Vineyard Labourer Bible College

Study 20

THE SABBATH OR LORD'S DAY

The creation was now complete. "The heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them." "And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good." Eden bloomed on earth. Adam and Eve had free access to the tree of life. No taint of sin or shadow of death marred the fair creation. "The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." Job 38:7.

The great Jehovah had laid the foundations of the earth; He had dressed the whole world in the garb of beauty and had filled it with things useful to man; He had created all the wonders of the land and of the sea. In six days the great work of creation had been accomplished. And God "rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. 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." God looked with satisfaction upon the work of His hands. All was perfect, worthy of its divine Author, and He rested, not as one weary, but as well pleased with the fruits of His wisdom and goodness and the manifestations of His glory.

After resting upon the seventh day, God sanctified it, or set it apart, as a day of rest for man. Following the example of the Creator, man was to rest upon this sacred day, that as he should look upon the heavens and the earth, he might reflect upon God's great work of creation; and that as he should behold the evidences of God's wisdom and goodness, his heart might be filled with love and reverence for his Maker.

WHAT SAITH THE LORD

1. By what three distinct acts was the Sabbath made? Genesis 2:1- 3.

"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 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. 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." Genesis 2:1-3.

2. Did Christ have anything to do with creation and the making of the Sabbath? Ephesians 3:9. (Also see John 1:3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2.)

"And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:" Ephesians 3:9.

Also see:-

"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." John 1:3.

"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:" Colossians 1:16.

"Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;" Hebrews 1:2.

Note: Christ, being the active agent in creation, must have rested on the seventh day with the Father. It is therefore His rest day as well as the Father's.

3. How does Jesus confirm this statement? Matthew 12:8.

"For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day." Matthew 12:8.

4. For whom does Christ say the Sabbath was made? Mark 2:27.

"And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:" Mark 2:27.

Note: It was not made for the Jews. The Sabbath was made more than two thousand years before there was a Jew. It was made for the whole human race.

5. What does the Sabbath Commandment require? Exodus 20:8-10.

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 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:" Exodus 20:8-10.

6. What reason is given in the Commandment for keeping the Sabbath day holy? Exodus 20:11.

"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." Exodus 20:11.

Note: The Sabbath is the memorial of creation, and the sign of God's creative power. Through the keeping of it God designed that man should forever remember Him as the true and living God, the Creator of all things.

7. How did God prove Israel in the wilderness? Exodus 16:4.

"Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no." Exodus 16:4.

8. On which day did a double portion of manna fall? Exodus 16:22.

"And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses." Exodus 16:22.

9. What reply did Moses make to the rulers? Exodus 16:23.

"And he 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." Exodus 16:23.

Note: This was a full month before the children of Israel came to Sinai where the Ten Commandments were given, yet God is already testing them to see if they will obey His Law, specifically the Sabbath.

10. How did God reprove those who were disobedient? Exodus 16:28.

"And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?" Exodus 16:28.

11. Of what was the Sabbath a sign of? Ezekiel 20:20.

"And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God." Ezekiel 20:20.

12. How long was the Sabbath to be such a sign? Exodus 31:16, 17.

"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 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." Exodus 31:16, 17.

Note: "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Galatians 3:29. Israel or Jacob as he was originally named, was Abraham's grandson or Abraham's seed. Therefore the children of Israel were Abraham's seed (John 8:37), and if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed or children of Israel.

13. Of what else does God say He gave the Sabbath to His people to be a sign, or reminder? Ezekiel 20:12.

"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.

14. How often will the redeemed saints congregate to worship the Lord? Isaiah 66:22, 23.

"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. 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." Isaiah 66:22, 23.

Commitment:- I believe that the 7th day Sabbath is a memorial of God's creation.

Commitment:- I am willing to acknowledge Jesus as my Lord by keeping His Holy Sabbath day according to the 4th Commandment.