The sin of irreverence is the main reason why there are so many fractions, divisions and disunity in the body of Christ. It is the expression and demonstration of the lack of respect and dishonor to Jesus Christ as the Lord. Therefore, the reverence of Jesus Christ as the Lord, which is demonstrated by following the prescribed manner of true worship is the key to the unification of the church. For we have been duly instructed saying; "that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him" (John 5.23).
So how are we to honor the Son just as we honor the Father? We do that by, ascribing to both the Father and the Son the honor and the glory due to them by observing His Sabbaths. For thus says the Lord, "You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD" (Leviticus 19:30; 26:2).
From the creation of the world the Lord made a clear distinction between the Sabbath and the other six days of the week to honor Him as the Creator, for it is written; "Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made" (Genesis 2: 1-3).
When the Lord delivered the children of Israel from the bondage of Egypt and gave them His living principles, He specifically reminded them by saying; " Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore, the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it" (Exodus 20:8-11).
The Sabbath is an outward sign to prove that we are worshiping the One and only true God and that we are His special people, for the Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Therefore, the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed " (Exodus 31:13-17).
Similar instructions were also given to the prophet Ezekiel for the children of Israel stating, "Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them". Also, "I am the LORD your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God" (Ezekiel 20:12,19-20).
Observing the Sabbath/s is the outward sign that identifies those who are sanctified, for we have been admonished saying; "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the LORD; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the LORD has spoken" (Isaiah 58:13-14).
Since the mouth of the Lord has spoken these words it means that the Lord has sworn by Himself; The word has gone out of His mouth in righteousness and shall not return. And to Him every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. Therefore, these words are irrevocable. Not only did the Lord created the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that is in them in six days, He also allotted to man six days to do all his works, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest.
So how are we to honor the Son just as we honor the Father? We do that by, ascribing to both the Father and the Son the honor and the glory due to them by observing His Sabbaths. For thus says the Lord, "You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD" (Leviticus 19:30; 26:2).
From the creation of the world the Lord made a clear distinction between the Sabbath and the other six days of the week to honor Him as the Creator, for it is written; "Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made" (Genesis 2: 1-3).
When the Lord delivered the children of Israel from the bondage of Egypt and gave them His living principles, He specifically reminded them by saying; " Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore, the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it" (Exodus 20:8-11).
The Sabbath is an outward sign to prove that we are worshiping the One and only true God and that we are His special people, for the Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Therefore, the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed " (Exodus 31:13-17).
Similar instructions were also given to the prophet Ezekiel for the children of Israel stating, "Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them". Also, "I am the LORD your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God" (Ezekiel 20:12,19-20).
Observing the Sabbath/s is the outward sign that identifies those who are sanctified, for we have been admonished saying; "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the LORD; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the LORD has spoken" (Isaiah 58:13-14).
Since the mouth of the Lord has spoken these words it means that the Lord has sworn by Himself; The word has gone out of His mouth in righteousness and shall not return. And to Him every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. Therefore, these words are irrevocable. Not only did the Lord created the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that is in them in six days, He also allotted to man six days to do all his works, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest.
To be continued
We have also been reminded saying; "There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4: 9-12).
Since man has been given six days to carry out his own works, the seventh day is the pivotal time that members of the body of Christ should have all things in common.
We have also been reminded saying; "There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4: 9-12).
Since man has been given six days to carry out his own works, the seventh day is the pivotal time that members of the body of Christ should have all things in common.
To be continued
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