Sabbath Paradox

Bible Matters 540: The Sabbath Paradox

God delivered the Old Testament ten Commandments to Moses for the Israelites.  One commandment didn’t make its way to the New Testament.  That is to keep the Sabbath holy. 

Exodus 31:14-16 – 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. 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.  Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

When you realize that tithing also did not make its way to the New Testament, the two acts of religion used to grow man’s church on earth has been gutted.  A paradox indeed.  God wanted your faith to go beyond a church building!

A paradox is a statement, situation, or idea that seems completely self-contradictory or absurd, yet upon closer examination reveals an underlying logic or truth. It challenges our expectations and forces us to think beyond conventional reasoning.

God recognized that the Sabbath wasn’t working for changing the Israelites unto living a life unto righteousness. The priests used the sabbath for acts of religious works, by which the Israelites were made “righteous.”  Their life in the flesh, 6 days a week, were justified with one day of religious works and the forgiveness of sins.  No Love of God or love of people.  Just manufactured religious works for the justification of tithes and a day at church.  The common man couldn’t talk to God.  The common man had to work through the priest for perceived righteousness in the eyes of God.   The scribes and Pharisees, used the sabbath for personal gain.  Not to necessarily grow the kingdom of God in heaven.

 Matthew 23:13-15 – But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Jesus was clear in his walk here on earth.  The sabbath was not special.  Don’t use it as a crutch to allow a life of sin, six days a week, followed by a day of serving man in his church on the sabbath.  Not out of love, but out of need to feel justified.   God does not want your life of sin.

Matthew 15:8-9 – This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

When you love and serve God’s people, six days a week, you may have to use the sabbath for non-conventional sabbath activities.  Like picking corn for food.

Matthew 12:1-2 – At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

When it came to performing a miracle on the Sabbath, Jesus always used the exercise as a teaching moment for the Israelites. 

John 5:9-10 – And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.  The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

It was clear that tithing was a means to achieve justification in the eyes of man.   That gift of money was your tribute money. Peter, the fisherman, was told to collect money out of the mouth of a fish for tribute.  Three and half year of Jesus’s ministry and one offering of tribute.

Matthew 17:24-27 – And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?  Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.  Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

Man is to live by the words that were given to Jesus by God. 

Matthew 4:4 – But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Jesus hated the religious acts that the Israelites imposed on man during the sabbath.  One could be circumcised on the sabbath, take care of a farm animals, but acts of love or healing your neighbor could not be exercised. 

John 7:22-24 – Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.  If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?  Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Mark 3:2-4 – And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.  And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.  And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

John 9:14 – And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.

Paul understood that one is not to judge another intentions on the sabbath. 

Colossians 2:16 – Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

The Supreme (God, Allah and Brahman) wants your love and service, seven days a week!

Those who are beyond the dualities that arise from doubts, whose minds are engaged within, who are always busy working for the welfare of all living beings, and who are free from all sins achieve liberation in the Supreme.

God destroyed the temple veil when Jesus died on the cross.   God wants you to talk directly to him, seven days a week! (See Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45)

Mark 15:38 – And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

Finally, God sealed the deal with a seven day worship week serving him by raising Jesus from the dead over the Sabbath.  Jesus could have been crucified on any of the seven days a week, but God made it happen on Friday.   When Mary Magdelene arrived the first thing on Sunday, the stone had been rolled away and Jesus was already raised from the dead.  All done over the Sabbath.

Luke 24:1-3,10-11 – Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.  It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.  And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

Decide today, that God is real and you will believe like Joshua believed in the power of God.  You will turn from sin and live God’s gospel of Love, seven days a week!  As the world religions fight to kill each other, it is up to us, as believers, to become a servant to God and spread his gospel throughout the world.  God will be waiting for you to come into the promised land. 

To God be the glory in all you do, Amen.