Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Leviticus 23:32 "It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Leviticus 23:32 "It is to be to you a Sabbath of complete rest, and you shall humble yourselves. On the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening you shall keep your Sabbath." |
Subject: Is The Sabbath On Sunday Or Saturday? |
Bible Note: Do I keep one day separate unto Him? Well, yes and no. That is to say, I worship God in His house (AKA Church) on Sunday. BUT – I also worship Him in church on Wednesday and Friday nights. I go soul-winning on Saturdays. I attend other functions and Bible Studies at various times and days during the week. So yes, I separate days unto Him, but no – not just one. They are ALL His. The supporting scripture given of the Day of Rest (Ex 16:28 and Ex 20:8) are both wonderful verses to be sure. True, the practice of honoring God with a day of rest was implemented before the Law was given, and greatly defined after the law was given. However, in both instances, this is addressing a people BEFORE the Cross of Calvary. Do we still honor the Sabbath and keep it holy? Sure we do. Or, I pray we do. Does it then really matter what calendar day we join together to honor and worship God? I’d like to think the calendar day is not nearly as significant as some seem bent on stressing. Why? First and foremost, because of the Cross of Jesus Christ. When Jesus said, It is finished, (John 19:30) He meant His purpose for coming was complete. Jesus Christ fulfilled the law (Matt 5:17), and set us free – those who believe by faith and receive Him. Jesus fulfilled ALL of the law, and by His perfect blood, we now have a new covenant. So, why is there striving and disputing over the law – which Jesus Christ fulfilled – when Titus 3:9 tells us such striving is UNprofitable and useless? 1 Tim 6:20 instructs us to AVOID such contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge. (Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.) How does bickering over Saturday or Sunday glorify God? A house divided cannot stand. Holy day or holiday? For our own pleasure, or His? These are great questions, and the root of which reveals much. The Isaiah 58:13-14 scripture is wonderful. I love those verses. Delighting yourself in the LORD as V.14 tells us is the key we can carry on AFTER the Cross of Christ. (Bearing in mind He fulfilled and freed us from the law.) Psalm 37:4 and 7, Psalm 40:8, and Matt 6:33 are verses which speak to delighting yourself in the LORD and putting His pleasure ahead of our own, and resting in the LORD. In seeking first the kingdom; in delighting yourself in the LORD and His word – we do two things. First, we respond to His initiations in His word, which is what delighting means. And this leads to the second thing – and that is the submission that reveals that doing His will becomes our will and our pleasure. We find His rest there. It’s a beautiful thing, and beautiful place to be – when we delight in His word and His will, and rest in Him. This of course speaks to the vertical relationship with the Living, reigning Son of God – not merely a religious practice for two hours per week that profits nothing. By way of example, Jesus Himself INTENTIONALLY healed people on the Sabbath multiple times. Was Jesus dishonoring the Sabbath, or making a bigger point? The Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28) was making a point to the religious legalists – who knew the law and were filled with knowledge, but were FAR from God’s heart of grace and love. Point being, if your heart is hardened and you are self-centered and prideful, it doesn’t matter if you remember the Sabbath by attending services every day, OR which DAY you remember. God isn’t fooled by it, and men probably see through the show as well. Notice how many times through out the book of Acts that the first Christians gathered to worship God and study His word. On the Sabbath, as was their custom? Yes – and that’s likely why and how such tradition carries on 2,000 years later, BUT other times as well. Daily even. They were not limited to or by the old letter of the law with their worshipping God. Nor should we be. Matt 11:28-30 speaks to the true rest that only Jesus Christ provides. This rest is not limited to or by parameters of man’s temporal calendar. Hebrews 3:11 speaks to the promise of rest God gave His people, and because they were disobedient and hard-hearted, they DID NOT enter into His rest. Hebrews 4 carries on further, explaining that the promise of God’s rest is achieved by FAITH – not by works or legalism. The obedient children were permitted to enter into the land of promise (Canaan) and Joshua led them according to God’s plan, and they found rest. Today, thanks to the Cross of Jesus, believers are born-again INTO the land of promise and rest (Heb 4:9-10). There are no works, there are no hurdles – by faith we receive this, thanks to the Cross of Christ – the Lord of the Sabbath – in whom we have rest, every single day. The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Mark 2:27. Worship God in Spirit and truth. (Every day.) Abounding in His grace, XRing |