| Author | Message | ||
| Jude the Obscure |
Lori, I want to say that my heart sings because of your witness, but I'll "refrain." I say that because of what you yourself posted: "In writing this I have answered my own question..........I don't even need to post it for feedback now........but I will because if there is someone out there with the same nagging doubts, maybe it will help." Your words bring Isaiah to mind: "How beautiful upon the mountain are the feet of [her] that bringeth good tidings." Isaiah 52:7. You see, Lori, in terms of gospel knowledge you are light-years ahead of your "friends that are non SDA, that know about my struggle with my family in leaving the church." And now, as Lydell pointed out so very well, "Maybe the Lord has given you that group of friends for you to help them come to understand this whole concept." I don't think anybody is as well equipped to share on the subject of "law and gospel" as are former SDAs who have seen Christ: "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." Isaiah 9:2. Consider these non-SDA friends of yours not as potentially dragging you back into slavery under the law (Galatians 4), but as precious people who are still walking in darkness, who need to watch the great Son of God dawning. Remember, Paul never said that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday. Paul did say that the Sabbath was a mere shadow pointing to the "substance" that "belongs to Christ." Do you know what happens to all shadows on the day of the summer solstice when the sun reaches high noon? They all disappear! Something tells me Paul knew that. Isaiah too. Much grace to you, Jude | ||
| Lydell |
Well thanks for your too kind words Jude! Lori, it occurred to me today that many Christians only vaguely understand the importance of the law/grace topic. Until someone does come to understand the significance of our being freed in Christ from the bondage to the law, they actually are in the dangerous position of falling prey to the seduction of legalism. We sure don't want to go back there! | ||
| jtree |
Sanctification of the seventh day of creation. The Hebrews did not claim to be the creators of this unique institution. They affirmed that God Himself was its creator. The record of its origin which they preserved for us is in the Bible. The divine origin of the Sabbath is described in the opening chapters of Genesis. The first two chapters describe God's creative activity during six days and His sanctification of the seventh day by His cessation from His creative work (Gen 1:1-2:3). The word "Sabbath" is not employed, but it is certain that the author meant to assert that God blessed and hallowed the seventh day as the Sabbath. The grouping of the creation narrative into six periods called days, followed by a seventh day of rest, seems to have been done purposefully to establish a weekly sacred day. Later scriptural teaching on the Sabbath seems to corroborate this. The fourth commandment of the Decalogue, as recorded in Exodus, gives as the reason for the Israelites' observance of the Sabbath the fact that God "in six days . . . made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it" (Exod 20:11). The words of Jesus, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27), point back beyond the Mosaic command to the original purpose and will of God. They indicate that the Sabbath came into being when man came into being. It seems clear, therefore, that the divine origin and institution of the Sabbath took place at the beginning of human history. At that time God not only provided a divine example for keeping the seventh day as a day of rest, but also blessed and set apart the seventh day for the use and benefit of man. There is no mention of the observance of the Sabbath by the patriarchs, although a period of seven days is mentioned several times in the account of Noah and the Flood (Gen 7:4, 10; 8:10, 12), and a week is mentioned in the story of Jacob and Rachel (29:27). Whether the patriarchs had knowledge of or observed the Sabbath does not matter; the revelation of God to Moses was that He had instituted the Sabbath at the close of creation. | ||
| jtree |
The ordinance concerning the manna. The first mention of the word "Sabbath" is in Exodus 16:23 which gives certain regulations concerning the gathering and preparation of the manna, when the Israelites were in the wilderness of Sin. At the command of the LORD, Moses told the people to gather and prepare twice as much manna on the sixth day as on other days (Exod 16:5). When the leaders of the congregation reported to Moses that the people had done so, Moses replied, "This is what the LORD has commanded: 'Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD'" (16:22, 23). The next day Moses commanded the people to eat what had been kept over, and added, "Today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none" (16:25, 26). Some of the people, notwithstanding this explicit command, went out to gather manna on the seventh day (16:27). At this point the LORD said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? See! The LORD has given you the Sabbath, therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days; remain every man of you in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day" (16:28, 29). This passage shows that the Sabbath was certainly made known to Israel before the giving of the law at Sinai. The Israelites did not arrive at Sinai until the following month (16:1; 19:1). This passage also shows that this was not the first institution of the Sabbath. The incidental manner in which the matter is introduced and the remonstrance of the LORD for the disobedience of the people both imply that the Sabbath had previously been known. The LORD'S inquiry, "How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?" sounds as if it had long been in existence. In fact, the equation of the Sabbath with the seventh day, the statement that the LORD gave the Israelites the Sabbath, and the record that the people, at God's command, rested on the seventh day, all point unmistakably to the primeval institution of the Sabbath. | ||
| jtree |
The fourth commandment of the Decaloque. The fourth commandment itself does not purport to be the first promulgation of the Sabbath. Its introductory words, "Remember the Sabbath day" (Exod 20:8), suggest that the Sabbath had been previously known but either forgotten or neglected. The reason given in the commandment for the sanctification of the Sabbath day was the example of God at the close of creation (20:9-11). The commandment pointed back to the original institution of the Sabbath. The fourth commandment made the Sabbath a distinctive Hebrew institution. It formed an integral part of the covenant which God made with Israel at Sinai. The covenant consisted of "the ten commandments" uttered by the LORD Himself from the mount (Deut 4:13; 5:2-21). The fourth commandment has a central place in that covenant, serving as the connecting link between those commandments having to do with duties toward God and those having to do with duties toward man. The Ten Commandments are prefixed by a declaration that God had brought Israel out of the land of Egypt (Exod 20:2; Deut 5:6). These words can apply in their literal sense only to the children of Israel. The wording of the commandments themselves also indicates that they were given specifically to the Israelites. The fifth commandment contains a promise of long life in the land which the LORD was about to give to Israel (Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16). Similarly, the Deuteronomic version of the fourth commandment gives the deliverance of Israel from bondage in Egypt as the primary reason for the observance of the Sabbath (Deut 5:15). The keeping of the Sabbath is elsewhere declared to be the sign of Israel's allegiance to God (Exod 31:13; Neh 9:14). It served to distinguish Israel from the other nations. There can be no doubt that in its original setting and application the Sabbath command was a law intended only for the people of Israel. At the same time it is evident that the fourth commandment contains principles which are applicable to all people. It recognizes the moral duty of man to worship his Creator, for which stated times and places for worship are needed as well as the ceasing from the ordinary employments of life. It recognizes also the basic need of man for a weekly day of rest. Man's history has demonstrated his need for the recuperation of his physical and mental energies once in every seven days as well as his need for a day of the week set apart for spiritual devotion and instruction. The Sabbath command provided for these needs of the ancient Israelites. | ||
| jtree |
The Sabbath of the Mosaic legislation. The regulations for the observance of the Sabbath in the Mosaic legislation are relatively simple. The Sabbath was to be observed on every seventh day; it was to be observed by all: the servants, the humble beasts of burden, the members of the Hebrew household, and the guests who were staying within their gates were all commanded to cease from labor on that day (Exod 20:8-11; Deut 5:12-15). The humanitarian aspect of this freedom from toil on the Sabbath is especially emphasized in Deuteronomy, where the deliverance of Israel from the oppressive bondage of Egypt is given as the reason for the keeping of the Sabbath (Deut 5:14, 15). The gathering of manna on the seventh day had been expressly forbidden (Exod 16:27-29). Likewise, the kindling of it fire on the Sabbath was forbidden (35:3). The penalty for profaning the Sabbath by doing any work on it was death (31:14). A man who was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath day was stoned to death. (Num 15:32-36). The Sabbath, however, was not a day of total inactivity. The priests carried on their duties about the Tabernacle. The bread of the Presence was to be set on the table in the holy place on the Sabbath day (Lev 24:8). A special sacrifice, in addition to the ordinary daily sacrifice, was to be offered on the Sabbath day (Num 28:9, 10). The rite of circumcision was performed on the Sabbath if that was the eighth day after the child's birth (Lev 12:3; John 7:22). The Sabbath is listed among the sacred festivals, "the appointed feasts of the LORD" (23:1-3). It, like them, was proclaimed to be "a holy convocation" (23:3). This can only mean that it was regarded as a day for the calling together of the congregation of Israel to worship. In the early history of the Israelites, the Sabbath was a day of welcome rest from labor and of solemn worship at the sanctuary of God. | ||
| Jude the Obscure |
Reviews Ch.10, ìSabbath in Crisis" by Dale Ratzlaff 7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay 7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay 7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay Chapter X -- ìThe Sabbath in Actsî I am the son of an SDA evangelist, pastor, and conference administrator. From my earliest memories in studying the book of Acts, I heard this message: The apostles roamed the Roman Empire from town to town keeping the Sabbath in synagogue [church equivalent] and preaching Christ. Little if any distinction was made between the Jews and the Gentiles [non-Jews]. And since all were keeping the seventh day and all believed Jesus was coming soon, they were all ñ Jews and Gentiles alike ñ Seventh-day Adventists. This fit right in with the idea that the SDA church has been the only true church since Creation and is therefore 6,000 years old. Very soon, however, apostasy in the form of Roman Catholicism took nearly all first century believers away from the Seventh-day Adventist ìpresent truthî of the time, leaving only the remnant, who were and remain the Seventh-day Adventists. But, you know, the truth is like a successful surgery: At first it hurts, but it results in healing. And the truth about the Sabbath in Acts of the Apostles is rather different from what I learned and believed as a child. How do I know this? From studying Acts after hearing people such as Dale Ratzlaff. And hereís what he has brought to light in one chapter: There are only four cities in Acts where ìSabbath incidentsî took place: Ratzlaff takes these in turn and draws conclusions about what happened in each. FIRST CITY: PISIDIAN ANTIOCH (IN WHAT IS NOW TURKEY): ACTS 13:13-52. What happened: On the Sabbath ìPaul and his companionsî preached the gospel of Christ in the synagogue there. Basically, he told them that ìthe prophets which are read every Sabbathî prophesied of Jesus as the Christ [anointed one or messiah]. Such crowds came that the Jews became jealous and blasphemed the name of Jesus. So the apostles turned to the Gentiles and the gospel spread through the whole region. Conclusions drawn: Sabbath meetings were held in a Jewish synagogue for a basically Jewish congregation -- not Christians, not SDAs -- because they had been commanded by Jesus to preach the gospel to the Jews first. Nothing was taught about the Sabbath. Paul mentions the Sabbath only incidentally by saying that the Jews in Jerusalem had rejected the very Christ whom they read about in the Prophets each Sabbath in synagogue. SECOND CITY: PHILIPPI (IN GREECE): ACTS 16:11-40. What happened: On the Sabbath they ìwent outside the gate" to a river side and began speaking to a group of women. One of them, Lydia, believed and was baptized. Later Paul cast a ìspirit of divinationî out of a slave girl. Her owners had been making money off of her ìfortune telling.î Having lost their source of revenue, the slave owners complained to the city authorities who had the apostles arrested, beaten and thrown in jail, where after an earthquake the jailer was converted. He freed them and was baptized along with his entire household. Paul spoke to new believers at Lydiaís home, then left town. Conclusions drawn: On Sabbath Paul did not go to synagogue, but met a gathering of Gentile women who normally attended Jewish synagogue. Paul preached only the gospel, not the Sabbath. THIRD CITY: THESSALONICA (IN GREECE): ACTS 17:1-9. What happened: For three successive Sabbaths Paul preached the gospel to the Jews and ìGod-fearing Greeksî in synagogue. A few Jews believed. But a ìgreat multitude of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading womenî believed. Thereupon the Jews created such a disturbance that the apostles had to leave town. Conclusion drawn: For three successive Sabbaths Paul preached only about Jesus being the Christ, nothing about the Sabbath. FOURTH CITY: CORINTH (IN GREECE): ACTS 18:1-11. What happened: Paul proclaimed Jesus as the Christ ìin the synagogue every Sabbath.î The Jews ìresisted and blasphemed.î Paul ìshook out his garments and said to them, ëYour blood be upon your own heads, I am clean; from now on I shall go to the Gentilesíî and went next door to the home of God-fearing Gentile Titus Justus. Interestingly enough, ìthe leader of the synagogue believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.î Paul had a vision that encouraged him to stay there for eighteen months. Conclusions drawn: Paul preached only the gospel, nothing about the Sabbath. Paul stayed in Corinth eighteen months. From this some SDAs have argued that Paul kept eighteen months of Sabbaths there, since Acts 18:4 says Paul was in synagogue ìevery Sabbath.î However, Ratzlaff points out that Acts 18:7 shows that Paul was forced to leave the synagogue and go to a house next door after only three Sabbaths. Whether he kept the Sabbath after that cannot be proven from the text one way or the other. In any case, nothing is said about Paul preaching anything about the Sabbath. He did contend that Jesus was the Christ of Old Testament prophecy. The only other references to the Sabbath in Acts are incidental: 1. JERUSALEM (ACTS 1:12). ìThen [the disciples] returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath dayís journey away.î The text doesnít even say this happened on Sabbath. It only refers to the Sabbath in the context of a well-known unit of length, slightly over half a mile. 2. JERUSALEM (ACTS 15:21). ìMoses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.î Ratzlaff writes, ìThe context of this verse is the final decision of the Council, which stated that the Gentiles did not have to keep the law of Moses, rather they were only required to ìabstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood [Acts 15:21].î Again, Ratzlaff comments, ìIt is clear these Sabbath meetings where Moses was read were Jewish meetings. Note that (1) they are places which have been established ëfrom ancient generations,í (2) they are synagogues,í (3) they are ëin every city.í These characteristics would not fit the early Christian assemblies, many of which were in homes .... Of greater interest to our study is the fact that it is in these Jewish synagogues where Moses is read every Sabbath [page 144].î CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM ìTHE SABBATH IN ACTSî 1. In no Sabbath meeting is the Sabbath ever the point of discussion. Nothing is ever taught about it. 2. In every instance the sole subject is always the gospel and the gospel alone. 3. Every Sabbath incident involves a Jewish meeting, all in synagogue where Moses was read every Sabbath, except one, the assembly of women ìGod-worshippersî (Gentiles who attended synagogue with the Jews on Sabbath) on the river bank. This conclusion supports the contention that the only reason Paul went to synagogue on Sabbath was to preach the gospel to the Jews first, as his Lord had commanded him to do. 4. Paulís evangelistic approach in city after city was to go first to a Jewish synagogue and ìreason with them from the Scriptures.î He would do this every Sabbath until the Jews had ìheard enoughî and threw him out, usually after only two or three weeks. Only then would Paul direct his ministry to the Gentiles where they met in private homes and not necessarily on the Sabbath. I ask you now, do you really think the first-century Christian church was identical to ìthe 6,000-year-old Seventh-day Adventist churchî? Is there convincing textual evidence that the apostles ever preached the Sabbath to the Gentiles? Personally I'm persuaded that the scriptural evidence shows that ìPaul and his companionsî preached the gospel and the gospel only wherever they went. Some Gentiles must have continued keeping the Sabbath after accepting Christ and being baptized, because they were already ìGod-worshippersî accustomed to going to synagogue on Sabbath and meeting with the Jews to hear Moses and the prophets read to them. But other Gentiles -- the overwhelming majority -- who accepted Christ as their personal Savior probably did not -- because there is no record of the apostles ever preaching the Sabbath to them. But you make up your own mind. 7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay 7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay 7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay7thDay Read "Sabbath in Crisis" for yourself. Write Life Assurance Ministries, P.O. Box 282, Sedona, AZ 86340. Or call 1.520.282.4319. Or go to http://www.ratzlaf.com/sabb.htm. Do not go gentle into SDA night, Rage against the dying of the gospel light, Jude |
