You are welcome to another edition of Insights from Gods Word, a Bible study programme that is commited to sharing Gods Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself. My dear friends, i greet you in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Today, i want us to consider the question: Which day is the Bible Sabbath? Friends, by the grace of God, we have established from Scripture that, the Ten Commandments, which include the Seventh - day sabbath, is still relevant and binding upon Gods people. (Rev. 14:12, Rev. 12:17, James 2:8-12) But one question that i believe many of our readers will want to find answers to is this: Which day is the Bible Sabbath? Friends, the Bible gives an explicit answer to this question. In the book of Exodus, we read the following: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God... (Exodus 20:10) Clearly, the Bible establishes the Seventh day as the sabbath. In the first chapter of Genesis, we read the account of the creation of our world. In this account, we realize clearly that God used six literal days to create our world. He however rested on the Seventh day, blessing and setting the day apart for holy use. (Genesis 2:1-3) God did not give any name or label for the days He has created, other than referring to them as first day, second day, third day, fourth day, fifth day, sixth day and the seventh day in their sequence, according to the order of things He created in our world. Throughout the Scripture, this sequence of days is what has been used by patriachs, prophets and apostles. But a very important question that arises with regard to our study today is this: How sure do we know which day is the Seventh-day when all seven days in the week are labelled with diverse names in the various languages of our world today? Friends, there are so many things that can easily deceive us, with respect to our reckoning of days in the seven day weekly cycle. One such thing is the Calender. Some calenders today, may begin reckoning the sequence of days with Sunday as the first day, and Saturday as the Seventh day or last day of the week. Others may begin with Monday as the first day and Sunday as the Seventh day? An important question that arises is this: Which of these two reckoning of days should we accept. The answer is quite simple. We cannot base our reckoning of days on something less authoritative as a calender. If we want to find out the true names that correspond with the biblical reckoning of days, then we must check out for something that is more authoritative. One of such authoritative accounts can be an approved scholarly dictionary or encyclopaedia. When we check from such approved sources, the overriding evidence from the scholarly world is that the Seventh day is our Saturday in the English language. From the widely read Wikipeadia, Saturday is defined as the day of the week following Friday and preceding Sunday. Saturday is the seventh and therefore last day of the week... But friends, even though the dictionaries and encyclopaedias may be authoritative, as Bible students, we need to check whether the Bible will give us some supporting proof or otherwise of what we are getting from our scholars. Beloved, two events in Scripture, from which we can easily gain wonderful insights regarding our study today, is the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Lukes account of this event, we read the following concerning the death and resurrection of Christ: And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee. (Luke 23:50-56; - Luke 24:1-6) Friends, this account of the death and resurrection of Jesus, gives us amazing details about the fact that our Saturday is actually the Seventh-day sabbath in Scripture. In the texts we just considered from Luke 23 and 24, we gain these insights: 1. In Luke 23:54, we learn that the day Christ died is the preparation day and the sabbath drew on. Friends, this day is termed preparation day because the people of God had to prepare themselves for the upcoming Sabbath day. This preparation day is what is popularly known in christendom as Good Friday. It was the day our Lord died on the cross, paying the penalty of our transgression against the Law of God. 2. After mentioning the preparation day, Luke 23:54 continues to say that: and the sabbath drew on. Friends, this phrase clearly establishes the fact that the sabbath day was the day just after the preparation day or Good Friday, if you wish. We are told by Luke that the women who followed after Joseph to see the sepulchre, rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. (Luke 23:56) This day of rest which immediately follows Good Friday is known as Holy Saturday in christendom. Believers in Christ recognize that during this day, our Saviour had a peaceful rest in Josephs new tomb. 3. When we begin reading verse 1 of Luke chapter 24, clear words that fly out of the page unto us are these: Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. (Luke 24:1) Beloved, the words i want to emphasize here are: Now upon the first day of the week Friends, this first day was such a beautiful day. It was the day our Saviour resurrected from Josephs tomb, showing Himself victorious over the grave. He is thus able to promise all those who will believe in Him a similar resurrection, and eternal life in a world made new. (John 11:25-26) Beloved, this first day of the week in which our Saviour resurrected is popularly referred to as Easter Sunday in christendom. Now, i believe your own mind will do the rest of the logical reasoning. If Christ resurrected on the first day of the week, which is Easter Sunday; then it follows that Sunday cannot be the Seventh-day in Scripture. As i have explained earlier, the Seventh-day is the day that followed after the preparation day, whereon our Saviour rested in Josephs new tomb; and according to our analysis above, that day can only refer to Saturday. Friends, in about 108 languages of the world, the name for the seventh day is Sabbath. I believe this is not just a coincidence, but an amazing fact. Despite these irrefutable proofs that the Seventh-day sabbath is Saturday, and must be thus honored, others will still want to justify their keeping of Sunday, using some first day Bible references in the New Testament. Friends there is no hint in the whole of the Bible, to suggest a change of Gods holy Sabbath day, from the Seventh-day (Saturday) to the first day (Sunday). Beloved, the New Testament mentions the first day of the week only eight times. Six of these eight references of the first day give account of the glorious resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. (Mat. 28:1, Mark 16:2, Mark 16:9, Luke 24:1, John 20:1, John 20:19) Contrary to what some people refer to as the first Sunday worship service by the disciples in John 20:19, the Bible actually make it plain in the text, that the disciples had gathered that Sunday evening for fear of the Jews. They entertained fears that the fate of their beloved Master, might soon be their portion. Moreover, Dear friend, there is nowhere in the New Testament where Christ told His disciples that they can worship on Sunday in honour of His resurrection. In Acts 20:7, we encounter another first day Bible reference. The text reads: And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7) Friends, there is no hint in this text to suggest a change of Gods holy day from the seventh day to the first. The Bible rather makes it clear that the disciples had gathered to break bread. As the disciples ate, Paul took that opportunity to give them exhortations and encouraged them in the Lord. (Acts 20:11) This breaking of bread among the disciples was usual practice of eating together, which also took place on other days of the week. (Acts 2:46) The last first day reference in the New Testament, is found in 1Corinthians 16:2. We read the entire context in verses one to three of chapter sixteen, the following: Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. Friends, the facts in these verses are very clear. Paul was asking these believers in Corinth to also do their part individually, to assist their poor brethren in Jerusalem. In fact, the text does not even suggest a public worship or gathering (1Cor. 16:2) , so as to even warrant a discussion of whether the gathering took place on the first day of the week or not. In the book of Romans, we come accross the account of certain brethren, who sent a similar contribution to relieve the poor saints at Jerusalem through the apostle Paul. The account reads: But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. (Romans 15:25-26) My dear friends, the facts are clear. The issue in 1Corinthians 16:1-3 has nothing to do with a change of the Sabbath day from the Seventh day to the first. Now, If this is the truth as the Scripture has proven, then the million dollar question that follows naturally is this: If the Bible does not teach that Gods holy Sabbath day has been changed from the Seventh day to the first day, then why is it that the majority of Christians in our world today, worship on Sunday; the first day of the week; instead of Saturday, the true Sabbath? We will take our time to answer this question in detail when we begin our series on Daniel and Revelation. However, i dont want to leave you thinking throughout the night about the endless possible answers that may race through your mind. Friends, the change of the Sabbath time, from Saturday to Sunday, was done by the Roman Catholic church. And beloved, this is something the Catholic church has always been proud of. Lets check out one clear qoute from a Catholic source: Perhaps the boldest thing, the most revolutionary change the church ever did happened in the first century. The holy day, the Sabbath, was changed from Saturday to Sunday... not from any directions noted in the Scriptures, but from the churches sense of its own power. People who think that the Scriptures should be the sole authority should logically become Seventh - day Adventists, and keep Saturday holy - St. Catherine Catholic Church Sentinel. In our subsequent study, which happens to be the last in our series on the Sabbath, we will be considering from the light of Gods Word, the question: How do we observe the Seventh-day sabbath according to the Bible? Exhortation: Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. (Revelation 14:12) Have a blessed day and keep shining for King Jesus. Maranatha!!! You can insert your Bible questions, or prayer requests through our whatsapp number (+233243105287) or the comments section on facebook, so we can work on them at Insights from Gods Word. From: Samuel Nyarko Speaker/Director, White Throne Media
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 14:32:21 +0000
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