We often hear the claim in the non Sabbath keeping churches that Jehoshua is our Sabbath and this claim is made to justify them not keeping the seventh day Sabbath. Their proof for this is Hebrews chapter 4, which actually doesn't disprove or approve of new testament seventh day Sabbath keeping. There are other verses we can go to that show that we aren't to keep the seventh day Sabbath in the new covenant era.
I do believe that the mainstream churches of Christendom are right, in that the Son of God is our Sabbath, however they miss a big part of the reason that he is our Sabbath rest. I submit that the Messiah is our Sabbath rest and that the real reason he is our Sabbath is lost on most, if not all of Christianity.
Genesis 2:1-3
1 And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made.
The Sabbath is a rest principle and Jehovah God memorialized the creation of His Edenic Kingdom on the seventh day of that creation. The Sabbath is the gospel, which is rest in the finished work of the Messiah, the new Davidic King. Jehoshua is the last (second) Adam, restoring the Sabbath principle to it's true meaning, which is rest and trust in Jehovah's creative works.
Relegating the Sabbath to a one day rest is the religion of rudimentary principles (Galatians 4). So-called Christians that insist on keeping the supposed seventh day Sabbath haven't begun to understand what true Sabbath keeping is.
Genesis 49:8-12
8 Judah, thee shall thy brethren praise: Thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; Thy father`s sons shall bow down before thee. 9 Judah is a lion`s whelp; From the prey, my son, thou art gone up: He stooped down, he couched as a lion, And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? 10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler`s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh come: And unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be. 11 Binding his foal unto the vine, And his ass`s colt unto the choice vine; He hath washed his garments in wine, And his vesture in the blood of grapes: 12 His eyes shall be red with wine, And his teeth white with milk.
The above passage is a prophetic word given to Judah, the son of Jacob Israel. Out of all the sons of Jacob, Judah was given the scepter of Kingship. Judah and his royal offspring would be warrior Kings who would violently dominate their enemies. They would stain their garments with the blood (wine) of their enemies. The peoples (families of Israel) would be required to obey the Judahite King. Judah was promised an eternal dynasty until Shiloh come.
Shiloh means place of rest and tranquility. It's where the ark of Jehovah's covenant dwelt. The ark of the covenant is where Jehovah's presence would dwell. The ark of the covenant was the visible symbol of Jehovah's presence.
1 Samuel 7:1-2
1 And the men of Kiriath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Jehovah, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Jehovah. 2 And it came to pass, from the day that the ark abode in Kiriath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after Jehovah.
Notice that Israel lamented after Jehovah due to the ark being taken to be kept in the house of Abinadab, showing that they viewed the ark as being where Jehovah's presence was. The phrase "ark of Jehovah" can also be understood as, "called by the name, the name of Jehovah of hosts". The ark was Jehovah's visible presence on the earth.
Joshua 6:6-8
6 And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams` horns before the ark of Jehovah. .7 And they said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let the armed men pass on before the ark of Jehovah. 8 And it was so, that, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams` horns before Jehovah passed on, and blew the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of Jehovah followed them.
The ark of the covenant of Jehovah following Israel (verse 7) was equivalent to Jehovah God Himself following Israel (verse 8) and the name "Jehovah" was used interchangeably with the "ark of the covenant of Jehovah" in that same verse.
I am making this point to denote that if the Davidic King was Shiloh i.e. the place of tranquility where the ark of Jehovah rested, then this means that the Davidic King was everything the ark of the covenant was.
Jeremiah 3:16-18
16 And it shall come to pass, when ye are multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith Jehovah, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of Jehovah; neither shall it come to mind; neither shall they remember it; neither shall they miss it; neither shall it be made any more. 17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart. 18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I gave for an inheritance unto your fathers.
In verse 16 Jeremiah prophesies that the ark of the covenant would no longer be with Israel and the prophet says they wouldn't even miss it or remember it. In fact, once it was gone it would never be remade. What do we see in modern day Christendom? People pining for a new physical temple and a new ark of the covenant. This is the height of a rebellious wicked spirit of witchcraft. You also have sensationalistic falsehoods like Ron Wyatt supposedly finding the ark of the covenant. The so-called Christians that believe this are either ignorant of the above passage or simply don't care what it says.
In verse 17, Jeremiah says that it would be the throne of Jehovah that would replace the ark of the covenant. We know that the throne of Jehovah God is the throne of David:
1 Chronicles 29:23
"Then Solomon sat on the throne of Jehovah as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him"
The throne of David was equivalent to the throne of Jehovah. The Davidic King sat on the throne of Jehovah God. This is why the Davidic King could rightly be called God:
Psalm 45:6-7
6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 7 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness: Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Jehovah calls the Davidic King God because the throne that the King sits on is the throne of Jehovah. The Davidic King was prophesied to replace the ark of the covenant as the visible presence of Jehovah God. Jehoshua was the ultimate fulfillment of Psalm 45, but this coronation hymn applied to all the Davidic Kings.
The ark of the covenant existed during the old covenant Davidic monarchy, but departed forever from Israel when Babylon destroyed the temple. This was at the exact time the Davidic monarchy of the old covenant ended. This is what Jeremiah alluded to in chapter 3 of that prophecy. The ark would never return to Israel, however the Davidic throne absolutely would.
Remember, the ark of the covenant dwelt in Shiloh for 369 years in Samaria and this is where the presence of Jehovah was in Israel. Again, the meaning of Shiloh is "place of rest, tranquility, to whom he belongs". Sabbath means "rest" as well. The ark of Jehovah's covenant was a type of Sabbath for the people of Israel. It's where Jehovah was and He was/is Israel's rock.
Isaiah 11:10
"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the root of Jesse, that standeth for an ensign of the peoples, unto him shall the nations seek; and his resting-place shall be glorious"
"That day" that Isaiah is referring to the first advent of the Messiah, who would be the root (stem, branch) of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David as the Messiah had to be from the fruit of David's loins (Psalm 132:11). The Davidic Messiah would be an ensign (banner) of the families of Israel (peoples). The context of Isaiah 11 is the reuniting of the 12 tribes of Israel. All throughout the prophets there is the theme of the 12 tribes of Israel reuniting under the headship of the Davidic King.
Unto the Davidic Branch, the nations (Judah and Ephraim) would seek and his resting place would be glorious. This means that the Davidic King would be the resting place of the new covenant Israel. In other words, the eschatological Davidic King would be his people's Sabbath. Shiloh was the resting place of the ark of the covenant and the future Messianic King was referred to as Shiloh in Genesis 49. This concludes that the Messiah is our rest and the Sabbath is a rest principle, hence Jehoshua is our Sabbath.
Romans 15:12
"And again, Isaiah saith, There shall be the root of Jesse, And he that ariseth to rule over the Gentiles; On him shall the Gentiles hope"
Paul applies Isaiah's prophecy to the advent of Jehoshua Messiah.
Matthew 11:27-30
27 All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal [him.] 28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Jehoshua, while on earth, said that the Father delivered (past tense) all things unto him. This shows, without a shadow of a doubt, that Jehoshua was already King when he walked this earth. All things that were delivered to him by the Father, were all things in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18).
In verses 28-30, Jehoshua tells his fellow Israelites to come unto him and that he will provide them with rest (Sabbath). This fits perfectly with that Jacob prophesied about Judah, in that the ruler's staff between his feet would not depart until Shiloh (place of rest) come. This prophecy in Genesis 49 shows that the Davidic King of the last days would be the place of rest (Shiloh) for Israel.
At the time of Jehoshua's first advent, the Israelites were in spiritual darkness, having the yoke of the Mosaic law around their necks. Jehoshua noticed that they were weary and heavy laden from the demands of the law. It didn't help that the hypocrite religious leaders of Israel were making it even more intolerable for them. Remember, in Acts 14 the apostle Peter said that the law of Moses was a yoke and not to try and put that yoke on the necks of the disciples of the Son of God.
Jehoshua tells his kinsmen that his yoke is light and easy, in other words he is offering them his Sabbath rest. The Davidic King of the last days is the Sabbath of the new covenant and his Sabbath rest (resting place) is glorious because he is the prophesied Shiloh (place of rest and tranquility). Shiloh is where the ark of the covenant of Jehovah rested for 369 years and now the Son of God is both Shiloh and the ark of Jehovah God.
Romans 3:25
"whom God set forth [to be] a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God"
The Greeks word for "propitiation" is "hilasterion" and means "mercyseat", therefore Jehoshua is our atonement and for the importance of this study, the ark of Jehovah God. Jehoshua, being our atonement and mercyseat (ark) is our Sabbath rest as the eschatological Davidic King was prophesied to be called "Shiloh". "Shiloh" means place of rest and tranquility and it's where the ark of Jehovah God rested for 369 years.
Psalm 80:1
"Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that sittest above the cherubim, shine forth."
Jehovah God was the Shepherd of Israel, who led Joseph, the Northern House of Israel in and out of pasture. The presence of Jehovah dwelt above the mercyseat, which was the lid of the ark of the covenant. The Cherubim sat on the mercyseat of the ark. What's awesome is that Jehoshua is referred to as the Shepherd of Israel in the new testament, and he reigns from the throne of David in the holy of holies where the mercyseat is.
Jehoshua's Kingdom mission was specific to bringing back Joseph into the fold of the commonwealth of Israel. Also, there are verses that show that by Jehoshua being in the holy of holies he radiates Jehovah's glory. This shows that Jehoshua sits above the cherubim shining forth Jehovah's glory:
John 1:18
"No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him"
The bosom of the Father is the holy of holies and according to John it's where the only begotten Son dwells, which makes sense since he is the ark of Jehovah of the new covenant.
1 Timothy 6:14-16
14 that thou keep the commandment, without spot, without reproach, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15 which in its own times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16 who only hath immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom [be] honor and power eternal. Amen
The Lord Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lord's and is the only human being to have immortality. The light unapproachable that the Son of God dwells in is the Father's bosom, i.e. the holy of holies where Jehovah's presence is. This fits perfectly with what John says above. This further shows that Jehoshua is our ark and the ark is where Jehovah rested in Shiloh, the place of rest. In other words, Jehoshua is our Sabbath.
Acts 7:55-56
55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.
The glory of Jehovah God is the unapproachable light Paul spoke of in his epistle to Timothy. The glory of God is the Father's bosom, the holy of holies. Stephen saw Jehoshua standing on the right hand of the glory of God, the bosom of the Father in the holy of holies. Again, this shows that Jehoshua is the new ark of the covenant.
Jeremiah 30:28-30
28 Is this man Coniah a despised broken vessel? is he a vessel wherein none delighteth? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into the land which they know not? 29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of Jehovah. 30 Thus saith Jehovah, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days; for no more shall a man of his seed prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling in Judah.
The place of rest in the new covenant, where the Davidic King and ark would dwell would not be the earthly Jerusalem. The above Jeconiah curse proves this as Jehoshua is of that lineage. Hebrews 8:4 concurs that Jesus cannot be a priest upon the earth because he is not of Levi. Both the Jeconiah curse, and the fact that Jehoshua is of the order of Melchizedek shows that Jehoshua's throne is in heaven. Zechariah 6:9-15 prophesied that the last days Davidic King would also be a priest upon his throne. Therefore if Jehoshua can't be a priest upon the earth then he certainly can't be a King on the earth.
Leviticus 16:1-2
1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before Jehovah, and died; 2 and Jehovah said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat.
Jehovah's presence was between the cherubim on the lid of the mercyseat of the ark of the covenant. Again, the ark dwelt in Shiloh, which means place of rest and tranquility. The Davidic King was prophesied to be Shiloh, therefore the Davidic King was to be Israel's rest.
The ark was eventually to be replaced by the throne of Jehovah, which is also the throne of David. Infact, Israel would not even remember or desire the ark as the Davidic King (throne of Jehovah) was to replace it. The eschatological Davidic King was to sit on the throne of Jehovah between the cherubim of the mercyseat.
Colossians 2:9
"for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily"
Jehoshua sits on the throne of Jehovah on the lid of the ark of the covenant, where Jehovah's presence dwells. This explains the above verse that the fullness of Jehovah's Godhead dwells bodily in the Messiah.
Leviticus 16:13
"and he shall put the incense upon the fire before Jehovah, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not"
Jehovah would descend upon the mercyseat to appear before Israel. Of course only the high priest, once a year could go into the holy of holies.
2 Kings 19:15
"And Hezekiah prayed before Jehovah, and said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, that sittest [above] the cherubim, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth."
Hezekiah, the Davidic King, acknowledges Jehovah as the God of all the Kingdoms of the earth and acknowledges Him as creator. Jehovah's earthly throne was on the lid of the mercyseat between the cherubim in the holy of holies. Jehoshua, Jehovah's Davidic Son, sits on the mercyseat of the ark of the covenant in the holy of holies in heaven. Jehoshua, the new Davidic King is the mercyseat (ark) of the new covenant and therefore Shiloh, the place of rest and tranquility (Sabbath).
Ezekiel 48:35
"It shall be eighteen thousand [reeds] round about: and the name of the city from that day shall be, Jehovah is there."
Jehovah Shammah (Jehovah is there) is the name of New Jerusalem. Jehovah's presence left earthly Jerusalem (Ichabod) and the ark was taken away. The city of the new covenant Israel would be New Jerusalem, where Jehovah's presence would remain forever. The New Israel's rest (Sabbath) would be in the heavenly city, thereby it would be a spiritual rest not a literal one day rest.
Jeremiah 31:1-2
1 At that time, saith Jehovah, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. 2 Thus saith Jehovah, The people that were left of the sword found favor in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
All the families of Israel comprise Judah and Ephraim. There would be a remnant of Israel that would experience the rest of Jehovah after the Babylonian captivity. This rest is the Sabbath that Jehovah brought to Israel with the advent of His only begotten Son, the Davidic King of bible prophecy. the true Sabbath, as taught in the book of Hebrews, was the atonement and reconciliation that Jehoshua provided and faith in that brings one into the true new covenant Sabbath.
Jeremiah 33:15-17
15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; and this is [the name] whereby she shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness. 17 For thus saith Jehovah: David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel;
"Those days" are the last days, which scripture identifies as starting with the baptism of Jehoshua. The Branch of righteousness would be of the line of David, the holy vine of David. The new testament shows that Jehoshua is of the royal seed of David. Judah was to be saved in the days of Jehoshua's Kingdom mission, however it would only be a remnant as it always truly was. John 1:12-13 shows this as the saved of Judah would believe on the name of the only begotten Son of God.
The Jerusalem that would dwell safely would not be the earthly one as it prophesied to be destroyed by Jehoshua. The Jerusalem to dwell safely would be the New Jerusalem, as the fact that it would be named "Jehovah our righteousness" proves this as Ezekiel prophesies that the city of New Jerusalem would be called "Jehovah is there".
It's from the time that this prophecy is fulfilled that David would never want a man of his family line to sit on his throne. The house of Israel denotes the Northern tribes, showing that the Judah that shall be saved would be reunited with the Northern House of Israel (Ephraim). Jehoshua fulfilled this prophecy by ascending to the throne of David subsequent to being resurrected from the dead. The Angel Gabriel told Mary that her son would be King over the house of Jacob, showing that Jehoshua was to be King over a reunited Israel, comprised of both Judah and Ephraim. Therefore this prophecy was fulfilled at Jehoshua's first advent.
Hosea 3:5
"afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek Jehovah their God, and David their king, and shall come with fear unto Jehovah and to his goodness in the latter days."
The children of Israel that were to return to Jehovah were the dispersed of the Northern House of Israel. The new testament proves this took place during the apostolic era (Hebrews 8:8). Also, it says they would also seek David their King and the dispersed of the Northern House of Israel were reconciled back to Jehovah through their racial kinsmen, Jehoshua.
Jehoshua is the new covenant David and the prophecy of Hosea says he would be King at the time of the regathering of the children of Israel. This shows that Jehoshua was already King when he walked the earth during his first advent (John 1:49). How do we know for sure that this was already fulfilled at Jehoshua's first advent? Because Hosea said it would happen in the latter days, which scripture marks as beginning when Jehoshua was baptized.
