Sabbath In The World
(Original Entry from HOD-Wordpress - 2007-04-26 12:39:05 pm)
Category - Christian, Jewish, Religiousness, Religion
The Isrealites had been told in the Torah (or Pentateuch) to keep the Sabbath. Most modern people believe that as a Christian we should at least keep the Ten Commandments which they believe to be the Word of G-d to us for clean living. The fourth command is to keep the Sabbath. But what does “keep the Sabbath” really mean and how is it relevant to us today?
We know from history that one of the Constantines of the 4th century (there were more than one in history) was pagan and actually prohibited the Jewish people under his rule from keeping the Sabbath, which has been and always will be the last day (7th day) of the week, along with other Holy Days. He changed the perceived weekly day to worship HaShem (Hebrew for The Name) from Saturday to Sunday, which is Day of the Sun. In order to understand this point more fully, it will be necessary to also understand about Mithra the sun god (notice ‘g’ and not ‘G’) and its role in pagan worship. But, we also have it down from Matthew that not one jot or tittle of the Law would be taken away or downtrodden till the world is redeemed. But what does that mean to us today?
It would be helpful here to know that until the Roman naming of the days, Sabbath was the center of everything the Hebrew people did. Other days were known as the day after Sabbath, or three days till Sabbath. So as to keeping which day is actually the Sabbath here, I will defer to the Hebrew people and their understanding of the center of their own lives.
Sabbath actually means to rest or to cease working. In practice, it means a ceasation from creative work that changes the environment and serves man in order that we take time to do things in service to G-d and not in service to ourselves. Part of that service to Him is learning about how he wants us to live by learning His Word. Part of that service is praising Him for everything. Part of that service is praying and gathering together. All of it together is recognized as observing (or keeping) the Sabbath.
In Acts 13, 15, and 18 we have reports of even the Gentiles keeping Sabbath to hear the Word in the Synagoges. In Colossians 2 we have an admonishment to the Colossians (many of whom were goyim, or not Jewish) to not be fearful of being judged in keeping the Sabbath followed with the understanding in the next verses that it is actually a picture of things to come and that Believers should not let themselves be beguiled (or tricked) out of their reward for keeping a voluntary humility in regards to this type of worldly judgment. How many people remember that second part? Not many remember, I am sure.
As Christians, we are thus labeled “Little Christs” or mimickers of the Annointed One. In our L-rd’s prayer it is stated that the Kingdom should be on Earth as it is in Heaven, meaning we should see evidence here of what Heaven and His Will is like. We are also told that the Sabbath was made for man and that man was not made for the Sabbath, meaning that the Sabbath was man’s tool to use wisely to get to know how the Kingdom should operate here. (Remember Colossians and the picture of things to come.)
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So, why is it hard to keep the Sabbath here? Because Believers who are made an extention of the true vine of Israel are called to keep things of the Kingdom here as they are kept in the Kingdom above, and the people not of the Kingdom do not understand Kingdom things. We are in essence no different from the Jewish people in the days of Constantine who were also surrounded with pagans who did not understand Kingdom things. In reality, having both the Sabbath (Saturday) and a day to devote to Family (Sunday) in America is a great thing and a credit to our forefathers’ visions. Now if we can just get the rest of the world to slow down and let us enjoy them we could be more fulfilled in our spiritual lives. In this world, there are many who do not understand what this is really all about. And truly, what I have mentioned here is but the tip of a massive topic iceburg. I am not surprised, and I am not discouraged. Our L-rd keeps us and directs us. But my point here is that everyone who professes the Word also needs to know what that Word actually means to them and decide what to do with it. What better way to do that, than to use the tool HaShem Himself has given us to give us the time to focus on Him more fully and in a way that is befitting His plans and not our own plans or wishes? Let your faith and His wisdom guide you. |
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–SILVERMOUSE