1. How and where was the seven day week instituted?
   Genesis 2:1-2: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.”
   [Further Study]
   Genesis 1

2. What did God do to the seventh day of the week?
   Genesis 2:3: “And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.”

Looking up the word sanctify in the dictionary we learn that it means to set apart as holy, consecrate.

3. Who does the Bible say the Sabbath belongs to; God or the Jews?
   Exodus 20:10: “But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: . . . .”

It is commonly stated that the seventh day is the Jewish Sabbath. As stated in the above mentioned texts, the seventh day Sabbath was instituted at creation, about 2,300 years before there ever was a Jew.

4. Were the ten commandments given to Israel through Moses or did the voice of the living God proclaim them in the hearing of all Israel?
   Exodus 20:1: “And God spake all these words, saying,”
   Deuteronomy 4:12-13: “And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the Lord, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments: and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.”

 

5. What is the first word of the fourth commandment?
   Exodus 20:8: “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

 

6. Did the children of Israel know about the Sabbath before God wrote the commandments on tables of stone?
   Exodus 16:26, 30: “Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. . . . So the people rested on the seventh day.”
   [Further Study]
   Exodus 16:16-30
   16 This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating,  an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
   17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.
   18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered  little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.
   19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.
   20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.
   21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.
   22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
   23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
   24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.
   25 And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field.
   26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
   27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
   28 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
   29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
   30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

The instruction regarding the gathering of the manna was given to the Israelites about six months or so before the ten commandments were given on Sinai.

7. Was the Sabbath kept by Christ?
   Luke 4:16: “And 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 for to read.”
   [Further Study]
   Mark 1:21 “And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the  synagogue, and taught.”
   Mark 6:2 “And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?”
   Luke 13:10 “And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.”
   John 15:10 “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”

 

8. In John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:15-16 we see that Jesus was the One actively involved in creation as The Creator.   John 1:1-3 ” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
   Colossians 1:15-16 “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”
   
   In the first part of this lesson we learned that the Sabbath was instituted at creation. Since Jesus created the Sabbath, how is it referred to in the New Testament?
   Mark 2:27-28: “And he (Jesus) said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.”
   [Further Study]
   Matthew 12:8 “For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.”
   Luke 6:5 “And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.”

If Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, then the seventh day Sabbath is the Lord’s day.
[Further Study]
Revelation 1:10 “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,”
Isaiah 58:13 “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:”
Exodus 20:10 “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:”

9. Is the person who joins himself to the Lord obligated to keep the Sabbath?
   Isaiah 56:6-7: “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; 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.”

&nbsp’

10. At least 30 years after the resurrection of Christ, where did the apostle Paul and his companions go and what did they do?
    Acts 13:14-16: “But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.”

 

11. Was this Paul’s custom, going to the synagogue to worship and preach every Sabbath?
    Acts 17:1-2: “Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.”
    [Further Study]
    Acts 13:14-16, 42-44 “But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. . . . And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. 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. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.”
    Acts 16:12-13 “And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.”
    Acts 18:1-4,11 “After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. . . . And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.”

 

12. Paul declared in Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”  If Jesus does not change, neither does His law. What did Jesus Himself say?
    Matthew 5:17-18: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
    Malachi 3:6: “For I am the Lord, I change not; . . .”

 

13. Is the Sabbath commandment just as important to keep as all the rest of the commandments?
    James 2:10-12: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery (Exodus 20:14), said also, Do not kill (Exodus 20:13). Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.”
    [Further Study]
    Exodus 31:14-17
    14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
    15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
    16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
    17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
    Numbers 15:32-36
    32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
    33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the  congregation.
    34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
    35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
    36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.
    1 Samuel 15:22-23 “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.”
    Revelation 14:12 “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
    Revelation 22:14 “Blessed are they that keep his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

 

14. What does the prophet Isaiah have to say about what we should do on and for the Sabbath day?
    Isaiah 58:12-14: “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. 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 honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine words: 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.”

Notice in verse 12 the people of God are called “The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.” Strong’s Concordance gives the meaning of breach as a break or gap. In Ezekiel 20 God talks about what happens to those who walk in His statutes and who don’t pollute (dishonor) but hallow His Sabbath. Consequences are also listed for those who walk not in His statutes and who pollute the Sabbath. If there are those who pollute the Sabbath, they have created a breach or a break in God’s law. God’s people are to repair and restore that break, pointing people to God’s holy law and the rightful place of the Sabbath in His holy law.

15. Was the Sabbath created as a memorial of creation?
    Exodus 20:11: “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.”
    Exodus 31:17: “It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.”

Another word for memorial is monument and the dictionary says monument means “something set up to keep alive the memory of a person [John 1:1-3] or event [Genesis 2:1-3] . . . a work of enduring significance.”

John 1:1-3 See question 8 to read the verses.
Genesis 2:1-3 “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.”

16. An official seal of authority describes three things: (1) the officer’s name, (2) the office he occupies, (3) and the territory the office has jurisdiction over. Can the seal of God be found in the fourth commandment?
    Exodus 20:8-11: “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 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: For in six days the Lord (officer’s name) made (office occupied – Creator) heaven and earth, the sea (territory of jurisdiction), and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

You can keep nine commandments and worship the door knob, but when you include the fourth commandment you must worship the Creator.

17. Is the Sabbath a seal (sign, pledge) between God and His people?
    Exodus 31:16-17: “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath  throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.”
    Ezekiel 20:12: “Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.”

 

18. How does Exodus 31:16 describe the Sabbath relationship between God and man?
    Exodus 31:16: “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.”

A covenant is a binding agreement between two parties, according to the dictionary, “theologically, the promises made by God to man, as recorded in the Bible.”

19. How long did God say the Sabbath covenant is binding?
    Exodus 31:16: “. . . to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.”

 

20. If God made this covenant with ancient Israel, why is it binding for Christians today?
    Galatians 3:29: “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Abraham’s seed became the children of Israel. All the promises to ancient Israel are for the benefit of spiritual Israel today.

21. What is our part of the Sabbath covenant (agreement)?
    Exodus 20:8: “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
    Exodus 31:13-14: “Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: . . .”
    [Further Study]
    Leviticus 19:30 “Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.”
    Isaiah 56:2 “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.”

How to keep the Sabbath holy is the subject of another lesson.

22. Will the Sabbath be kept in heaven and on the earth made new?
    Isaiah 66:22-23: “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. 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.”
    Revelation 22:14: “Blessed are they that keep his commandmemts, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

 

23. What did the wisest man on earth (King Solomon) say about the keeping of the commandments?
    Proverbs 7:2-3: “Keeo my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.”
    [Further Study]
    Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

 

24. Now that I know what my part of the Sabbath covenant is, what is my responsibility?
    Hebrews 2:1: “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”
    James 4:17: “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
    John 14:15: “lf ye love me, keep my commandments.”

IT’S JEWISH!

By Uriah Smith

When we present God’s holy law

And arguments from Scripture draw,

Objectors say, to pick a flaw:

“It’s Jewish!”

Though at first Jehovah blessed

And sanctified His day of rest,

The same belief is still expressed:

“It’s Jewish!”

Though with Creation this rest began

And thence through all the Scriptures ran,

And Jesus said ’twas made for man–

“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

Continued 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 day of man’s invention,

But if Jehovah’s rest we mention

This puts an end to all contention:

“It’s Jewish!”

Oh ye who thus God’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’ll stop to 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 hapless state resign

Yourself to wretchedness to pine;

Salvation surely you’ll decline-

“It’s Jewish!”