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The Sabbath, A Memorial Unto the Creator!
Someone has said, "I have a good memory, but an even better
forgettery." In our sinfulness and frailty, we human beings are subject
to forgetting things in the process of time, including the things of
Elohim (God). Psalm 78:39 says He remembered them, but verse 42 says
they remembered not Him. Scripture therefore is filled with many things
that were done or made to be memorials.
The Sabbath was given to mankind at the close of creation by Yahweh
God as a memorial of His creative power (Genesis 2:1-3). That is, He
sovereignly chose it to be the thing whereby man would be linked to God
by a weekly day of rest. And not just any day, but the seventh
day, whereby man's loyalty to his Creator would be tested, and as a
mark of man's sanctification (Exodus 31:13; Ezekiel 20:12). It begins
at sunset on Friday, and ends Saturday evening (Genesis 1:5; Leviticus
23:32).
The Sabbath is not Jewish! The Messiah did not say it
was made for the Jew; He said it was made for MAN! (Mark 2:27) It was
made for man 2000 years before the first Israelite was born! The
Sabbath was observed by the faithful prior to Sinai (Exodus 16:27-30).
The phrase, "son of man" in Isaiah 56:2 , literally reads in
the Hebrew text "the son of Adam." Further proof that God
intended that all men should keep the Sabbath is seen
in verses 6-8 . This passage indicates that Adam enjoyed God's Sabbath
along with his family. Did not the patriarchs need a day so they could
rest just like anyone else, and for worship, too? Who is there that
would say they believe Noah and his family worked on building the ark
seven days a week? No, God did not sanctify the Sabbath for his own
benefit.
The Sabbath was then reiterated by God to Moses as a part of His
moral law, written in stone with His finger, with a specific penalty
imposed for disobedience (Exodus 31:14-15). A very few specific
restrictions were added concerning gathering manna and sticks to kindle
fires, which we observe by ceasing from our usual daily labors, but do
not enforce in the literal sense with penalties (Hebrews 7:12). These
added laws could not give life ( Galatians 3:21). From the law we are
therefore able to learn that Sabbath-keeping itself cannot bring
salvation to anyone.
In the heart of the Ten Commandments we read, "Remember the
Sabbath...." Not something new, for how could they recall what they had
never heard of before? This is a two-fold command for both rest and
work, with an explanation attached. It lets us know that to disparage
it or to observe some other day instead of the seventh, is to move us
away from the only foundation to protect us from the onslaughts of
atheistic, humanistic, evolutionary, thinking in denying the Creator
God.
The Fourth Commandment was NOT changed at Calvary, the resurrection,
or any other time! Nor do we now have "The Nine Commandments," as some
seem to be teaching. (If only nine were perpetual, why were ten graven
in stone?) Under the New Covenant with "separation of Church and
state," the death penalty for Sabbath-breaking (along with blasphemy,
idolatry, adultery, and often even murder, too) is not enforced today.
Nevertheless, the divine penalties are still in force, and will be
meted out to the Romish whore and her Protestant daughters (Revelations
17:5) for adultery with the world, names of blasphemy against Yahweh,
murder of His saints, and for laying impious hands on the Fourth
Commandment, as well! (Ezekiel 22:26, 31).
Why did the Roman Catholic "Church" in the Fall of 1996 officially
endorse evolution? That question can be answered by the day she
observes. Does she observe the seventh-day Sabbath, which is the
memorial of creation? Of course not. At the council of Laodicea in the
mid-360s she actually outlawed obedience to the Fourth Commandment, and
executed Sabbatarians during the Dark Ages! She declares her authority
apart from Scripture to switch the day of rest and worship, to the
first day of the week. That is just like human nature because God said
to work six days and then rest; man wants to take his rest day first
and then work!
The real question, however, is this: Why must the leading
(i.e., mis-leading) Protestant and so-called "radical"
Anabaptist groups follow her treacherous example? As usual, the
mainline churches are out of line with God's Word! They are like
children running away from home, but carrying a picture of their mother
in their pocket!
The Messiah arose on Saturday evening, yet most groups teach an
"Easter" Sunday resurrection and a Good Friday crucifixion, thus
nullifying the sign of the prophet Jonah in Matthew 12:40. That was the
only sign given of the true Messiah! No one but Satan could be the
author of such confusion. Truth is on the scaffold, and wrong is on the
throne. It has been said that truth is so precious that it must be
surrounded by bodyguards of lies.
John 5:18 does not say that the Messiah broke the
Sabbath. He disobeyed the Talmud, but not the Torah! In other words, He
broke only the Pharisees' man-made rules or "by-laws" which they had
added to God's Word. He had no "anti-Sabbath attitude"! He merely
corrected the abuses. Otherwise, how could a lawbreaker have become our
Savior? He would have been a sinner, and unable to save even his own
self! Furthermore, He worked every Sunday and is to be our example -
for the Scriptures command six days of labor, not five, as our popular
culture practices (see Ezekiel 46:1).
Sunday sacredness was nowhere supported or implied by John, Luke or
Paul. The folly of applying the Sabbath law to the first day of the
week was left for a later age. Look at Isaiah 58:13 and Matthew 12:8 to
see what Yahweh's holy day is and of which day He says He is the Lord.
There are at least 64 New Testament references to the Sabbath. Where
did He ever say that that was to change? In fact, from the Savior's own
words, we see that He came for no such purpose, and He warned us
against even thinking such a thing (Matthew 5:17). Note this well: The
first thing recorded in the Bible is work done on Sunday! (Genesis
1:1-5).
Isaiah 66:23 is a prophecy that proves which day God wills for both
Jews and Gentiles to honor Him (see also Matthew 24:20). Exodus
31:13-16 says it is a sign for the children of Israel, but Isaiah 56:6
says it is for Gentile converts who love God also. One example of that
is the Church at Antioch in Acts 13:42-44 . Why is there no "change"
spoken of here to these Gentiles? Obviously the next day was Sunday.
Wouldn't that seem like a convenient time for Paul to instruct these
Gentiles to keep Sunday (which the Baal-worshipping heathens were
already doing!) and to come back the next day to hear him preach? But
Paul told the Gentile converts to follow him as he followed the
Messiah. Paul's manner (Acts 17:2) was the same as the Messiah's custom
(Luke 4:16), and he waited until the next Sabbath to come back.
Revelations 1:10 depicts the Sabbath in particular as a day for the
blessing of spiritual revelation. Many have testified of the physical,
mental, and spiritual benefits, which they have reaped from heeding
Yahweh's command in this area.
Making "the LORD's day" to be Sunday is a bald-faced lie, firmly
established by the dictate of the Roman emperor in A.D 321. It comes
branded with the mark of paganism, and christened with the name of the
sun-god, then adopted and sanctified by the Papal apostasy and
bequeathed as a sacred legacy to Protestantism (Jeremiah 16:19). The
Reformation could have broken the back of the Catholic system had they
followed through in this area at that time.
Hebrews 4:9 tells us the Sabbath rest is one safeguard against
unbelief. Yes, mankind does seem to need help to be able to believe
God! Even those Bible believers who are most zealous for the cause of a
literal creation week will continue to unwittingly aid the causes of
Romanism and Darwinism by upholding their long-cherished tradition.
They claim that Sunday is in honor of the resurrection, yet we have
already proven this to be a fallacy. Paul did not agree with that
either, for he said the symbol of the resurrection is not a day of the
week, but according to Romans 6:4 , it is water baptism when properly
administered.
The Pharisees added to God's Word, and the Pope takes away.
They are both on the devil's team! Paul forbids us from being
"spoiled" (robbed) by men's traditions (Colossians 2:8, 16, 18, 22).
Yet Rome must have the rule over them for they have obeyed the
commandment of the emperor Constantine in accepting a counterfeit,
forwarded the cause by upholding blue laws, and dishonor their Creator
by trampling His Sabbaths underfoot! This is the very reason world
judgment is about to happen again: "The earth is defiled . . . because
they have changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant" (see
Isa 24:1-6). Yahweh has no regard for obedience to human precepts,
which do violence to His truth. Let us take heed that it be not said of
us as it was of those religionists of old.
"In vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments
of men" (Mark 7:7). Salvation is promised only to those who will to do
His will, for "love" without commandment-keeping and obedience is no
love at all (Hebrews 5:9; Revelations 14:12, 22:14; Matthew 7:21,
22:37).
REVELATIONS 18:4-5 , "COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE. THAT YE BE NOT
PARTAKERS OF HER SINS. AND THAT YE RECEIVE NOT OF HER PLAGUES. FOR HER
SINS HAVE REACHED (reeked!) UNTO HEAVEN. . . " (NOTE - This is a
reference to the tower of Babel).
It's Jewish
When we present God's holy law,
And arguments from scripture draw,
Objectors say, to pick a flaw,
'It's Jewish'.
Though at the first Jehovah blessed
And sanctified His day of rest,
The same belief is still expressed,
'It's Jewish'.
Though with the world this rest began,
And thence through all Scriptures ran,
And Jesus said 'twas made for man' -
'It's Jewish'.
Though not with Jewish rites, which passed,
But with the moral law 'twas classed,
Which must exist while time shall last, 'It's Jewish'.
If from the Bible we present
The Sabbath's meaning and intent,
This answers every argument - 'It's Jewish'.
Though the disciples, Luke and Paul,
Continue still this rest to call
The 'Sabbath day', this answers all,
'It's Jewish'.
The gospel teacher's plain expression,
That "Sin is of the law transgression,"
Seems not to make the least impression -
'It's Jewish'.
They love the rest of man's invention,
But if Jehovah's day we mention,
This puts an end to all contention,
'It's Jewish'.
O ye who thus God's day abuse,
Simply because 'twas kept by Jews,
The Saviour, too, you must refuse,
'He's Jewish'.
The Scriptures, then, we may expect
For the same reason you'll reject;
For if you will but recollect,
'They're Jewish'.
Thus the apostles, too, must fall;
For Andrew, Peter, James, and Paul,
Thomas, Matthew, John, and all
'Were Jewish'.
So to your helpless state resign
Yourself in wretchedness to pine;
Salvation, surely you'll decline,
'It's Jewish'.
-- Anonymous
HalleluYaH!
For more free information about Yalweh's holy name, the Sabbath,
or other subjects, write:
Les Rinehart
P.O. Box 1255
Buffalo, MO 65622
E-Mail: tracts@juno.com
Permission is given and you are encouraged to reproduce this complete,
unedited pamphlet, provided it is not sold.
Compliments of:
The Bible Sabbath Association
802 N.W. 21st Ave. Battleground, WA 98604
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