MESSIAH AND THE SABBATH

 

(Part 8)

We believe that Yehoshua resurrected on a Sabbath, and that makes it very special to all of us. He did not rise from the dead on the sun-god day, but on the Sabbath. We count the omer from the Sabbath for the next seven Sabbaths, and this is already a strong indication that He rose on the Sabbath, and at the end of the day, when the sun was going down.   Yehoshua never told the apostles that the Sabbath would end when He would rise from the dead.  We actually know now from the discoveries of Jonathan Cahn that Yeshua or Yehoshua was born and died on the first day of the biblical month. That year the 14^th day of the month was on the Wednesday, which makes His resurrection three days later on the weekly Sabbath. 

As I have spoken earlier, He said that at the end times, we should pray that the anti-messiah or “antichrist” will not choose the Sabbath to manifest himself. This is basically what He said in Matthew 24:15-21. If that would happen, then we would be breaking the Sabbath when we would flee.

Yehoshua always kept the Sabbath day holy, but not as the Pharisees did.  He kept the Torah, but not the commandments of man, and I do the same.  I hope you also obey Him and keep only the Torah, and not the Takanot and Ma’asim of the rabbis or of men.  

The Sabbath is a day to remember that the world was created in six days by Yehovah. He sanctified this day, and gave it to mankind as a day of rest. Our bodies need to be refreshed after six days of work. Many people only work five days, and stay off two days, however, they do not sanctify the Sabbath or the sun-day.  Actually they do not even rest. They are busy doing things, and many people have barbecues and spend time watching television and drinking, or doing anything and everything. Sabbath is also not necessarily a day to go to meetings, as Bible studies or other meetings. I do the meeting at erev Sabbath, or Fridays after sundown, which is Sabbath.

 Catholics and Christians go to church on Sunday, and then they spend the day shopping and or watching television and do other things. They are not honoring Yehovah by keeping the Sabbath day holy. Sunday is not Sabbath. Yehovah never changed His mind on this matter. Man has changed the Commandment, but He is not involved in it.  

In the past, and probably now, Israelis who lived in Yerushalayim/Jerusalem would go to the Synagogue on the Sabbath. However, it is not a command. We can stay home and worship our Creator at home by learning the Scriptures, and rest.  Those who have a family can have a special time together. The others do what they can by themselves. The main thing is to avoid certain activities, as mention earlier.

Certainly it is not wrong to assemble, but it is not a command. You need to focus on Yehovah, and on resting. When you go to some meetings you are not resting, and your mind is distracted by much talking, instead of listening to your Creator.  The body needs that rest, and so does your spirit.

Yehoshua went to the Synagogue and read.

Marqos (Mark) 1:21: “Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.

Luqas (Luke) 2:16: “So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.”

He healed on the Sabbath.

Luqas (Luke) 13:14: “But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Yehoshua had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.”

Yehoshua gave instruction on how to properly observe the Sabbath.  (Matthew 12; Luke 6.)

The disputes He had with the religious leaders was not because He broke His own commandment, but because they added so many rules that were not written in the Torah, but were their own teachings. You need to read all the verses concerning the Sabbath to learn that Yehoshua kept the day perfectly. But the Pharisees falsely accused Him of breaking the commandment. However He only broke their commandments, or takanot and ma’asim, but not the Torah.

Luqas (Luke) 6: 1-5,”Now it happened on the second Sabbath after the first that He went through the grainfields.  And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. And some of the Pharisees said to them. “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” But Yehoshua answering them said, “Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: How he went into the house of Elohim , took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?” And He said to them, “The Son of Man is also Master of the Sabbath.”

The disciples were not breaking any of the Commandments for taking the grain, cleaning it, and eating it. But according to the traditions of the Pharisees they were guilty. They had around one thousand and five hundred extra rules that are not in the Scriptures. No one could keep them, for they were commandments of man, and were oppressing the people, instead of helping them to obey Yehovah. Yehovah did not place burdens hard to bear to enslave us, but gave a few simple commands for the Sabbath.  Yehovah’s Torah, or Commandments are few and easy to follow, compared to those extra rules they were imposing on the faithful. Yehoshua declared to be the Master of the Sabbath, and He knows what He has written.

He did good things on the Sabbath. He healed and taught the many people who followed Him on the Sabbath and on every day of the week.

Mattithyahu (Matthew) 12:11-12: “Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath , will not lay hold of it and lift it out?” Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep?  Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

If our Savior Yehoshua is the Master of the Sabbath, we should also do as He did: keep the Sabbath as He did, not as the Pharisees and other groups may choose to keep it. We cannot add nor take away from the Commandments. What He has given us is sufficient for us. We do not need to add anything.  We do not need to end up cursed as result of it. Amen.

At this point I do not need to explain the reason why religion has changed the Sabbath to Sun-day. I have written about these things in my messages in: “The Sabbath is a sign,” and in my message: “Three Days and Three Nights.” You may need to read the Scriptures and try to find one single verse of Scriptures that teaches that the Sabbath was changed to Sun-day. There is none, but many miss-interpret some verses of Scriptures because they do not even know that we celebrate more than just the weekly Sabbath in specific times of the Biblical year.  During the Feasts we may celebrate three Sabbaths in every Feast. The duration of the feast, of Passover and Sukkot is seven days which includes two extra Sabbaths, plus the regular Sabbath.  For instance when the Passover is kept, if that year the fourteen of the first month is on the Wednesday, which was the year the Messiah died and rose from the dead, then you would have two Sabbaths. One on the first day of Unleavened Bread, the 15^th of the first month, and another is the weekly Sabbath, which precedes sun-day.   Once again, there are at least two but at three Sabbaths in each feast, depending which day they begin. The problem here is the churches do not teach on the Feasts, therefore the congregation is in the dark and do not understand the Scriptures. They teach Yeshua died on Friday, and rose two days later. This makes Yehoshua a liar! He forth told that He would die and rise again on the third day, not on the second! He is Yehoshua does not lie, but the teachers have lied to us.

As I said, you can ask me for those blogs; if they are no longer on the archives, or you may send me an email and I will send send them to you.

And now let us talk about the apostle Shaul/Paul. His writings have been so much misinterpreted by many people, and this is not funny.  However, the apostle Paul is not Elohim, and his word is not the Torah that was given to Moses.  He did not write contrary to Torah, because if he did, he would have been a false prophet.

 We do find mistranslations in the Bibles we use, and a person needs to read the Scriptures in the Greek Bible to check the Word, in order to understand what he was saying. Once again, I need to mention that the Sabbath begins and ends when the sun goes down. After the meeting on Sabbath when the first day of the week, or Sunday, begins, it is customary to continue in fellowship. That time spent together with other believers is called “havdalah”, which means ‘separation.” Some people have a special ceremony, but of course it is not commanded in the Scriptures, but is something people may do. This meal is called ‘Melaveh Malka and it means “accompanying the queen.” This is just another way to say good bye to the Sabbath. There is a legend concerning this meal, but I will not write about it, for it is only a legend.

In Ma’aseh (Acts) 15:19-21 we read of the immediate counsel given for the new believers, who had been in deep sin. But in the end they said that the Torah is read in the congregation every Sabbath. Therefore it is understood all believers could go to the synagogue and learn with all believers.  New believers cannot grasp everything in one session. They needed time to adjust to the brand new life style as believers. But they were not told that they were only required to keep those few rules, and that was all they were required to do. If someone teaches this, he or she is teaching error. The commandments are still to be obeyed by all. Once again I remind all of us, that if we love our Creator, we must obey Him. Obedience is the sign of our love to Him.

As I already mentioned, Yehoshua said: “Pray that your flight be not be in the winter or on Sabbath.” (Matthew 24:21). He was talking on the times the anti-Messiah would be revealed. That means He did not change the rules, but enforced them. We have to keep the Sabbath forever. And I will end with this thought now. We cannot make excuses just because we want to do what we want to do. If we think that way, we are walking as lawlessness individuals and we will be judged. I do not judge anyone, but the Word itself is our judge. I will be also judged if I chose to keep my mouth shot and say nothing just because I do not want to offend someone.  I will not do that. I am concerned about you, and I will say to you what I have learned. You have the responsibility to search the Scriptures for yourself and do what they say. I do my part, and you will do your part. Amen.

If today you do not know if your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, you can make sure. Confess your sin, and repent to Yehovah. He is always near you and he will answer you. You may not hear an audible voice, but He will speak to your heart, if you listen.  

Yo’el (Joel) 2:32 “And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of Yehovah shall be saved.”

All you need to do is to call upon that blessed Name, and He will answer you.  He will direct you to the Son.

Yochanan (John) 3: 16 “For Elohim so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Today is your day, do not wait for tomorrow, for it may never come.

(I use the title Master instead of Lord since even the devil and all the sun gods are called Lord.)

I am preparing a few more messages on this subject, and I hope you will continue to read them all.

Yehovah bless you and keep you,

Yehovah make His Face shine upon you, and be gracious to you;

Yehovah lift up His countenance upon you, and give you Shalom.

(Bemidbar /Numbers 6:24-26)

If you do not know Yehovah as your Creator and His only Son Yehoshua who died for your sin, you can call upon His Name today and be saved.  Today is the day of salvation. Tomorrow it could be too late.

“Barukh HaBa ba’Shem YHWH!”  “Blessed is He who is coming in the Name of YHWH!”

 “…Hoshia-na! “Barukh is He who is coming in the Name of Yehovah! Barukh is the coming reign of our father Dawid – in the Name of Yehovah Hoshia-na in the highest!”