I read an article some time ago (and therefore cannot remember where it was so please let me know if you’re the author), that speaks about how even though many don’t see a difference between observance of the Shabbat on Saturday or Sunday, there is indeed a difference.
And I am writing about it tonight because it really got me thinking and seeing how true it is!
Even when I was attending church services on Sunday morning, the rest of the day will normally become a “normal” day in that we all return to whatever we need to do for the week ahead or tying up loose ends for the week past, and therefore there isn’t a real day of rest and devotion to God.
As the writer in that article so succinctly put it, there would be people who would open their shops for business after church services thinking that they have done their observance of the Lord’s Day, the Sunday version of the Shabbat.
And that’s not what the Shabbat is really about. God specifically says:
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Exodus 20:8-11
So the Shabbat is a day of total rest and devotion to God. It doesn’t mean that if we attend church on Sunday morning and thinking that its a perfect substitute for the observance of Shabbat, then we have observed the Shabbat and therefore can go about the business of life thereafter.
There are many who disagree that we should go back to observing the Shabbat from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, and I shall not take issue with that though personally I maintain that while there is Biblical basis to observe Shabbat thus, there is no Biblical basis for observing the “new” Shabbat on Sunday.
However, what I’d like to draw your attention to is this: If you observe the Lord’s Day (Sunday), then make all effort to keep the rest of the day free of work and a time of devotion to God.
Sunday morning church services are not a perfect substitute for an entire day set aside by God as His Shabbat.
Shalom Aleichem.
Photo by nickboren.
p.s. thank you, all, for your comments on my last post. Unfortunately, I am nursing a flu and will be a little slow getting back to you on your comments.
Tags: Business, Church Service, Devotion, Rest, Shabbat, Substitution, Sunday
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This is one of the first few websites I began to read when I was trying to pen my own article on Sabbath Day. I gave up, since I am at a loss of words.
So many have attempted to debate Sabbath Day based on scientific research but this website has exactly the scientific statement from U.S. Naval Observatory that the weekly cycle has never changed. Sunday is still the first day of the week and hence, Saturday is still rightfully the seventh day of the month.
With this; There are many who disagree that we should go back to observing the Shabbat from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, it is no longer a question whether it’s the new or old Sabbath practice. The evidence is it has never been changed in the first place, what new Sabbath to talk about?
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I find it interesting that Jesus said that Sabbath was made for man and not man for Sabbath [Mark 2:27]. God wanted man to rest from his work. Sabbath was not something to be taken as a burden.
However, I find it interesting that Paul says, “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the New Moon, or of the Sabbath days:Which are a shadow of things to come” [Colossians 2:16-17]
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? [Galatians 3:3]
Sidharth
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Dear Ed:
Good site, thanks for pointing to it.
As for that statement, I didn’t want to go into that same old debate again with this post and so I wrote it away. Besides, I have addressed it many times on my blog. Just do a search for “shabbat” and you’ll find those posts.
It is the “new” Shabbat in a way because the Roman Church has substituted it with Sunday without Biblical basis and all her daughters, i.e. the Protestant churches that still observe Sunday and even infant baptism call it so.
God bless, and Shalom!
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Dear Sidharth:
Thank you for your comment again, brother.
Actually, I read something about that verse that puts it in its historical context and that’s why Paul wrote and taught that.
You see, I am always puzzled by why Paul would write that if he was indeed inspired by the Holy Spirit, because God will never change His commandment about Shabbat. And since he taught us to be Bereans I sure checked it out. I’ll try to dig it out and share it here.
God bless, and Shalom!
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I agree, Isaiah. I set aside one day a week not to work. My church has services on Saturday and Sunday, so I alternate between the two, but I take at least one day a week off. I can’t function otherwise. Sabbath was made for man. I need the rest!
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No.
Attending church does not equal celebrating shabbat. Nor does attending church equal celebrating Jesus or observing Him either.
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Dear Casey:
Ha ha! Yes, we all do need that one day of rest at least, really. We also need to be aware that that day of rest is also devoted to really resting and devoting time to God as that’s what Shabbat is really about.
God bless, and Shalom!
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Dear Jimmy:
Welcome back, brother, it’s good to see you again!
Amen to what you said. That’s one lame point that some Christians I’ve spoken to regarding Shabbat gave me — that they do observe Shabbat but on Sunday and by going to church. I was like, “huh?”, read the Bible again mate and tell me what God says what you should do that day.
God bless, and Shalom!
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I dont even know how I reached this post. Anyway, the mistake a lot of people make is that they think Sunday is the sabbath. The only reason most christians meet on a Sunday to worship is because that is the pattern of the new testamennt church. No where in the bible did it command that worship was to be on the sabbath but that rest was to be on the sabbath. Anyway John Macarthur explains about the sabbath quite good at http://www.gospeloutreach.net/sabbath.html
Alan
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I have no idea either, mate, but it’s good that you did. That’s quite an interesting link that I’ll be checking out in a bit.
Shalom! -
Shalom!
I wanted to comment on a couple of the comments already made by sidharth. One of the things that many christians say about Torah and Shabbat is Sabbath was made for man not the other way around. And that is true…it’s scriptural. But you have to understand the context. Sabbath is only a burden when you are trying NOT to observe. When you are struggling against it, it certainly becomes a burden. First John tells us the commands are not a burden and that if we love Yeshua we walk as He walked.
The second comment I want to make is in regards to the verse in Colossians. Many people read as if Paul were saying not to do honor these days. In reality, he is saying, “why let someone judge you” because you do honor those days. What is a shadow but a reflection of what is to come? Does this make the shadow any less real? No! Don’t let someone judge you for your sabbath day which is a shadow of what is to come…our eternal rest in the New Kingdom! The passage isn’t condeming tradition, rather it is encouraging a body that is being looked down on for holding to the traditions that had been long celebrated and honored.
shalom!
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oh…one other thing…the new testament records the disciples frequenting the synagogues on the sabbath, not on sunday. the truth is constantine-i believe it was him-placed a high tax on jews and the believing community realized that they could be pardoned from the tax if they segregated themselves from the jewish people. over time the divide b/w jews and christians has grown so wide, it will only be through Messiah that it will be closed. Baruch HaShem (Blessed be His Name) we are seeing the restoration even now in our generation!!
shalom!
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