The Sabbath Keepers: Refuted
Why Sunday, and not the Sabbath?
Exodus 20:1-2, 8-11: The Sabbath Rest
(Exodus 20:2-3)And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage...........
(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.
Commonly called the Ten Commandments, keeping the Sabbath day and rest was important to God for the Jews, who were to be different than the heathen nations around them. They were also given the sacrament of circumcision, and precious promises of land, and a promise of the Messiah to save them from their sins. That promise begins in Genesis three at the Fall of Adam and Eve
The Sabbath is referred to some 147 times in the Bible, ninety two times in the Old Testament, and fifty five in the New Testament, in all four Gospels, and in every single instance, there is the Jewish overtone, Jewish culture, Jewish location. Even the land was to be given a Sabbath rest by the Jews and, when they did not, God gave it rest by putting them into bondage for 490 years (seven times seventy).
Because legalism goes against Grace, because the false (heretical) teaching of "keeping the Sabbath” is clearly indefensible and against the Scriptures for any Christian, plus the fact that we are not in any way, shape or form the Jews, and do not get one bit (iota, actually) of our doctrine of the Sabbath for the Church from the O.T. (again, we are not Israel) and because the Sabbath is not for Gentiles, not for the Church, and because the Sabbath was not made for man, and most certainly not us…as we again……..are not Israel, we are not to keep the Sabbath as non-Jews, nor even in this age by anyone.
The Bible clearly states, cover to cover, in every instance of the Sabbath references, that the Sabbath was for the Jews alone, that the LORD'S day today is Sunday (first day of the week) for the Church, and that Jesus Himself is our only Sabbath Rest.
(Mark 2:27)
And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
First off, there is zero Scriptural support of the Sabbath-keeping position; therefore there is no obligation to show Scriptures to defeat the idea that Christians are to keep the Sabbath.
But I will include many, many verses, in their proper context, un-interpreted privately, letting them speak for themselves, anyways. Hopefully some Sabbath Keeper will read this and repent.
As you read this, please try to prayerfully search the Scriptures like a Berean and locate scriptures supporting the Sabbath for the Church today. The question is asked of Christians who do not keep the Sabbath, "Why not the Sabbath?"
The Bible itself replies to that legalistic inquisitor, "Why not Sunday?"
If the Sabbath were for the church, the body of Christ, the Bride at His Coming, it should be very easy and fast to find a ton of verses in the Scriptures supporting the Sabbath Keeper's hypothesis, which is thus:
SDA BELIEFS:
- Saturday is the LORDS day for Israel and the Church, in context.
- Sunday is NOT THE LORDS day, in context.
- Sunday is not “the first day of the week” spoken of in the Bible, in context.
- TO BE KEPT BY CHRISTIANS (There is zero obligation to show from Scripture that the Sabbath is not to be kept)
- By being a Christian, one has an obligation to show where it in fact IS to be kept (verses in context) by the Church, with not just the Jews alone being required to keep it-to show it in Scripture, in context (all of it). IN CONTEXT, not verses taken out of context.
- That Sabbath keeping is, in fact, for Christians, from Scripture, (showing it in context, all of it) that the Sabbath is to be kept (period) by Christians, showing in Scripture, (in context, all of it) that it is NOT fulfilled in Jesus (He Himself said He was our Sabbath)........
- Show where the Pharisees were right about keeping the law and Jesus was wrong about rebuking them for requiring His disciples to keep it, (they did not)
- Show where even one PART of a verse presented here was taken out of context, twisted to make it adhere to non-Sabbath Keeping, Biblical Christian beliefs.
- Show where Jesus disciples kept the Sabbath as an example to us (they did not keep it) for the simple purpose being to be in obedience to God and the Scripture, and (most importantly today) where He commanded the Church itself to do the same, in context. Use any N.T. author you like in regards to the Church.
- Show from the Bible where Jesus HIMSELF kept the Sabbath.........(HE did not once ever keep it; He in fact violated it because He gave it, revoked it to become LORD over it-HE IS IT!)
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; and continued his speech until midnight.
My Scriptures are below, and presented with the context because I thought it necessary to expose the lies of the Sabbath Keepers
I was challenged on Sunday being "the LORD's Day": “ Please present scriptures supporting it.”
(Acts 28:27)
For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
One needs merely to study the Bible for themselves. It shows clearly where Jesus abolished the Sturday Sabbath for all in Him and stated precisely so (He said so when his disciples broke it!), completely by becoming our Sabbath rest. The burden is never on a Christian to show that the Sabbath is not for the Church, it is on the Sabbath Keeper to show that it is for the Church.....
There exists not one verse which a person who searches diligently as possible can find and supply, in context, in defense of the keeping of the Sabbath for the Church, nor can one refute not keeping it, using the same Scriptures, rightly dividing the Word of Truth, in its context, line upon line, precept upon precept, which clearly show us "Sabbath keeping" is not for the church:
(Matthew 12:1-10)
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. 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?
But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, 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? 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? 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.
For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day 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.
(Luke 6:1-2, 5)
And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?
(Luke 6:5)
And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
- Otherwise: Jesus lied
- Otherwise: Jesus broke the Sabbath
- Otherwise: Therefore, Jesus was not God, and not our Saviour.
- His own disciples violated the Sabbath, and Jesus Himself defended them and did not rebuke them in any way, but rather rebuked the Pharisees
- Jesus rebuked the Seventh Day Adventists and told them that HE SPECIFICALLY WAS the Sabbath; it was not a day at all.
- The disciples were clearly working on the sabbath and violating it
- They were WITH JESUS HIMSELF
- Jesus gave them an example of David breaking their ceremonial laws also, right out of their own Scriptures
- Their own hypocrisy is exposed by Jesus, and they excuse themselves from breaking the same law, profaning the temple on the same Sabbath day
- Jesus is above and over all, LORD of all, above that same temple and they profane Him, and excuse that as well
- He tells them He is LORD over the Sabbath
- He then heals on the Sabbath day, in front of their eyes
- He then exposes their own hypocrisy again by reminding them of their own work on the Sabbath, for their own good
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
THE OLIVET DISCOURSE:
- Speaking to the JEWS about their Tribulation, "Your flight" (that is, JEWISH FLIGHT, not the Church's EXODUS).
- Jesus knew that they would have to leave to survive if this were on a Sabbath Day.
- He also knew that, if given the choice of death versus life, they would violate the Sabbath to live
In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
Jesus arose on the first day of the week, which is now our Sabbath rest..........(below)
(Mark 1:21)
And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
(TO JEWS, in the SYNAGOGUE, not a church)
(Mark 2:23)
And it came to pass, that he (Jesus) went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
They violated the SABBATH! Jesus was not a Seventh Day anything!
(Mark 2:24)
And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
Why do “they”, that is, Jews, not KEEP the “required to keep” SABBATH?
(Mark 2:27)
And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
Thank you JESUS, for VIOLATING AND BEING THE SABBATH FOR ME!!!!!!!!!
(Mark 2:28)
Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Jesus told the Pharisees:
- To back off
- That He was not going to KEEP the Sabbath
- That His disciples were not either
- That He Himself was the LORD of the Sabbath
- That He abolished it, being the Law Giver, He can do away with any law He wants to.
- That no one needs it
And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
Sounds like a bunch of legalistic Seventh Day Adventists to me.
(Mark 3:4)
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.
Why did they hold their peace, unlike modern Seventh Day Adventists? Because Jesus did not Himself keep the Sabbath, and abolished it, becoming it, and they could not refute Him.
(Mark 6:2)
And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the (JEWISH, not Christian) synagogue (not the church): and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
(Mark 16:1)
And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
(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.
- Jesus’s custom was a JEWISH custom, not the custom the Church.
- Jesus went into a synagogue, not a Church building, on that Sabbath
And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.
“THEM” is the JEWS, not the Church…
(Luke 6:6)
And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.
(Luke 6:7)
And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
(Luke 6:9)
Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
(Luke 13:10)
And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
- Jesus taught on the Sabbath (HE worked)
- Jesus was watched by legalists (modern day Seventh Day Adventists) on the Sabbath
- Jesus specifically asked about healing on the Sabbath if it was lawful (according to SDAS, it is not)
- Jesus then violated that Sabbath and healed on the Sabbath
- Therefore, Jesus broke the Law, plain and simple
- Either Jesus was a lawbreaker (and not a Saviour) or the Sabbath was not a law any longer.
- You simply cannot have it both ways
And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.
(Luke 14:3)
And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
- According to the Seventh Day Adventists, no!
- According to Jesus, YES!
And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?
(Luke 23:56)
And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
These were JEWS, not the CHURCH!
(John 5:9)
And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
-----Jesus again VIOLATED THE SABBATH!!!!!!!!!
(John 5:10)
The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
(John 5:16)
And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
(John 5:18)
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him(JESUS), because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
- Only legalistic, or unsaved, misguided people persecute Christians for not keeping the Sabbath, like the unsaved Pharisees………
(John 7:22)
Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.
Again, legalism and the Sabbath destroyed………..it was not in the law of Moses, but of “the fathers” (legalism)
(John 7:23)
If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?
"You Seventh Day Adventists, you actually KEEP A LAW I do not even require any longer?"
(John 9:14)
And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
That sinner Jesus, working on the Sabbath???!!
(John 9:16)
Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
Jesus was not of God because He keepeth not the Sabbath? Really? And we are to follow a person who HIMSELF did not keep the SDA SABBATH??? SDAbbath keeping is pure evil.
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. And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.(including the keeping of the Sabbath) Acts 13, verse 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.
verse 43
Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
Acts 13:44
And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
PAUSE
- They (Jewish Christians as apostles) went to the synagogue, on the Sabbath
- To be heard of Jews and their leaders
- These Gentiles understood and naturally assumed, knowing and witnessing that the Jews went to that same synagogue each Sabbath, that this was then the time to hear these Jewish/Christians apostles speak
- The whole city was not able to fit in any synagogue, nor were they allowed to even enter, on any day, let alone the Sabbath-and the court of the Gentiles was not large enough to fit the population of an entire city!
(Acts 13:27)
For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
Rulers, because “they knew Him not”… Seventh Day Adventists know Him not……..and are lost.
(Acts 15:21) For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
................to the Jews, not the Gentile Christians
(Acts 17:2) And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them (JEWS) out of the scriptures,
(Acts 18:4)
And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
(Romans 14:5-6)
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 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.
- Our “regarding not the “Sabbath day” is not to be anything at all.
- We are to be fully persuaded to keep it, from the Scriptures
- Since it is NOT a sin to not keep the Sabbath, allow me, according to the Bible.
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? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
- Being saved (knowing God, known of Him)
- We are not to turn back to the Law, but to walk in Grace
- These actions are called "beggarly elements"
- The Sabbath Keeping puts one into bondage to the law, as legalism
- Observation of the Sabbath day is here under "ye observe days"
- Paul thought that his discipling them was a complete waste of time if they did this, and was afraid for them
BEG'GARLY, adv. Meanly; indigently; despicable.
(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:
- I do not regard the Sabbath as Saturday. I regard Jesus as my Sabbath.
- I ALREADY gave verses showing that Jesus HIMSELF declared HIMSELF to be the LORD of the Sabbath, thereby (with His disciples breaking it and He defending them against the lie of SDAism)
- One does not need verses to show that Sabbath keeping is heresy.
- One needs to simply study the Bible for themselves and not study web sites and post links.
- I regard the LORD'S DAY (AS He Himself declared) as the "first day of the week", not the Sabbath:
In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
(Mark 16:2)
And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
(Mark 16:9)
Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
(Luke 24:1)
Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. (John 20:1) The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
(John 20:19)
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
(Acts 20:7)
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; and continued his speech until midnight.
(1 Corinthians 16:2)
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
That same “first day of the week is Sunday, even today, and is “the LORDS Day”
(Jeremiah 31:31)
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
According to Seventh Day Adventists, God is incapable of making any “new covenants “ without their permission.
(Hebrews 8:13)
In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
If you are a Seventh Day Adventist, you live under the OLD COVENTANT, which was made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, not the Church at all, at any time. Show me a verse where N.T. Gentile Christians (or Messianic Jews, for that matter) were instructed by Jesus or any N.T. writer to actually continue to follow the Jewish-given Sabbath.
1 Corinthians 10:11-12
Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
The Old Testament accounts are for us to learn by, take heed of, not to be legalistic and miss the mark, not to miss the Cross, concentrating on Jesus and not ourselves and outward appearance in “keeping the law”, knowing it Did the Jews no good in trying to keep it-ever.
The “rest” taken or forsaken, spoken of in Hebrews, is two things:
- The account of the Jews who did not enter into the Promised Land because of unbelief, so spent their lives at war, in turmoil, unsatisfied, hungry, angry, etc.
- The peace, rest from believing in God’s salvation through belief in the Coming Promised Messiah
- This second part is our rest also
The CHRISTIAN SABBATH, HEBREWS 3-4:
HEBREWS CHAPTER 3:Hebrews 3:1
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
- After the order of Melchisedek
- Eternal, everlasting
- All powerful, still interceding on our behalf
Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;
- Moses had a ministry to the Jews for deliverance
- Jesus Christ has the ministry of deliverance, reconciliation, salvation and so much more......plus HE built the whole house of Israel, and is the Creator of the universe.
- Moses as a type of deliverer, but nothing compared to God Himself, Jesus Christ
But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
This is our salvation-acceptance, grace through faith, belief
Hebrews 3:7-11
Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
- To day was for them every day, an opportunity to believe, a hand outstretched
- The trials were to bring them to faith in their God, not harden them away from Him
- Instead, they did not mix these trials with the faith and refused to look at them through the eyes of faith, so proving, tempting, hardened themselves against God
- This resulted in the wandering in the wilderness , much like a wayward Christian today
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
- The departure from God is not from keeping a day, but rather unbelief, which God calls an evil heart
- This is to be watched for, guarded against diligently
But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Faith and belief are the opposite of deceit, sin, hardening of heart
Hebrews 3:14
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
- True Christian believers are partakers, not rejecters who are subsequently therefore rejected
While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
This day is the day of salvation, as every day was to them then
Hebrews 3:16
For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
- Some believed, some did not……..same as today, same then
- Mankind never changes
But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
God dealt corporately AND individually with Israel, depending on faith or not.
Hebrews 3:18-19
And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
- The rest promised was both salvation from sin and salvation from heathen sinners-it was going home-peace on all sides in the land
- It was not even a day, this rest
HEBREWS CHAPTER 4:
Hebrews 4:1Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. The context of this verse (chapter 3 and the verses after this, show what that rest of God really, truly, actually is, and it is not a day-ever
Hebrews 4:2
For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
- The gospel and their acceptance of it, was to be their rest, and now for sure ours
- They were restless because they refused that Gospel
For we which have believed do enter into 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.
- This is the origin of the Sabbath, the Genesis One Creation account
- Believing that Gospel which they and we heard is our rest
- God is done with Creation, Jesus Christ is done at the Cross, we simply need to “enter into that rest” through belief
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.
- We get our week from the Creation account, not from the sun, moon, stars or anything else
- This is the design given for the Sabbath Day rest for the Jews
And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
- This Sabbath keeping by them was one way to separate themselves from the pagan, heathen Gentile nations around them, like circumcision was as well
- Interesting how Seventh Day Adventists do not insist on circumcision also
Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Back to the real rest, being belief, not a day.
Hebrews 4:7
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.
This day spoken of is the day to listen to God, hear His voice, harden not the heart, get saved, which for us is always today
Hebrews 4:8
For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
- Another day” is any day we can decide to rest in Jesus Christ, like was offered to the Old Testament Jews
- They never got rest simply because they did not believe in the promised Messiah even when they kept their lawful Sabbath
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Again, this rest is not a day, but a person, Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 4:10
For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
- Keeping the Sabbath is a work, which we are exhorted to cease from, as with all works
- We walk by faith now, for the law has no power over us if we do
- We are under a new law, and have the Holy Spirit in us to help us walk in it
- If we break one part, we sin in all
- So if a man keeps the Sabbath, but lusts in his heart, he breaks the rest of the commandments
- If he walks in the flesh and not in the spirit, he also breaks the laws.
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Hebrews 4:11
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Again, our work is to walk by faith (enter that rest), having believed
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
That written book is able to slay anyone God wants it to, especially those who reject faith and go for the Law to live by, such as Sabbath Keepers
Hebrews 4:13
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
That same law one day will judge us otherwise also
Hebrews 4:14-15
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus Christ, our High Priest, God Himself, understands our dilemma, our struggle with flesh and spirit, law and grace, belief and unbelief, having walked this earth as a man
Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Let us abandon the law keepers, and walk by faith in the new covenant God made with the Church, not the Old Testament Law given to the Jews.