Tag: Sabbath

Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – May 29, 2024

Psalm 19:7-11

“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;” v. 7

“The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;” v. 8

“The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. v. 9

“More to be desired are they then gold, Yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” v. 10

“Moreover, by them, Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.” v. 11

God declares that His Law is Perfect, Converts the soul, gives us Wisdom, is True and Righteous, Enlightens the eyes, and identifies the transgressions against God and others. Those who keep His Law receive great rewards in this life and the future, heavenly life.

The Law is the Decalogue—The Ten Commandments—Established by Christ and given to Moses and the Nation of Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai in the third month following the Exodus. [Study Exodus chapters 19-20].

God is Faithful and Steadfast: “For I am the LORD, I do not change…” —Malachi 3:6

The Seventh-Day Sabbath is the greatest controversial law in Christianity. To believe nine of the Commandments are valid and the Fourth Commandment—the Seventh-day Sabbath was abolished is to accept and practice Satan’s deception that God’s Law was imperfect and fallible. God says: “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple…” (Psalm 19:7).

History of the Seventh-Day Sabbath

Sabbath was Established in Creation Week: “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.” —Genesis 2:2-3

“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.” —Exodus 20:8-11, KJV

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

These words of the Savior remind us that the Sabbath day was meant to be a blessing rather than a burden to those who observe it. The Sabbath allows us to put aside all secular activities and concerns. We focus on worshiping God and praising Him for His Great Love, Grace, and Mercies.

The Sabbath is a memorial to God’s love for humanity. Not only do we receive spiritual refreshment, renewal, and wisdom, but the weekly sabbatical is apparent in our physical appearance and mental aptitude. 24 hours with God is our greatest reward. For our obedience, we enjoy God’s blessings of joy, peace, and contentment of a worry-free life.

As in Biblical times, we use Friday [those who work also utilize Thursday night] to prepare for the Sabbath. Our Sabbath dinners are cooked and clothing is chosen on Friday. We honor God by not buying or selling during the Sabbath or speaking about secular matters. Our homes are filled with love, laughter, praise and worship music, and prayers of gratitude.

Attending church, enjoying fellowship with family and members, visiting those who are sick and homebound, taking nature trips, studying the Scriptures, praying, and resting is our continuous worship during the hours of the Sabbath. Although it sounds busy, we enjoy plenty of rest and relaxation during the Sabbath.

“God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.” —Genesis 1:5

God’s timing never coincides with man’s timing. Because God designated the evening before the morning, the Sabbath is from Friday sunset to Sabbath sunset. Globally, Sabbath observance is from sunset to sunset. Although there is a location in Norway where the sun does not set, “Svalbard, Here, the sun doesn’t set between 20 April and 22 August.” During the consistent daylight, Sabbath keepers observe the hours when the sun normally sets the other eight months of the year.

Jesus Declared that He Established the Sabbath: “For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day” (Matthew 12:8).

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” —Matthew 5:17-18

Consider what Jesus did not do in His ministry. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus says that He did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets. In other words, Jesus’ purpose was not to abrogate the Word, dissolve it, or render it invalid. The Prophets will be fulfilled; the Law will continue to accomplish the purpose for which it was given (see Isaiah 55:10–11). https://www.gotquestions.org/abolish-fulfill-law.html

Next, consider what Jesus did do. Jesus says that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. In other words, Jesus’ purpose was to establish the Word, to embody it, and to fully accomplish all that was written. “Christ is the culmination of the law” (Romans 10:4).

The predictions of the Prophets concerning the Messiah would be realized in Jesus; the holy standard of the Law would be perfectly upheld by Christ, the strict requirements personally obeyed, and the ceremonial observances finally and fully satisfied. https://www.gotquestions.org/abolish-fulfill-law.html

Jesus’ Death on Calvary’s Cross Fulfilled the Ceremonial Law

“From the creation, the moral law was an essential part of God’s divine plan, and was as unchangeable as Himself. The ceremonial law was to answer a particular purpose in Christ’s plan for the salvation of the race. The whole arrangement of the typical system was founded on Christ.” EGW

“The need for the service of sacrifices and offerings ceased when type met antitype in the death of Christ. In Him the shadow reached the substance…. The law of God will maintain its exalted character as long as the throne of Jehovah endures. This law is the expression of God’s character….” EGW

“Types and shadows, offerings and sacrifices, had no virtue after Christ’s death on the cross; but God’s law [The Ten Commandments] was not crucified with Christ…. Today he [Satan] is deceiving human beings in regard to the law of God.” EGW

“The law of the ten commandments lives and will live through the eternal ages…God did not make the infinite sacrifice of giving His only-begotten Son to our world, to secure for man the privilege of breaking the commandments of God in this life and in the future eternal life.” EGW

Link for EGW: https://whiteestate.org/devotional/flb/04_10/#:~:text=The%20ceremonial%20law%20was%20to,offering%2C%20Christ….

“No Change Documented in the Bible: In both Old and New Testament there is not a shadow of variation in the doctrine of the Sabbath. The seventh day, Saturday, is the only day ever designated by the term Sabbath in the entire Bible.” https://www.sabbathtruth.com/sabbath-history/how-the-sabbath-was-changed

The deception of “The Ten Commandments” being nailed to the cross was initiated by Satan who used unconverted hearts to spread his message to undermine the Sovereign Authority of God and to incite a spirit of disobedience among the Christian Community.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” —John 14:15

At 15, I relinquished many religious beliefs contrary to the Holy Scriptures and became a Sabbath-keeper. Although my family acknowledges the Seventh-Day Sabbath, sadly, I am the only member who obeys the Fourth Commandment. Keeping the Sabbath demonstrates our love and loyalty to faithfully obeying God when human-made theories attempt to desecrate His laws.

Revelation prophecies reveal the Sabbath will be the last earthly controversy with persecution just before Jesus’ Second Coming. Yet, Psalm 91 is the promise that we will receive angelic protection. I would like to clarify that keeping the Sabbath does not imply that all Sabbath-keepers will be saved. In fact, many will be lost for their legalistic worship of God because they were disobedient in other areas of their lives.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” —Proverbs 14:12

Entrusting our salvation and reward of eternal life to human beings including our own thoughts will not end in our favor. We fail to consider, “What if they [or myself] are wrong about the Seventh-Day Sabbath?” When God instructs us to “Remember” it is crucial to our spiritual growth, transformation, and reward of eternal life.

To love God is to keep His Ten Commandments which includes Sabbath observance. To love God is to consecrate oneself to a life of self-denial and total surrender and obedience to the Law. To love God is to be a disciple who stands for God’s Truth even if it means suffering persecution.

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” —Revelation 3:21

Lord, we pray for those deceived into believing You abolished the Fourth Commandment. We ask You to send the Holy Spirit to those with receptive hearts to teach them the Truth and validity of the Seventh-day Sabbath. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

© 2024 SDJ, For the rest of my life, I will give Christ the best of my life