THE LORD`S DAY

By Fransisco Msonge (MD), 2024.

CONTENT

Introduction
The Lord`s day
Sabbath day in the new earth
Rest to the people of God
Types of Sabbath days
Resurrection Sunday
Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

Despite the fact that the Lord`s Day is so clearly defined in the Holy Scriptures, the question of which day is the Lord`s Day remains controversial and a mystery to most Christians and humanity. It should be noted that the topic and discussion about the Lord`s Day is not only about the “day.” Yes, it is not only about which day you worship but also which God you worship. The Lord`s Day is a fundamental doctrine and a moral standard for God the Creator; all humanity are to remember it as a hallowed and blessed day of worship.

Therefore, we can rephrase the question of which day is the Lord’s Day as “Which God do you worship?” This question categorizes all humanity into only two classes represented by two biblical examples: one, Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1–16), and second, the two thieves on Jesus Christ’s sides at Calvary Cross (Isaiah 53:12, Matthew 27:38–40, Mark 15:27–32). Yes, there only two classes in the world today, and only two classes will be recognized in the judgment those who violate God’s law and those who obey it.

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we are told to worship our God every time and every day of our lives. Surely, Monday is not superior to Tuesday, Saturday is not superior to Sunday, and all days are equal before God (Romans 14:4–5). But after all our daily reverence to God in seven days of the week, God has set aside a specific day for spiritual rest and worship, the Lord`s Day, the day that belongs to Him.

The focus of this religious article is to give a clear biblical definition of the Lord`s Day. So we will discuss various Bible verses in context and in detail and define the phrase “the Lord`s Day” as per the scriptures.

2. THE LORD`S DAY

God owns the entire world and its substance. “The earth is the LORD`s, and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1). God gives us possessions (Psalm 75:6-7; Ecclesiastes 5:19) and He requires only ten percentages (10%) of it as a tithe to him (Leviticus 27:30, Number 18:26, 2 Chronicles 31:5, Genesis 14:20, 28:22, and Matthew 23:23). Tithing teaches us to put God first in our lives (Deuteronomy 14:23); it reminds us that God is our Creator and a supplier of everything we have. We are not to glorify what God has given us, but glorify Him (Jeremiah 9:23–24).

Tithe is the LORD’s money (Leviticus 27:30); tithe belongs to God. Everything we have belongs to God, and we are stewards of His goods. (Matthew 22:21). Paying tithes is something every Christian ought to do. (Matthew 23:23, Malachi 3:8). Just like tithe, all seven days are equal to God; all seven days belong to him, but one day is made special to him to honour him as our Creator, and it’s called the Lord`s Day.

From the creation of the world, God gave us seven days—six out of seven days—to labor and do all our work. One day out of seven He set for him—a day of rest, a day to honour him, a sanctified and blessed day—this is what makes the seventh day Sabbath a unique and special day. That is why the issue of Lord`s Day is not only about the day but also which God you worship.

The world teaches that the phrase “The Lord`s Day” found in Revelation 1:10 signifies and designates Sunday, the first day of the week, as a Christian day of worship, hence the Christian Sunday observance. Unfortunately, this teaching is unbiblical; the passages in (Revelation 1:10) don’t say the Lord`s Day is the first day of the week—Sunday; the passage doesn`t mention anything associated with Sunday worship or observance.

It is further taught that to the Christian, Sunday was a memorial of Christ`s resurrection, a weekly reminder of the work of Christ and His redemption from the bondage of sin. Surely Jesus Christ redeemed us through his blood at Calvary cross (Hebrew 9:14, 28). But the question can be asked: where in the holy scriptures is it stated or even alluded that Christ`s Sunday resurrection should be celebrated, remembered, and honoured as a Sabbath rest? The answer is obvious: no.

If the change from Saturday to Sunday was biblical and ever happened biblically, this would be the most important change in the entire holy Bible, and it would be clearly documented by Jesus Christ himself and the apostles. Instead, what we have are our own human assumptions, because the doctrine of Christian Sunday observance as the Lord`s Day is unbiblical and cannot be proved with the Holy Bible.

Throughout this article, you will discover that the scriptures can’t prove Christian Sunday observance; hence, believers, theologians, and worldly scholars find their evidence of Sunday keeping from traditions and several worldly fathers and writers.

For example Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth; Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons; Clement of Alexandria; Tertullian of Carthage; Origen of Alexandria; Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage; Peter, Bishop of Alexandria; Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea; Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria; Epiphanius, Bishop of Constantia; Augustine, Bishop of Hippo; and many more of the so-called fathers, bishops, and writers from Roman provinces, and from various gnostic schools and centers such as Alexandria-Egypt.

Jesus Christ never worshipped on the first day of the week (read Luke 4:16) and there is nothing in the scripture that says He made it his day and a Sabbath rest. Here we will analyze and discuss four (4) different Bible passages that all together define and give the biblical meaning of the phrase “The Lord`s Day” in Revelation 1:10.

I. John’s vision at Patmos

Most world scholars conclude that the phrase “The Lord`s Day” in Revelation 1:10 refers to the first day of the week (Sunday), the so-called Christian Sunday. It’s even more emphasized that John became an example for all those who, in succeeding generations, kept the Lord`s Day as the day of the week sacred to the memory of the resurrected Jesus Christ. It is so sad that this doctrine is not true. All that is taught is assumptions and traditions of men extracted from paganism.

Revelation 1: 10 (KJV)

“ I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet”

Important biblical points from Revelation 1:10

1. Rev. 1:10: Do not say Sunday is the Lord`s Day.
2. No supportive biblical passages that define the Lord`s Day as Sunday.
3. Rev. 1:10: Do not say the Lord`s Day is Christ`s resurrection day
4. No supportive biblical passages that define the Lord’s Day as Christ`s resurrection day
5. Rev. 1:10: Do not say the Lord`s Day is the day Jesus appeared to his disciples.
6. The Lord`s Day (Rev. 1:10) should be distinguished from “the day of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:12, 13:6, Ezekiel 13:5, 30:3, Malachi 4:5, Act 2:20, 1 Corinthians 5:5, and 1 Thessa. 5:2).
7. This is a great and dreadful day of the Lord (Zeph. 1:7, 14). A day of eternal life and death (Joel 2:30–32, Malachi 4:1, John 5:27–29, Rev. 22:12, Rev. 20:6). It refers to the great day of Jesus Christ’s second coming as King of Kings, our Saviour, and deliverer.

The biblical analysis of Rev. 1:10 (KJV) gives us four main, important observations.

First, we have the apostle John, the Revelator.
Second, we have the Holy Spirit, in spirit (a spiritual scene).
Third, we have the Lord, Jesus Christ, our Creator.
Fourth, we have the Lord’s Day: Not specified

From this account and description, we have the Lord, who is Jesus Christ (John 13:13–14, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Romans 10:9–13, 1 Corinthians 1:2). This Lord Jesus Christ has a day, a day for him, a day belonging to him; it was on this day when the revelator was in spirit and had a vision about the seven churches (Rev. 1:9–11).

The apostle John doesn`t elaborate on the meaning of the Lord`s Day, and we should not make assumptions on this very important biblical matter. We are not to use any extra-biblical books or knowledge to define the phrase the Lord`s Day. The Bible has many other parallel and supportive bible verses, both in the Old and New Testaments, that define clearly and give meaning to the phrase Lord`s Day. Let us continue reading.

II. God`s fourth commandments

Moral law: The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3–17) relate to justice and judgment; the moral laws are based on God`s holy nature and love (1 John 4:7–12, 16). They are unchanging just as God is immutable (Malachi 3:6, Psalm 33:1, James 1:17, and Samuel 15:29). God`s law of love are biblically divided into two groups: one, the first four commandments pertain to our love and relationship with God; second, the last six commandments pertain to our love and relationships with our neighbours (Matthew 22:36–40).

The seventh day Sabbath has existed since Eden; it was kept during the old and new Testaments. Jesus and the apostles kept the seventh day sabbath during the New Testament (Luke 4:16, Acts 17:1–3, Hebrews 4:9–10). Believers and all Brethren kept the seventh day Sabbath during the New Testament (Luke 23:52–24:2). It was customary for Jesus Christ to observe the seventh-day Sabbath. (Luke 4:14–16, 30-32). It was Paul`s custom to keep the seventh day sabbath (Acts 17:1–3). God`s moral law are called “God`s law of love“.

Exodus 20: 8-11(KJV)

8. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9. Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10. but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.
11. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Reading from God`s moral law, specifically the fourth commandments (Exodus 20: 8-11) we get parallel passages and supportive verses to define the phrase the Lord`s Day

Seven important biblical points from Exodus 20: 8-11

1.We are to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy
2.We are to labour and do all our work in six day of the week
3.We are to rest on the seventh day of the week
4.The seventh day of the week is called the Sabbath day
5.The seventh day – Sabbath is the Lord` s Day- Exodus 20:10.
6.The Lord is our Creator, he made everything in six day of the week
7.The Lord our Creator, rested, blessed and hallowed the seventh day-Sabbath his holy day.

Hebrews 4:4 (KJV)

“For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works”.

Revelation 1:10 says John was in spirit in the Lord`s Day, a day for the Lord, a day belonging to the Lord and this Lord is Jesus Christ. Exodus 20: 8-11 identify Jesus Christ as our Lord and our Creator, it identify Jesus Christ with a day, a day of the Lord God, a day belonging to him and this day is clearly called the Seventh day of the week and the Sabbath day.

III. The Lord`s holy day

My brethren, we need to study more carefully the 58 chapter of Isaiah. This chapter marks out the only course that we can follow with safety. The prophet receives this word from the Lord—a message startling in its clearness and force. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” (Isaiah 58:1 KJV).

Though they are called the people of God, the house of Jacob, though they profess to be linked with God in obedience and fellowship, they are far from Him. Wonderful privileges and promises have been given to them, but they have betrayed their trust. With no words of flattery must the message be given them. Just like us today the people of God were supposed to do reconciliation and reformation, they were to remember God-their father, keep his commandment and seventh-day Sabbath.

Isaiah 58:13-14 (KJV)

13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Just like Exodus 20:8-11, a biblical analysis of Isaiah 58:13 confirm and gives a clear definition of Lord`s Day in Revelation 1;10. Here are five important scriptural points from Isaiah 58:13

1.The Lord in Isaiah 58: 13 has his day
2.The Lord calls his day “My holy day”
3.The Lord`s holy day is called “Sabbath”
4.We are to honour our Lord on his day
5. The Lord`s Day is honourable and we not do our own pressure or do our own ways on God`s holy day.

It’s obvious that both Revelation 1:10, Exodus 20:8–11, and Isaiah 58:13 speak the same biblical language. Rev. 1:10 speaks of the Lord`s Day; Exodus says the seventh day—Sabbath—is of the Lord our God, while in Isaiah 58:13, the Lord has his holy day, and this honorable day of the Lord is called Sabbath. This is a clear biblical definition of the phrase the Lord`s Day in Rev. 1:10. The Lord`s Day: is the seventh day-Sabbath, a blessed and hallowed day to honour our Lord God, the Creator (Revelation 1; 10; Exodus 20:8–11; Isaiah 58:13; Matthew 12:8).

IV. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath

The Pharisees were especially concerned with the correct observance of the law. Further bible study of Matthew 12, shows that the controversies over Sabbath observance was not whether the Sabbath day should be kept or not, but how should it be kept and because of this Pharisees added many traditions, but these Pharisaic traditions actually hindered rather than helping to be obedience to God-by following his moral law-including the seventh day-Sabbath.

Matthew’s note that the disciples were hungry, and he makes the connection with the hunger of David and his men to which Jesus referred in order to demonstrate that eating to sustain life does not infringe on the holiness of the Sabbath, just as the eating of showbread by David and his men did not compromise the temple’s holiness (1 Sam 21:1–6).

Although harvesting was forbidden on the Sabbath (Exodus 34:21, 31:15; 35:2), the civil laws of Israel provided for satisfying one’s hunger by picking grapes or plucking heads of grain, but the quantity was limited to what one could eat at the time (Deut 23:25). So this was not harvesting—not “works” as such—and therefore could not be considered a Sabbath violation. The disciples were “guiltless” (Matt 12:7) and the Pharisees should have known that.

The ceremonial law specified that the showbread was only to be eaten by priests (Exod 29:32; Lev 8:31). The bread itself was holy (1 Sam 21:4)—not common, despite David’s rationalization to the contrary (1 Sam 21:5) — which is why it was to be eaten in a holy place (Lev 24:9). But physical sustenance is also necessary and need not conflict with the priestly obligation to preserve the holiness of the temple, as Ahimelech, the high priest, recognized.

Jesus’ assertion in Matthew 12:5 that the priests “profane” the Sabbath is based on the fact that they had more work on Sabbath day, not less. One example of these extra-priestly duties carried out on Sabbath day was on the table of showbread; the showbreads were removed and placed every Sabbath (Lev 24:8). When the bread was removed every Sabbath to be replaced by fresh loaves, the frankincense was burned upon the altar as a memorial before God. In addition, they circumcise infants on the eighth day regardless of whether it falls on a Sabbath or not (Lev 12:3; John 7:22-24).

Thus the priests treated the Sabbath in the same way as other days for the purpose of circumcision, and treated it even more important and honour for the purpose of worship on the seventh day Sabbath. Jesus in no way suggests that by doing such work they break the Sabbath, as many translations claim (e.g., Christian Standard Bible (CSB), Good News Translation (GNT), New American Standard Bible-1995 (NASB95), Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition(DRA), and New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Similarly, the work of preaching and kingdom ministry by Jesus and the disciples had to be carried forward every day, and especially on Sabbath. Reconnecting people with God points to the original purpose of the sanctuary (Exod 25:8) and of the Sabbath itself as God’s Edenic gift to humanity (Genesis 2:1–3; Exodus 20:8–11).

Pharisees did not know that present among them (Matt 12:6) was something (the gospel of the kingdom) and someone greater than the temple (Matt 12:6, John 1:14) than Jonah (Matt 12:41), whose glory would exceed that of Solomon’s Temple (Matt 12:42, Hag 2:7-9)—but their cultural and religious prejudices blinded their eyes (Isaiah 29:9–13).

In Matthew 12: 7, Jesus’ quotation of Hosea 6:6 (KJV) “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings” points to the similarity between Pharisaic legalism and the pretended holiness of Israel and Judah: in both cases a true knowledge of God was missing, which would understand that divine love and compassion is the source of life from which faithfulness springs.

At the centre of these incidents is Jesus’ own statement of His relation to the Sabbath. He says the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath, since He is Lord—that is, the God of the Old Testament (Matthew 1:20, 22, 24; 2:13, 15, 19; 3:3; 4:7, 10; 5:33), He is the Lawgiver (Isaiah 33:22) and the One best able to interpret and apply the law

Matthew 12:8 (KJV)

For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Mark 2:28 (KJV)

Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Important biblical facts form Matthew 12: 8 and Mark 2: 27-28.

1.The Son of man (Jesus Christ) is Lord even of the Sabbath day
2.The Son of man being the Lord of the Sabbath is not in the sense of abolishing the Sabbath day but to confirm it (Matthew 5: 17-18).
3.The Sabbath was made for MAN and not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2: 27-28)
4.The Lord of Sabbath means to own it, to interpret and preside over it
5.Pharisees traditions had made the Sabbath day a burden to God`s children
6.Jesus Christ, the law-giver was to correct, remove all traditions of men and put the Sabbath day to its biblical-moral standard.

The passages of Matthew 12: 8 and Mark 2: 27-28 points to Jesus Christ relationship to the Sabbath day. And it said “He is Lord of the Sabbath day”: He own the Sabbath day, His the law-giver and preside over the manner of its observance. Both Rev.1: 10, Ex. 20:8-11, and Isaiah 58:13 define the Lord`s Day as the seventh day-Sabbath and Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath day –Matthew 12:8.

The Lord`s Day:

Is the seventh day-Sabbath, a blessed and hallowed day to honour our Lord God, the Creator (Revelation 1; 10; Exodus 20:8–11; Isaiah 58:13; Matthew 12:8).

3. SABBATH DAY IN THE NEW EARTH

Isaiah 66; 22-23 (KJV)

22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.

Throughout his book, Isaiah calls God’s people to repentance for their severe backsliding and prophesies concerning a new beginning. Isaiah 65–66 concludes the prophet’s long series of divine warnings and prophecies of restoration with a description of the ultimate restoration in the new earth. In this passage, God seems weary of the struggle with His people. He seems to be openly grieving the loss of what once was, while at the same time promising and eagerly anticipating its ultimate restoration

This is the first place in the Bible where God formally announces and begins to describe the new heavens and the new earth, which are yet to come. And He does so with descriptions that parallel Genesis 1-2’s description of conditions in Eden. What most world theologians and scholars don`t know is that Isaiah 65–66 has its parallelism and fulfilment in Revelation 21–22. Notice the following parallels with the description of the new heavens and the new earth given in both Revelation 21–22 and Isaiah 65–66.

Description of the New heavens and new earth in Isaiah 65-66 and Revelation 21-22.

Clearly, John’s description of the new heavens and new earth borrows the very language and description used for the new heavens and new earth described in Isaiah 65–66. Prophet Isaiah is the only Old Testament (OT) prophet to use the term “new heavens and earth”—a term harking back to creation (Gen 1:1) and picked up in the New Testament (NT) by Peter (2 Pet 3:13) and John (Rev 21:1).

Peter, in referring to the ‘new heavens and new earth’, seems to explicitly link this reference to Isaiah 66. John also clearly alludes to Isaiah 66 in his description of the ‘new heavens and new earth.’ By linking his eschatology with a new creation, parallel to the first creation described in Gen 1:1, Isaiah, in his final chapters especially, seems to go beyond the description of ancient Israelite history to the final universal total renewed creation. This is universalization on a scale that far exceeds what other classical prophets do.”

The universalization explicitly includes the Gentiles as full members of God’s people, even incorporating them as priests (66:18–21). This universalization in re-created ‘new heavens and new earth’ now involves ‘all flesh’—everyone, not just Israel and a few Gentiles who have joined them. Here in Isaiah, we have the ‘all flesh’ of the ‘primeval history’ of Gen 1–11. The term ‘all flesh’ throughout Scripture is always a universal term for all humankind, not just Israel.

Already in Isaiah 56, the Sabbath has become universalized to be kept by non-Israelites who link up with the people of God. This Sabbath universalization continues to the end of Isaiah 66, where now ‘all flesh’ will worship “from Sabbath to Sabbath.’ In this universal new-creation setting, as in the first creation setting of the Garden of Eden, humanity will keep the seventh day-Sabbath. “The Lord`s Day

One important thing to note is that the word translated “new moon” in the Hebrew language (Chodesh) simply means “month.” The word didn`t always have a festival meaning. Its first use is found in (Genesis 7:11), and here it is translated as a month, far before “Chodesh” was ever designated as a Jewish festival.

The fact that Sabbath to Sabbath and new moon to new moon are mentioned and connected to worship in the new earth, it shows that we will be having a weekly and monthly (Rev. 22:1-2) worship gathering in the new earth and new Jerusalem. The weekly cycle will be on every seventh day sabbath. This biblical fact necessitates the keeping of the seventh day Sabbath today, the Lord`s Day.

But one can argue that if Isaiah 66:23 proves that we are to keep the seventh-day Sabbath today, then we should also keep the new month festival. The Bible gives us five clear answers to why we are not keeping the new month Jewish festival.

1. We keep the seven-day Sabbath because we are biblically required to do so (Ex. 20:8–11, Isaiah 58:13–14).
2. The seven-day Sabbath is the fourth commandment and God`s moral law.
3. God`s moral law are God`s character and forever binding to all humanity (Ex 31:18, 32:15–16, Psalm 19:7-8, Luke 16:17, Psalm 111:7-9, James 2:8–12).
4. The new month festival was not a moral law but a Jewish ceremonial law (feast days, new moons, etc.).
5. Ceremonial laws are Moses Law, which ended with Jesus Christ’s sacrifice at the Calvary Cross in 31 ACE. (Deut. 31:24–26, Hosea 2; 11, Col 2:14–17, Eph. 2:15–16, Heb. 10:1, Luke 23:44–46, and Matt 27:50–51)

God`s moral law are pure, perfect and stand forever:

Exodus 32:15-16 (KJV)

15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

Psalm 19:7-8 (KJV)

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

Luke 16:17 (KJV)

“And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.”

Psalm 111:7-9 (KJV)

7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name

James 2: 8-12 (KJV)

8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

Sure, we are not keeping the new monthly festival because it was a ceremonial law; it was a monthly Jewish festival, not binding to all humanity, and ended at the Calvary Cross with Jesus sacrifice.

4.REST TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD

Hebrews 4:9-11 (KJV)

9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

The context for these verses is (Hebrews 3:17–4:13) which builds on David’s appeal in Psalms 95 for the people in his generation not to harden their hearts in unbelief and disobedience as their ancestors did when they disobeyed God’s command to cross Jordan and take Canaan (a reference to the rebellion recorded in Numbers 14).

Throughout the OT period, the proclamation of the gospel inviting people to enter God’s rest existed side by side with the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath (the Lord`s Day). Indeed, the Sabbath functioned as a divinely-appointed sign of that rest—”that you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy” (Exod 31:12). Thus, as the Sabbath signified the rest of grace that God promised and provided to those who put their trust in Him as their Creator and Redeemer, true Sabbath observance could only be experienced by those who thus trusted and obeyed. “The people of God”

The author of Hebrews is reminding Hebrew Christians that God’s promised rest still remains and stands forever, especially now that Christ has made that present rest in Him (Galatians 2:20). Equally, this should remind today`s Christians that true observance of the Sabbath, the sign of this rest, can be experienced only by those who strive in faith and the obedience of faith to rest completely in God for their salvation. Apart from such an experience, the Sabbath is merely physical rest from labor, not the deep spiritual rest in God that God offers—the assurance of salvation and ultimate rest in the kingdom of God.

Once sin entered our world, the Sabbath not only continued as a memorial of creation but also signified that God is the one who sanctifies His people: “You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD who makes you holy” (Ex 31:13; Ezek 20:12).

While the Bible tells us God “rested” on the seventh day Sabbath, it doesn’t say that He rested because He was tired. Our Lord God, the creator, does not “faint or grow weary,” as Isaiah 40:28 tells us. He rested to look over what he had created and he was happy of it. The Sabbath was never to be merely a rest from physical labor but always to be a “rest of grace,” “the true rest of faith.” Hebrews 3:7–4:13 calls New Testament (NT) believers to enter this very rest of God, of which the seventh day—Sabbath—is a sign. Creation and redemption in Jesus Christ form the background for the seventh day Sabbath day as a covenantal sign.

5. TYPES OF SABBATHS

If you carefully read all books of Moses, under the Holy Spirit, you will find that the Jews kept many types of Sabbaths (Leviticus 26:2, 19:30, Hosea 2:11, Colossians 2:14–17), along with the Lord’s Sabbath, the seventh day Sabbath (Gen 2:2-3, Ex 20:8–11). In general, in the five books of Moses, we find seven types of Sabbaths, including the weekly seventh-day Sabbath, which began in the creation week and was engraved by God`s finger into the two table stones at Mount Sinai

Description of different types of Sabbaths

The seventh day Sabbath is perpetual sign, it was instituted to commemorate the stupendous work of creation for all of humanity, the work which was done by God thousands of years before Jewish and Judaism existed. The weekly seventh day Sabbath is and should be distinguished from ceremonial Sabbaths. As the annual ceremonial Sabbaths were established for ancient Israel.

These six Sabbaths: one, the Sabbath of unleavened bread; second, the Sabbath of the harvest festival; third, the New Year holiday Sabbath; fourth, the Sabbath of atonement; fifth, the Sabbath of the seventh year; and sixth, the fiftieth anniversary Sabbath all together was part of various special festivals for the Israelites, these annual ceremonial sabbaths (the laws of Moses) they also called “ordinances”.

Off all six ceremonial Sabbaths (Lev. 23:4–37), it’s only the annual Day of Atonement on which all work was prohibited (Lev. 23:28). The other five ceremonial Sabbaths, it was only servile or occupational work that was prohibited (Lev 23:7-8, 21). All the judgments of these Sabbaths, as well as animal sacrifices and all services in the earthly sanctuary, were a shadow of Jesus Christ and his ministry. (Hosea 2:11, Col 2:14–17, Eph. 2:15-16, Heb. 10:1, Luke 23:44–46, and Matt 27:50–51)

Colossians 2:14-17 (KJV)

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 shew 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.

Hosea 2:11(KJV)

I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.

Hebrews 10:1 (KJV)

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect”.

Ephesians 2:15-16 (KJV)

15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

The text from (Deut. 31:24-26, Lev 26:46) as well as Colossians 2:14–17, Hosea 2:1, Hebrews 10:1 and Ephesian 2:15-16 show that it’s the ceremonial Sabbaths that were nailed to the Calvary cross and not the Sabbath enshrined in the Ten Commandments. The ceremonial laws were a portion of the handwriting of ordinances of the Law of Moses (Deut. 31:24–26,), were shadows of things to come (Col. 2:14–17), and ceased at the Calvary cross. (Eph. 2:15-16)

The Sabbath of the Lord our God is the fourth commandment and God`s moral law; it was instituted at creation before the fall, and it’s to be perpetuated to all eternity. The weekly Sabbath was engraved on tables of stone by God. It should also be noted that it’s the only “the Sabbath day, the Lord`s day” that is classified with the language such as “The Sabbath of the thy God” or called “My holy day” by God; this is in contrast to the annual ceremonial Sabbath of Jews, which is termed “Your Sabbath” (Lev 23:32) or “her Sabbath” (Hosea 2:11).

Biblical difference between seventh day Sabbath and Ceremonial sabbaths

6. RESURRECTION SUNDAY

This is what the world theologians and scholars teach in their churches and schools; they say that all four gospels indicate that Jesus rose from the dead on the morning of the first day of the week (Matt 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1). Six of the eight appearances of Christ after His resurrection, recorded in the gospels, took place on Sunday.

If the crucifixion of Christ took place on Friday, as it is held, then Pentecost also occurred on Sunday that year. (Acts 2:1-4). It is taught that all these events—the resurrection of Christ, His appearances to His disciples, and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost—would serve to mark the first day of the week as a special day for the Christian and were sufficient to designate it as a day of peculiar significance.

Because of the above reasons and passages, today`s Christian churches define the Lord`s Day as the first day of the week (Sunday). Despite the fact that the doctrine of the Lord`s Day as Sunday is unbiblical and is based on assumptions and pagan beliefs, today`s Christian believer feels it`s permissible to ignore the seventh day—Sabbath—the Lord`s Day, the four commandments, and God`s Law.

These world scholars tend to forget that Sunday comes after the seventh day Sabbath rest; they forget that Sunday is the first day of the week, the beginning of a new week, a day to start our labor and do all our work. In fact, Jesus Christ’s resurrection on Sunday, His appearance on Sunday, and Pentecost do not make Sunday a peculiar day but glorify the seventh day—Sabbath. These godly event shows that Jesus Christ respected and kept the Sabbath day rest. Jesus respected and kept the Sabbath rest even with his own death. All these biblical events shows that the disciples and all brethren (read Luke 23:52 to 24:2) respected, kept the seventh-day Sabbath rest, and started their duty on first day of the week (Sunday).

Despite the fact that Jesus said, “He did not come to change the law but to fulfill it, today’s Christianity rejects the seventh-day Sabbath and teaches that our only hope is to believe in Jesus Christ (Col 1:27, Rom. 6:14, 8:1–7, 10; 4; Gal 3:13, 24–29). It is sad that they forget that Jesus Christ told us not to break even a single one of his commandments, so if you offend one, you are guilty of all, and he also said, If you love me keep my commandments. (John14:15).

God’s holy law reveals and points to sin (Romans 7:7, 3:20). God’s law reveals the need for the Calvary Cross and the righteousness of Christ. Paul describes Christ as “the end of the law,” not in the sense of abolishing the law but in the purpose of the law (Romans 10:4). The law is the road to the Calvary cross (Galatians 3:24–29); the law is the bridge to reach Christ`s grace (Ephesians 2:8, Romans 6:14). Christianity is being like Christ, being covered by Christ (Galatians 2:20); Christianity is living God’s holy laws , which are God’s character. To love God is to keep his holy law (1 John 5:1-3, John 14:21, Romans 3:31, 1 John 2:4).

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (KJV) reads: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” Please read Rom 3:31, 7:12, 1 John 2:4, 5:3, Heb 8:10, Matt 5:17, 7:21, and James 2:8–12. Christ`s death on the cross fulfilled and confirmed God’s law of love. It’s because God`s moral law are eternal and binding to everyone; that is why Jesus Christ died at Calvary. (Galatians 2:16, Romans 6:14). It is important to remember that justice and mercy meet at the cross.

The curse of the law (Galatians 3:1–14), because we all inherited the nature of sin from Adam and Eve, means that no one can claim to be fully righteous and no one can live without the demands of the law (Galatians 3:10–12). The law demands perfect obedience, and who ever achieved that—perfect obedience—except Jesus Christ? Because of the nature of sin, we are all under the curse of the law, and as a result, we would die and be lost forever, for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). But through his death, Christ freed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse on our behalf. (Rom 6:23, 5:8, 8:1-2, Gal 3:13–14). If Jesus Christ had not died on the cross, we would surely die and be lost forever.

The first day of the week (Sunday) is mentioned in six different New Testament (NT) books: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and 1 Corinthians, making a total of nine biblical passages mentioning the first day of the week. It’s biblically correct to say that none of these nine passages says or teaches to worship on Sunday or the so called Christian Sunday observance.

First day of the week: Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1-2, Mark 16:9, Luke 23:56, Luke 24:1. Acts 20:7–11, 1 John 20:1, John 20.9, and 1 Corinthians 16:1–2. These passages (Acts 20:7–11 and 1 Corinthians 16:1-2) are commonly misused, quoted, and used as references for Christian observance of Sunday. It is sad that, from all angles of bible interpretation or textural analysis, there is no way these bible verses teach or support the first day of the week (Sunday) as the Lord`s Day. This is because Christian Sunday observance is not a biblical doctrine, so it can`t be proved with the Bible. Here is the scriptural discussion of these two Bible passages.

I. Paul’s visit at Troas.

Acts 20:7-11(KJV)

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.
8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.

Here we have a record of a religious meeting held on the first day of the week. We should consider that this is only one example that was written in the New Testament that shows the holding of a religious meeting on the first day of the week. However, this passage does not provide any evidence for the change of the Sabbath, nor does it support the idea of the glorification of Sunday. It was a meeting held on the first day of the week, but it was not a meeting for the regular Sunday service.

The meeting took place at night. “There were many lights,” and the apostle Paul “continued his words until midnight.” The only night on that first day is the one we know as Saturday night. Biblical days begin and end at sunset. The first day of the Bible begins at sunset on Saturday evening and ends at sunset on Sunday evening. So the “midnight” that Paul “continued his words” must have been Saturday night.

The Jews counted their days from evening to evening so every evening was a start of the new day. God called light day and darkness night (Gen 1:3-5). According to the scriptures, a day is made of one night and one day (Gen. 1:8, 13, 19, 23, 31). and according to this principle, the night of the first day of the week would be the same as our Saturday night. There is no doubt that Paul counted this way, and that is why the apostle waited until the Sabbath of the Lord was over, held his last religious meeting, said goodbye to his brothers in Troas on Saturday night, and finally continued his journey on Sunday morning.

Acts 2:46 reads, “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.” This Paul`s meeting at Troas on Saturday at midnight was just a regular meeting that could be held on any day.

It is important for us to see that when he mentions this first day of the week, he does not mention it by rank or a special name. He does not say anything about the state of glory or blessing on the first day of the week. Paul only mentions it as one of the days of the week, just like Monday or Wednesday. He does not say that the seventh-day Sabbath has been changed to Sunday; he does not say that we will worship on Sunday instead of Saturday, which is the Lord’s Day. In these passages (Acts 20:7–11), there is no word that supports the specialness or glory of Sunday as a day of worship.

II. Paul’s order to the Corinthian church.

1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (KJV)

1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
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.

The last mention of the first day of the week in relation to religious matters is in 1 Corith 16:1-2. Through these passages, the teachers of the world say and teach that the first day must have been a day of worship for all in the churches of Corinth and Galatia, and if it was so in those churches, then it is very likely that it was also the same in other churches of the apostles, and that for this reason the Sabbath had been changed to Sunday. Not only is this teaching an assumption and a lie, but it is also unscriptural because the Bible does not show that change anywhere.

When we read the passage, we should understand and remember that every believer in Corinth was required to save according to what God blessed him with. This was not the daily offering in the church or the tithe. Otherwise, this section would set up a program that is completely contrary to the Bible and the common offering offered in churches on the Lord’s Day.

The translation found in our standard Bibles is completely consistent with the original: “Let every one of you save.” With all translations, it is clear that everyone “who gave the contribution was to collect it himself (put a bit by bit), and the collection and storage were done at their homes. Paul did not want them to start gathering and collecting when an urgent need arises to help a brother or to start gathering and collecting for those in need when he comes.

There is no specialness to the first day of the week in these passages. There is nothing to show that the churches of Corinth and Galatia worshiped and observed Sunday as the Lord’s Sabbath. The first day of week is truely mentioned here, but just like other days of the week, the day after they finished keeping the Sabbath of the seventh day, they resumed their weekly work and started a new week of work.

A careful reader will notice that 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 glorify and confirms the seven-day Sabbath. These brethren used to start working after the Lord’s Day; they were required to do their calculations to estimate the profit they got last week and learn how God blessed them, setting aside part of their income for their brothers who were hungry.

7. CONCLUSION

The seventh day Sabbath is not a Hebrew Sabbath; it’s not a Jewish Sabbath. The observance of the seventh day Sabbath as a sacred day of rest originated from God`s creation of the world. Yes, Jews had a second reason for the Sabbath rest: their deliverance from Egyptian slavery (Deut. 5:14–15; Lev. 11:45), but the seventh day Sabbath rest is to the Jews, Arabs, Chinese, Indians, Africans, Americans, and Europeans a memorial of creation of the world, a weekly reminder of God`s rest after six days of creation of the world.

The seventh day–Sabbath is not a distinction feature between Christianity and Judaism; it was not a distinction between Jewish believers and Gentile believers because the seventh day Sabbath (the Lord`s Day) is for both Judaism, Christianity, and Gentiles. The seventh-day Sabbath is for all humanity. The teaching that Christian Sunday is the Sabbath day and that its observance is based on the fourth commandment of the Decalogue is lie and unbiblical.

God`s holy day, the Lord`s Day, the seventh day Sabbath of the Scriptures is;

A sign of creation (Exodus 20:8–11)
A sign of redemption from bondage (Deuteronomy 5:12–15)
A Sign of Sanctification (Exodus 31:13, Hebrews 13:12)
A sign of resting in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:9–10)
A sign of our redemption in Jesus Christ (Rom7:24-25,Gal 2:20,Heb 4:4-6,9-10, and Matt 12:8)

The seventh day Sabbath is the Lord`s Day. Observance of the Lord`s Day (seventh-day Sabbath) is based on the biblical account of the six-day creation (Ex. 20:8-11). By observing “The Sabbath,” we witness and give evidence of our acceptance of the first angel’s message (Rev.14:6-7): worship the Creator. By worshiping on the Sabbath, we witness that we accept the Bible as the ultimate authority. By worshiping on Sabbath, we testify that we accept salvation by grace alone, based only on the merits of Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice.

Amen.

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