Ezek 20:10 Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.
11 And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.
12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.
13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.
14 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.
15 Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;
16 Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.
17 Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.
18 But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:
19 I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them;
20 And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.
To whom is He speaking? Who went forth out of Egypt? (Verse 10)
I. Before the Law was given at Sinai, men received injunctions against murder, stealing, idolatry, adultery and Abraham, at least paid tithes, but not one time did God command men to observe His special day ( Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.) nor is there even one reference to any one doing so.
Even if it had been in force before the law, it would still prove nothing, for animal sacrifices were before the law. Shall we count every thing before Sinai as binding?
II. The keeping of the Sabbath received the force of law in the ten commandments and is specifically mentioned as being done away.
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
III After the law (If ye love me, keep my commandments)
There are commands concerning murder, theft, idolatry, adultery, and giving, but nowhere a command to observe the Sabbath.
A. In the things expected of the gentile churches, it is conspicuously absent.
Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
B. In the sermon on the mount in the 5th chapter of Matthew, (too long to insert here) Jesus iterates most of the law of Moses under His new covenant, even making them stronger, (whosoever hateth his brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever looks on a woman to lust has committed adultery in his heart; swear not at all ) but again, the sabbath is never mentioned.
C. There IS a command and an example of meeting on the first day of the week.
I Cor. 16:2 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.
Acts 20:7 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.
IV. God said HE WOULD DO AWAY with the Sabbaths
Hosea 2:11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.
Paul said He did it through Jesus Christ. To attempt to bring back that which Christ took out of the way, is to make His death of no effect.
Rom 4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
V. Some false conceptions concerning the Sabbath and the first day of the week.
1. Some say the name of the day makes it wrong because SUNday makes it dedicated to the Sun God.
Answer: Monday honors the MOON
Tuesday –is TIW’s day. He was the German God of war and the sky
Wednesday is WODEN’s day
Thursday is THOR’s day
Friday is FRIDA’s day
Saturday was SATURN’s day and was dedicated to the orgy of the Saturnalia and was the most demonic of all days.
All these were named by men and have nothing to do with God’s desires for his people. Perhaps this is why He numbered the days instead of naming them.
2. Some have said ”To change the Sabbath is to trifle with God’s Law”
Answer; It would indeed! But to hang on to it after God has said it is done away in Christ, is open rebellion”
Col.2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ
3. Some have claimed Sunday worship was instituted by the church of Rome.
Answer; How could they have ‘instituted’ something that had been in practice since the days of the Apostles?
Acts 20:7 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.
I Cor 16:2 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.
VI How did Israel observe the Sabbath?
A. They stayed at home.
Ex 16:29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
B. They kindled no fire
Exo 35:3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.
Conclusion: Like circumcision, the Sabbath was part of a covenant between God and Israel, and any man who attempts to keep it in order to find salvation or grace, (nothing wrong with taking a day of rest, as a matter of fact, it is a good idea) takes himself out of the realm of grace and becomes a debtor to do the whole law. It was a SHADOW of things to come; the BODY (making the shadow) is of Christ. (Again see Col 2:17)
The Sabbath was a SHADOW of the rest which we have in Christ.
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.