The Seventh Day Sabbath Part 2: History

When it comes down to the seventh day sabbath, the history is very important. Understanding how the sabbath observance was changed. How our people observed the day. And how the sabbath remains the same and must be kept is just as important as the history concerning how Sunday began to be known as the universal day of “sabbath” observance, hence rest, that the world has come to admire.

Tried to Change the Sabbath

If you read the previous article you are aware that the sabbath day was changed from Saturday to Sunday. But this is not something new, as we think of new being a few years ago. But rather a couple thousand years ago. As there has been a continuous agenda and prophetic foretelling of the sabbath day being changed.

Daniel 7:25

25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

Contextually, this is speaking of Esau. And how he would do many things contrary to the scriptures or rather righteousness, but the key thing we want to elucidate here is that he would think to change times and laws. His mind would be focused on a concentrated effort to change how man observes the calendar. In addition to forbidding the laws of God and instituting his own laws for the aid of his own agenda. This was done when he came into power during the time of the Greeks and Romans.

1 Maccabees 1:41-49

41 Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people, 42 And every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king. 43 Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath. 44 For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws of the land, 45 And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the sabbaths and festival days: 46 And pollute the sanctuary and holy people: 47 Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine’s flesh, and unclean beasts: 48 That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation: 49 To the end they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances.

Esau was doing everything he could to prevent us from worshipping the creator in righteousness. He wanted to ensure we forgot about The Most High God. Putting us in a state where we were too defiled to have any chance in reaching him even if we didn’t forget. Using deception, bribes, and even murder to instill corruption, fear and compliance to his regime.

The Sabbath Remains the Same

The seventh day sabbath is here to stay. It is not something that changed in terms of its biblical standing. Only people who chose to teach otherwise.

Matthew 15:8-9

8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Man is the one responsible for changing the observance of the sabbath. And many of our people love to have it so. We would rather give lip service to God rather than application through our actions and behaviors toward God. So we lean towards doctrines and teachings that align us with our preferences. OS we can continue to deceive ourselves into believing we are worshipping the Creator while remaining ignorant of our own willful disobedience towards him.

Ezekiel 8:14-18

14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. 15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. 16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD’S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. 17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. 18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.

Even knowing our identity. Having the knowledge and understanding of who we are and why it matters, we still fell into sin. We still chose to worship other gods. Namely, the sun, moon and stars. The main reason why it is customary to go to church on Sunday is to give honor unto the sun. Hence, “sun” day service. Which is why you go to church in the morning after the sun rises. Most people do not normally have service in the late afternoon or early evening traditionally. But this tradition is part of our downfall and something the Most High God highly condemns.

Deuteronomy 17:2-5

2 If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant, 3 And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; 4 And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel: 5 Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.

Worshipping the sun (let alone the stars or moon) is an offense that is worthy of death in the eyes of The Most High. These are tools created by The Most High God for us to use in our daily, weekly and monthly usage and to worship him. But not to be worshipped in and of themselves. And because of our disobedience he allows his sabbaths to be forgotten.

Lamentations 2:5-6

5 The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation. 6 And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden: he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the LORD hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.

One may ask, “How does this happen?”

Daniel 7:25

25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

He uses Satan to put the spirit of adversity on man, especially the other nations. Chief of which being Esau. Who then carry out the chastening of our nation. And we are given into his hands.

1 Maccabees 1:41-53, 63-64

41 Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people, 42 And every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king. 43 Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath. 44 For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws of the land, 45 And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the sabbaths and festival days: 46 And pollute the sanctuary and holy people: 47 Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine’s flesh, and unclean beasts: 48 That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation: 49 To the end they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances. 50 And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king, he said, he should die. 51 In the selfsame manner wrote he to his whole kingdom, and appointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities of Juda to sacrifice, city by city. 52 Then many of the people were gathered unto them, to wit every one that forsook the law; and so they committed evils in the land; 53 And drove the Israelites into secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for succour.

63 Wherefore the rather to die, that they might not be defiled with meats, and that they might not profane the holy covenant: so then they died. 64 And there was very great wrath upon Israel.

Our people fell into sin and forsook God as a majority. So God allowed us to go into captivity as a result. And now we are being persecuted even more in captivity. But you always had a remnant that would not sell out and that would remain faithful.

2 Maccabees 6:1-12

1 Not long after this the king sent an old man of Athens to compel the Jews to depart from the laws of their fathers, and not to live after the laws of God: 2 And to pollute also the temple in Jerusalem, and to call it the temple of Jupiter Olympius; and that in Garizim, of Jupiter the Defender of strangers, as they did desire that dwelt in the place. 3 The coming in of this mischief was sore and grievous to the people: 4 For the temple was filled with riot and revelling by the Gentiles, who dallied with harlots, and had to do with women within the circuit of the holy places, and besides that brought in things that were not lawful. 5 The altar also was filled with profane things, which the law forbiddeth. 6 Neither was it lawful for a man to keep sabbath days or ancient fasts, or to profess himself at all to be a Jew. 7 And in the day of the king’s birth every month they were brought by bitter constraint to eat of the sacrifices; and when the fast of Bacchus was kept, the Jews were compelled to go in procession to Bacchus, carrying ivy. 8 Moreover there went out a decree to the neighbour cities of the heathen, by the suggestion of Ptolemee, against the Jews, that they should observe the same fashions, and be partakers of their sacrifices: 9 And whoso would not conform themselves to the manners of the Gentiles should be put to death. Then might a man have seen the present misery. 10 For there were two women brought, who had circumcised their children; whom when they had openly led round about the city, the babes handing at their breasts, they cast them down headlong from the wall. 11 And others, that had run together into caves near by, to keep the sabbath day secretly, being discovered by Philip, were all burnt together, because they made a conscience to help themselves for the honour of the most sacred day. 12 Now I beseech those that read this book, that they be not discouraged for these calamities, but that they judge those punishments not to be for destruction, but for a chastening of our nation.

These things happened as a chastening of our nation. A reminder to get right and stay right and what happens if we don’t. We get destroyed sore. And The Most High can be against us.

Psalms 106:34-36

34 They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them: 35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. 36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.

We always wanted to be like the other nations. We wanted to move how they move, work how they work, celebrate how they celebrate etc. Instead of being grateful for what we were given. We get all caught up with the other nations and there abominable works.

Ezekiel 22:26

26 Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

We start to treat everything as a big melting pot, even unto this day. We make up sayings that justify our actions and promote our own wickedness, “God don’t hate.”“Every day is a holy day.” So one and so forth, when these are doctrines of man not God.

Hebrews 4:1-11

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 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.

Christ did not die to remove the sabbath day, nor replace it with a new one that differed from the old. The sabbath day was established from creation and kept in place for us to keep. It is just an important now as it was then. The only difference is that you have grace and mercy to fight to get it right. You do not want to continue in the same sins believing all is well because no judgement has befallen you. He lets us know we should labor to enter into his rest lest we fall due to unbelief. Because if we don’t observe this weekly rest now. We won’t be able to observe the eternal rest later.

Sirach 33:7-9

7 Why doth one day excel another, when as all the light of every day in the year is of the sun? 8 By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished: and he altered seasons and feasts. 9 Some of them hath he made high days, and hallowed them, and some of them hath he made ordinary days.

Every day is not a holy day. Some days he made holy to be observed the way he wants you too. Wile others he has no laws concerning how you should observe it. Do with it as you will.

Was the Sabbath Observed After the Resurrection of Christ?

Acts 13:13-15, 26-27, 42-44

13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. 14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. 15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.

26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. 27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.

42  And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. 43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. 44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

You were seeing the work the disciples were putting in. They were teaching the people on the sabbath day. And many of them being ready and willing to hear. Both those of the Jews (those born in the laws) and the proselytes (Israelites who did not grow up in the laws and were brought up as gentiles). They had a zeal and readiness to receive the word because for many of our people, we were disconnected from The Most High due to captivity and our forefathers selling out under the Greek rule, let alone Roman rule. So it was refreshing to hear the word of The Most High being taught.

Acts 17:2

2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

The disciples spent time reasoning with brothers and sisters week in and week out. Trying to help them understand the true doctrine of the scriptures. But this also meant that there was a level of respect being shown on both sides to be able to be invited to have those sit-downs and conversations. Trying to sincerely and earnestly help brothers and sisters learn sound doctrine.

Acts 18:1-4

1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. 3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

Here you had a husband and wife. Aquila and Priscilla that had a business together as tent makers. Paul being of the same type of occupation worked with them and lived with them for some time. Using that time to build and reason not just with them but with other brothers and sisters as well. Need it be those who were born into the faith or those who were Israelites who were reintroduced to it by teachings of individuals such as Paul.

Luke 23:50-56

50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: 51 (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. 52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 53 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. 54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. 55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. 56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

They rested on the sabbath day according to the commandment. It was still observed. No one believed he death of Christ would correlate to anything different.

Desire to Keep the Sabbath

Isaiah 58:13-14

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.

The sabbath is a day of rest for man. To pause from the physical and embrace the spiritual. This does not mean one cannot have any fun on the sabbath. That is not what God is saying. Remember, the Sabbath is a feast day! It is meant to be a joyous occasion. We just have to have a mindset of rest and not doing all the work we like to do.

Isaiah 56:2

2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

This scripture serves as a precept for the last. This is what God meant. Keep the sabbath and be mindful of doing anything concerning the laws of God that would cause one to defile the day. Or doing anything God deems would be evil or worthy of death. So yes, you can watch a movie, play a game, dance, sing feats and have fun. Just be mindful to spend time cleaning your spiritual temple and feeding your spirit righteously in the midst of all of that fun.