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After creating everything in the universe, God
rested on the seventh day (Gen. 2:1-3).
Sabbatarians incorrectly claim this is the beginning
of the Sabbath observance, and that man was commanded
from the very beginning to keep the Sabbath, a
command that is bound upon all people who ever
live upon the earth.
In truth, though, God's rest on the seventh
day foreshadowed the Jewish Sabbath which was
instituted after Israel's exodus from Egypt, and
the saints' eternal rest (i.e., eternal Sabbath)
in heaven (Ex. 31:13-17; Heb. 4:1-10).
Sabbath Commanded After the Exodus
The Jews were commanded to keep the Sabbath after
God freed them from slavery in Egypt. Previously,
God had not made this covenant with anyone.
- "Then Moses summoned all Israel and said
to them: 'Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the
ordinances which I am speaking today in your
hearing, that you may learn them and observe
them carefully. The Lord our God made a covenant
with us at Horeb. The Lord did not make this
covenant with our fathers, but with us, with
all those of us alive here today'" (Deut.
5:1-3).
- "'"Observe the sabbath day to keep
it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is a sabbath of the
Lord your God. . . ."'" (Deut. 5:12-14).
The Sabbath was not instituted at creation,
but after the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. It
was only bound upon the Jews, not Gentile nations.
Thus, Adam did not keep the Sabbath, as Sabbatarians
contend, nor did Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph,
or Moses prior to God's command after Israel's
exodus from Egypt.
Sabbath: Sign Between God and the Israelites
The Sabbath was a sign of the covenant God made
with the Israelites, which was instituted after
their exodus from Egypt.
- "It is a sign between Me and the sons
of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord
made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day
He ceased from labor, and was refreshed. When
He had finished speaking with him upon Mount
Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the
testimony, tablets of stone, written by
the finger of God " (Ex. 31:17-18).
We Live Under the Law of Christ
God changed the law (Heb. 7:12-14). We no longer
obey the Mosaic Law; we live under the law of
Christ (Heb. 5:9; Gal. 6:2; 1 Cor. 9:21).
Under the law of Christ, we assemble on the
first day of the week (Sunday) to worship God
(Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2), not the Sabbath.
- Note, the first day of the week is the day
following the Sabbath, which is a point of contention
with Sabbatarians (Matt. 28:1; Mk. 16:1-2; Lk.
24:1; Jn. 20:1).
If we try to worship God as prescribed in the
law of Moses, rather than worshiping as commanded
in Christ's law, we are severed from Christ and
have fallen from grace (Gal. 5:4), and our worship
is vain (Mk. 7:6-9).
We Live Under the New Covenant
Corresponding to the fact that we live under a
different law than the Jews who came out of Egypt,
we also live under a different covenant (Heb.
8:7-13).
The Sabbath was a sign of the covenant God made
with Israel when they came out of Egypt. When
the covenant ceased to exist, the sign also ceased.
We do not keep the Sabbath as a religious ordinance
from God today, because the old covenant is no
longer in effect.
God Put an End to Sabbaths
Hosea prophesied that God would put an end to
sabbaths.
- "I will also put an end to all her
gaiety, her feasts, her new moons, her sabbaths
and all her festal assemblies" (Hos. 2:11).
God put an end to the observance of sabbaths
at the cross, at which time the Mosaic Law was
abolished and put to death (Eph. 2:15-16; Col.
2:13-14).
Sabbatarians Don't Keep the Sabbath as Commanded
by God
Here is a list of things that must be done to
keep the Sabbath as commanded by God. I have found
that these things are not done by Sabbatarians.
- Anyone desiring to keep the Sabbath must
kill anyone in his household who profanes the
Sabbath (Ex. 31:14; 35:2).
- If anyone keeps the Sabbath, he must stay
at home. Therefore, he cannot go to a church
service on the Sabbath (Ex. 16:29).
- If someone keeps the Sabbath, he cannot kindle
a fire or cook food on that day (Ex. 16:23;
35:3).
- Anyone keeping the Sabbath must have a Jewish
priest offer an animal sacrifice for him (Num.
28:9-10).
Conclusion
As Christians, we do not keep the Sabbath. We
assemble on Sunday, the first day of the week,
as God commands.
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