Isaiah 66:22-24 (KJV)
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.
24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
Verse 22- Jehovah will make new heavens and a new earth which is also confirmed in Revelation 21:1. Heavens=shamayim (Hebrew) which means lofty, the sky (as aloft); the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve), air, astrologer, heaven, abode, firmament, stars. Although the word is plural or dual in form, it can be translated into English as a singular or plural depending on the context. The word describes everything God made besides the earth. The firmament or expanse which he created around the earth was named the sky or heaven as well. In God's new world, there will be a new heaven and new earth. The invisible heavens are the abode of God. Heaven describes the place from which God operates. Heaven is the Lord's throne, the earth is his resting place of feet-a beautiful metaphor of God's sovereignty over the universe.
At the end of this system of things, there will literally be a new heaven/s created. In the context of this passage in Isaiah, we can surmise this to mean the invisible celestial heaven rather than the skies that are lofty above the earth as it seems in scriptures of Revelation that God's glory will provide the illumination for the new earth. In this earth, the heaven which is the literal lofty sky, stars and firmament provides our illumination. So the above description of heavens in hebrew, can mean either a celestial abode of God or the physical sky, stars and firmament which is above the earth. There will be no need of a literal lofty sky, stars and firmament In the new earth as God's bright and morning star (Jesus) will provide our illumination.
Continuing in verse 22, it is stated by Jehovah that the new Heavens and New Earth will remain before him which means for eternity. The seed=zera (Hebrew) which means sowing, seed, descendants, offspring, children and posterity.
Israel is the divine seed of God, in, the old covenant Israel was compromised of the 12 tribes. In the new covenant (Church age), The Israel of God (The Church made up of Jews and Gentiles) is now the divine seed. The true seeds will stay faithful to Jehovah unto death and thereby inherit the new heaven and new earth and will be with Christ and his Father forever in eternity.
Verse 23 - Okay, this is the verse that is the ultimate game changer on whether or not we are to still keep the sabbath day. From one sabbath (seventh day) to another that ALL flesh will come and worship before Jehovah. This is after the new heaven and new earth are made. Unbelievers will not be a part of this as they inherit the Lake of Fire after the judgment before all things are made new. So, if Jehovah says that ALL flesh will worship him from one sabbath to another in the new heaven and new earth why wouldn't we still be required to keep the Sabbath day here on this earth? Let me get this straight, the Sabbath day as Holy was instituted and Hallowed at creation and commanded to be remembered at the giving of the decalogue (10 Commandments) to Moses. Scripture after scripture describes the permanent holiness and consecration of the Sabbath Day, yet we are to believe that it was abolished at the cross. Then, we are to believe it is reintroduced after the new heaven and new earth is made. Remember, that God is not the author of confusion (Babel, Babylon) and he is the same yesterday, today and forever. If the sabbath was instituted as Holy and Sanctified at creation and restated as such at the giving of the 10 Commandments and we see clearly from this passage in Isaiah, that the sabbath is also kept in eternity by ALL flesh (incorruptible) why then would God abolish it in the Church age? It doesn't make any sense that God would start with something as a command/institution/ordinance as sacred, holy, sanctified and Hallowed at creation and then remove it for a period of time (Church age) then reinstate it after that specific period of time after all things are made new. As you will see from my study of the sabbath published elsewhere, the sanctification, holiness, sacredness and Hallowed nature of the sabbath is permanent meaning unchangeable. The sabbath was not just part of the ceremonially and civil law which were nailed at the cross but it was a creation ordinance and part of the decalogue- moral law of the 10 Commandments which were not nailed to the cross.
Our God is not one of confusion (Babel, Babylon) and saying that he would command sabbath keeping from creation to the cross where it was supposedly abolished yet reinstated after all things are made new (new heaven and new earth) is making our God one of confusion. God being the same yesterday, today and forever does not remove Hallowed creation ordinances and then reinstate them later on. Hallowed creation ordinances are unchangeable and are to remain forever whether in the old covenant, new covenant or when all things are made new according to the above passage in Isaiah. We see that the sabbath is one command from the decalogue that remains in effect for eternity which makes sense since the sabbath is a big part of Jehovah's identity being that it highlights his creation of the earth and the heavens. Modern Mystery Babylon (Roman Catholicism) has changed God's law of the command to keep the creation sabbath from the seventh day to the 1st day Sunday. Ancient Mystery Babylon was known for its sun worship so it makes sense that it's descendant Roman Catholicism would remove the commandment to keep the creation sabbath as holy and change God's law to keep the Sun sabbath as holy. Why is this? Because they don't the God of creation to be worshipped but rather the sun god to be worshipped on the venerated day of the sun (1st day of the week). The inspiration for this is satanic. Satan will do whatever it takes to have people not worship the God of creation but rather have people worship creation itself.
Verse 24-So those who are the seed of God (The Church who worships Jehovah in spirit and in truth) will go forth and look upon the carcases of the men who have transgressed against God which is done by transgressing his law. See Matthew 24:28. Notice how this verse comes right after the prophecy of ALL flesh gathering to worship Jehovah from sabbath to sabbath in eternity. Transgressed=pasha (Hebrew) which means to break away, trespass, apostasize, offend, quarrel, rebel, revolt, transgress, to sin.
Those who sin and trespass (transgress) against Jehovah and his law (10 Commandments) will be among the carcases that the seed (The remnant Church of the last days) will look upon. This is all in context of the sabbath and the prophecy of ALL flesh gathering to worship Jehovah from sabbath to sabbath in eternity. This passage gives us the clear picture, that the way we worship God will be of vital importance in these very last days. Revelation 14:12 also gives us a clear picture that keeping the commandments of God (Decalogue) and the testimony of Jesus will be of vital importance especially during the reign of the antichrist (The papacy) as keeping those two things will take patience and faithfulness. It is by keeping God's commandments (4th command of remembering the sabbath included) and the testimony of Jesus that will save us from receiving the mark of the beast and worshipping his image and worshipping the beast itself. Notice how it makes a distinction in Revelation 14:12 between the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus. The commandments of God are specifically the 10 from the decalogue. The testimony of Jesus is everything that he taught in the gospels and of course his Revelation to John on the Isle of Patmos. Remember there is a father son relationship between God the Father amd his son the Lord Jesus Christ who are equal and eternal. The commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus do not contradict each other and they are in perfect harmony. Revelation 19:21 also denotes the carcases of men/women who trangressed Jehovah's law. Revelation 14:17-20 also describes the final bloodshed on unbelievers which will lead to their carcases being eaten by the fowls of the air. The worm of those who trangress Jehovah's law will never die neither will their fire be quenched in the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone Revelation 20:15. They will be an abhorring unto all flesh the scripture states. Abhorring=draown (Hebrew) which means an object of aversion, abhorring, contempt, to repulse, to repel, an object of repulsion is an abhorrence.
In the passage here in Isaiah, this abhorrence is eternal for those who rebelled/rebel against God's law. Be blessed by this, as now you can see that keeping Jehovah's 4th commandment of remembering the sabbath (seventh day) is an eternal mandate of rest and worship given to us a gift so that we can also bless God as a gift of undistracted praise and devotion. So clearly we see here that the not only were the old covenant saints obligated to keep the Sabbath but also ALL flesh in eternity will keep it which goes in harmony with the permanence and unchangeableness of the sabbath ordinance. The only conclusion we can then draw for us new covenant saints is that the command to keep the sabbath also applies to us since it was never changed or abolished.
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 14:12 (KJV)
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
The Three Angels' of Revelation 14:6-12
Fear Jehovah, and give glory to him!
Thank you for the encouragement / clear teaching on this topic. When I look back on it, this is what a plain reading of the word of God shows and even as a youth I remember asking about this. But our culture says Sunday or no day, or you get those who get into trying to observe all the Old Testament laws.
ReplyDeleteI've imperfectly been trying to observe the sabbath. It is extra work on Fridays, when I'm tired from the week, to push and get all the laundry loads finished up, the house nice and clean and restfull, breakfast and coffee ready for the next day, and crock pot (or pizza delivery) planned. I've still ended up doing a load of laundry after a little boy wet the bed, or helping my husband with a project he had planned. But the biggest place I'm trying to improve is this:
Isaiah 58:13-14
13 “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
From doing your pleasure on My holy day,
And call the Sabbath a delight,
The holy day of the Lord honorable,
And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways,
Nor finding your own pleasure,
Nor speaking your own words,
14 Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord;
And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,
And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.
The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Learning to use that extra time to search some topic through the bible, to wrestle out some understanding, not just to rest and relax and seek my own pleasure, but to find that time a delight.
Still sometimes uncomfortable that my husband likes to put on ungodly movies for the kids to watch for several hours every Saturday, and fills their day with practicing musical instruments and watching movies. But overall it has been more restfull for all of them to plan for a day of rest.
Joy
Hi Joy,
ReplyDeleteI know it can be tough when family members are not on the same page. Things I do on the sabbath is take a nature walk or if i'm at home lock myself in my room to study and to avoid distractions from, family members that are not on the same page. I believe scripture is clear on the sacredness and hallowedness of the sabbath and that it was a creation ordinance for eternity as even after the new heavens and new earth are created we will be keeping it according to Isaiah 66:23-24. Jehovah is merciful so don't be hard on yourself ultimately it is his grace that saves us and enables us to keep his commandments. Just set some boundaries with your family members. Tell them that during sabbath (sundown friday to sundown Saturday) that you will obstain from household chores other than heating up food that was prepared the day before. Also, let them know you won't participate in public buying or selling. Let them know you won't take part in any secular activities. God bless you and I will be praying for you.
Thank you. As of yet, I have not even told them I'm observing the sabbath, just doing it. Have said we all need a day of rest, Mommy too! Had not thought of the buying stuff as an issue, but this week made lots of pasta salad and easy stuff on Friday for Saturday. It is interesting how it shows you the sin in your own heart and propensity toward foolish persuits, so easy to flip through a magazine or check Facebook on sabbath. Helps me to more clearly see where I still love the world.
ReplyDeleteThank you for prayers. I've been very imperfectly honoring sabbath for several months now, and for about six weeks now I've gotten rid of television and movies, which has caused great stress in my marriage. My husband calls me boring and self righteous and the reproach toward me and towards Jesus Christ is quite intense. So this is why I have not discussed sabbath or abstaining from pagan based holidays.