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The Weekly Sabbath
The
spirit intent and rationale for worshiping the Lord on the seventh day weekly
Sabbath is to express our gratitude and appreciation for His creation. 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.
Let
me emphasize this point again by saying;, the main objective for appearing
before God is to offer to Him the food for His offerings as we have been duly
instructed saying; “These are the feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim
to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the LORD, a burnt
offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on
its day ---besides the Sabbaths of the LORD, besides your gifts, besides all
your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the LORD” (Leviticus
23: 37-38).
The
reality of this burnt offering is the body and blood of Jesus Christ
represented by the bread and wine and Jesus Christ the High Priest offering it
to the Father as the redemption price for our sins. This is not a yearly, quarterly, monthly, Fortnightly or just a weekly requirement , but it is the protocol by which one draws near to the Father, it is also as previously mentioned a daily regular requirement, morning and evening.
This
is also the means by which one has fellowship with the Father and the Son and
with one another, for we have been admonished saying; "Therefore, my
beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge for your-selves what
I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of
that one bread." (1 Corinthians 10: 14-17).
Let
us again pause and wonder and ask ourselves tis logical question, why do some
people have more regards and reverence to the first day of the week than the
seventh day? Where did the instructions to observe the first day of the week
instead of the seventh day came from! Who authorized it?
So
then, without being judgmental, I beg to ask the question is this not plain
vain worship? Because Jesus stated plainly; “and in vain they worship Me, teaching
as doctrines the commandments of men.' For laying aside the commandment of God,
you hold the tradition of men --- the washing of pitchers and cups, and many
other such things you do." He said to them, "All too well you reject
the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition” (Mark
7:7-9)
So
let us once again re-emphasize the spirit or objective for observing the
seventh Day Sabbath:
a. It
commemorates the creation and gives honor and glory to the Lord as the Creator
For
thus says the Lord; “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, or your son, or your daughter, or your
male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or 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.
b. It
is a perpetual sign between God and His people to remind them that God is the
One who sanctifies or set them apart and therefore it is holy to them.
For
thus says the Lord; “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” (Exodus
31:13-14, Ezekiel 20:12).
c. It
is a perpetual covenant between God and His people and it is holy to the Lord.
For
thus says the Lord; “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 31:15-17).
d. It
is a sign to differentiate the Lord from other false gods
For
thus says the Lord; “You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I
am the LORD.” 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” (Leviticus 19:30;
26:2; Ezekiel 20:19-20).
It
is very important to note that, the Sabbath being a perpetual sign and a
perpetual covenant between the Lord and His people is applicable not only to
the weekly seventh day Sabbath but to the annual Sabbaths as well.
e. Everyone
who has entered God’s rest must follow the example of the Lord
For
it is written; “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” (Hebrews
4:9-10).
f.
It will continue to be observed
in the future
For
thus says the Lord; “For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make
shall remain before Me," says the LORD, "So shall your descendants
and your name remain. And it shall come
to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all
flesh shall come to worship before Me," says the LORD” (Isaiah
66:22-23).
I
therefore beg to ask the question, what that is so difficult in the
above-mentioned scriptures that one who profess to believe in Jesus Christ and
has the Holy Spirit is unable to understand? If they are unable to understand
it is because they have the blindness of disobedience. Therefore the Lord said:
"Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with
their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me
is taught by the commandment of men, What a travesty!
With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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