Which Day Is The Sabbath Day Of The Lord? Is It Really Sunday Or Saturday?
Is Sunday Or Saturday The Sabbath Of the Lord?
God promises us if we seek the truth, we will find it. He also asks us once we find it or if we hear his voice, to not harden our hearts or refuse to hear it (Psalm 95:7,8). Please read everything to get wisdom and understanding.
If you are getting that feeling like this guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about, read Hebrews 4. Pray to God for wisdom and understanding.
Recently I got into an intense text and email debate with a man that studies the bible and knows the bible like the back of his hand. At one point, this amazed me how he could quote scripture at the blink of an eye.
We were talking about a few things. The 10 commandments (exodes 20) and who were they for; What was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14); are Jews subject to different LAWS than us who are considered Gentiles and the main concern was are we suppose to or required to keep the Sabbath.
Now I’m not running around telling people “oh your wrong for going to church on Sunday” or “your going to hell for not keeping the Sabbath”. I would dead wrong and not doing the will of God if I did this. One close friend, even though we don’t see eye to eye on this exact matter, told me to tell the truth but at the same time, do it out of love.
This may plant a seed in some eventually opening their eyes to the truth in which God will show them if they continue to seek it.
Most preachers will say it doesn’t matter what day we praise the Lord. As long as we praise him he’s happy.
Do you ever wonder why most of us go to church or praise the Lord on Sunday rather than the seventh day which he specifically told us to do with the 4th commandment?
Sad thing is, most followers of Christ don’t; most of us just do what were taught from youth.
Even I’m guilty of this. I grew up not celebrating pagan holidays (christmas, halloween, valentines day, easter) and keeping the Sabbath; after 18 years of doing so, why start celebrating them now?
It wasn’t until I started doing bible studies and deep study about these subjects that I was able to understand why my mom forbade these holidays from being celebrated and the keeping of the sabbath or the seventh day of rest.
Now we believe diligently in keeping the 10 commandments. Were not perfect so sin is expected but as followers of Christ, we are expected to be (Matthew 5:48).
Lets just say I’m glad Jesus died for my sins and I hope you are too. I’ll touch more on that later because Christ dying for our sins plays a HUGE role in the Laws that God gave us.
Whats are Laws?
The definition of law is “a rule or order that it is advisable or obligatory to observe“. A better definition is “the revelation of the will of God set forth in the Old Testament”
In the old testament in Exodes 20, Moses was given the 10 commandments on Mt. Sinai. These were:
These were written on a tablet of stone. They were Laws that were put in place to distinguish what was sin and what was not.
If you killed a man, you sinned by breaking the 6th commandment. If you did work on the Sabbath, you broke the 4th commandment and so on; According to God, not me.
How Could They Be Forgiven If Without Christ?
Now as you should know, those times were before Christ died on the cross to grant us forgiveness for our sins.
After all God had done for the children of Israel, they still refused to keep his commandments (Nehemiah 9:16). Bible says they hardened their necks to his commandments.
Israel just wouldn’t stop sinning. In the beginning, God made it clear that sins could be forgiven through the shedding of blood or sacrificing of an animal.
In saying that, God commanded Moses to write his own Laws.
Here’s Where The Confusion Takes Place
Many and I mean a lot, think that ALL LAW in the bible is the same. Well my friend; It’s not.
There was the Moral Law or the 10 commandments & there was Moses’ Law or the ceremonial laws. The 10 Commandments came into effect in exodes 20. Moses’ Law didn’t come into effect until AFTER .
Here’s proof from the WORD that they are in deed separate. My guess is that the children of Israel were so disobedient that they needed more rules but it’s clear as day that they had more rules.
In Exodes 24:3-8 KJV
And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do.
4 And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord.
6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.
8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.,
That was the first acknolegement of Moses in his HANDWRITING (remember that word), writing in a book what the Lord commanded him to.
It’s gets deeper in Deuteronomy 31:9-25. I’m only going to put verse 9 but I advise you to click the link and read the full verse for yourself. Seek truth for yourself; don’t just take my word for it. That’s how we get in this situation.
In Deuteronomy 31:9
And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and unto all the elders of Israel.
What law? The Law of Moses. It gets deeper…
Later in Deuteronomy 31:24-27
24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,
25 That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying,
26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.
27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the Lord; and how much more after my death?
This establishes that there were 2 laws; Moses’ Law & God’s Law. God’s Laws (10 Commandments) were inside the Ark of the Covenant and the Laws Of Moses were in the SIDE of the Ark. if they were the same, they would have been inside together…
Now…
What did Moses Law consist of?
Moses Law is often called the Ceremonial Law because it consisted of ceremonial SABBATHS. These were on specific dates that were to be kept in order to be forgiven for sins.
Read exodes 40 on up through Leviticus and you’ll get understanding for what those Laws were and what they were for. You’ll then understand why Jesus became the PERFECT SACRIFICE Hebrew 9:28; Isaiah 53:7; John 1:29.
- Burnt offerings of LAMBS & Bulls for peace & forgiveness = Jesus because the perfect sacrifice
- Had to wash in the Laver to become clean = Sins are forgiven at the alter of repentance and washed away or remitted in baptism acts 22:16, 1 peter 3:20-21
- Circumcision = through faith in Christ we are circumcised by the cutting away of the flesh (sin) out our lives.
- Meat offerings, drink offerings etc…
Do you think it would be against us?
Well What About Colossians 2:16?
This brings me to my next point.. the most misinterpretted verse, I believe, within in the bible.
Colossians 2:16 but lets start from verse 6 to get some more understanding..
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit (false doctrine), after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the HANDWRITING of ordinances that was against us, which was CONTRARY to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
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: (not day)
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Now.. Is Handwriting the same as finger writing? The 10 Commandments were clearly written with the FINGER of God (God is VERY specific in what he says Exodus 31:18, Deuteronomy 9:10
If that’s not enough for you, remember from above, the Laws of Moses were written in a book? As you know, the 10 commandments were written on stone.
2 separate things.
Now I don’t know about you, but if I had to kill a lamb every time I made a mistake, that would be against me in these days and times and would be contrary simply because Jesus is the LAMB OF GOD. He was the last and final sacrifice.
After he died for our sins, there was no need to take part in these ceremonies which were set in place for us to gain forgiveness for our sins.
Moses’ law, as you see in Leviticus, was a lot of sacrificing, ceremonies etc; Which were for Israel breaking the 10 commandments.
God gave us the Commandments because of sin. The laws of Moses were given to us, as you read through Leviticus, to parden us for our sins or breaking of the 10 commandments.
Thats why it’s REFERRED to as the 1st and the 2nd law.. Thats for those that want to be technical. The bible doesn’t say 1st & 2nd but it does separate God’s law or 10 commandments from Moses Law (in the verses I gave you above and many more).
Because of there being so many ceremonies, they’re often referred to as Ceremonial Laws but in the bible, their refered to as the Laws Of Moses (Joshua 8:30)
The Jews didn’t believe that Jesus was their saviour which is why they kept the laws of moses…
Matt 8:4, 19:7-8 are verses where Jesus specifically said the commands of Moses.
If no separate law, then what was Joshua 1:7-8 talking about?
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Joshua 8:30 specifically says BOOK of the Laws of Moses and commanded that they make a peace offering into the lord…
Lev 19 tells exactly how a peace offering is suppose to go down. There are countless other verses but these should do and if you need more, just do some thorough research.
Seek And You Shall Find
Until you can understand that the Laws of Moses and the Laws of God are logically and Biblically 2 separate laws, then you’ll never understand.
If they were equal or the same, thinking logically, why were they in separate compartments in the ark?
Now….
Some Things Commonly Mistaken:
I did a lot of study on the verse about the rich man.
Matthew 19:16
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Now I was asking myself, why wouldn’t Jesus tell him to keep the sabbath? Many, say because we don’t have to keep it. Were not under the law. Jesus did away with the laws.
That’s what I thought. So does that mean we can make idols, have other gods and take Gods name in Vain (which I’m studying to find out the true name of God)?
No.. I would hope not and it doesn’t, thank God. Jesus was basing this scripture off of what he told his deciples when they asked which was the first commandment.
In Mark 12:29
29 The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
He gave the RICH MAN who he doesn’t say is a jew or gentile (because it doesn’t matter; we are all one in the body of Christ Gal 3:28). Also real quick, all throughout Galations, it keeps saying THE LAW… Now the main one that caught my attention was Gal 3:23 where he says
“before faith came, we were kept under the law (showing burden or struggle), shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed”
So what exactly is FAITH? According to Acts 13:38
38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him (Jesus) all that believe (having faith) are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Now after that good word was preached, we go down a few verses to 42 where the GENTILES besought (begged) that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath (meaning they were being taught on the Sabbath).
What happened the next Sabbath? Verse 44
44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
Now this is in the NEW TESTAMENT after Jesus died. These were the Acts of the apostles… Which takes us back to Matthew 19. After the rich man said that he kept all the last 6 commandants or the 2nd commandment as Jesus called it, he told him to sell all his possessions, give the money to the poor and then FOLLOW HIM.
If you follow someone you do what they do? Logically thinking right? Now Jesus preached, healed, anointed etc on the Sabbath. All good works unto the Lord. All God asked us to do is REST. That’s it. In case were not in agreement what Jesus did:
Further Reading
Mark 1:21, 2:24, 4:16-20,
Luke 4:16-20, 6:1-5, 6:6-11, 13:10-17,13:18-21, 14:1-6
and after Jesus died, HIS FOLLOWERS did as he did
Acts 13:14, 16:13
So if the rich guy would have followed Jesus, he would have been doing the same thing that Jesus was doing. Keeping the Sabbath..
Why? Because according to Mark 2:24, Jesus said, ”Son of Man is Lord, Also of the Sabbath.” Would you be the leader of something you don’t keep? thinking Logically….
What Are Your Views Now?
Now I’m hoping this is enough to open your eyes. I’ve heard many say there isn’t scripture to back up Jesus not doing away with the sabbath. Well show me a scripture where Jesus says clear as day that we no longer have to keep the sabbath.
Its crazy that of all the commandments, the Sabbath day seems to be the only one that EVERYONE has problem with. No one argues murdering, stealing or adultery. They just jump straight to the Sabbath showing all types of scriptures to back up Jesus doing away with THE LAW; Even making it seem like it’s a sin to keep the Sabbath.
I asked God to please give me knowledge on this subject and he has. He’s opened my eyes to what the Sabbath is for. Am I perfect and do I keep it perfect? No. I would be lying if I said I did. I’m doing a lot better than before. At first it was a bit much but as my love grows for God, I find that the Sabbath is a great time for us to separate from the world.
Thats why he said he put his laws in our hearts. So we would do them out of love. Jesus died for us out of love. A love that we’ll never deserve and all he asks us to do is LOVE HIM which is John 14:15
“if you love me, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS“
He tells us to seek the truth and we shall find. I seeked it and I’m glad of what I found because not only did it allow me to get a great understanding for the Sabbath; it enabled me to create this amazing blog post.
Man changed the Sabbath in the 1500′s. The catholic church did this and it stuck. In a short time, the catholic church is going to make it mandatory for us to worship on Sunday. Do you think God will be pleased with us following traditions of man rather than his Commandments? We do say we love him…
So What Are We To Do On The Sabbath?
In Isaiah 58:13, 14
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:
14 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.
It’s just a day of rest. Resting from our own pleasures and taking pleasure in getting to know our savior. Even if (it’s not) Sunday was the Sabbath, no one rests on that day. They treat the day of rest just like any other day of the week.
Now please don’t get taking a rest confused with worship. He’s not saying you can’t worship on Sunday. You can very well worship God every single day of the week. it’s what you do on the Sabbath that counts.
He tells us if we love him, we’ll keep his commandments. Not one; not some; but all. In James 2:10
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
You can’t half step it and keep some. Now will your name not be in the book of life for not remembering the Sabbath day to keep it holy?
I don’t know; that’s not my call. If you love Christ, you will do what he says, that’s how I feel. You heard what he has to say about the Sabbath, scripture after scripture in this post. Do you want place your eternity on the table and take a chance on being wrong?
You get to judgement day and stand before the Lord and hear the most heart wrenching phrase that can ever be uttered…
I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
I for one will not take that chance and for something that he gave us out of love? I strongly suggest you build a closer relationship with God if you don’t see the truth after reading this entire post. Everything within this post is inspired by scripture; the Word of God.
Humble yourself and ask God to guide you. I pray that you have the vail removed from your eyes. It’s your choice whether or not you keep the Sabbath.
I’m required, one I receive the truth, to spread the truth. I pray you spread the truth after receiving.
God Bless
Would love to hear what you have to say