BIBLE TEACHINGS MADE PLAIN, part 17
How to keep the Seventh Day Sabbath Holy
From the previous lesson number 16 we have learned that the Seventh day Sabbath is of a perpetual and uninterrupted nature. It commenced at creation time, has continued since the fall in Eden, was confirmed by Jesus and the apostles and those who followed them, will last till the end of time and be observed in the new earth.
Sunday observance is an unbiblical and human instituted interruption and stems from the apostate church of which we have been told by the scriptures that they would try to change times and law. Dan.7:25. The same of which the apostle Paul spoke to the elders of the church in Ephesus, Acts 20:29, 30, people would come speaking perverse things, which mean speaking things not in harmony with the scriptures. History confirms that this has taken place. But from the same historical records we know that there always have been people loyal to the scriptures and the Seventh-day Sabbath in particular. We may think about the Albigenses and Waldenses and others who remained faithful to the scriptures. During the reformation time we have the Seventh-day Baptist followed by the Seventh-day Adventists in the 19th century. The latter being the remnant of Revelation 12:17.
In that same lesson number 16, we have learned that the fourth commandment calls us to Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” and that “the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God” (Ex.20:8, 10) Five important items are mentioned.
First, remember to keep it holy, which means that it is holy and we have to keep it holy. We are not asked to make it holy but to keep it holy.
Second, we must remember this, not forget it.
Third, to keep, which means do something about it.
Fourth, it says the seventh day, not a day of our choice but the day appointed
Fifth, the Sabbath is the day belonging to the Lord thy God, it is His day but given to man, Mark 2:28. Thus it is the Lord’s Day. A gift from God to man and should be highly regarded as sacred, precious and extremely special.
Only holy people will be able to keep holy what God has made holy. The Seventh-day Sabbath, God made that day holy by His example to rest on it, to bless it and to sanctify it. (Gen.2:2, 3) This means we have a divine example to follow. The question is, who is holy to keep holy? The OT people of God, Israel, were designated to be a peculiar people unto God or dedicated to God, a holy nation, Ex.19:5, 6 and Deut.7:6. Of the NT people of God, Israel after the seed of Christ, (Gal.3:16, 29), we read the same in 1 Peter 2:9, a holy nation and a peculiar people. They are called of Christ and called (to be) saints, Rom.1:6, 7 and 1Cor.1:2 sanctified in Christ Jesus and thus called saints. They are not saints because of themselves but because of their saving relationship with Jesus Christ. They are not sinless either, but they have confessed and will confess their sins according to 1 John 1:8-10; 2:1, 2
In regard to the Seventh-day Sabbath the object of the saints is to remember to keep it holy because the God they serve and worship is holy. God made it holy by separating it from the other six days. In these six days they are told to do all their work, but on the seventh day they endeavour to do the things that belong to God.
Because creation days started with the evening and end with evening, the seventh day also starts with evening and ends with evening. We call it from sunset to sunset, as we read in Lev. 23:32. We have a clear example in Luke 23:54 after the women had cared for the body of Jesus they went home and rested the Sabbath, Luke 23:56 Jesus had died 3pm our time, which gave them a few hours to do what needed to be done before Sabbath would start at sunset . We have another example in the scriptures regarding the commencement of the Sabbath. You can read that in Nehemiah 13. The Jews had come back from their Babylonian captivity, but soon became slack again in following God’s commandments. Again they profaned the Sabbath, Neh.13:18. Trading of goods took place on the Sabbath. To stop this profaning of the Sabbath Nehemiah ordered the gates to be closed awhile before sunset. Neh.13:19.
We learn from Luke 23:54 that the day before the Sabbath, our Friday, is the day of preparation. What does this mean? It comes from what we read in Exodus 16:21-30
where the people were instructed regarding what to do on the sixth day, our Friday, and on the Sabbath. Food is to be gathered and prepared on the sixth day in readiness for the seventh day Sabbath.
So far we have learned three important things what will help to keep the Seventh day Sabbath holy:
First, that we have six days for ourselves in which to do all our work and the Seventh day Sabbath is for God and all that belongs to God. We must keep the common separated from the sacred.
Second, we must watch the edges of the Sabbath; it starts at sunset and ends at sunset. 24 hours of sacred time. It will be a good custom to have Sabbath opening and closing worship time, by reading scriptures, singing and prayer
Third, use the Friday as the day for preparation, preparing food, cleaning what needs to be cleaned.
In our personal conduct, the way we dress, what we do and are engaged in should show that we recognise the Seventh-day as holy time, Sabbath time. In all this we make it a visible sign between God and us, as Israel was told, Ex.31:17; Ezek.20:12, 20. Some had not kept it holy as we read in Ez.22:8, 26.
Isa.58:13, 14 is a very good guide in regard to keeping the Sabbath holy, not to use the Sabbath for our own pleasure and not doing our own thing, but delight in the Lord. It means to have God in focus, to please God and not ourselves. 1Cor.10:31 may apply very well here, “to do all to the glory of God.”
Sabbath is for worship, private and corporately. It was Jesus’ custom to go to the synagogue (church) on the Sabbath, Luke 4:16; Mark 1:21. The apostle Paul sought
the company of other people on the Sabbath and worshipped with them, Acts 16:13 Join with other people in an act of worship, but let your worship be God focussed and not self focussed. Seeking God means life to ourself, Amos 5:4, 6; Zeph.2:3 and Matth.6:33 “seek ye first the kingdom of God and all the other things will be adde to you”. The Sabbath evening can be profitably used and spiritually being uplifted when being engaged in spiritual things, worship to commence the Sabbath, reading, listening to and watching spiritual things, and have fellowship with other believers. Always keep in mind Isa.58:13 and 1Cor.10:31
Sabbath afternoons can be made profitable in various ways and manners. Jesus was found walking through nature with His disciples, Mark 2:23. Jesus engaged in healing the sick, Luke 6:6-11; 13:10-17; John 5:1-18; 9:14; 7:23. Jesus taught the scriptures on Sabbath, we can be engaged in helping others to understand the scriptures or go out and find people who like to know more about the scriptures. The Sabbath can and should be used to do good to other people. The sick, the bereaved, the elderly, people in prison, read the third parable in Matthews 25. Some are stretching this too far and go out and help people in their domestic work, garden work etc. That should not be done, that is manual work which can wait for the six days of work.
Let the Sabbath be a delight and all be done to the honour and glory of God, Isa.58:13; 1Cor.10:31. Remember also from Matt.25:40 that all we do for other people are looked upon as done to Jesus. Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy it is the day of Jesus, and if we love Jesus we love His day as well.
Commitment: Having accepted the Seventh-day of the week to be the Sabbath of the Lord, I now I commit myself to remember to keep the Sabbath, the Seventh-day of the week (Saturday) holy unto the Lord.
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