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Friday, January 13, 2012

Why I Observe the 7th Day Sabbath



Reason #1: My Creator did

"In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth."
Genesis 1:1 
...

"Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their array.
And on the seventh day Elohim completed His work which He had done, 

and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made.
And Elohim blessed the seventh day and set it apart

because on it He rested from all His work 
which Elohim in creating had made." Genesis 2:1-3

Our Father, our Creator, set the pattern, the example, the principle for us.
A time to cease from work, a time to review, acknowledge,
celebrate the beauty of the creation that He pronounced "good".

It belongs to Him from the very beginning.
The 7th day Sabbath honors, remembers, Elohim {God}, YHVH, as our Creator.
He blessed the 7th day and declared it holy, set apart to Himself.

The Sabbath distinguishes YHVH from false gods.
It identifies WHO we worship...
The Creator, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.



Reason #2: It was reaffirmed in the Ten Commandments

"Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart.
Six days you labour, and shall do all your work,
but the seventh day is a Sabbath of {YHVH}  יהוה your Elohim

You do not do any 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. 
For in six days יהוה made the heavens and the earth, the sea, 
and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day
Therefore {YHVH}  יהוה blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart."
Exodus 20:8-11 (Deuteronomy. 5:12, too)


The 7th day is the sabbath of YHVH, not the Jews... but of YHVH.
The cattle were not Jewish, neither were the strangers,
yet, He commands them all to remember the Sabbath.


"Guard the Sabbath day, to set it apart
as {YHVH}  יהוה your Elohim commanded you.
Six days you labour, and shall do all your work, 

but the seventh day is a Sabbath of יהוה your Elohim
You do not do any work – you, nor your son, nor your daughter, 
nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, 
nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, 
so that your male servant and your female servant rest as you do.  
And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Mitsrayim {Egypt}, 
and that יהוה your Elohim brought you out from there 
by a strong hand and by an outstretched arm. 
Therefore יהוה your Elohim commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. "
Deuteronomy 5:12-15

The Sabbath reminds of the Exodus from Egypt,
which is an example and picture of His salvation.


Reason #3: Blessed

"Jew", "NON-Jew", stranger alike... is blessed in keeping this command.

"Thus said {YHVH}  יהוה, “Guard right-ruling, and do righteousness, 
for near is My deliverance to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. 
Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who lays hold on it
guarding the Sabbath lest he profane it, 
and guarding his hand from doing any evil...
 ... Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to {YHVH}  יהוה, 
to serve Him, and to love the Name of {YHVH}  יהוה, to be His servants, 
all who guard the Sabbath, and not profane it, and hold fast to My covenant"
Isaiah 56:1-2, 6



If you do turn back your foot from the Sabbath, 
from doing your pleasure on My set-apart day, 
and shall call the Sabbath ‘a delight,’  
the set-apart day of {YHVH}  יהוה ‘esteemed,’ and shall esteem it
not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, 
nor speaking your own words,
then you shall delight yourself in {YHVH}  יהוה. 
And I shall cause you to ride on the heights of the earth, 
and feed you with the inheritance of Yaʽaqoḇ your father. 
For the mouth of {YHVH}  יהוה has spoken!
Isaiah 58:13-14


It's supposed to be a delight. It is His set apart day... esteemed/honored.



Reason #4: It will be observed in the time to come

"For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make stand before Me, 
declares {YHVH}  יהוה, so your seed and your name shall stand.
And it shall be that from New Moon to New Moon, 

and from Sabbath to Sabbath
all flesh shall come to worship before Me, declares {YHVH}  יהוה. "
Isaiah 66:22-23


Sabbath observance in the new heaven and earth...
... in the beginning... and in the end... what happened to in between?



Reason #5: It is a sign between Him and His people

"I am {YHVH}  יהוה your Elohim. Walk in My laws, and guard My right-rulings, and do them.
And set apart My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and you

to know that I am יהוה your Elohim."
Ezekiel 20:19-20


It is HIS Sabbath, not any particular people's.
It is a sign between Him and His people, that they/we will know HE is our God.




He ordained it, blessed it, set it apart, set the pattern for it,
commanded it, reminded of it, called it His, and blesses those that keep it.

--------------------------------------------------

And His Son? He came to do the Father's will...

"{Yeshua}  יהושע said to them, 
“My food is to do the desire {will} of Him who sent Me, 
and to accomplish His work." ~ John 4:34


Reason #6: The Son - The Messiah - kept the Sabbath.

"And He came to Natsareth {Nazareth}, where He had been brought up. 
And according to His practice, He went into the congregation  
on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read."
Luke 4:16


"And they went into Kephar Naḥum {Capernaum},
and immediately on the Sabbath He went into the congregation and taught."
Mark 1:21


"And Sabbath having come, He began to teach in the congregation."
Mark 6:2a


Not only did He keep the Sabbath but He is Master of the Sabbath...
"And He said to them, 
“The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.
So the Son of Aḏam is also Master of the Sabbath.
"
Mark 2:27-28



He was our example...walk as He walked...

"The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked."
1 John 2:6

--------------------------------------------

His disciples, apostles?

They observed it...

Reason #7: His disciples observed it

"But passing through from Perge, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, 
and went into the congregation on the Sabbath day and sat down."
Acts 13:14


"And when the Yehuḏim {Jews} went out of the congregation, 
the gentiles begged to have these words spoken to them the next Sabbath...
... And on the next Sabbath almost all the city 
came together to hear the Word of Elohim."
Acts 13:42,44


"And on the Sabbath day we went outside the city by a river, where there used to be prayer."
Acts 16:13a


"And according to his practice, Sha’ul {Paul}went in unto them,
and for three Sabbaths was reasoning with them from the Scriptures"
Acts 17:2


"And he was reasoning in the congregation every Sabbath
and won over both Yehuḏim and Greeks."
Acts 18:4


------------------------------------------------



Yeshua {the Messiah} said...

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets.
I did not come to destroy but to complete. 
For truly, I say to you, till the heaven and the earth pass away, 
one jot or one tittle shall by no means pass from the Torah till all be done.
Whoever, then, breaks one of the least of these commands, 

and teaches men so, shall be called least in the reign of the heavens; 
but whoever does and teaches them, 
he shall be called great in the reign of the heavens."
Matthew 5:17-19


John tells us...
"By this we know that we love the children of Elohim, 
when we love Elohim and guard His commands.
For this is the love for Elohim, that we guard His commands, 
and His commands are not heavy"
1 John 5:2-3



I love Him.

Enough to obey.
Enough to observe.
Enough to honor.
Enough to identify.
It is not grievous.


It is a delight!



15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful, just beautiful! I love this post.
Much love ~ Claudia

Anonymous said...

Your writing have inspired me to start look into my heart and try and study God's word and know what the Truth's God is revealing..I pray I can or will begin to Obey what God intended,with love and love of learning..this is a beautiful and understandable Truth. I Love and miss you and Thank-You for being such a blessing ..love Mom

Jacque said...

Beautiful sister!
Thank you for putting this into such wonderful words.

Truly inspirational.
Blessings on your week!

Antoinette said...

Wow, I am so thankful that I found your post tonight! I'm never up this late (or I should say, early, it's 2:00 a.m.) It's so wonderful to meet another 7th Day Sabbath Believer -
Your post is awesome!
Antoinette

rjcmj said...

This is so wonderful, sister Christina! You honor YHWH with your honesty and devotion! I am blessed to have you for a friend!!
Blessings in Yeshua HaMashiach,
Joycelyn

Amanda said...

I enjoyed this post very much.

PlainJane said...

LOL, I was looking at my sidebar and thought, "Oh good, another 7th Dayer", forgetting you have a new blog...lol, I didn't know it was you until I got here.

Great post, as always Christina.

Oh, and Christina, I'd like to introduce you to Antoinette (above), Antoinette, this is Christina. There, must have proper introductions. :) Christina, Antoinette is a long-time bloggy friend of mine...all 3 of us have similar church backgrounds.

Have a lovely week my friend.

Christina said...

Thank you for your kind words, everyone. Praise YHVH for His testimony! Blessed is He, Who reveals!

Shalom!

Christina said...

Praying for you, Mama, as you continue to seek His Truth. May He guide you, show you and may your heart be filled with a deep love for Him and may He bless you as you seek and obey Him.
I love you and miss you bunches! ♥

Christina said...

Nice to meet you, Antoinette. I am thankful the Father led you here. Blessings to you as you seek Him.

Christina said...

Jane ~ lol I am glad you found me... again. ;) Thank you for the introduction. It's always a blessing to meet more of His that are seeking His ways. Blessings, friend!

Anonymous said...

Sabbath has health purposes to if we really looked into it.. its enough for the LoRd to say .. Hey... rest as I have rested.. we are commanded to work and there is a reason for the rest.. if we kept going and going we would surly burn out and what good of service would we be to the LoRd if we burnt out from all that going about.. Great post and I like your new blog.. its peaceful and calm and full of the wonderful wisdom the LoRd has laid on your heart to share

Crystal said...

Couldn't have said it better!!!! LOVE it!!!

Jerelene said...

What a lovely post Christina!
I have been a 7th day Sabbath keeper my whole life..and it has never failed to be a blessing:) I am so glad my parents raised me up to honor the true Sabbath. I look forward to keeping it in Heaven someday too:) Blessings to you for sharing the beauty of the Sabbath with others..you are such a beautiful lady, and I am so glad to know you!
Love and Shalom, Jerelene

Christina said...

I agree, Ms. Jeannie. :)
Thank you for your kind words.


Thank you, Crystal. Praise Yah!


Jerelene, Thank you. Blessings!


~ Christina