Posted on 03/14/2020 2:36:18 PM PDT by pastorbillrandles
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: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. ( Collossians 2:16-17)
I told you last time, I would explain why I believe the command to observe the Sabbath, is the only one of the Ten Commandments not re-iterated in the New Testament. I do believe that the principle of the Commandment still stands; that we are to enter into the Rest of God, and to cease from our own labors, and even to take one day out of seven to cease from our labors and to worship God.
The difference is that according to Paul, in his letter to the Gentile believers in Collosse, the Sabbath observance is a shadow, but the fullness of Sabbath is found in Christ himself.
“Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden…I will give you rest…you will find rest for your souls…” (Matthew 11:27-28)
Our Sabbath is a person, the LORD Jesus Christ. He is the rest that remains un-entered into by the most of Israel, in spite of their Sabbath Keeping.
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. 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. 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. 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. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 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. For if Jesus (Joshua) had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.( Hebrews 4:1-11)
The Point of this discussion is Rest. The Work of Creation was done by the time God created man. He began at rest. But now that rest has eluded us for the most part.
God promised Israel that they could enter into the rest, but Israel has not for the most part attained the rest. What has kept them from it? The sin of unbelief. In spite of scrupulous Sabbath keeping, and even being brought into the Land God had promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they never really attained Rest.
There remains yet a rest for the people of God. Whatever the Sabbath was, it pointed to something even more ultimate than itself, it pointed to Christ, who completed the work of salvation, and “Sat down” at the right hand of God.
Thus Christ is my Sabbath. He did it all for us, and there is nothing we can do to add to what He did, “By himself He purged our sins, and sat down at the right hand of the majesty on High.”( Hebrews 1:3).
I do believe that it is perfectly legitimate to observe the seventh day, or the First day, to put aside labor and commerce and just rest, and worship. Those who do not do this are impoverishing themslves and their families. But it is impossible to ever really enter into the rest God has for ourselves , other than through faith in Jesus Christ, the Savior,Redeemer and great High Priest.
It is illegitimate, as Colossians teaches, to put anyone in bondage over the observance of Holidays, Sabbaths or other ordinances of Old Testament law. There is no doubt that the Sabbath Law is a special covenant between God and Israel,
Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.'” ( Exodus 31:16-17)
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.( Ezekiel 20:12)
But I am a Gentile believer. I may choose to keep the seventh day, or perhaps another day, but I am not to allow anyone to judge me on that basis. The principle of Sabbath is what I am to Keep, Resting in the finished Work of Christ by faith. The Substance of Sabbath is Christ himself.
It is true that Jesus told us that “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath”, and that word “man ” is “anthropos” meaning all men, What was Jesus telling the Scribes and Pharisees by saying this? He was talking to his fellow Jews. In the New Testament, we never see him or any of the Apostles call upon Gentiles to observe the seventh day.
In what sense was Jesus telling them that the Sabbath was made for man? He was saying that the blessing of Sabbath ought to bless all men. God has a rest for all men to come into. The witness of Israel’s Sabbath points to a universal Sabbath for the entire world. Indeed the Rest, purchased at the cross of Jesus, is for all , Gentile and Jew.
However the First day of the week featured prominently in the New Testament, as a day of meeting, worship, fellowship and communion. Jesus was raised from the dead on the first Day of the week, the Apostles and church met together on Pentecost, (the first day of the week, Jesus appeared to the disciples and showed them his hands on the first day of the week, and so forth.
“Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.”( Acts 20:7)
“On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper that there be no collections when I come.” (I Corinthians 16:2) Here is a list from CARM discussing the significance of the first day of the week in the New Testament;
1) Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week (Matt. 28:1-7; Mark 16:2, 9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1).
2) Jesus appeared to the disciples on the first day of the week (John 20:19).
3) Jesus appeared inside the room to the eleven disciples eight days after the first day of the week. The Jewish way of measuring days meant that it was again Sunday (John 20:26).
4) The Holy Spirit came on Pentecost, the first day of the week (Lev. 23:16; Acts 2:1).
5)The first sermon was preached by Peter on the first day of the week (Acts 2:14).
6) Three thousand converts joined the church on the first day of the week (Acts 2:41).
7)The three thousand were baptized on the first day of the week (Acts 2:41).
8) The Christians assembled broke bread on the first day of the week.
9) The Christians also heard a message from Paul on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). Note: the reference is until midnight which is not the Jewish method of measuring days, but the Roman system.
10) Paul instructed the churches to put aside contributions on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:2).
11) Jesus gave the apostle John the vision of Revelation on the first day of the week (Rev. 1:10).
The Sabbath Law is still in force, only now, entry into the Sabbath centers on a person, the LORD Jesus Christ. Those who believe in Him do enter into their rest, and for those who do not believe on Him, there will be nor rest.
Paul definitely called th Holy Days and the Sabbaths “Shadows: of which Christ is the substance, and yes there was the gnostic problem also/
That's how many English translators translate the greek. But every time the literal phrasing is "one of the sabbaths" or the "first of the sabbaths".
These are likely referring to either the count of sabbaths to Pentecost:
Lev 23:15 'And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed.
Lev 23:16 Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD.
Jews (and early Christians) were in the habit of marking each of the seven sabbaths in the countdown to Pentcost...1st of the sabbaths, 2nd of the sabbaths, etc etc.)
There is one scripture (i believe) where the first of the sabbaths is referring to an annual high day sabbath and the weekly sabbath...referring to one as the first sabbath to distinguish it from the weekly sabbath.
The idea that these are referring to "Sunday" is another attempt by traditional Christianity to justify abandoning the sabbaths of the lord. Even if that were true and they were ALL sundays there STILL is no command to abandon the sabbath and enshrine Sunday. The history of sabbath abandonment is clear in history.
ARE shadows. Paul used the greek equivalent of ARE. He didn't say WERE the shadows of things to come. He used ARE the shadows which indicates that they WERE observing them. Which they ARE. They are shadows, or reflection of heavenly things. The sabbath for example reflects the eternal existence of the children of God after they are resurrected to an eternal existence.
There was the gnostic (i prefer ascetic) problem. But the holy days and sabbath were NOT a problem.
Literal translation: Then do not let anyone judge you in eating, or in drinking, or in part of a feast, or of a new moon, or of sabbaths
"Part" means just that...part or a section of a share. Paul is saying "Don't let these ascetics tell you how you should eat or drink or in PORTIONS of the feasts, new moons or sabbaths where you are doing that. "
A lot of things aren't specified but are to to be taken in context. Look at the author, the audience, the circumstances and the times and cultures of the time period. Paul is addressing a form of heresy that blends Judaism and mysticism and other man made beliefs. He specified the "handwriting of ordinances" which included the grain offering sabbaths. The ordinances were abolished (at the cross). I don't know how much plainer to make it.
This has nothing to do with the Ten Commandments. nada.
Do you even know what that means? The Law of Christ - what is it?
Ask yourself if Paul, Peter, Luke, Matthew, et all observed the 7th day Sabbath after Jesus ascended? WWJD is more than a bracelet. IMO, the Colossian verses spoke to believers observing the Holy Days of Leviticus 23 and Paul was encouraging them to keep it up.
The Leviticus 23 days consist of first of all The Sabbath. The same one included in the Ten Commandments. The next one was Passover. It was a shadow of Christ on the cross, but since it already happened at this time, it shows how God used His Feast Days for prophesy for thousands of years. Jesus even died at 3pm in the afternoon, the exact hour of the evening sacrifice in the Temple on Passover. He was examined for 3 days by the Pharisees and Pilot for blemishes and declared without blemish from Pilot. He was placed in the tomb on Unleavened Bread and rose on First Fruits and He even claimed He was the First Fruits of the dead. He told the Apostles to remain in Jerusalem a little while longer to receive Power during the Omer. He ascended on the 40th day and they waited for 10 more to receive the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The first Pentecost they received the Law and the second Pentecost they received the Holy Spirit. The church age began that day.
The next Feast Day in the year is Trumpets. It has many names, but one name is "The day that no one knows the day or the hour". 2000 years after Christ, Christians are still saying no one knows what day the Rapture will come. The Jews know. They also know that they are supposed to repent and fast the month before Trumpets in Elul. The month is 30 days long and there is 10 days after Trumpets they call the days of Awe. (7 years of Tribulation due to everyone dying if it lasts 10 years)
If Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First fruits, followed by Pentecost all happened in order, just as they were prophesied in Leviticus 23, then why wouldn't Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles happen on the prophesied days and in order?
Paul told the Thessalonians that they already knew these things, because they understood the Feast Days. They also knew that they will hear the "Last Trump" and will rise in the twinkling of an eye and be changed. The "Last Trump" only happens in Trumpets. The Great Trump is in Atonement, and the "First Trump" is Pentecost.The day no one knows is actually 2 days to a Jew, just as Turkey day is understood by an American. They don't know the day or the hour because the day doesn't start until 2 priests see the sliver of the New Moon appear over Jerusalem. "Only the Father knows" because He is the one that approved the Sukkah the newlyweds will spend their honeymoon in the first few days. There are 10 days between Trumpets and Atonement, but the Bible tells us that God will shorten this time to 7 years Because "No flesh would survive" without cutting it short. Then after that, Tabernacles, because that represents God living with His people on earth for 1000 years. Jesus was born on Tabernacles because He came to tabernacle (dwelt) with us in John 1:14. Being the light of the world is a theme of Tabernacles. Joy is a theme of Tabernacles.( I bring tidings of great joy!)
If you cared enough to figure it out, you could go back to the formation of the priestly courses and start at the course of Abijah in Luke 1:5 and work your way through the courses to figure out when John the Baptist was born, (Passover), and Jesus was 6 months younger than John so that would be Tabernacles. Abijah was the 8th course ( 1 Chron 24) I believe and you have to keep in mind that ALL 24 courses had Temple duty at Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. It's quite an involved study but you can figure out just when Jesus was born. The 8th Day is 2 days and refers to eternity after the earth burns up.
So, that was just a short run down on the importance of Leviticus 23 to know what God is going to do in the future. How many times has your teachers or pastors discussed this with you or given a sermon? We hear about Easter and Christmas every year and they have no Biblical importance other than being an abomination to God in Eze 8. Christ is the substance of these Feast days and paganism with false gods are the subject of Sunday worship, Easter and Christmas.
BTW, the reason the Jews were in slavery for 70 years in Babylon was because they didn't observe the 7 year Sabbath rest of the Land for 490 years. God is serious about His Commands. Jesus was asked how many times to forgive someone and told the Apostles "70x7". Hmmm, 70x7 = 490. 491 means the hammer comes down. 70x7 means it's not indefinite.
Mat 25 had 5 foolish virgins left behind. How foolish do you have to be to be left behind in the Rapture? If you are left behind you will have to have your head removed to go to heaven no matter what you told your pastor. Is God going to marry someone who doesn't follow His commands, or leave them behind to face the Beast? Jesus said "If you love me do my Commandments". One of His Commandments was to keep the Sabbath holy. He may not marry someone who willfully worships the wrong day. Just sayin.
For only myself I find the word of God to be sufficient, and any question between the Father and the Son is settled on the side of the Father. I do not believe for a moment that Jesus addressed every single issue pertaining to our lives.... God alone has provided His Word. The down fall of Mankind is found int he teachings of those who seek authority by issuance of their own word, thus they twist what Jesus did say to make the past not what is but to something they want to believe it was; thus to history is written by the conquerors. Let not the sinful word of Mankind twist that which you read first in Holy Bible by what makes you question God in the abbreviated history of the second half of this fine book. The structure and guidelines are clear, concise and need not be questioned. If you think too hard you are erring on the side of mankind. If your heart is pure in your worship to God, then too will you follow the Son to him. Follow the Son to Worship God.
Accidental irony from the ill informed. You might read John 10:30 to see the humor in this statement.
If you think too hard you are erring on the side of mankind. If your heart is pure in your worship to God, then too will you follow the Son to him.
So are we going with 'feelings" instead of the plain Commands of God? Proverbs 14:12 is your friend.
In context it is about eating practices on specific days but NOT on the sabbath or holy days. And NOT worship days. There is NOT a word used in the greek to denote that these "days" are any type of worship days.
There was a controversy in the early church about buying and eating meat that had been sacrificed in pagan rituals and then sold in the meat market. This is touched upon in 1 Corinthians chapter 8.
Pagans would sacrifice an ox or goat in a ritual and then afterwards sell the meat at market to profit from it. Early Christians asked the question: Is that right? Should we buy and eat that? It seemed to be quite the controversy. Paul ultimately said it's just meat...but let your own conscience decide.
They knew which days the pagans put their meat out and so some people would refuse to eat or buy meat on those days. If they went to a friends and the friend tried to serve them meat they would refuse it if they suspected it came from meat market on those days of the week.
That's why Romans 14 starts off this way:
Rom 14:1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.
Rom 14:2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables
What traditional Christianity did with the verses in Romans 145-6 is to completely cut out all context and ignore the cultural wars going on in Christianity at the time.
Romans 14 is NOT about changing days of worship or sending the message that the day of worship is not important. What it's really about is not getting into these stupid disputes about whether or not someone was holier because they did or did not eat meat that had once been sacrificed to idols. It's a chapter devoted to Paul teaching the brethren about this issue and not to dispute about it.
Where did our host go??? Awfully lonely here.
way to cherry pick! Romans 14 is about the observance of days as well as it is about foods... One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
Hebrews 4 re-interates the importance of the Sabbath. To enter into the rest with God is spiritually refreshing and necessary for faithful Christians. Those who enter it without faith do not profit from it. Hebrews 4:9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. How much plainer do you need it? Do you wish to count yourself as part of the people of God as mentioned here or not?
I am not to let my good to be evil spoken of... I know God rested the Seventh day, in Creation, but in Redemption, God raised Jesus from the dead on the first day of the week...
As I've pointed out multiple times the greek words translated here do NOT denote worship days. They do not denote the holy days of the Lord. And the ENTIRE context, including the verse you posted, is about days related to eating and drinking. What has happened Pastor is that you have rejected the Lord's holy days and the practice of Jesus and his first disciples and are interpreting scripture through the prism of modern Christianity.
WHY did God raise Jesus from the dead on the first day of the week? Because Jesus rested in the tomb on the seventh.
I know God rested the Seventh day, in Creation and you also know He COMMANDED us to work six days and rest the seventh. You are no different from the rebellious ones who honored God with their lips but not their hearts.
God knows whether or not I am a real. He told us that “One man esteems a certain day and another esteems all days...”
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