The Seventh: Sabbath

The Seventh: Sabbath and Satisfaction start with an "S"

For the past several years we have heard much about the Ten Commandments being posted where they "should not be", according to some. A judge in Alabama effectively loses his job because of a huge granite monument containing those horrible words. And a monument was move recently in Duluth so that separation of church and state as interpreted by some, who do not know how to read, will drop their monetary lawsuits.

For the next several Sundays, we will be looking at the Ten, but not in the same order. They are listed in Exodus 20 and again in Deuteronomy 5. Jesus simplifies them even further into two commandments. Paul explains it again in Romans 13.

Matthew 22:36-40 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment . 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Romans 13:9-10 The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

All of the "legal" complaints about the posting of the Ten -- all the haranguing by media and anti-religion types and churches -- ignore some key points. First, the "Ten" is not technically a "Christian" document but a Israelite document. Moses got them from God for the Israelites. It is their historical societal guide for living. Yes, I am aware that Christianity is based upon and comes out of Judaism and Jesus, a Jew, instructed us to obey His commandments. It is still a Mosaic work. Yes, there are other works of law that predate the "Ten" in different societies. Hammurabi’s Code is pictured on the front of this bulletin. It is 282 rules of living for the Babylonians and contains many of the same concepts as the Ten. It is interesting that other non-Christian societies would come up with the concept that murder, theft, adultery, lying, are bad and honoring mom and dad is good. When we realize that those who are against the posting of the Ten are also against civilization, we should have a different perspective towards them. (Notice that their sacrament is the tearing of human flesh and shedding of human blood through abortion.)

Secondly, those who oppose the posting of the "Ten" are ignorant of the history of this country. The founding fathers based our form of government upon Mosaic Law, not Roman law. The "Ten" is an historical fact. The First Amendment does not promise no religion but that the government would not "establish" a religious denomination that has the favor and financial support of taxation -- such as the Church of England. The "establishment clause" has to do with money, not philosophy or religion.

Thirdly, the Christian version of these rules of civilization has only two: God first and be nice to each other. The "Golden Rule" is not "He who has the gold rules." If our society really wants to abandon the idea of "Doing unto others as you would have them do unto you", then we need to prepare ourselves for anarchy and Darwinian Law with prevail: Survival of the fittest. In other words, the strongest will survive and you had better stock up on weapons just to protect your food and property. Remember the Holocaust.

Fourthly, I don’t need these rules to be etched in granite for them to apply to my life. The Israelites were instructed to have them posted on their doorposts, wear them on their bodies. This of course became yet another problem because the larger they were, obviously, the more "holy" they were. Check up on what a phylactery actually is. We do the same with the size of the Bible we carrying around,

Deuteronomy 11:18-21 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads . 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.

But the important part of that scripture is the heart thing. God lamented to Moses...

Deuteronomy 5:29 Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!

God’s solution would come. The prophet told us.

Jeremiah 31:33-34 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel

after that time," declares the LORD.

"I will put my law in their minds

and write it on their hearts .

I will be their God,

and they will be my people.

34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor,

or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,'

because they will all know me,

from the least of them to the greatest,"

declares the LORD.

"For I will forgive their wickedness

and will remember their sins no more."

Even this is a promise to the Hebrews. It comes through the power of the Holy Spirit. Imagine the wonder of Peter when he saw that Gentiles can receive this gift of the Holy Spirit. This should not have happened in typical Jewish thinking. Gentiles are dogs. Because of the Holy Spirit, we (dogs) can have and do have the Law of God written on our hearts. I have often wondered how sometimes the Biblical scholar struggles with understanding while the simple believer filled with the Holy Spirit has clarity over the same scripture.

Let’s look at the Ten.

SABBATH

Exodus 20:8-11 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

I grew up in a Pentecostal church. I remember how uncomfortable mom was with the idea of going out with a bat and ball on Sunday afternoon to play. It was Sunday -- the Sabbath -- it should be holy -- playing ball was not "holy." She never like me reading the Sunday comics in the paper. (Didn’t like comic books either.) I think mom told me stories about how when she was young they had to sit around the house in Sunday best (boys in suits). All that could be done was read -- and that should be the Bible. Sunday church filled the day. Saturday was the bath for Sunday. Early Sunday, dad had to get the heat going at church. Then there was Sunday School. And then church. After a rushed dinner, there was the rest home. Maybe there was time for something for supper, but you had to get to either the music practice, the youth service (or both) and then the evening Evangelist service followed by an altar service. Maybe afterwards, you might meet with some of the people for ice cream. Church-church-church. All day long. Imagine my shock when I learned that Sunday was not even the real Sabbath? And Sunday as practiced by me was a lot of work for a day when we were supposedly not to work.

Reality check. Sunday is not and never has been the Sabbath. Sunday is a day of worship established by the emperor Constantine to honor the resurrection of Jesus (first day of the week) AND to honor the sun and the rising of the sun. The AND id there. During his time it was a frequent habit of Christians as they entered the church to honor the rising sun. Left overs from Paganism? Yes. Why do you think it is called SUNDAY and not CHRISTDAY or at least SONDAY?

The Sabbath, however, was a day established by God at creation. It was the day He "quit" working on the creation. It was the day He sat back and said, "This is very good." He was done. Maybe we should sit back and look at the Sabbath the same way God did.

Genesis 1:31-2:3 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning — the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

What had He done. He had made a complete heaven and earth in their vast array. It was a complicated job and He was done. He sat back and looked at it and was pleased with Himself. He ws satisfied. Dare I suggest that holiness might have something to do with being pleased with what God has done -- being satisfied? Maybe even bragging a little about what God has made? Maybe even noticing that His work is indeed complete through the sacrifice of His Son for our redemption?

When I make an apple pie or any pie, I almost always parade it out to show Sharon. This is before it is even tasted. It might be bad, but because it is done, I show her that it is "finished." I admit this is simply the male ego looking for a little approval and appreciation, but I am showing off my creation. All of us do this. If nothing else, we sit back and with satisfaction say, "I’m done and this works." It may be a job. It may even be an ugly task. But when we are done, we admit to ourselves we are done and admire the fact that we are done.. Were we not made in the image of God?

But the religious have made religion out of the Sabbath. The Adventists claim the mark of the Holy Spirit talked about in Revelation is "worshipping on Saturday (the true Sabbath)." The Jews mad all sorts of rules and regulations about lighting fires and how far you could walk. At least one guy was killed for picking up sticks for a fire on the Sabbath. In our country, there are still "Blue Laws" that keep some stores from being open on Sunday. There are some who firmly believe you don’t have a truly Christian church unless you have a Sunday morning AND Sunday night service. Have you heard it was a sin to watch an NFL game on Sunday? Of course, the "don’t work" rule still applies.

WHY A SABBATH

It has been argued that man, beast, and machine function better with a day off every week. Apparently the Greeks saw that wisdom in the Hebrew culture and liked the idea. Some claim statistics to back it up. We all recognize the value in having a break just for reflection on what we are doing if nothing else. But this is a Commandment. This is the first one that has to do with man rather than directly about God. Jesus explains.

Matthew 12:1-12 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."

3 He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread-which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath ."

9 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10 and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath ?"

11 He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath ."

Mark 2:27-28 Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man , not man for the Sabbath . 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath ."

This is radical. I was not made as some being to obey the rules of the Sabbath for some religious purpose, the Sabbath was made for me. It was made for MY benefit. And I don’t think I am going to far out to suggests that all of the TEN are made for me for my personal benefit. They are not arbitrary rules such as in some game and you win by following the rules. They really are for me.

What were the disciples doing? They were picking grain and eating it. The creation of God was being applied just as the Creator had intended in the first place. The green things were providing food as the green things are supposed to. And in this situation, they were providing food to the disciples who did not work for this food. This is what God had planned in the first place. This is garden of Eden stuff. Jesus was letting his disciples experience how Creation was supposed to be: FREE FOOD. They didn’t have to work for it by the sweat of their brow. And it was on the Sabbath. The day that God made holy because He was done with creation and it worked!

Genesis 1:29-30 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground — everything that has the breath of life in it — I give every green plant for food." And it was so.

I think this is one of the reasons Jesus healed on the Sabbath so frequently. It is restoration to the days of creation before the fall when He said, "Hey. This is very good."

THE SABBATH WAS MADE FOR YOU

For what purpose? It was made to be holy. It is the seventh day of the week -- that is Saturday. Sunday is the first day of the week and most of Christianity honors the resurrection of Jesus on that day. The Sabbath is a day -- one seventh -- where we need to reflect on the creation of God and what He has done. This is a day we can return to the Garden of Eden before the Fall. What was it like? Are you taking a walk at dusk with your Creator? Is His provision your provision or are you working by the sweat of your brow for everything and then have no time for Him? Even the land needs a Sabbath.

Leviticus 25:2-4 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the LORD. 3 For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. 4 But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.

2 Chronicles 36:21 The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah.

For us as Christians, the law of God is written on our hearts. We obey the Commandment to keep the Sabbath because it is written on our hearts and in our understanding, it is not some doctrine of the church that we are trying to keep. When we obey the Sabbath, we are doing what God did in the beginning. He stopped and looked at what He had done. If even the land needs to stop and look at what God has done, how much more ourselves? The Sabbath is a time when we can stroll back into Eden before the fall and realize exactly what God created. The food is free, we fellowship directly with God, and we are clothed in righteousness and majesty. That is what the wedding garments are about the Jesus was talking about. Adam and Eve were clothed in majesty and honor just like God before their sin. With what Jesus has done on the cross, we can again be clothed in righteousness. We can enter that Sabbath.

Isaiah 61:10-11 I delight greatly in the LORD;

my soul rejoices in my God.

For he has clothed me with garments of salvation

and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness ,

as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up

and a garden causes seeds to grow,

so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise

spring up before all nations.

Romans 10:1-13

10:1 Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

5 Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: "The man who does these things will live by them." 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 "or 'Who will descend into the deep?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."