Putting the Sabbath to Rest

Putting the Sabbath to Rest
by Rory Moore

  

To-day we have a wonderful  sabbath rest to enjoy!

Would you like to see a revelation of a New Testament sabbath we all could use, near the end of this post there one that is overlooked.

Backround:
The sabbath laws and other commands were first given as part of the body of the law from the Old Covenant.  
  

1. The Old Covenant law required "DO ALL" many, many times.
Thus in Gal. 4:21 "Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?"

and he said 

" I testify again to every man that received circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.  
You are severed from Christ, you (who) would be *justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace.  "

*justify: to render innocent, justify, be righteous.

So where was sabbath commanded?
-In the Old Covenant law, of course.

 "The law" included every sabbath law and command:   

please, give close attention to sabbath law:

Exodus 31:14 You shall keep the sabbath, it is holy to you: every one that defiles it shall surely be put to death...  

Keep "Do ALL" in mind when you read what the disagreeing readers say.

It is very clear. "DO ALL..." means you can't go in and "diminish ought" from the parts your religion tells you that you cannot do such as keeping the sabbath upon penalty of death or keeping the feasts of the Lord IN Jerusalem 3 times a year, as God commanded.)


 >>>>> a reader who disagreed wrote:
"First I see you lumping together all of the Sabbaths, but it is only the seventh day Sabbath that was included in the 10 commandments <<<<<
But I respond that God is the One that "lumped" ALL of His commands, statutes, and ordinances into the body of the whole law.)

The sabbath was one of the laws, whether you choose it as the 4th commandment.
It was not just only one day a week. 
-Plus the mid week sabbath on Passover.
-Plus there was a year long sabbath every 7th year. 

-Plus on "every Sabbath" there is to be a burnt offering:

"On the Sabbath day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect, together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil. This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering" (Num. 28:9,10).

We all know it is impossible to sacrifice a lamb on every sabbath, what a offense that would be, to Jesus' sacrifice.
Those who insist they are keeping the sabbath, and insist that others keep it  have a huge problem. By this one verse we can see according to the letter, they have already broken the sabbath law.

>>>>> a reader who disagreed said: 

"We can all have different ways to keep the Sabbath, but who cares, as long as we are keeping the Sabbath and honoring God." <<<<<

My answer to "different ways to keep the sabbath":
God cares and was VERY specific on how to keep the sabbaths. (there was more than just the one on the 7th day of the week). 
Keeping a partial sabbath your own way is dishonoring God who told them how to keep the sabbath. 

Notice the plural, which includes the sabbath year:

Leviticus 25:4 But the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD 

2.   Where do you find the 10 Commandments? 
They are given in Exodus 20, and again in Deuteronomy 5 to Israel.
Dt.5: 31 ... and I will speak to you all the commandments, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which you shall teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it. (BTW, we do not live in that land.)

(please read the article about the sabbath laws and the parts they never told you about or excused for not doing) 

3.    Let's be honest. You want to keep this law or that one, a feast here, a sabbath there. A dietary law or two, a tithe. 
There are plenty of others that some think we need to follow, and much confusion.

Notice: 
Psalms 119:160 The sum of thy word is truth...
We must learn from the New Testament in order to get the "sum" total regarding the truth, or else we are guilty of "diminishing" from the WHOLE Word of God. 

This promise was also mentioned by Isaiah, a prophecy of a future "rest" Isa 28:11 .. 

When did this "rest" begin to be fulfilled?

It began on Pentecost in Acts 2 and continued as God gave the Holy Spirit to them that believed. (Mark 16:18, Luke 24;47-49: Acts 1:8, etc.):
Acts 3:19 Repent and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.
Thus the prophesied "refreshing" came with the baptism of the Holy Spirit as Isaiah prophesied.

4.    Was the sabbath ever given as an ordinance to the church through the apostles?

 Can you find any instruction to a church or saint in the church epistles for that? (When I looked, I could not find any)

Note Acts 15,  The Jewish apostles and elders did NOT tell the gentile churches to observe the sabbath!

-if it was to be observed as a universal ordinance, this was the time and place to decree sabbath keeping because they were debating which laws to have the churches observe..

5.  What was the Jewish apostle Paul referring to in these next verses written to Christians: 

Galatians 4:10  You observe days, and months, and times, and years. 
Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore condemn you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: ???

Why was no one to judge or condemn the Colossians in regard to sabbath observances?
Simply because they were never commanded to observe the sabbath! 

Consistent with this is that in all the book of Acts through Revelation, there is not one reminder to keep the sabbath, circumcision, sacrifices, tithes, or feasts.... 

6.  We are in the NEW Covenant. 
That should be obvious, the old covenant has been "changed", "dis-annulled",  "blotted out", "abolished",  even "nailing it to the cross".
Hebrews 7:12

the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change also of the law.

col. 2:14

having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he has taken it out of the way,
 nailing it to the cross;

And so Galatians 5:18  if you are led of the Spirit, you are not under the law

In Hebrews, speaking to those who had known the Law, the writer speaks of the "rest" God had given.

The "rest" on the sabbath day and all the sabbaths were spiritual types of something that would come later through a "better covenant":

Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things... Hebrews 8:6 But now has he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

Let's look at a few SABBATH things here:

Hebrews 4:9 There remains therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God.

Now it changes.
Have you ever noticed the word "to-day" in this passage about the sabbath in Hebrews???
Hebrews 3:7 Wherefore, even as the Holy Spirit saith, To-day if ye shall hear his voice, 

Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one another  day by day, 
so long as it is called To-day; ....

THINK: How is "day by day" called "today"?  

Hebrews 3:15 while it is said, To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. 

Hebrews 4:7 he again defines a certain day,
 <calling it> To-day,  saying in David, so long a time afterward, 
To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts.

7.     Have you gotten the revelation for "to-day" sabbath?

Did Jesus promise a rest for only on the 7th day? 
-or is there a "rest" remaining to the people of God for "TO-DAY"?
"TO-DAY if you hear His voice..."

The "rest" is for "today", i.e., for the sons of God to enter into our NT promises by faith, as by believing they have received. (Mark 11:23-24)

Heb.4:3 For we who have believed do enter into that rest,
(i.e. a spiritual Sabbath rest in Christ).

 There remains therefore a sabbath rest, (literally "a keeping of rest") for the people of God. 
This constant "keeping of rest" every day ("to-day") through the past tense promises is our New Testament spiritual Sabbath.

(10) For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. 

Our faith in Christ for each of these promises brings us into more of the rest. 

For example, if we believe that "by his stripes you were healed," then we will not keep seeking a healing but will rest accepting that it was accomplished at the cross.
This is real restful faith and pleases the Father when we trust HIM to meet our need.

Through believing the promises (salvation, healing, deliverance, provision) we enter into the on-going "sabbath" rest from our own works.

To-day the promise of rest is when we believe and become partakers of Christ (His health, holiness, and blessing), "if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end".
-i.e. resting in faith He will do for us what He said in His word!

THIS is "the rest" that the sabbath foreshadowed, as we cease from our own efforts and works and we "rest" in God's salvation to save, heal, deliver, and provide for us.


Is it a certain day we enter in to His rest for these promises? 
Hebrews 3:7 Wherefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, 

To-day if ye shall hear his voice, 

"To-day"?
We have found the secret place of rest, because every day is "to-day"! 

He no longer limits a certain day (the 7th), but now in the New Covenant gives us the foreshadowed type from the old sabbath to our  EVERY DAY  rest.

That  is what "to-day" is. 

So what is the point here? -just some more Bible knowledge to fuss over, another do's and don't?

Here is the profound point of sabbath rest. The REAL Rest.

It is when we "rest" in Christ and have peace over the cares, worries, and struggles of life.

When we are not entering into His Rest, we worry, are anxious, fearful, stressed, oppressed, even to the point of sickness.

When our cares are cast upon Him and we leave them in His hands, we rest as He works them out for us.

Praise the Lord Jesus.

 Scripture Notes:

* the curse: as given in detail by God and described in Deuteronomy 28.
** "to-day" as given in Hebrews as relating to the rest:
Strongs 2250 def:
-the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset
-Any part of a day is counted as a whole day, hence the expression "three days and three nights" does not mean literally three whole days, but at least one whole day plus part of two other days.
-used of time in general

***past tense promises: we who believe "rest" in: 

"By His stripes ye WERE healed" 
1st Peter 1:18 knowing that ye were redeemed
Mat 5:31 Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Hebrews 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest

Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it.
24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for,believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them

Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he has perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

All rights reserved.