The Seventh Day

The Sabbath is a part of God’s Spiritual Creation
At the Genesis creation, mankind was given the sun to mark the days, the moon to mark the months, and the stars to mark the years. God had to GIVE us the seven-day week with the Sabbath at its end because it is not found in nature. The Sabbath is a part of God’s spiritual creation. The whole world goes by the seven-day week – but few remember the origin of it – fewer still, keep it holy. “And [Jesus] said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man.” (Mark 2:27). The Sabbath is the memorial that reminds us each week, not only of God’s physical creation, but also of His incredible future spiritual plans for mankind.

The Sabbath day is Holy
God is the one who made it “holy.” By resting on the seventh day, God "sanctified" it, setting it apart for a special purpose. After completing His work of re-creating the face of the earth and creating all physical life, including mankind – God rested! “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.” (Gen 2:3)

What is the Fourth Commandment?
The Sabbath day is to be kept – it is one of God’s Ten Commandments. “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” “But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God. (Ex. 20:8-10). “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.” (Lev 23:3)

Jesus observed the Saturday Sabbath
The Sabbath day is listed among the “feasts of the LORD” – that is why Jesus observed the Sabbath day. “[Jesus] came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day.” (Luke 4:16) The Scriptures show that He is our example and that we should follow his steps: Jesus taught His disciples to teach all nations “to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” (Matt 28:20)

Is there an identifying “Sign” between God and His People?
To sanctify means to set apart for a special purpose – it means “holy.” God made this covenant with His people – then and today – the Sabbath is an identifying sign. Only those who worship the true God and are obedient to keep His Sabbath, are holy people.

Keep in mind that those who have faith in Jesus Christ are spiritual Israelites (Gal 3:26-29, 6:16): “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.” (Exo 31:13)

The Sabbath Points to the Creator
Each Sabbath day is a reminder to us of the true Creator God. The word "Sabbath" means rest in the Hebrew language, but God’s Sabbath goes far beyond simply resting physically – it also points to the soon coming millennial rest when Jesus Christ will rule this earth for one thousand years: “It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.” (Exo 31:17)

God Puts Us to A Test
Isn’t it interesting that most of the world worships on Sunday, or like the Moslem world, on Friday, when the Bible, the greatest “best seller” calls for the Sabbath day observance? God in His wisdom has made the Sabbath a “Test” commandment. To test ancient Israel in the wilderness, God sent them manna with specific instructions for gathering it: God said, “that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.” For us today, the Sabbath is still the crucial Test commandment for God to see who will voluntarily obey. It identifies those who have truly surrendered their will to God’s rule.

The Sabbath begins and ends at Sunset
Common time for the calendar day begins and ends at mid-night. God measures time differently. God’s day ends when the sun has set – the day is over. We get our term, “evening,” from this event. “And at evening, when the sun did set.” (Mar 1:32)

Only Sabbath Keepers Have God’s Holy Spirit
A person cannot have God’s Holy Spirit unless he observes the Sabbath day. The Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments, which God commands us to obey. “…The Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him.” (Acts 5:32.) God gives His Holy Spirit only to those who obey Him!

Is the Sabbath for Jews, or for Christians?
Many years after the death of Jesus Christ, the apostle Paul confirmed that the Sabbath Commandment was in force for all Christians. “There remaineth therefore a keeping of the Sabbath for the people of God.” (Heb 4:9)

Who is the LORD of the Sabbath?
Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath day- He created it and kept it. “Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.” (Mar 2:28)

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