New Testament study on the Sabbath part 2

Acts 13:42-44 (KJV)

42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

Verse 42- Notice that the hope of the Gentiles was that the word of God would be spoken to them on the next sabbath (seventh day). Paul and his company went to the synagogue on the sabbath as was customary being that they were still keeping the Law of God (10 Commandments). Yes, the early Church gathered every day of the week including sunday but the sabbath was set apart and the early Christians met at the Synagogues to hear the Law and the Prophets and also they taught the testimony of Jesus. They did this when it was possible as eventually persecution by the unbelieving Jews forced them out of the Synagogues. 

Verse 43-Notice that many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas exhorting them to continue in the grace of God. This indicates that they were receiving the message of Christ with gladness.

Verse 4 4 - Again, you see that it was the next sabbath day that the city came together to hear the word of God. There was an expectation that the sabbath was a day of devotion to Jehovah and we see that Paul and Barnabas kept this day by preaching the Word of God on the sabbath days. The early Church in those days met daily but the sabbath was clearly set apart as a day of rest and devotion to Jehovah. It's when the whole community came together to hear the Word of God. The house to house fellowship was a daily thing but the meeting at the synagogues was a corporate gathering of Jews and proselytes and also the early Christians who had a desire to share the testimony of Jesus with the gathered multitude. You see that at times their words were accepted and many times they were persecuted. 

My opinion is, that had the majority of religious Jews accepted the testimony of Jesus then the synagogue would have been a regular meeting place for the early church. This meeting in my opinion would have been done on the sabbath as was customary and not on sunday. The early Church would have still met on other days but from house to house. Remember, that the only reason the early church stopped meeting at the synagogues on the sabbath was due to being persecuted by the religious Jews and not because they changed the sabbath day from saturday to sunday.

Acts 16:13 (KJV)

13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.

Another example of Paul keeping the sabbath as they went out to a place of solitude for prayer and of preaching the Word of God to the women there.

Acts 18:4 (KJV)

4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

Paul as was the custom on the sabbath, attended synagogue and reasoned with Jews and Greeks alike. This is a scripture that shows Paul keeping the sabbath. You may say "it doesn't specifically say he was keeping it but just teaching". Other scriptures confirm that he kept the Law (Moral Law) so this scripture above is just a confirmation of his sabbath keeping which is the 4th command of the Law.

Romans 2:12-16 (KJV)

12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Verse 12- We see here that the Law is the standard by which men will be judged who have the law which was Israel (primarily made up of Jews) in the old covenant and in the new covenant it's Israel (now made up of Gentiles and Jews alike) which is the Church. We as the Church will be judged according to the law. Why is this?  Because we have the law which is God's 10 Commandments and should know that we need to keep them. God winks at ignorance, so those who sin without the law will perish without law.

Verse 13- This is a clear scripture that those who are doers of the law will be justified. The law of course pertaining to the 10 Commandments which include the sabbath. The warning here is clear that just hearing the law (going to church and/or reading the Bible) will not justify you. Brethren,  going to church and even reading the Bible will not save you. What will save you and make you just before Jehovah is doing the things of the law which includes all 10 Commandments which the sabbath is the 4th one. Shall be justified=dikaioo (greek) which means to render just or innocent, free, justify, be righteous, to regard as just, to declare one to be just, to declare anyone to be virtuous and to be good, to vindicate, to approve, to absolve from the consequences of sin, admit to the enjoyment of divine favour.

Verse 14- 15- When the  gentiles who have not the law, keep it by nature as it is written in their hearts, they are a law unto themselves. The law of God being written in their hearts, meaning they didn't need stone tablets to know what is God's law and that they should keep it. Their conscience and thoughts bear witness of this in that they shew the work thereof. In other words, their actions of keeping the law by nature are a result of the law being written in their hearts and their conscience and thoughts bear witness of this.  They are mindful of the things of God's law. It's deep in their conscience and they think about Jehovah's law. They don't need stone tablets to obey and know his law. So our hearts,  consciences and thoughts either accuse us by not keeping the law or they excuse by keeping the law which includes the 4th commandment of keeping the sabbath holy. 

Verse 16-Our hearts, thoughts and consciences which contain the  secrets of men will be judged by God by Jesus Christ (The White Throne judgment) according to the gospel of which include the 10 Commandments. 

Colossians 2:1-17King James Version (KJV)

2 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Verse 14- We know that there were ordinances nailed to the stake=stauros (greek). Which ordinances though? It was the ordinace of circumcision and the ceremonies connected with it as well as the Law of Moses which included offerings and sacrifices.(See Acts 15:1, 5, Ephesians 2:14-15, Matthew 27:51). Remember that the 10 commandments are not the Law of Moses but they are the Law of Jehovah. Keep in mind that the Sabbath was instituted at creation, before the 10 Commandments were given, and was made Holy. The ceremonies connected with the services of the temple were taken away at the impalement of Jehoshua at the stake. Our Saviour was the perfect ransom sacrifice for all time sake thereby nullifying any more need for fleshly sacrifices to obtain atonement. 

The sabbath was never an ordinance of sacrifice for atonment but rather a command to rest and to keep the day Holy for devotion to Jehovah. The ordinances done away with at the stake were those that were sacrificial in nature in order to obtain atonement. With Jehoshua's death on the stake, we no longer need to make sacrifices at the temple for atonement as he is our atonement. We can now go directly to Jehovah by way of His Son Jehoshua for atonement of our sins.

Verse 16- The Old Testament consistently uses the phrase "a festival,  a new moon,  a sabbath

Let's read Romans 3:31 to see if the above scripture in Colossians includes the 10 Commandments. 

Romans 3:31 KJV
" Do we then make void the law through faith?  God forbid: yea, we establish the Law."

The need for the service of sacrifices and offerings ceased when type met antitype in the death of Messiah. In Him the shadow met the substance. Jehoshua was the perfect and complete offering. The law of the 10 commandments lives and will live through the ages (eternity).see Isaiah 66:22-23. Jehovah's law (decalogue) was not crucified at the stake. It was types and shadows, offerings and sacrifices that was nailed to the cross as they had no value after Jehoshua's death.

The Old Testament consistently uses the phrase "a festival, a new moon, a sabbath" to refer to the ceremonial aspects of the law whether practiced weekly, monthly or yearly (see 1 Chronicles 23:31, 2 Chronicles 2:3-4, 8:12-13, 31:3, Nehemiah 10:33, Ezekiel 45:17, Numbers 28 and 29). The aspects of the ceremonial law included burnt offerings, meat offerings and drink offerings. Once Jehoshua died on the cross there.was no more need for these type of offerings as he was the once and for all sacrifice. So verse 16 has to do with the ceremonial aspects of the stated Holy days rather than the Holy days themselves. Since the Sabbath was a creation ordinance, as well as part of the 10 Commandments, it is still to be kept and remembered by us. The word "remember" is even part of the 4th commandment to keep the Seventh day Holy.

Back to verse 14- Remember the context of this verse. It was to do with the death of Jehoshua at the stake. It was the antitype of the burnt, meat and drink offerings which were to obtain atonement. Since Jehoshua's death was the all time, once and for all atonememt there is no need for the above sacrifices as they were the type/shadow of what was to come which was the substance Jehoshua Messiah dying for our sins so that we can have atonement. No longer do we need to go to the Temple and give our offer burnt,  meat and drink offerings to the Levtical Preists for atonement as we (the Church) are the Temple of Jehovah and all we need to do is go to His Son Jehoshua our High Preist and receive atonement by confessing our sins.

Hebrews 4:1-11 (KJV)

4 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Many people will use this passage to do away with the 4th commandment to keep the Sabbath day as Holy. This epistle to the Hebrews is presenting the Seventh day Sabbath rest as a symbol of the spiritual rest Jehovah grants to those willing to enter into fellowship with him.

Israel largely failed to enter into Jehovah's spiritual rest, and they often ignored the Sabbath observance that symbolized it. Believers in this passage are admonished to accept the spiritual rest of which the weekly Sabbath is the symbol (Verse 9 and 10).

The message here in Hebrews underlines the Old Testament observance of the Sabbath as a sign of holiness (Exodus 31:13, Ezekiel 20:12). Sabbath observance is a sign of our holy relationship with Jehoshua and it is the means by which the relationship is enriched. 

Revelation 12:17, 14:12, 22:14 all clearly state that the true Church in the last days will be made up of believers who keep the commandments of Jehovah as well as the faith and testimony which is the spirit of prophecy (Rev 19:10) of His Son Jehoshua. This includes the 4th commandment to keep the Sabbath day Holy.

1 John 2:3-4 (KJV)

3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

The above two verses couldn't be any clearer regarding keeping the commandments of God which the sabbath is the fourth of such. The inference here is that if we don't keep his commandments then we don't know "Him" (Jesus Christ). It is by faith in Jesus Christ, that we then seek to keep his commandments. By keeping the sabbath (among the other 9 commandments) which is the 4th commandment, we know God and we know that we know "Him". The proof that we know "Him" is in our keeping "His" commandments. The word "If" is key here because it infers that not keeping "His" commandments is showing that we don't know "Him" (Jesus Christ).

Verse 4 proves that those who say they know Christ but yet keep not his commandments ( Decalogue included-Moral Law-10 Commandments) are Liars, and the truth is not in them. In other words, these type of people are deceived. They have chose blindness rather than the truth and have then deceived themselves. I believe God is a just God and he also looks at the heart of man and knows men have been lied to and there is grace for those who have been misled by sheperds.  However, once the truth of the need to keep the 10 Commandments is brought to someone's attention then they are mandated to research for themselves like a Berean to see if it is true (need to keep 10 Commandments). And even if people have been deceived by teachers/pastors of there being no need to keep the 10 Commandments anymore, it is in a sense their own fault for putting their trust in man and not looking to see what scripture says without the lens of their pastor or denomination. 

How do we know that we know Jesus Christ? By keeping his commandments which include the 10 of the moral law, the decalogue. 

If we say we know Jesus Christ but don't keep his commandments,  what does the Bible call us? Liars! 

What's not in us if we don't keep the commandments of God?  The truth!

1 John 5:2-3 (KJV)

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

According to this pasaage, the Love of God and his children are described and proved by keeping his commandments. What are God's commandments? It's simple, the 10 Commandments (The Moral Law). It couldn't be any more clear. If you say that this passage isn't referencing the 10 Commandments then I ask, what other commandments could it be talking about? Remember, in the New Testament when it talks about the commandments of God it's speaks of the Father's Moral Law (The Decalogue). When it comes to Jesus Christ,  it's speaks of having faith in him and have his testimony which is the spirit of prophecy. The 10 Commandments are also Jesus commandments as he confirmed during his ministry that we are to keep them as we will see in other passages. So the phrase "commandments of God" are always a reference to the 10 Commandments of which, the Sabbath is the 4th. keeping the 10 Commandments is how we prove our Love of God and also his children. 

When you tell people that you keep the Sabbath, an automatic response from other Christians in often that you arw putting yourself under bondage. Note the last part of this passage "and his commandments are not grievous to bear". This verse blows the whole "10 Commandments are bondage" theory out of the water. Keeping Jehovah's 10 Commandments are not a burden but actually a huge blessing.  This includes keeping the Sabbath day as Holy. Read Isaiah 58:13-14 and you will see that when we turn ourselves back to keeping the sabbath that it is a delight. Do you want to listen to man or God? Man says the sabbath is a bondage but God says it's a delight!

Revelation 12:17 (KJV)

17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

 Revelation 19:9-11 (KJV)

9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

Revelation 14:6-12 (KJV)

6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of fornication. 

9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 

The end time last days Congregation will keep the commandments (Decalogue) per the Word of God. Notice in the below two passages in Revelation it says that the Saints keep the commandments of God and the faith and testimony of Jesus. These are three separate but linked signs of the remnant Congregation of the last days. The commandments (Decalogue of Jehovah) clearly being separate from the faith of Jesus (His earthly ministry, death on the stake,  3 literal days and literal nights buried in the grave, bodily resurrection,  ascension to the right hand of the Father), the testimony of Jesus (spirit of prophecy, old testament prophets, Jesus prophetic words in the gospels, other prophetic words in the new testament and also any prophets since the bible was written such as Ellen G. White). These are 3 distinct signs that the last days remnant Congregation will have but they are linked together as well.

Finally, another rebuke to those pulpit preachers and their followers that lie and say that keeping the commandments of Jehovah (the 10 commandments including the Sabbath) is a bondage. 

Revelation 22:14 (KJV)

14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.