| This page begins with an
informational sheet which ADVOCATES Sabbath Day observance. It was given to me by
members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Issaquah, WA. Following the Adventist material is a brief Biblical Review of this doctrine with Bible answers to each specific point made to support their doctrine. (Joe Price) |
19. The Sabbath
The beneficent Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested on the seventh day and instituted the Sabbath for all people as a memorial of Creation. The fourth commandment of God’s unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest, worship and ministry in harmony with the teaching and practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of delightful communion with God and one another. It is a symbol of our redemption in Christ, a sign of our sanctification, a token of our allegiance, and a foretaste of our eternal future in God’s kingdom. The Sabbath is God’s perpetual sign of His eternal covenant between Him and His people. Joyful observance of this holy time from evening to evening, sunset to sunset, is a celebration of God’s creative and redemptive acts.The seventh-day Sabbath was given by God to all mankind on the final day of creation week. One of the Ten Commandments, it was faithfully observed by Jesus.
God sanctified the Sabbath during creation week. Genesis 2:1-3
God reiterated and perpetuated the Sabbath by including it in the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15.
God gave the Sabbath to everyone, not just the Jews. Isaiah 56:6-7; Mark 2:27.
God foresaw and predicted that the Sabbath would be especially attacked by His enemies. Daniel 7:25
Jesus set a right example in Sabbath observance. Luke 4:16
Jesus’ followers kept the Sabbath after He was crucified. Luke 23:55-56
The Sabbath lasts from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday. Leviticus 23:32; Mark 1:29-32
To properly observe the Sabbath, we should abstain from doing business transactions or anything that might sidetrack us from delighting in the Lord. Nehemiah 13:15-19; Exodus 16:22-30; Isaiah 58:13-14
The Sabbath is a sign of our special relationship with God as His redeemed people. Keeping it demonstrates our allegiance to Him and is a sign of His covenant with us. It is a time for communing with God and doing good.
Personal Application
"If Christians live every day for the Lord, what is special about the Sabbath?"
"Why did Jesus go to the synagogue every Sabbath?"
"The Sabbath is a gift of time that God has given to me, which I can joyfully return to Him in worship and doing good."
Commitment
"Father, I believe that You gave the seventh-day Sabbath to all mankind. I intend to follow Jesus’ example by worshiping and doing good on it."
Answering The Seventh-Day Adventist Doctrine:
| 7th-Day Adventist doctrine is restated, with Bible answers to each point in the boxes below. |
19. The Sabbath
The beneficent Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested on the seventh day and instituted the Sabbath for all people as a memorial of Creation. The fourth commandment of God’s unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest, worship and ministry in harmony with the teaching and practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of delightful communion with God and one another. It is a symbol of our redemption in Christ, a sign of our sanctification, a token of our allegiance, and a foretaste of our eternal future in God’s kingdom. The Sabbath is God’s perpetual sign of His eternal covenant between Him and His people. Joyful observance of this holy time from evening to evening, sunset to sunset, is a celebration of God’s creative and redemptive acts.
The seventh-day Sabbath was given by God to all mankind on the final day of creation week. One of the Ten Commandments, it was faithfully observed by Jesus.
God sanctified the Sabbath during creation week. Genesis 2:1-3
The fact that God "sanctified" the 7th day does not address for what purpose He dedicated it -- that must be learned from other scriptures. The answer if found in Deut. 5:12-15: Israel was commanded to "observe the Sabbath day, "to keep it holy" (sanctify it).....as a memorial of deliverance from Egyptian bondage (v. 15). God also sanctified (dedicate, hallow): All the firstborn (Exo. 13:2; Num. 8:17) OT sacrifices (Exo. 28:27-44) Israel (Exo. 19:10, 14; 31:13) Furniture in tabernacle (Exo. 30:25-29) Levitical priests (Exo. 19:22; 28:41) Solomon’s temple (2 Chrn. 7:16, 20) Mt. Sinai (Exo. 19:23)
God reiterated and perpetuated the Sabbath by including it in the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15.
Neh. 9:13-14; Ezek. 20:12, 20 - God gave Israel the Sabbath commandment at Mt. Sinai -- It was not given to their fathers (predecessors) - Deut. 5:1-4.
God gave the Sabbath to everyone, not just the Jews. Isaiah 56:6-7; Mark 2:27.
| He didn’t give it to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the 12 fathers of Israel - Deut. 5:2-3. |
| He did not give it to the Egyptians - Deut. 5:12-15. |
| He did not give it to the Ashdodites, Ammonites, Moabites & men of Tyre - Neh. 13:1-3, 16-22. |
| He did not give it to the Gentiles - Rom. 9:4; Eph. 2:11-13; Col. 2:13-17. |
He only gave the sabbath to the nation of israel, beginning at Mt. Sinai, and ending with the cross of Christ! (Eph. 2:14-18; Col. 2:14-17) |
| Isa. 56:6-7: Prophetic description of Messianic hope to all (Gentiles, eunuchs) who had kept the covenant of God which included the Sabbath (OT law). |
| Mark 2:27-28: As "Lord of the Sabbath," Jesus had superiority over the Sabbath and the Law which included it -- OT law. The Sabbath was made for man (Israel). (cf. Matt. 15:24) |
God foresaw and predicted that the Sabbath would be especially attacked by His enemies. Daniel 7:25
| God foresaw that the law which contained the Sabbath law would be done away: |
| Jer. 31:31-33 - New covenant not like the one made at Sinai. (Heb. 8:6-13; 10:11-18) |
| 2 Cor. 3:1-6, 7-14 - OT covenant is "done away" in Christ |
| Rom. 7:4, 6 - OT law containing "thou shalt not covet" is abolished so that we may be joined to Christ! |
| It is not an attack to teach about the end of the Sabbath in the same way the prophets and apostles did! |
Jesus set a right example in Sabbath observance. Luke 4:16
| Jesus fulfilled the law (Matt. 5:17-18; Rom. 10:4). |
| He never violated any of God’s law. |
| So, Jesus kept all the Sinaitic law, including the observance of the annual feasts (cf. Passover). |
| Are we to keep the Passover just because Jesus did? (Lk. 22:14-20; 1 Cor. 5:7-8) No. |
| Are we to pay the Jewish temple tax because Jesus did? (Matt. 17:24-27) No. |
| Are we to go into synagogues to read scripture and observe the Sabbath day just because Jesus did? (Luke 4:16-21) No. |
Jesus’ followers kept the Sabbath after He was crucified. Luke 23:55-56
| Yes, because these were Israelites keeping the law which contained the Sabbath law: "And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment." |
| This doesn’t say a word to Gentiles who live under the gospel of Christ! (Matt. 28:18-20) |
The Sabbath lasts from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday. Leviticus 23:32; Mark 1:29-32
| Lev. 23:32: Was the Day of Atonement a part of the "ceremonial law?" Then so was the Sabbath! (Where else do you learn how to determine when it begins and ends?! |
| All this proves is that the Jewish nation reckoned their time according to the law of Moses. |
| Nobody else did (cf. Roman reckoning of time.) |
To properly observe the Sabbath, we should abstain from doing business transactions or anything that might sidetrack us from delighting in the Lord. Nehemiah 13:15-19; Exodus 16:22-30; Isaiah 58:13-14
Matt. 12:5: Do you also have Levitical priests who function according to God’s law on the Sabbath? "They baked and changed the showbread; they performed sabbatical sacrifices (#Nu 28:9), and two lambs were killed on the sabbath in addition to the daily sacrifice. This involved the killing, skinning, and cleaning of the animals, and the building of the fire to consume the sacrifice. They also trimmed the gold lamps, burned incense, and performed various other duties. The profanation of the Sabbath, however, was not real, but merely apparent. And are guiltless. The fourth commandment did not forbid work absolutely, but labor for worldly gain. Activity in the work of God was both allowed and commanded. (McGarvey, The Fourfold Gospel, p. 211-212)
The Sabbath is a sign of our special relationship with God as His redeemed people. Keeping it demonstrates our allegiance to Him and is a sign of His covenant with us. It is a time for communing with God and doing good.
This is a passage Moses was to speak "to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and You throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you.’" (Exo. 31:13) What gives us the right to apply a passage to ourselves which God only applied to Israel?!
Yes, when Israel kept the Sabbath it demonstrated Israel’s allegiance to God, since at Sinai He commanded Israel to keep His Sabbaths (Ezek. 20:10-12, 20) When Israel profaned the Sabbath it showed her rebellion against God (Ezek. 20:13-20).
We are to do good works every day of the week, including the 7th day. (Eph. 2:10; Gal. 6:10; Matt. 7:11-12; 22:39)
The "rest" which remains for the people of God is the heavenly rest of the faithful, Heb. 4:9-11. Nowhere does this passage say the 7th day of the week commemorates spiritual rest in Jesus.
Pure speculation. When Jesus returns it will be to deliver His kingdom up to the Father, not establish His kingdom here on earth! (1 Cor. 15:20-26) As we hear Christ, we are to not let anyone judge us in respect to sabbath day observance. (Matt. 17;3-4; Heb. 1:1-2; Col. 2:15-17)
Personal Application
"If Christians live every day for the Lord, what is special about the Sabbath?"
| Christ has not authorized the 7th day as a special day. (Gal. 5:1-6) |
| The first day of the week was the day when early Christians gathered to worship. (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2) |
"Why did Jesus go to the synagogue every Sabbath?"
| To observe the Sabbath which was given to Israel at Mt. Sinai. (Lk. 4:16-21) |
"
The Sabbath is a gift of time that God has given to me, which I can joyfully return to Him in worship and doing good."| Where is even one Bible passage which teaches that God has given the Sabbath to me? |
| We must not add to or go beyond the revealed word of God! (Gal. 1:8-9; Rev. 22:18-19; 2 Jno. 9) |
Commitment
"Father, I believe that You gave the seventh-day Sabbath to all mankind. I intend to follow Jesus’ example by worshiping and doing good on it."
| Faith comes from hearing God’s word. |
| Where in God’s word does it say that the Father gave the Sabbath to all mankind? It doesn’t! |
| Where in God’s word does it tell us how we should worship God on the Sabbath? It doesn’t! |
| Therefore, whatever one does on the seventh-day Sabbath is not following the word of God, but the word and work of man. |