The Lords Day, the Sabbath. - The day God designated as his Holy day of worship:

The seventh day, known as the sabbath, is a sacred time set apart by God for rest and worship. It begins at sunset Friday and ends at sunset Saturday. This day has been established since the very beginning of creation, and will continue to be honoured throughout eternity, marking a special rhythm in the life of every believer. Sabbath reflects Gods divine plan, after six days of creating the universe God rested the seventh day. God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it – he made it holy. This emphasizes the importance of this day in honouring the work of our creator. This day of rest, the sabbath day, is Gods invitation to join him in worship.

Observing the Sabbath is not a tradition, it’s the fourth commandment of Gods unchangeable law. Through the scriptures, God provides guidance on how to honour the Sabbath and keep it holy. When believers emulate the example set by his Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath by ministering, worshiping and conducting acts of kindness on this day, they are fulfilling Gods commandment. This not only signifies believers’ allegiance but also their loyalty and dedication to God Almighty.

Embracing the Sabbath allows us to experience peace, joy and the grace of our creator. By honouring this sacred day we not only fulfil Gods commandment but also enrich our spiritual journey and strengthen our relationships with others of like-minded faith.

Additionally, the Sabbath serves as a symbol of Gods everlasting covenant with his followers, reminding us as we celebrate each Sabbath, that we are his, now and forever. The Sabbath stands as a testament of Gods might as our creator and his redeeming love for us, his people.

Key foundational Biblical truths on the Sabbath

As the sun slowly set that Friday the sixth day of creation God saw that everything he had made was good.( Genesis 1:31) God rested the seventh day and blessed the seventh day. Thus making a special day each week for Adam and Eve to rest from the toils of the week and spend in communion with him, their God and creator. ( Genesis 2 :1-3)

The sabbath is central to our worship of God. We are created by God and it to whom we should worship and give thanks. The Sabbath is a memorial to creation.

The sabbath at creation: The sabbath was instituted when the world was sinless. God created the seven day week, by resting, blessing and sanctifying the seventh day this completed creation week. The seventh day was different to the rest of the days of creation it was a day of reflection, of cessation from the other days work.

Three divine acts established the sabbath

• God rested on the sabbath. On the seventh day God rested and was refreshed (Exodus 31:17) God didn’t need to rest (Isaiah 40:28). The shabbat – the word ‘rested’ in Hebrew means cease from work. So God stopped creating. God rested because he expected humans to rest and he set an example that he wanted all humans to follow (Exodus 20:11)

• God blessed the sabbath – This is God saying the sabbath was to be a special day set aside by God , a day that would bring blessings to his people.

• God sanctified the sabbath. To sanctify something means it is blessed and made Holy, It is set apart. People places and time can be identified in scriptures as hOly the fact that God sanctified the seventh day means that this day is holy he set it apart for the development of the divine human relationship. He blessed this day not for himself but for mankind. It is his personal presence that brings the sabbath Gods blessings and sanctification.

The observance of the Sabbath:

There has been no change to the Sabbath since God made it in Genesis. The origin of the 7 days is founded in creation week. there is no scientific or astronomical reason for measuring time in cycles of seven. The 7 day cycle has never been altered, thus it is a system designed by God and preserved from creations and will last into eternity.

Why is sabbath worship to be from sunset to sunset? Creation week scriptures clearly identify night and day were each day. Genesis 1:5 states…and the evening and the morning were the first day. This phrase is also noted in Genesis 1:8, 13, 19, 23, 31. God showed a pattern in creation of the evening and the day being listed as a day. God would not have changed for pattern for the seventh day.

What day is the Lords day?

Revelation 1:10. Christ special day for rest and worship is called the Lords day. “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet”

Which day did Jesus say he is Lord?

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

Which day is the Sabbath of GOD?

Exodus 20: 8-11. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work. 10 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: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.

Where in scripture does it show sabbath to be Saturday?

To work out the days of the week and confirm what day is the seventh day ,we need to study the crucifixion scriptures. The crucifixion of Jesus shows us the names of the days.

Day One – Christ crucified.

• Mark 15:42 “and now when the even( evening) was come because it was preparation day, that is the day before the Sabbath”.

• Luke 23:54 “ and that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on”

• Luke 23:55-56 “ And the women also…they returned and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment”.

• John 19:31 “ the Jews therefore because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day ( for that sabbath day was a high day) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away”

Day Two - Jesus in tomb .– as indicated in Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54-56 . This day is the Sabbath

• Matthew 27:62: “Now the next day, that following the day of preparation the chief priests and pharisees came together with Pilate.”

Day Three - Christ rose again.

• Matthew 28:1: “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.”

• Mark 16:1. “And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome had brough sweet spices that they might come an anoint him v2 And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.”

• Luke 24:1 “ Now upon the first day of the week , very early in the morning , they( the women) came unto the sepulchre bringing the spices which they had prepared

• John 20:1 “The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early , when it was yet dark unto the sepulchre and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre”

Thus since the first day of the week is not the sabbath, and the preparation day precedes the sabbath, the sabbath has to be day seven i.e. the seventh day of the week.

Thus Jesus died Friday, everyone rested on the sabbath – Saturday, and Sunday the first day of the week Jesus arose from the tomb, people were returning to doing work ie going to anoint the body with spices.)

We need to note this passage of scripture is written at least 30 years after Christs crucifixion, and they still note Friday as the preparation day, Saturday the sabbath and Sunday the first day of the week, indicating no change in belief or day of worship.

For Whose benefit did the Lord make the sabbath?

Mark 2:27-28. 27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

How many of Earths people were given the sabbath as a memorial and a rest day?

Isaiah 56:1-7. Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.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.3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.4 For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

How did the Lord instruct his people to refrain from work on the Sabbath? Jeremiah 17:21-22: Thus saith the Lord; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;22 Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.

Are we to worship and rest the same day as Jesus?

As Christians - defined as a follower of Christ, we are to do as Jesus did. Luke 4:16 tells us Jesus attended the Synagogue on the sabbath day for worship “which was his custom”.

Following Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection sabbath attendance still continued.

When did the gentiles request that the truth of Christ be preached to them by Paul?

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.

Like his master what did Paul do on the sabbath?

Acts 17:2. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.

Acts 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

On what day will all flesh worship God in the new earth?

Isaiah 66: 22-23. 22 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.23 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.

How does God ask his people 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.

Nehemiah 13:15-22

15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.20 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

These Verses tell us Sabbath is to be a day of Joy of peace, not a day where we buy nor sell. It is day we give back to God.

How do we express our love for God?

1 John 5:1-3 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

God blessed and set apart the seventh day Sabbath as a day of rest and worship,(Genesis 2:1-3) how long do Gods blessings remain on something he has blessed?

1 Chronicles 17:27: Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O Lord, and it shall be blessed for ever.

Numbers 23:20: Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

Psalm 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

What day did God write in the 10 commandments for his day of worship?

Exodus 20:8-11. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:10 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: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.

Sabbath and the Law

All of the commandments of the Decalogue are vital; And all are to be followed.(James2:10)

God distinguished the Sabbath command from all others. Regarding it, is important stating This is alerting humanity to the dangers of forgetting Sabbath.

“The first part of the Fourth Commandment begins: Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. This shows the Sabbath was instituted at Sinai but brings it back to the end of Creation Week. God intends us to observe the Sabbath as His memorial of creation. Keeping the Sabbath, shows our allegiance to the true God and is a sign that we acknowledge his sovereignty as Creator and King.

The sabbath commandment functions as the seal of God’s Law, generally Seals contain three elements. The name of the owner. His title and jurisdiction. Official seals are used to validate documents of great importance. The document takes on the authority of the official, whose seal it bears. The seal implies that the official himself approves of the legislation, and that all the power of his office stands behind it. The Sabbath command contains the vital elements of the seal.It give his name – the LORD your God, it gives his title – the one who made (creator) And it gives his territory, the heavens and the earth. Exodus 20:10-14.

But people say the day of worship was changed after Christ died?

There are only 8 texts in the New Testament that mention the first day of the week – Sunday.

We will examine these to see if they advise of a change to Gods Holy day.

Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

Mark 16:1-2 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

Mark 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

Luke 23:54-56, Luke 24:1 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. Luke 24:1Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

John 20:1. The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

John 20:19. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

As we see in Mark 16:11-14, Luke 24:36-40, the disciple’s did not yet believe Christ was risen so this meeting could not have been called to celebrate his resurrection

Acts 20:7-8. 7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. 8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.

Breaking bread and discussing religious topics does not make this particular day sacred as Jesus broke bread with his disciples the day before Passover (being the Thursday night), and Acts 2:46 speaks of breaking bread daily. Also as night and day make one day ( Genesis 1:5) if it were the new day of worship why is Paul travelling from Troas to Assos

Acts 20:13. When looking at the context of the whole chapter This text does not support Sunday sacredness.

1 Corinthians 16:1-2. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

This is the only reference to the first day of the week, Sunday, in all Pauls letters, written around A.D.59. The Weymouth translation states, “on the first day of the week let each of you put by and keep any profit he may have made, so that there may be no collections made after I have come”. Thus this passage is to do with collecting finances. There is no mention by Paul to attribute sacredness to the first day, he does not establish a law for observing first day, Paul said nothing here about abstaining from work on the first day, and he says nothing about any religious celebrations to be held on the first day.

The argument is the 4th commandment was done away with at the cross and Sunday the first day of the week is now the day in which we are to worship God.

As shown nowhere in scripture does it say to worship on Sunday. Jesus was born into a Jewish family and scripture shows he went to a synagogue every shabbat( Saturday) to worship. The bible tells of the apostles worshiping on the 7th day and not once do scriptures say they taught or did otherwise. Early historian records by Socrates Scholasticus( 5th century), Sozomen (5th century) and Ambrose of Milan (4th century) show most people except for a small group in Rome and Greece were still worshipping on Saturday centuries after Christ died. Therefore the change of Gods holy day from Saturday to Sunday was not a decree made by God written into scripture by his chosen writers but it is a manmade tradition.

In summary – The Lords Day is also called the Seventh day and the Sabbath day, this day is commonly called Saturday.

• God declared the sabbath as a sign between you and me, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies (Ezekiel 20:12, 20:20, Exodus 31:17).

• Sabbath keeping is a permanent covenant. Exodus 31:16

• It was Jesus’ custom to worship on the Sabbath. Luke 4:16

• Christ was so concerned for the sacredness of the Sabbath. When he spoke to his disciples about the persecution that must take place, he said, “Pray Your flight may not be in winter, or on the Sabbath.” Matthew 24:20.

• Christ stated the Seventh day, is the Sabbath of the Lord Your God . Exodus 20:10. In Mark 2:28 “Christ called himself the Lord of the Sabbath, therefore, when John stated that he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, this can only be the shabbat, the Sabbath, The Seventh day. Revelation 1:10

• Nowhere does the Bible declare another day of worship or another day of being Holy. Nor does the New Testament indicate that God changed the sabbath to any other day of the week, or wanted us not to follow all 10 commandments. On the contrary, scripture reveals in James 2:10 “ for whosoever shall keep the whole law (10 commandments), yet offend in one point he is guilty of all.” God intended his people to observe the sabbath throughout eternity.

• Isaiah 66 22-23 writes as the new heavens and new earth which I will make remain before me” says the Lord, “so shall your descendants and your name remain…From one new moon to another, from one sabbath to another all flesh shall come and worship before me “says the LORD

• Just as God has set aside the sabbath for a Holy purpose, so has he set his people apart for a holy purpose to be his special witness. Their commitment to him each sabbath day leads to holiness and they learn to depend on him not their own resources.

• As the end of time approaches the question of who to worship – the God of the 7th day sabbath or the following of a manmade tradition will be front and centre of a world wise crisis.

• Scriptures tell us that people are to return to restoring the truth by worshiping on Gods holy day

Revelation 14:12: Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

To understand how the day of the sun (Sunday) became a day of worship, please request a free copy of the book Great Controversy.

Did you know:

Did you know over 100 languages use the root word sabbath for the word Saturday. These translations stem form the Hebrew word Shabbat, meaning rest, a cessation from work . As over 100 languages use a variant of “sabbath” to identify the seventh day ( Saturday ), due to the widespread usage it is evidence of which day throughout various eras and cultures was identified as the 7th day,

Question: Which is the Sabbath day?

Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day.

Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?

Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.

—Rev. Peter Geiermann C.SS.R., The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, p. 50

Q. Have you any other proofs that they (Protestants) are not guided by the Scripture? A. Yes; so many, that we cannot admit more than a mere specimen into this small work. They reject much that is clearly contained in Scripture, and profess more that is nowhere discoverable in that Divine Book. Q. Give some examples of both? A. They should, if the Scripture were their only rule, wash the feet of one another, according to the command of Christ, in the 13th chap. of St. John; —they should keep, not the Sunday, but the Saturday, according to the commandment, "Remember thou keep holy the SABBATH-day;" for this commandment has not, in Scripture, been changed or abrogated;... —Rev. Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism; New York in 1857, page 101 Imprimatuer