The Sabbath Day - Part 1

The most important thing we need to understand about the Sabbath day or in Hebrew, Shabbat, is that God Himself created it, not man.  He created it as a day for all of His creatures to rest from their work as He rested from His.  Therefore, the Sabbath is locked into universal time forever by the Creator.  It can never be changed or abolished.

We first learn about the Sabbath in Genesis 2:1-3, where on the seventh day of creation, God rested (ceased, desisted) from His works.  This established God’s pattern for eternity:

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished.... And on the seventh day God ended His work which he had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. 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.” (NKJV)

So, when is the weekly Sabbath?  It begins at sundown on our Friday night to sundown on Saturday night.  There is no debate between Jewish and Christian scholars on what day of week it falls.  Also, God began His days at sundown, not at midnight.  We see this pattern in Genesis 1:5:

“And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.  And the evening and the morning were the first day.” (NKJV)

Also, in Leviticus 23:32, we read:

“From evening unto evening shall you celebrate your Sabbaths.”  (NKJV)

The Sabbath was not given to one particular group of people to rest.  In Genesis 2, it was meant as a blessing for ALL people and for all of God’s creation.  Adam and Eve would have followed God’s pattern of resting on the seventh day and passed it down to their children and the following generations. 

It is important to understand that the Sabbath day was established long before God gave the Ten Commandments to Israel.  However, centuries later God amplified the importance of this day of rest at Mt. Sinai when He gave Moses the longest set of instructions in the Ten Commandments or what is commonly referred to as the Law or in Hebrew, the “Torah.”  In Exodus 20:8-1:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” (NKJV)

God also spoke through the prophets about His Sabbath day and its life-changing promises. He states in Isaiah 58:13:

“..if you call the Sabbath a DELIGHT and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going you own way, and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your JOY in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.  The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”  (NKJV)

The prophet Ezekiel states the Sabbath is a sign/mark on God’s people; indicating that we are His people and have a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe:

“Also, I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us so they would know that I the Lord made them holy…Keep my Sabbaths holy that they may be a sign between us.  Then you will know that I am the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 20:12 and 20)

JESUS (HEBREW YESHUA) KEPT THE SABBATH

Jesus’ Hebrew name is “Yeshua” and it means “salvation.”   He was the perfect example of how to live a holy life, which includes Sabbath-keeping.  We could not find a single word in the Bible where He changed the importance of this day or its observance.

We can read Yeshua’s own words and His actions regarding the Sabbath in the New Covenant, also known as the New Testament.  His words and actions are clear and do NOT need reinterpretation:

• He confirms His ownership of the Sabbath day. 

The Son of Man is also Lord [Master] even of the Sabbath” (Matt 12:8, Mark 2:28, Luke 6:5).

• He knows what is best for all of mankind.  The Sabbath was given as a gift.

“The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).

• He joined those who assembled on the Sabbath day, wherever He traveled.  Every Sabbath, the Law and Prophets were read aloud and taught.

“Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.” [Mark 1:21]

“And Jesus [Yeshua] went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.” [Matthew 9:35]

“And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.” (Mark 1:39)

“And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!” [Mark 6:2]

• He healed people on the Sabbath day. Yeshua had many debates with teachers and scholars about HOW to rest on the Sabbath (and these types of debates continue today).  However, there was NO disagreement between them over the Sabbath day being God’s day of rest!

“And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed and walked.  And that day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.” (John 5:9-10)

"Now, He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath, and behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years…when Yeshua saw her…and He laid hands on her and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.” (Luke 13:10-14)

• He said it was lawful to do good works on the Sabbath day.  These two examples below amplify discussion points about the importance of saving a life above all else.  Preservation of life was considered a “weightier matter of the Law” (also see Matthew 23:23):

“Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?  Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:11-12)

“Then Yeshua said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?” (Luke 6:9)

He stated the Sabbath would still be observed in the last days, before His future second coming:

“And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.  For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matthew 24:20-21)

THE SABBATH IS PART OF GOD’S LAW-COMMANDMENTS

Yeshua instructed His disciples to go and teach ALL the nations what He had taught them.  This would have included His example of observing the weekly Sabbath day:

“And Yeshua came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.” (Matthew: 28:18-20)

Today, many of Yeshua’s followers are taught that His Commandments were mostly passive, compassionate sayings like “love your enemies.”   However, His actions show us that He was upholding ALL of the written Commandments that God gave Moses.  When we study the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:1-16, He gave us examples of the right attitudes we are to have when we keep God’s Commandments.

 In Yeshua’s conclusion in Matthew 5:17, He firmly stated He did not come to abolish God’s Law or wrongly interpret it, which He was often accused of doing.  The argument of the day was HOW to keep God’s Law, not IF we keep God’s Law:

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill [to fill full, to render perfect].” (Matthew 5:17)

He also summarized and reinforced the importance of God’s Law, when asked the following question:

“’Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ Yeshua said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’” (Matthew 22:36-40)

Yeshua is doing what the prophets before Him had done; summarizing the whole Law into two commandments, not diminishing any part of it.  Also, we have an example in Habakkuk 2:4, where the prophet did the same thing.  He encapsulated righteous living when he used the one word - faith:

“Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just [righteous] shall live by his faith.” (NKJV)

APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES KEPT THE SABBATH

Yeshua’s apostles (ones who are sent) and followers continued to observe the Sabbath and other Commandments as He had taught them.  In the verses below, after witnessing Yeshua’s death on the tree, His followers were keeping the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  This is not the weekly Sabbath but one of God’s other appointed rest days, listed in Leviticus 23, which can fall on any day of the week:

“And it was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was approaching. And the women who had come with Him [Yeshua] from Galil followed after, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. And having returned, they prepared spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the command.” (Luke 23:54-56)

Long after Yeshua’s death, the Apostle John continued to teach the followers of Yeshua to keep God’s Commandments.  This is how we show our love for Him and know we have a relationship with Him.  Most importantly, this Apostle directs us to walk as Yeshua walked:

 “Now by this we know that we know Him [Yeshua], if we keep His Commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His Commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2:3-6)

The Apostle Paul supports what John said above by stating that he too continued to follow Yeshua’s example:

“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Messiah.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)

There are many examples in the New Covenant where Paul kept the Sabbath day wherever he went, even outside the land of Israel.  He taught both Jews and Gentiles/Nations in the synagogues and assemblies:

“And he [Paul] reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.”  (Acts 18:4)

“But when they [Paul and Companions] 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 to them, saying, ‘Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.’” (Acts 13:14-15)

“So, when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.  Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.  On the next Sabbath, almost the whole city came together hear the word of God.”   (Acts 13:42-44)

“And on the Sabbath day we [Paul and Timothy] went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.  Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God.” (Acts 16:13-14)

As shown above, Paul traveled and taught new believers from many nations.  Another assembly Paul visited was located in Colossae (now modern Turkey).  If we closely examine his letter to the Colossians, we will see they were experiencing conflict about fellowship meals, feasts, new moons, and Sabbath-keeping.  These are all important commandments found in God’s Law, which teaches us what to eat and drink in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, and what days to observe in Leviticus 23.  Paul states:

“Let no one, then, judge you in eating or in drinking, or in respect of a feast, or of a new moon, or of Sabbaths, which are a shadow of the coming things, and the body [is] of the Messiah;” (Colossians. 2:16-17) [Young’s Literal Translation]

Paul is saying here, “let no man judge you in HOW you are keeping these Commandments.”  Obviously, a congregation cannot be judged for something they are NOT doing!  These new believers were attempting to keep the Commandments the way Yeshua kept them and Paul had taught them. 

In the rest of the chapter, Paul clearly points out the Colossians were getting away from the “Head,” which was Yeshua.  Paul identified some esoteric knowledge creeping in such as: dogma, false visions, angel worship, etc., that should not be mixed with their worship of the one true God.  He used the terms: false humility, commandments and doctrines of men, and self-made religion.  These do NOT describe the divine Commandments of God.  Sadly, these are issues that are still with us today!

We also see in the book of Hebrews the expectation of Sabbath-keeping among the followers of Messiah Yeshua, long after His death:

“So there remains a Sabbath-keeping for God’s people.  For the one who has entered God’s rest has also rested from his own works, as God did from His. Therefore, let us do our best to enter that rest; so that no one will fall short because of the same kind of disobedience.”  (Hebrews 4:9-11) [The Complete Jewish Bible translation]

FUTURE SHABBAT-KEEPING

In the future, we read of Sabbath-keeping in Paradise within the new heaven and new earth, after Yeshua returns.   We are told in Isaiah 66:22-23: 

“For as the new heaven and the new earth, which I shall make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall ALL flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.”  (NKJV)

There are many more verses in the Bible on Sabbath-keeping but we are limited in this article to present only a few.  A Bible search on the words: Sabbath, seventh day, or rest will provide additional verses for reference.  Additionally, in our other articles, we will explain how the Sabbath day was lost by most of Christianity.