"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy (set-apart, qadosh). Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your Elohim (God). On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien (foreigner) within your gates. For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (set-apart, qadosh)" (Ex 20:8-11, NIV).

Isn't it interesting that the only part of the Bible specifically written by Yahweh's own finger (Exodus 31:18), His Torah or Law, is the part man wants to do away with? And isn't it interesting that the only part of that Torah (Law) they say is for the Jew only is the only mitzvah (commandment) that states it was for the "stranger" too? And isn't it interesting that the only one of the mitzvot (commandments) which they say was a ceremonial law instituted at Sinai is the only mitzvah (commandment) that specifically states it was instituted at Creation, long before sin or Jews or ceremonies? And isn't it interesting that the only mitzvah (commandment) man wants to forget is the only one Yahweh specifically says to "remember"?

The Sabbath commandment is Yahweh's official seal of authority: It contains the three essential elements of any official seal or mark. It contains His Name ("Yahweh your Elohim/God"), title and authority ("Creator"), and domain ("heaven and earth").

After working the first six days of the week in creating this earth, Yahweh rested on the seventh day, blessed and sanctified it (Genesis 2:1-3). Yahweh did not rest because He was tired (Isaiah 40:28), but because everything He made was good (Genesis 1:31). It was made before the Fall; hence it is not a type, for types were not introduced until after the fall. Yaahavah (love). Every time we rest upon the seventh day, as Yahweh did at creation, we commemorate that grand event. It is not a Jewish institution, for it was made 2,300 years before ever there was a Jew. The Bible never calls it the 'Jewish Sabbath' but always "the Sabbath of Yahweh thy Elohim (God)." Men should be cautious how they stigmatise Yahweh's holy rest day. It was a part of Yahweh's Law before Sinai (Exodus 16:4,27-29).

Then Yahweh placed it in the heart of His moral law (Exodus 20:1-17). The seventh-day Sabbath was commanded by the voice of the living Elohim (God) (Deuteronomy 4:12,13). Then He wrote the commandment with His own finger (Exodus 31:18). He engraved it in the enduring stone, indicating its imperishable nature (Deuteronomy 5:22). It was sacredly preserved in the ark of the covenant (Deuteronomy 10:1-5). Yahweh forbade work upon the Sabbath, even in the most hurrying times (Exodus 34:21). Yahweh destroyed the Israelites in the wilderness because they profaned the Sabbath (Ezekiel 20:12-13,16,21,24). It is the only sign between Yahweh and his people, by which we are to know Him from false gods (Exodus 31:13-17, Ezek.20:12,20).

Yahweh threatened punishment for not hallowing the sabbath (Jer.17:19-27). Cohenim (priests) profaned the Sabbath and were consumed with fire (Ezekiel 22:26,31). Israelites in the wilderness profaned the Sabbath (Eze.20:13-24). The nobles of Judah brought more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath (Neh.13:17-18). Yahweh has pronounced a special blessing on all the Gentiles who keep it (Isaiah 56:6,7). This is in the prophecy which refers wholly to the New Covenant dispensation (Isaiah 56). Yahweh has promised to bless every man who keeps the Sabbath (Isaiah 56:2). He requires us to call it "honourable" (Isaiah 58:13). Beware, ye who take delight in calling it the "old Jewish Sabbath," "a yoke of bondage," etc. After the holy Sabbath has been trodden down "for many generations," it is to be restored in the last days (Isaiah 58:12,13). All the holy prophets kept the seventh day Sabbath.

When Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) came, He kept the Sabbath day all His life (Mark 1:21; 6:2, Luke 4:16; 6:6; 13:10, John 15:10). Yah'shua (Jesus) was the Master (Lord) of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28). He vindicated the Sabbath as a merciful institution designed for man's good (Matthew 12:8-10, Mark 2:23-28). The pious women who had been with Yah'shua (Jesus) carefully kept the seventh day after His death (Mark 16:1-2, Luke 23:56). Thirty years after Christ's resurrection, the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit) expressly calls it the "the Sabbath day" (Acts:13:14). Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, called it "The Sabbath day" in AD 45 (Acts 13:27). Did not Paul know? Or shall we believe modern teachers, who affirm that it ceased to be the Sabbath at the resurrection of Christ? Luke, the inspired Christian historian, writing as late as AD 62, calls it "the sabbath day" (Acts 13:44). The Gentile converts called it the Sabbath (Acts 13:42). It was Paul�s custom to preach upon that day (Acts 17:2). The book of Acts alone gives a record of his holding eighty-four meetings upon that day (Acts 13:14,44; 16:13; 17:2; 18:4,11). It was kept by the apostles after the cross!

There was never any dispute between the Christians and the Jews about the Sabbath day. This is proof that the Christians sill observed the same day that the Jews did. In all their accusations against Paul (Acts 24:13), they never charged him with disregarding the Sabbath day. Why did they not if he did not keep it? But Paul himself expressly declared that he had kept the Torah (Law) (Acts 25:8). How could this be true if he had not kept the Sabbath? Yah'shua (Jesus) expected the sabbath to be kept by believers after His death (Matthew 24:20). The Sabbath is mentioned in the New Testament 60 times, and always with respect, bearing the same title it had in the Old Testament, "the Sabbath day." Not a word is said anywhere in the New Testament about the Sabbath's being abolished, done away, changed, or anything of the kind. Yahweh has never given permission to any man to work upon it. Reader, by what authority do you use the seventh day for common labour? As the Sabbath was kept in Eden before the fall, so it will be observed eternally in the new heaven and earth (Isaiah 66:22, 23).

The Sabbath was never intended to be a restraining time of punishment. What would your reaction be if your boss came to you and said, "I want you to take tomorrow off to rest. Enjoy yourself, eat, rest, read, just don't even think about work." Would you feel burdened? The Sabbath is a holy time of resting from our weekly work in order to come into a joyous worship of Yahweh. It is a time of release from the stress and pressure of making a living. It is a time to rest from our normal pursuit of physical gain and to remember our Creator.

After his death upon the cross, Yah'shua (Jesus) rested the entire Sabbath in the grave. Just as he rested after his work of creation (John 1:13), he rested after completing his work of redemption! Then, on the first day of the week, which had been a common working day for over 4,000 years, Yah'shua (Jesus) rose from the tomb, returned to life, and literally went back to work! Should we not follow the example of Yah'shua (Jesus)? (John 13:15, Phil.2:5, 1 Peter 2:21; 4:1, 1 John 2:6). Should we not rest on the seventh day, and work on the first?

30 Bible Facts Concerning the First Day

1. The very first thing recorded in the Bible is work done on the first day of the week. If Yahweh worked on this day, how can it be wicked for us to work on it?
2. Yahweh commands men to work upon the first day of the week (Exodus 20:8-11). Is it wrong to obey Yahweh?
3. None of the Patriarchs ever kept it.
4. None of the holy Prophets ever kept it.
5. By the express command of Yahweh, His holy people used the first day of the week as a common working day.
6. Yahweh himself calls it a working day (Ezekiel 46:1).
7. Yahweh did not rest upon it.
8. Yahweh never blessed it.
9. Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) did not rest upon it.
10. Yah'shua (Jesus) was a carpenter (Mark 6:3), and worked at his trade until he was 30 years old. He worked 6 days a week, and kept the sabbath day holy.
11. The apostles worked during the same time, and kept the Sabbath day holy (Paul was a tentmaker, Acts 18:3).
12. The Apostles never rested upon it.
13. Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) never blessed it.
14. It has never been blessed by any divine authority.
15. It has never been sanctified.
16. No law was ever given to enforce the keeping of it, hence it is no transgression to work upon it. "Where no law is, there is no transgression" (Romans 4:15).
17. The New Testament nowhere forbids work to be done on it.
18. No penalty is provided for its violation.
19. No blessing is promised for its observance.
20. No regulation is given as to how it ought to be observed. Would this be so if Yahweh wished us to keep it?
21. It is never called the 'Christian Sabbath'.
22. It is never called the Sabbath Day at all.
23. It is never called the Lord's Day.
24. It is never called even a rest day.
25. No sacred title whatever is applied to it. Then why should we call it holy?
26. It was simply called the "first day of the week".
27. Yah'shua (Jesus) never mentioned it in any way, never took its name upon His lips, so far as the record shows.
28. Neither Yahweh, Christ, nor inspired men ever said one word in favour of the first day of the week as a Holy day.
29. The Bible nowhere says that the first day of the week commemorates the resurrection of Christ. Baptism commemorates the burial and resurrection of Yah'shua (Jesus)! (Romans 6:3-5).
30. Finally, the New Testament is totally silent with regard to any change of the Sabbath Day or any sacredness for the first day.

The Wall

The wall represents Yahweh's Torah (Law). A breach in the wall represents breaking the Torah (Law) (iniquity) (Isaiah 30:9-13). False ministers did not repair the break, but they did try to mend the gap with weak, untempered mortar, a counterfeit material (Ezekiel 13:3-14). Yahweh rebukes the spiritual leaders for daubing the wall with untempered mortar (Malachi 2:8-9). The breach in the wall was the Sabbath, which the preachers saw, but hid their eyes from it. Instead of restoring the true Sabbath, they used the pagan Sunday (untempered mortar) as a substitute, claiming that Yayhweh said it was all right, when "Yahweh hath not spoken" (Ezekiel 22:26-28). No amount of daubing with foreign, untempered material can make the wall whole again. Only the restoration of the original material, the seventh day of the week, can satisfy the great plumbline of Yahweh's scrutiny. A plumbline is used to determine the exact straightness of a wall, and Yahweh will measure His people by His holy Torah (Law) (Amos 7:7,8). The counterfeit wall (Sunday or Saturday) will be revealed and destroyed when the plagues fall (hail) (Ezekiel 13:11). Hail is one of the seven last plagues (Revelation 16:21). The plagues are called "the wrath of Yahweh" (Revelation 15:1). The wrath of Yahweh (plagues) fall on those who have the mark of the beast (Revelation 14:9,10). Yahweh's wrath (plagues) fall on those who used the untempered mortar (Sunday or Saturday). The plagues and destruction prove that these events take place at the end of the world and that these prophecies apply to our day (Ezekiel 13:13-15). Yahweh looked for those who would repair the gap or breach in His Torah (Law) correctly (Ezekiel 22:30). Yahweh finds those who will repair the breach. They will restore the true Sabbath to its right place (Isaiah 58:12-13).

Next article: Sabbath History

This page was created on 21 June 2000 Last updated on 22 January 2013

Reproduced and adapted with Thanks