Genesis 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.
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The New Testament Sabbath
Presented here will be both the New Testament sabbath and the Old Testament sabbath.
I will present the New Testament sabbath first because after you read what the Bible says about the Old Testament sabbath, I believe you will be greatly relieved that we today do not have to follow that sabbath but we have another type of sabbath in the New Testament church.
Hebrews 4
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as HE said, As I have sworn in MY wrath, if they shall enter into MY rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 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.
5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into MY rest.
6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
7 Again, HE limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear HIS voice, harden not your hearts.
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would HE not afterward have spoken of another day.
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.
For the New Testament church, the "sabbath" is a continual ceasing from our own fleshly works and doing the Works of God daily by the Spirit of God.
12 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily MY sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between ME and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
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The Old Testament Sabbath
Exodus 31
13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily MY sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between ME and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
(They could not even light a fire in their "tent" to cook their food.)
In the wilderness they had to gather a double portion of food on the day before the Sabbath for no one was allowed to gather food on the Sabbath.
Exodus 16:23 And he (Moses) said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
(They could not gather food on the Sabbath, neither could they cook food on the Sabbath. They had to prepare all food the day before the Sabbath.)
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I was in the grocery store on a Sunday and a woman in front of me at the check out area was chastising the cashier who was working at the store. Apparently they attended the same church group.
This woman said, "I can't believe you are working on a Sunday."
The cashier replied, "Another woman became ill and they called me to come in to take her place."
The first woman said, "But I can't believe you would do this thing!"
After a few more rounds of chastising by the first woman, I spoke up and said to the woman who was berating the cashier: "If you want to live by Old Testament law, then what are you doing buying groceries on a Sunday for to keep the Sabbath you would have to remain in your tent all day. You would certainly not be permitted to do shopping on the Sabbath."
The first woman said no more, paid for her groceries and left the store.
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Exodus 31
15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
17 It is a sign between ME and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day HE rested, and was refreshed.
15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
17 It is a sign between ME and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day HE rested, and was refreshed.
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Isaiah 58
(If we go by Old Testament Sabbath rules, we could not do any of our own pleasures on the Sabbath: that would mean no TV shows, no secular book reading, no shopping. We would have to stay in our own tents and rest on the "Sabbath". We couldn't even speak our own words about secular things.)
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.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
1 And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them.
2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.
3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day. (no food preparation)
12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.
13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:
14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
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.
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Exodus 20
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
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Exodus 35
2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.
3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day. (no food preparation)
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Deuteronomy 5
13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:
14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
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Numbers 15
33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.
(Are you sure that you want to keep the "Sabbath" by Old Testament laws?)
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Mark 3:2 And they watched HIM (Jesus), whether HE would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse HIM.
When we read these Old Testament scriptures concerning keeping the Sabbath, we see how hard it would be for them to transfer their thinking from the laws of the Old Testament to the way of the New Testament.
In the New Testament, we keep the Sabbath continually, each day, by ceasing from our own works and by doing HIS works. (Hebrews 4)
Nehemiah 13
16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?
18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.
19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
(This was correctly done by Old Testament law.)
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Nehemiah 13:21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.
Matthew 12:10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked HIM (Jesus) , saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse HIM.
Matthew 12:11 And HE (Jesus) said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
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Exodus 35:2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.
Leviticus 25:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD.
Luke 13:15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
Exodus 31:14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Exodus 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.
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A question: Is the Sabbath on a Saturday or on a Sunday?
Also consider this: If you want to live by the OT law, you have to do all of the OT law.
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