Bible Study A study on the Sabbath

[Elijah674]

The Hebrew word shabbat means rest. These days are called sabbaths because we are told to rest on these days. We are to rest from our ordinary work on these days and dedicate them instead to God.

But surely the two seperate requirement from God's Etenal Covenant that He Himself wrote & then these ones of Gal. 3:19 added ones, need to be understood totally seperate, huh? Isa. 8:20. With one being Eternal & the others being temporiary for a purpose. Gal. Eph. Col, +.. .

--Elijah

 

[cyberjosh]

Thanks Theo. That puts a new(to me) perspective on things. I am going to have to do more studying on that for sure.

Here is a yet another question to go along with this.

Why were those other days called Sabbath days? What is the significance behind this?

Hi Nathan and all,

While you are following this inquiry and track of thought I also had something interesting (a question of my own) that occured to me tonight to ask and look into that might also dig down a little deeper into our Sabbath study.

Does the Old Testament ever mention David or Solomon observing the Sabbath, or maybe is the Sabbath ever mentioned during their reign in the historical books or as being observed during their reign at all? Or if nothing is directly mentioned about the Sabbath in the historical books (samuel, kings, and chronicles) about this during their reigns does David in any of his Psalms ever mention the Sabbath, or Solomon in any of his writings or proverbs?

This might be something interesting to look into as well. Does anyone have an idea or answer to this question?

~Josh

 

[Theofilus]

Hi Nathan and all,

While you are following this inquiry and track of thought I also had something interesting (a question of my own) that occured to me tonight to ask and look into that might also dig down a little deeper into our Sabbath study.

Does the Old Testament ever mention David or Solomon observing the Sabbath, or maybe is the Sabbath ever mentioned during their reign in the historical books or as being observed during their reign at all? Or if nothing is directly mentioned about the Sabbath in the historical books (samuel, kings, and chronicles) about this during their reigns does David in any of his Psalms ever mention the Sabbath, or Solomon in any of his writings or proverbs?

This might be something interesting to look into as well. Does anyone have an idea or answer to this question?

~Josh

Behold, I [Solomon] build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel. (II Chron. 2:4 KJV)

Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the LORD on the altar of the LORD, which he had built before the porch, even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles. (II Chron. 8:12-13 KJV)​

These verses don't directly state that Solomon kept the Sabbath, but they do indicate that he respected the Sabbath, and the implication is definitely there.

 

[Elijah674]

David does Believe that Gods Name Endureth forever, but 'some' doubt that David did believe the the Birthday of God's Creation, THEIR 7th Day Sabbath did not????

People just will not be Rom. 8:14 LED of the Holy Spirit it seems? They go all over the place to do as they please! Looking for the Arm of FLESH above all, and pick & choose what THEY DESIRE TO DO.

There is one thing for sure, and that is that these ones can find any WIND of Jude's false doctrinne that they want, and in time they too, as many before them have done, they finally QUENCH & GRIEVE the Holy Spirit away untile it is impossible for them to be MOVED BY HIM! And with each & every [BALK] it becomes easier & easier for the searing of ones conscience to accept falshood!

God through David pen documents in Psalms 135
[13] Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.

And if one is toooo brain/dead to know what Day that was, go to Gen. 2:1-3 & read it! + Heb. 13:8-9!

--Elijah

 

[cyberjosh]

Behold, I [Solomon] build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel. (II Chron. 2:4 KJV)

Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the LORD on the altar of the LORD, which he had built before the porch, even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles. (II Chron. 8:12-13 KJV)
​

These verses don't directly state that Solomon kept the Sabbath, but they do indicate that he respected the Sabbath, and the implication is definitely there.

Thanks Theo,

I noticed those verses last night too, although it seems that the only references to the Sabbath connected to David or Solomon are in 1 & 2 Chronicles (just noting that as an observation) and surprisingly (at least from looking from a reference to a concordance) the Sabbath does not appear to be mentioned at all in Psalms except for once in an introductory Psalm header (in Psalm 92: "A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath day"). At any rate one thing that I noticed is that in 1 & 2 Chronicles the Sabbath is almost always mentioned along side the new moons and feasts (as in those two verses above as well), and it is also commonly refered to in that same triplet of "sabbaths, new moons, and feasts" in the prophets also, such as in Hosea, Ezekiel, and Isaiah.

My question is then, how is Colossians 2:16 then not refering to the weekly sabbath when it mentions "a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day" in the same triplet (I read somewhere a claim that this refers to the "other" sabbaths but not the weekly sabbath - when that clearly is not the case)? As I said before, I am not anti-Sabbath in any way, because I know Jesus and Paul (who was a Jew to the Jews, and a Gentile to the Gentiles) observed the Sabbath, but I do want to have a proper understanding of Colossians 2:16 so as to not receive an incorrect interpretation of it.

God Bless,

~Josh

 

[cyberjosh]

God through David pen documents in Psalms 135
[13] Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.

And if one is toooo brain/dead to know what Day that was, go to Gen. 2:1-3 & read it! + Heb. 13:8-9!

--Elijah

Hi Elijah,

I do not mean to minimize what you are saying, and the sabbath indeed is a memorial day of God's rest from creation, but I think that it is best to understand "thy memorial" in this particular verse as refering to God's name.

There is a direct parallel between the two in the verse:

"A) Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever;
B) and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations" (Psalm 135:13)

I think this is especially clear from Exodus 3:15 which says: "Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations."

The wording is almost identical in both verses, the only difference being "thy" and "my" (because one is God speaking and the other is David speaking). The memorial in that particular verse is His name (also Hosea 12:5 says that the Lord's name is His memorial as well), although yes the Sabbath is a memorial to God's rest. I agree with that.

But do not worry, I do not doubt at all that David and Solomon observed the Sabbath obediently according to God's command under the covenant. I was just wondering what verses, if any, may give us a glimpse of that.

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But while we are speaking of memorials, it seems that Israel had several other memorials as well, mostly to commemorate some great event in their history. First the Passover was set as a memorial:

"And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." (Exodus 12:14)

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Also all of their holy days were to be memorials:

"Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God." (Numbers 10:10)

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There were also 12 stones of memorial set up to comemorate Israel crossing over the Jordan River:

"Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” (Joshua 4:7)

I just found that interesting. I think also that this idea of memorials and rememberance ties into what are refered to in the Psalms as God's testimonies, which are often stories of rememberance of God's great works in the past. David often rejoices in God's marvelous testimonies.

God Bless,

~Josh

 

[cyberjosh]

Actually I do think I have found two passages which connect David in some way (though only mentioned indirectly) with the Sabbath. Not that this is terribly important that we are explicitly told that David observed the Sabbath (I'm totaly confident that he did from his zeal for God's law). But just as a matter of record here are the two passages:

"For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were numbered from twenty years old and upward.
...
They are to stand every morning to thank and to praise the LORD, and likewise at evening, and to offer all burnt offerings to the LORD, on the sabbaths, the new moons and the fixed festivals in the number set by the ordinance concerning them, continually before the LORD." (1 Chronicles 23:27, 30-31)

As is made clear from the rest of the chapter David oversaw the organization of temple worship and made sure that it was done properly, and in this case that the Levites were equiped to minister to the sons of Aaron and offer burnt offerings on the Sabbath and festivals, etc.

Now, the other reference in scripture is even more indirect because it doesn't even mention the Sabbath but however suggests that the story happened on the Sabbath, and even then that is not clear until the NT. It is found in the story of David visiting the High Priest and the Tabernacle at Nob (1 Samuel 21:1-6). Though this passage does not mention the Sabbath we are given some contextual details by Jesus when he spoke to the Pharisees that suggest this was on the Sabbath:

"2But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath."
3But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions,
4how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone?
5"Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent?" (Matthew 12:2-5)

Now granted, it does not mention that David ate the bread on the Sabbath but it is surrounded by a discussion of the Sabbath, and Leviticus 24:8 says that new consecrated shewbread (or 'bread of the presence') was placed on the golden table every Sabbath: "Every sabbath day he shall set it in order before the LORD". Now of course they could have eaten the bread later during the week (in which case it might have been stale, but.... hey, if you're hungry).

But anyway, that is possibly another reference/link between David and the Sabbath, for whatever it's worth.

Also while I am talking about this story, it is interesting to note that Jesus relays a extra detail that was not recorded in the OT story: that David went into the tabernacle (which was only lawful for preists to do). If you read 1 Samuel 21:1-6 very carefully you will notice that it never says that David went into the tabernacle, but just that the priest gave him the bread. There might have been a slightly longer tradition of this story (Josephus sometimes recorded longer versions of Bible stories), or perhaps Jesus was just making explicit an implication in the original text. I don't know, but I just thought that was interesting.

God Bless,

~Josh

 

[Nathan]

Interesting indeed Josh. This is one 'angle' I had not looked at yet. This is definitely another piece to the picture.

I do not have the time to look up anything right now, but it will be something I will look at later. The more we learn the better we can worship. There is good reason Jesus walked with us for so many years. He could have very well spoken from heaven and declared His Word, and He could have just came to be the perfect sacrifice. But He walked among us, teaching and preaching. He became like us to fulfill the intentions of God our Father.

While we continue this my hope is that we can focus on Him and not the personalities of ourselves.

 

[Elijah674]

Hey Josh, you never did post any scripture where it is even hinted at, that the Eternal Covenant is an ordinance???
___________

Elijah here:
Josh, you say.. (among other things 'about I have a good understanding..')

'However I do not believe that Sabbath observance is binding on NT believers, because it is an old covenant ordinance and it was not reiterated under the new covenant.'

Give the Inspiration of the Sabbath of the forth Commandment [ever being an 'ordinance'] with your good understanding? And what do you do with the Rev. 14:6 N.T. (Covenant) Truth of the Eternal Gospel if you say that it is not Everlasting???

You seem to divide up where there is NO DIVISION? Christ is IN THE MOST HOLY PLACE where there is the Heavenly Ark still having the MERCY SEAT over the Ark, (Rev. 11:18-19 even finds the time of Judgement!) that has the Eternal Covenant INSIDE. And we are told that that is the TESTAMENT. And you say that their forth command of the TESTAMENT is what, abolished?

Ex. 25
[16] And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.
[17] And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
[18] And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
[19] And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
[20] And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
[21] And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

(And again, if one can find even a hint that Moses laws were either written by God or were of these Eternal ten, we need that documentation! Yet, lets see how long the Sabbath was around & how long it was REQUIRED by the Godhead to be such. Creation week is the start for mankind. Abe will be be seen as documentation, if one believes the Godhead. And you can read Isa. 66:22-23 for well, well, past what some falsely 'teach' that the New Covenant obliterates! This is IN THE NEW EARTH! )

Isa. 66
[22] For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
[23] And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

And Abe: Gen.12
[1] Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
[2] And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
....
[5] And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the (as Abe was a Gentile, so was these converts!) souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

Interesting, and the Lord [said]! God spoke directly to His own before He was asked not to. But do not miss the point, what was it that Abe was teaching that had 'GENTILE SOUL'S WON TO CHRIST'? (No law? NO CONDITIONS??) Hardly! And some again, falsely say, the Eternal Law of God started with the Jew on Mount Sinnai. Then, even explain then what Law Noah preached for 120 years with the same Holy Spirit's STRIVING & with the same results as todays Rev. 17:1-5 ones, to NO EFFECT!?

But years later after Abe's calling, God appeared to Isaac & in verse 5 and [Documented] why He called Abe in the first place! It was because he was OBEDIENT! And notice what laws are listed.

Gen.26

[1] And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
[2] And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
[3] Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
[4] And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

[5] Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

And then one reads this posting in part below, which tells us of the poster's thoughts, but not what God HAS COMMANDED. (and I highlighted the word of ordinance) Again, 'i' ask for documentation for where the Godhead even 'hinted' that the 7th Day Sabbath of Theirs that They Blessed & that They Sanctified & then set aside for Holy use was ever called an ordinance? Whatever?? --Elijah

'I agree with your assessment of what must be done when paraphrasing, and such memorizations are not done without instruction (telling how & when God gave these commandments and what they entailed, etc.) As I said, I went through that teaching process and I have a good understanding of it today. Also, as I stated at the beginning of this post I certainly do understand that the Sabbath itself is on Saturday. However I do not believe that Sabbath observance is binding on NT believers, because it is an old covenant ordinance and it was not reiterated under the new covenant. However principles from OT ordinances are always applicable to new covenant believers, even sacrificial ordinances, as they can be applied as examples of to how we should approach God offer ourselves a living sacrifice to Him. One however has the feedom to observe a day unto the Lord like the Sabbath any day or even every day, as long as it is done as unto the Lord. Paul clearly itterates these freedoms in Christ under the new covenant.

God Bless,

~Josh

 

[Elijah674]

Originally Posted by Elijah674
'But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them [AND] to command them to keep the [Law of Moses].' (and you will not accept that Inspiration??)

It goes on to say that the apostles and the elders came together to consider this matter!


Josh replies:



All that that verse records is that a claim was made by the Pharisees (just as the claim for the necessity of circumcision for salvation was made) and all these different claims is what forced the Church to "consider" the matter. Yet in the outcome of "considering this matter" where do we see the order to "keep the Law of Moses"??? And did you not say yourself later in your post (quoted again further below), "It was the law of Moses that was nailed to the Cross!"???

++++++++

Hi again, I don't know if you are just slow;) or if you are trying to garbel up the short straight Inspired paragraph above?? The [only] subject that this meeting was about is its own documentation. Nothing about the LAW THAT GOD SPAKE OR WROTE! THINK! If it had been about the 10 Commands or the 7th Day Sabbath, you would never of heard the end of it!
And in verse 24 (ibid) we see again what the issue was [all about].

And of course Gal., Col., & Eph.'s were ALL ABOUT these Gal. 3:19 added laws of Moses. [They were FINISHED!] Unless you are falsely teaching that the Eternal Royal Law that God Himself wrote & has the [original] in heaven, (Heb. 8:6 + Heb. 8:2 + Heb. 9:*23 & Rev. 11:18-19 + Rev. 22:7-9, + Christ who did rise from the dead, & stated His Truth in Luke 16:31) was added because of sin???

It appears that you might need some study on Gods Eternal Covenant & Moses added one?? You do not come across to clear with this??

Or perhaps that is the problem, on my end? ---Elijah