Bible study lesson 08 - The Sabbath

Purpose: Jesus created the Sabbath in Eden, commanded the Sabbath on Mount Sinai, kept the Sabbath in His life, continued the Sabbath in the church, and will celebrate in weekly throughout eternity.

Theme: The Sabbath is a divine institution created by God that still exists as a blessing to us and will continue forever.

Bible verses to read:

  • Isaiah 14:12-13
  • Daniel 7:25
  • Exodus 20:8-11
  • John 1:1-3, 14
  • Genesis 1:31 - Genesis 2:3
  • Mark 2:27-28
  • Luke 4:16
  • Luke 23:53 - Luke 24:3
  • Matthew 24:20
  • Acts 13:14-16, 37-39, 42-44
  • Isaiah 66:22-23
Today we are going to learn about the Sabbath, which is sadly misunderstood by many Christians today.  Hopefully we will be able to clear up those misunderstandings by the end of this lesson!
Let's turn to Isaiah 14:12-13
- What is Satan seeking to do?
  • Answer (highlight to read): Satan is seeking to overthrow God's throne.
Let's turn to Daniel 7:25.
- What will the Antichrist try to do to God's law?
  • Answer: The Antichrist will try to change God's law.
We learned about the Antichrist in the last lesson.  Satan has inspired the Antichrist to attack God's law throughout history.  He will accomplish this by changing the law.
Let's turn to Exodus 20:8-11.

- According to these verses, what is the 4th Commandment?

  • Answer: The 4th Commandment is to keep the Sabbath holy.
- According to these verses, what day is the Sabbath?
  • Answer: The Sabbath is on Saturday, the 7th day of the week.
In these verses, we see God giving the command to rest on the Sabbath.  There has been an intention to change the 4th Commandment throughout history.  Most people have the impression that God wants people to rest on Sunday.  However, the Bible clearly states that God wants to rest on Sabbath, which is Saturday.  
As we look at Scripture, we are going to see if the Sabbath is to be on Saturday or Saturday.  We are also going to examine at the implications of each day.

Let's back up a bit and read Exodus 20 again and start with verse 1 and continue through verse 11.

- According to verse 1, who spoke the 10 Commandments?

  • Answer: God
Let's turn to John 1:1-3, 14.
- Who made everything in the universe?
  • Answer: God

The same God who spoke the 10 Commandments is the same One who made everything.  The One who made everything was the Word and the Word is Jesus!  How can Jesus be the One who is opposed to the law as many Christians believe if Jesus was the One who made everything including the 10 Commandments and the Sabbath?

Jesus created the Sabbath in Eden, commanded the Sabbath on Mount Sinai, kept the Sabbath in His life, continued the Sabbath in the church, and will celebrate the Sabbath weekly throughout eternity.

Let's turn to Genesis 1:31 and read through Genesis 2:3

- What did God do after He ended His work on the seventh day.

  • Answer: God rested on the seventh day.
- What are two things God did for the seventh day?
  • Answer: God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. 

To sanctify something is to make it holy, to set apart as sacred.  How many things in the Bible has God both blessed and made holy?  Jesus created the Sabbath in Eden and commanded it on Mount Sinai.

Let's turn to Mark 2:27-28.

- According to these verses, was the Sabbath supposed to be only for the Jews?

  • Answer: No, the Sabbath was meant for all of mankind.

The Sabbath was made for man to enjoy.  God intended a day where we can rest from work and all the worries of life.  The Sabbath is supposed to be a day where we can simply rest and enjoy being human.  The Sabbath was created before there was ever a Jew!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keeping the Sabbath is part of what it means to be truly human made in the image of God.  When we work on the Sabbath, we are missing out on what God intended true humanity to be.  The Sabbath should be associated with human dignity.

When you look in the mirror and make a face, what does your image in the mirror do?  It does the same thing.  In the same way, we are in the image of God.  We are supposed to mirror the things of God in the same way and he rested on the seventh day...the Sabbath.

Let's turn to Luke 4:16.

- According to this verse, how did Jesus relate to the Sabbath?
  • Answer: Jesus had a custom of keeping the Sabbath.
Let's turn to Luke 23:53 - Luke 24:3.
- According to verse 56, did the women anoint Jesus's body?
  • Answer: No, they rested on the Sabbath.  (They returned on Sunday to anoint Jesus' body according to Luke 24:1.)
Jesus' death confirms which the Sabbath is.  Jesus' disciples' kept the Sabbath even after He died!  The book of Luke was written around AD 54, over twenty years after Jesus' death.  These verses are an emphasis that the Sabbath of the early Christians was unchanged.  The Sabbath was the same before the death of Christ and was the same day Jesus kept during His life and in His death.

Let's turn to Matthew 24:20.

- According to this verse, did Jesus expect the church to keep the Sabbath?

  • Answer: Yes

In AD 31, Jesus predicts the destruction of Jerusalem 39 years before the event.  The Sabbath should be so meaningful that the Sabbath should not be a day that you should want to flee for your life on.  In addition, if you are all in one place worshiping and you are being attacked, it would be too easy for the enemy.  Hence, Jesus is basically saying that you should pray for the next 39 years that you should pray for the flight to not be on the Sabbath.

Let's turn to Acts 13:14-16, 37-39, 42-44.

- According to verse 42, on what day did the Gentiles ask Paul to preach to them?

  • Answer: On Sabbath (Saturday)

- According to verse 44, on what day did the entire city come out to listen to Paul preach?

  • Answer: On Sabbath (Saturday)

The Sabbath was unchanged in the days of the Apostles and they continued to worship on the Sabbath, which is Saturday.

Paul is establishes that the religion of Christianity was Jewish.  As Judaism was a legal religion, then Christianity should be a legal religion also.  Christians were following the 10 Commandments, including keeping the Sabbath observance.  To Paul, Christianity was Judaism properly understood and carried out.  Therefore, this is great proof that the early Christians were still keeping the original Sabbath.

Let's turn to Isaiah 66:22-23.

- According to these verses, are we going to worship on Sabbath in the new heaven and new earth?

  • Answer: Yes!

If Jesus kept the Sabbath, His disciples kept it after Him, and we are going to keep the Sabbath throughout eternity, why would we want to wait to begin doing it?  My friend, what would keep you from remembering the Sabbath?

Happy Sabbath!

A Short Prayer