Grafted-In Ministries
The Sabbath A Memorial Unto the Creator!
Someone has said, “I have a good memory, but an even better forgettery.” In our sinfulness and frailty, we human beings are subject to forgetting things in the process of time, including the things of Elohim. Psalm 78:39 says He remembered them, but verse 42 says they remembered not Him. Scripture therefore is filled with many things that were done or made to be memorials.
The Sabbath was given to mankind at the close of creation by Yehovah Elohim as a memorial of His creative power (Genesis 2:1-3). That is, He sovereignly chose it to be the thing whereby man would be linked to Elohim by a weekly day of rest. And not just any day, but the seventh day, whereby man’s loyalty to his Creator would be tested, and as a mark of man’s sanctification (Exodus 31:13; Ezekiel 20:12). It begins at sunset on Friday, and ends Saturday evening (Genesis 1:5; Leviticus 23:32).
The Sabbath is not Jewish! The Messiah did not say it was made for the Jew; He said it was made for MAN! (Mark 2:27) It was made for man 2000 years before the first Israelite was born! The Sabbath was observed by the faithful prior to Sinai (Exodus 16:27-30). The phrase, “son of man” in Isaiah 56:2 , literally reads in the Hebrew text “the son of Adam.” Further proof that Elohim intended that all men should keep the Sabbath is seen in verses 6-8 . This passage indicates that Adam enjoyed Elohim’s Sabbath along with his family. Did not the patriarchs need a day so they could rest just like anyone else, and for worship, too? Who is there that would say they believe Noah and his family worked on building the ark seven days a week? No, Elohim did not sanctify the Sabbath for his own benefit.
The Sabbath was then reiterated by Elohim to Moses as a part of His moral law, written in stone with His finger, with a specific penalty imposed for disobedience (Exodus 31:14-15). A very few specific restrictions were added concerning gathering manna and sticks to kindle fires, which we observe by ceasing from our usual daily labors, but do not enforce in the literal sense with penalties (Hebrews 7:12). These added laws could not give life ( Galatians 3:21). From the law we are therefore able to learn that Sabbath-keeping itself cannot bring salvation to anyone.
In the heart of the Ten Commandments we read, “Remember the Sabbath….” Not something new, for how could they recall what they had never heard of before? This is a two-fold command for both rest and work, with an explanation attached. It lets us know that to disparage it or to observe some other day instead of the seventh, is to move us away from the only foundation to protect us from the onslaughts of atheistic, humanistic, evolutionary, thinking in denying the Creator Elohim.
The Fourth Commandment was NOT changed at Calvary, the resurrection, or any other time! Nor do we now have “The Nine Commandments,” as some seem to be teaching. (If only nine were perpetual, why were ten graven in stone?) Under the New Covenant with “separation of Church and state,” the death penalty for Sabbath-breaking (along with blasphemy, idolatry, adultery, and often even murder, too) is not enforced today. Nevertheless, the divine penalties are still in force, and will be meted out to the Romish whore and her Protestant daughters (Revelations 17:5) for adultery with the world, names of blasphemy against Yehovah, murder of His saints, and for laying impious hands on the Fourth Commandment, as well! (Ezekiel 22:26, 31).
Why did the Roman Catholic “Church” in the Fall of 1996 officially endorse evolution? That question can be answered by the day she observes. Does she observe the seventh-day Sabbath, which is the memorial of creation? Of course not. At the council of Laodicea in the mid-360s she actually outlawed obedience to the Fourth Commandment, and executed Sabbatarians during the Dark Ages! She declares her authority apart from Scripture to switch the day of rest and worship, to the first day of the week. That is just like human nature because Elohim said to work six days and then rest; man wants to take his rest day first and then work!
The real question, however, is this: Why must the leading (i.e., mis -leading) Protestant and so-called “radical” Anabaptist groups follow her treacherous example? As usual, the mainline churches are out of line with Elohim’s Word! They are like children running away from home, but carrying a picture of their mother in their pocket!
The Messiah arose on Saturday evening, yet most groups teach an “Easter” Sunday resurrection and a Good Friday crucifixion, thus nullifying the sign of the prophet Jonah in Matthew 12:40. That was the only sign given of the true Messiah! No one but Satan could be the author of such confusion. Truth is on the scaffold, and wrong is on the throne. It has been said that truth is so precious that it must be surrounded by bodyguards of lies.
John 5:18 does not say that the Messiah broke the Sabbath. He disobeyed the Talmud, but not the Torah! In other words, He broke only the Pharisees’ man-made rules or “by-laws” which they had added to Elohim’s Word. He had no “anti-Sabbath attitude”! He merely corrected the abuses. Otherwise, how could a lawbreaker have become our Savior? He would have been a sinner, and unable to save even his own self! Furthermore, He worked every Sunday and is to be our example – for the Scriptures command six days of labor, not five, as our popular culture practices (see Ezekiel 46:1).
Sunday sacredness was nowhere supported or implied by John, Luke or Paul. The folly of applying the Sabbath law to the first day of the week was left for a later age. Look at Isaiah 58:13 and Matthew 12:8 to see what Yehovah’s holy day is and of which day He says He is the Lord. There are at least 64 New Testament references to the Sabbath. Where did He ever say that that was to change? In fact, from the Savior’s own words, we see that He came for no such purpose, and He warned us against even thinking such a thing (Matthew 5:17). Note this well: The first thing recorded in the Bible is work done on Sunday! (Genesis 1:1-5).
Isaiah 66:23 is a prophecy that proves which day Elohim wills for both Jews and Gentiles to honor Him (see also Matthew 24:20). Exodus 31:13-16 says it is a sign for the children of Israel, but Isaiah 56:6 says it is for Gentile converts who love Elohim also. One example of that is the Church at Antioch in Acts 13:42-44 . Why is there no “change” spoken of here to these Gentiles? Obviously the next day was Sunday. Wouldn’t that seem like a convenient time for Paul to instruct these Gentiles to keep Sunday (which the Baal-worshipping heathens were already doing!) and to come back the next day to hear him preach? But Paul told the Gentile converts to follow him as he followed the Messiah. Paul’s manner (Acts 17:2) was the same as the Messiah’s custom (Luke 4:16), and he waited until the next Sabbath to come back.
Revelations 1:10 depicts the Sabbath in particular as a day for the blessing of spiritual revelation. Many have testified of the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits, which they have reaped from heeding Yehovah’s command in this area.
Making “the LORD’s day” to be Sunday is a bald-faced lie, firmly established by the dictate of the Roman emperor in A.D 321. It comes branded with the mark of paganism, and christened with the name of the sun-Elohim, then adopted and sanctified by the Papal apostasy and bequeathed as a sacred legacy to Protestantism (Jeremiah 16:19). The Reformation could have broken the back of the Catholic system had they followed through in this area at that time.
Hebrews 4:9 tells us the Sabbath rest is one safeguard against unbelief. Yes, mankind does seem to need help to be able to believe Elohim! Even those Bible believers who are most zealous for the cause of a literal creation week will continue to unwittingly aid the causes of Romanism and Darwinism by upholding their long-cherished tradition. They claim that Sunday is in honor of the resurrection, yet we have already proven this to be a fallacy. Paul did not agree with that either, for he said the symbol of the resurrection is not a day of the week, but according to Romans 6:4 , it is water baptism when properly administered.
The Pharisees added to Elohim’s Word, and the Pope takes away. They are both on the devil’s team! Paul forbids us from being “spoiled” (robbed) by men’s traditions (Colossians 2:8, 16, 18, 22). Yet Rome must have the rule over them for they have obeyed the commandment of the emperor Constantine in accepting a counterfeit, forwarded the cause by upholding blue laws, and dishonor their Creator by trampling His Sabbaths underfoot! This is the very reason world judgment is about to happen again: “The earth is defiled . . . because they have changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant” (see Isa 24:1-6). Yehovah has no regard for obedience to human precepts, which do violence to His truth. Let us take heed that it be not said of us as it was of those religionists of old.
“In vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7). Salvation is promised only to those who will to do His will, for “love” without commandment-keeping and obedience is no love at all (Hebrews 5:9; Revelations 14:12, 22:14; Matthew 7:21, 22:37).
REVELATIONS 18:4-5 , “COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE. THAT YE BE NOT PARTAKERS OF HER SINS. AND THAT YE RECEIVE NOT OF HER PLAGUES. FOR HER SINS HAVE REACHED (reeked!) UNTO HEAVEN. . . ” (NOTE – This is a reference to the tower of Babel).
It’s Jewish
When we present Elohim’s holy law,
And arguments from scripture draw,
Objectors say, to pick a flaw,
‘It’s Jewish’.
Though at the first Jehovah blessed
And sanctified His day of rest,
The same belief is still expressed,
‘It’s Jewish’.
Though with the world this rest began,
And thence through all Scriptures ran,
And Jesus said ’twas made for man’ –
‘It’s Jewish’.
Though not with Jewish rites, which passed,
But with the moral law ’twas classed,
Which must exist while time shall last, ‘It’s Jewish’.
If from the Bible we present
The Sabbath’s meaning and intent,
This answers every argument – ‘It’s Jewish’.
Though the disciples, Luke and Paul,
Continue still this rest to call
The ‘Sabbath day’, this answers all,
‘It’s Jewish’.
The gospel teacher’s plain expression,
That “Sin is of the law transgression,”
Seems not to make the least impression –
‘It’s Jewish’.
They love the rest of man’s invention,
But if Jehovah’s day we mention,
This puts an end to all contention,
‘It’s Jewish’.
O ye who thus Elohim’s day abuse,
Simply because ’twas kept by Jews,
The Saviour, too, you must refuse,
‘He’s Jewish’.
The Scriptures, then, we may expect
For the same reason you’ll reject;
For if you will but recollect,
‘They’re Jewish’.
Thus the apostles, too, must fall;
For Andrew, Peter, James, and Paul,
Thomas, Matthew, John, and all
‘Were Jewish’.
So to your helpless state resign
Yourself in wretchedness to pine;
Salvation, surely you’ll decline,
‘It’s Jewish’.
— Anonymous
HalleluYaH!
Permission is given and you are encouraged to reproduce this complete, unedited pamphlet, provided it is not sold.
Compliments of:
The Bible Sabbath Association
802 N.W. 21st Ave.
Battleground, WA 98604