were excluded from the sabbath day command. It was a sign between God and Israel; not for all men.
THE SABBATH IS NOT BINDING TODAY
It was part of a covenant that could not take away sins with its animal sacrifices (Hebrews 10:4). It was a "shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of those things" (Heb. 10:1). God took away the old covenant that He might establish a "faultless" and "new" one with "better promises" (Heb. 8:6-13). In the New Testament, Paul said the old covenant was nailed to the cross. "Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect to a feast day or a new moon or a SABBATH DAY (emphasis mine, D.R.): which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's" (Colossians 2:14-16).
Some respond by saying the law of Moses was divided into a moral law (the ten commandments), and the ceremonial law (sacrifices, etc.), and that God only done away with the ceremonial aspects of that law and not the moral. But, we may note that the Bible makes no such distinction within the law; it makes no such divisions. To the contrary, the apostle Paul included one of the ten commandments in his argument showing the law of Moses had ceased at Christ's death, thus clearly showing the 10 commandments to be included in that which ended (Romans 7:6-8). In conclusion, seriously study Galatians 5:4.
- Dan Richardson
