Sabbath

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• Hebrew Roots - Is the Sabbath for Christians?

Moses mentions the sabbath, before he receives the law.

"And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field." - Exodus 16:25

The Sabbath is mentioned as part of the Ten Commandments, but these were, of course, given to the Israelites.

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." - Exodus 20:8

Jesus justifies harvesting food to eat on the Sabbath.

"And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath." - Mark 2:27-28

In the Book of Jubilees, the angels of the presence of God are to keep the Sabbath.

"And He gave us a great sign, the Sabbath day, that we should work six days, but keep Sabbath on the seventh day from all work. And all the angels of the presence, and all the angels of sanctification, these two great classes -He hath bidden us to keep the Sabbath with Him in heaven and on earth." - Book of Jubilees 2:17-18

But, it also says that the Israelites would be the ones separated to practice the Sabbath.

"And He said unto us: 'Behold, I will separate unto Myself a people from among all the peoples, and these shall keep the Sabbath day, and I will sanctify them unto Myself as My people, and will bless them; as I have sanctified the Sabbath day and do sanctify (it) unto Myself, even so will I bless them, and they shall be My people and I will be their God." - Book of Jubilees 2:19

Some early Christian writings say they exchanged the Sabbath for the "Lord's Day".

"If then those who had walked in ancient practices attained unto newness of hope, no longer observing sabbaths but fashioning their lives after the Lord's day, on which our life also arose through Him and through His death which some men deny -- a mystery whereby we attained unto belief, and for this cause we endure patiently, that we may be found disciples of Jesus Christ our only teacher --" - Letter of Ignatius to the Magnesians 9:1 (in the year 90 AD)

Many people ask, "Didn't God say the law would be forever?" Well yes, ... but a couple things to note:

1. The English word "forever" in the Bible means "long-lasting" in Hebrew, and "to the age" in Greek. It is not infinite, like in modern English.
2. The phrases used in the books of the law for "forever" were written to the Israelites, and went something like this:
   • "it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel"
   • "by a statute for ever from the children of Israel"
   • "it shall be a statute for ever to them"
   • "It shall be a statute for ever in your (Aaron's) generations"
   • "it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations"