Hey Momsage, it is an exercise in futility. You see my "unkindness" earlier in this? As was mentioned before, you can tell the vast wisdom of scriptual "enlightenment" that some on here have acquired? Oh yes, massive dissertations, pages of deep understanding into the deepest depths of scripture. Knowledge far surpassing any of us, "childlike" people. 2 Peter 3:16 comes to mind. So smart and can't even discern Paul's teachings about the ceremonial law and the moral law. Shake the dust off your feet, I've been through this before, they too scared to walk out in faith in this truth, simple as that. Too busy "explaining" it away, the ONE commandment that starts with remember, these highly "skilled" deep thinking bible "scholars" try to teach people to forget. So be it, the Lord will judge.
If I'm misunderstanding what you are saying, I apologize. But if not, I find your comments very harsh and insulting to me as a true believer in Christ. To accuse me of these harsh things is hard to understand just because I am sure God intended for mankind to take a day off once a week and rest. I can't possible understand how you can believe the 10 commandments are not perfect, written by the hand of a perfect God. They are only given for the good of mankind from a good God. Jesus did give the 2 new commandments but he just simply combined the 10 into 2. The first one tells us to love God with all our hearts, minds and souls, this covers the first 4 of the 10; worship the one true God, do not use His name as a cuss word, don't worship false gods, and devote one day a week to rest in Him. The second one covers the last 6 which deals with treating your fellowman with how you would want to be treated; honor your parents, don't kill (ratsach: murder, slay) (even in your heart as Jesus also added), no adulatry (including in your heart as Jesus also added), no stealing, no lying ( little or big) and no coveting.
I was very hesitant to reply to you because of the unkind way you expressed your opinion, I wanted to ignore you, but I didn't because others will read your reply and I feel, in righteous indignation. that I need to debunk what you have accused me of. If you are going to accuse someone of being a heretic and holding on to garbage learned in a cult (I was never in a cult) you are being insulting and should not be on this forum which calls for kindness and love. You didn't do that. I am a true Christian, dedicated to my precious Lord and I do live my life as He would want me to based only on His word, and please don't come back with a snarky "you must think your perfect then," because I'm not. I do have my weaknesses and faults (not sins) but the Holy Spirit is always helping me to overcome them and is helping me to grow in the Lord. Again, if I am wrong, sorry.
Fear not according to a site online (I won't name it in case that is an issue) is listed 365 times in the Bible. I am aware of the message of the angels about Christ the Savior being born to the shepherds as the verse which Charles Schultz included in the famous Peanuts Christmas story when Linus dropped the security blanket as a symbolic gesture.
Of course Franklin Roosevelt gave the quote "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." That is true to some extent; because the enemy of our souls can only do what God allows; but of course the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; which is found in numerous scriptural passages as well. It has been said that the opposite of fear is faith; and of course true love casts out fear ( 1 John 4:18). This is something only the Lord can give; for Jesus Himself had martyrdom to face daily; and Revelation 2:10 is one example given for the church; as well as the verse where Christ said to not fear what can be done to the body but the one who can cast body and soul into hell. ( Matthew 10:28). The enemy also likes to remind us as the accuser of the brethern of our sins and our condemnation which Christ took at the cross for true believers. (see Revelation 12:10). The Lord will convict us when we grieve the Spirit but that is out of love. The power of sin is death ( 1 Cor. 15:56). Jesus overcame death and the grave and took our sins on Himself at Calvary. We need to be daily reminded of these basic Gospel truths as we can become hardened to it for various reasons.
There is hope for us after death and hope is for things yet unseen ( Hebrews 11:1). Surely with the world in the state it is today we need that future expectation for any joy to be maintained; whether emotionally or as a fruit of the Spirit. Being part of the BODY of Christ is imperitive as to our identity so that we may together strive for unity in fulfilling the Great Commission and prayer and fellowship with one another for strength.
Thanks so much for your replies to me , I have enjoyed reading them and appreciate your time and energy . One thing I would say is that not all the Jews rejected Jesus , the common people heard him gladly and the first Christians were of course , Jewish people . Thanks again , I always enjoy your posts .
I am surprised that you still hold on "ALL of the 10 commandments were given to mankind until the end. We obey all of them except the 4th. Some believers say Sunday is suppose to be that day."
Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Law and his death and resurrection opened the Way. It is what we believe as entering into the rest of God. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away."(1 Co.13:10) How often so called believers though claim to the liberty which is in Christ carry, also their 'baggage' as Rachel did. (Ge.31:34) so Roman Catholics may leave behind Mariolatry but clutch something else. In all humility I ask you to examine your life in order to see if you are struggling under an error. In the 80s I was with a cult group and a decade or so after leaving it it gave me great many shocks their pernicious teachings could spring up in unguarded moments.
Jesus reduced the ten commandments into two. He did it as the Lord of the heaven and as the Word become flesh. The great dragon had ten horns and the Command number 10 merely an indication of judgment. Satan is already judged. Similarly the beast (Re.13:1). "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;/Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;" (1 Ti.4:1-4) It is thus those who follow doctrine of the devils have their consciences seared as with hot iron: Number Ten. Be not deceived Momsage.
"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."(Gal.2:16) Faith means resting in the promises of God. This is what abiding in Christ means.
Hi Jema. Your comment made me so sad. What you expressed is the exact result of why the Sabbath was abolished by Satan. Not that what you're doing is sin, I just mean the result of Christians abandoning this commandment to live the privilege of having this day of rest every week is no longer believed it can even be lived because of his deceitfulness, but it can. May I say, please stop wishing for it and start praying instead :) and believing for it. God knows in your heart you want to obey Him in this and He WILL make a way. Of Course, I don't know what things keep you so busy that you can't find this rest but I do know a good, good, God who gives us the desires of our hearts, especially, when it is a desire to please Him in obedience. If you understand God's intentions for this commandment you will understand that it was commanded and told to be "remembered" for our own special needs as a human. God knew that a day to rest with Him and family and at times Christian friends in fellowship would refresh us mentally, physically and spiritually until He returns. ALL of the 10 commandments were given to mankind until the end. We obey all of them except the 4th. Some believers say Sunday is suppose to be that day. This is fine but they imply the commandment was given for fellowship and worship like a church service when all God asked was for us to rest on that dayn to cease from our labor. The early church did follow the Sabbath, resting from their labor and also gathering together to break bread and worship. What better day to do that and also be in obedience to God then on the Sabbath? I'm not going to pray that God will grant your wish, but answer your prayer in providing this blessing for you. As you pray, just believe and let God do the work, don't try to figure it out for yourself as we are all so tempted to do. I love you dear sister and I look forward to seeing what God has planned for you. Jerimiah 29:11 God Bless :)
I have been blessed by the Holy Spirit to have this love for God and a strong desire to learn from His word all my life. These two blessings have been like hedges beside me to guide me down the path of life. These "hedges" kept me from straying too far to the left or right and kept me going forward in my walk with our Lord. I could look back to see that path I had traveled, but being made short of stature, not being able to see over the "hedge" to see much of what the world was doing has kept my desires for worldiness in check. Yet, I have not walked perfectly with God as Jesus always did, and so thus I need Him every day to help me stay away from the "prodigal road".
The church of Jesus is made up believers whose path in life is unique to them. Many have gone down the prodigal road and were drawn back into the life of the church in Jesus Others were dead to God through adulthood when they were made alive in Him through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. Others, like myself, were brought up by believing parents who taught us and went to church with us so that all of our childhood was deeply rooted in the faith. Some with this kind of upbringing have had a fervent walk with Christ, and others, nominally until the Holy Spirit lit a fire of faith and desire in them to follow God, no turning back, others have stayed the course of faith strongly all their life like I have. But it is the same God who elects, calls, saves, and sanctifies all of us. He will glorify us with Christ in the resurrection when we get the fullness of our inheritance in Christ.
Don't be sorry! Your reply is a blessing to me because this show is a tool of the devil to destroy souls. The show is suppose to be about the life of Christ but the lead actor who, plays Jesus, who has become very famous and very well admired, is of a very false religion. He is promoting his false doctrines of idolatry to the world on a YouTube post. I know I'm telling on myself that I do watch a little tv and YouTube but I like to keep up with the conservative news and what is going on. especially the war in Israel right now. Anyway, I started to watch this evil TV program, because I wantedd to see how Hollywood would present it and, they failed miserably, except for satan. He is deceiving souls with false doctrine that can get a big hold on them thus deceiving very, very many people. I watched about the first 45 minutes of the first episode and couldn't watch any more. Again, I an thrilled to know the dear Christians on this website are probably oblivious to it. No believer should having any part with it.
Hi Momsage , I know many Christians who do not watch T.V. at all , I watch a little bit , maybe one hour a day , so please don't be surprised if no one on here knows what you are talking about , I don't , sorry :( .
Hello Everyone: I'd like to ask what the opinion out there is of the TV show The Chosen. This subject may have alread been discussed but I'm new so I haven't seen any. Anyway, I'd like to see what the consensus is if it's a good thing, bad thing, or doesn't matter if it's watched or not thing? God Bless :)
HI GiGi: What a wonderful testimony of your life with Christ and your continual love for Him. Your dedication to reading and studying His word shows your great love for Him and how, because your heart was always seeking, He kept you on through the years. I love your testimony it is such a blessing to me. God Bless :)
Christ as the brightness of glory witnessed in his body. The logos aspect of the Son is the Witness so he explains, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise."( John 5:19). So we shall see what this cloud consists of. Jesus in his prayer made clear of those whom his Father had entrusted before the worlds began. "I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me."( John 17:16)
Jude in his epistle refers to them, "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,/To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed." They are witnesses as the Son is appointed to judge the ungodly. (Jude vv.14-15) In short this cloud of witness are created from the Father Son relationship. The eternal Law serves the proof of their disobedience and as God is just their witness shall stand outside what Satan may bring up against. Also refer De.33:2.
We see them in the Book of Daniel, as witnesses, "And they brought him near before him./ And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." (Dan.7:13-14)
"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us"(He. 12:1-2)
My most wonderful friend is Jesus. He's always there to listen, encourage, comfort and show His great love for me. I love Him beyond words and He loves me beyond imagination! Oh to be blessed by Him and know Him as Savior. To be able to live in this world without being a part of this world. God is a good, good, good God!
God sent forth his word before the worlds began so St Paul refers to it that the sounds of it has been heard. "Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world."(Ro.10:18). So we have clouds as accompaniment to the Son where he is a sign as well as heard as the Word become flesh. "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."(Matt.24:30) What we read in Re.1:7 is the same and from the standpoint of St John.
It is thus the Spirit gives the word its density where space and time holds no meaning. So judging the verse literally leads the interpreter to dead ends. Either we read with the Spirit or lose the thread of the divine Will altogether. No more egregious error we need to cite than the manner Israel and elements of the Law of Moses have taken hold great many Christians despite of their new birth and the fact that they are new creation. They are riding a dead horse.
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."(Re.2:7) The Spirit is referring to the ear of faith. This spiritual underpinning on the scaffold of eternal word is what we need here. Those who made excuses in the Parable of the Marriage for the King's Son heard the call but did not hear well. Their ear of faith was intended. It is thus foolish teachers have taught them and their literal interpretation certainly fell short. The message to seven churches is universal and seven place names are but a handle for local churches coming together for common worship.
The Spirit refers to God as He "who maketh clouds his chariot". (Is.19:1; Ps 104:3) Singularity of the Spirit renders the clouds as visible form of the invisible aspect of God. This also serve as witnesses an in the vision of Daniel, " I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him."( Dan 7:13)
(See entry under B: Behold)
We have another instance where the clouds serve as witness. "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him."(Re.1:7).
Whenever a voice from heaven testified Jesus as 'my beloved Son' symbolic presence of God was in a bright cloud. "While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.(Matt.17:5) ( Mark 9:7). When the rider on the white horse finally appears in Re.19 the cloud is conspicuous by absence. "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war."(Re.19:11). Instead we have an army of saints in white.
2.
Cloud is the glory of God when manifested. His strength is in the clouds (Ps.68:34). Stephen "looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,"(Ac.7:55-56) This Father Son relationship is transcribed into tokens explain the spiritual significance of the clouds. Clouds a natural phenomena doubles as a sign.
Glory of the word that stretched the skies was present at the dedication of the Temple.(Is.40:22) In order to instruct us the Spirit sets the cloud as a sign there. God set His approval when King Solomon dedicated it to him.", that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,/ So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud."(1 Ki.8:10-12)
Hi Oseas and thank you for your reply to me , I enjoyed it and I do see your point about natural Israel . There does seem to be a lot of evidence in scripture to back up your opinion , such as : the cursed fig tree that will never bear any fruit , the winepress that will be given to others etc , so I can see why you believe that . Paul does talk about us being grafted on to the natural branches , he doesn't say that the natural branches are to be destroyed and also the father ( God ) of the prodigal son ( who represents the new covenant of forgiveness in Christ ) still loves his firstborn son ( the first covenant of circumcision natural Israel ) , so there is evidence on both sides and plenty for us to argue about if we choose to do so :) . I always think of Zechariah and the Jews at the return of Christ : looking upon him whom they pierced and mourning as if for a firstborn son . I respect and understanding your belief on this matter . We shall know all things when Christ returns , I think that we both agree that it seems like it's going to be soon , the sooner the better ! Let us all be found to be serving our God as best as we can and not averting our eyes to our duties as Christians . May God continue to bless you . Thy Kingdom Come .
This word carries much more depths than it sounds. "Behold he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him" is fulfilment of divine Will. (Re.1:7). Consequently seeing not simply a matter of optics but the sovereign aspect of the Word. It was sent forth by God and it shall not return to him in void. So what was according to the divine Will shall certainly come to pass. It was Isaiah who predicted, "Behold a virgin shall give birth" and it came to pass, (Is.7:14).It marked the fullness of time. St John similarly sets what is foreknown in the mind of God, and it marks the latter days. So space and time are pendent to the word. The same density makes the usage of clouds carry significance.
(See entry under C-clouds)
To draw an analogy from Physics the word 'behold' expresses the singularity of the Spirit and we have several examples scattered throughout the Bible.
What a great read. Thank you so much for sharing this. You bring up a great point about the man being stoned to death for picking up sticks on the Sabbath. And yes, the Sabbath was given to the children of Israel as a sign between them and God. Have you ever noticed that out of all the 10 Commandments given in the Old Testament (Exodus Chapter 20), only 9 of them are given emphasis in the New Testament ( Matthew 19:18, Romans 13:9).
The commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy seems to be left out of the New Testament. I see no such commandment given to the church. There is no such commandment given to the church to keep the Sabbath day the way the Jews were to keep it. The Sabbath was part of the Old Covenant Law between God and Israel. The church was not in existence when this command was given. As Christians, are we under the Old Covenant law, or are we under God's grace? This is just a general question, no need to provide an answer as I'm sure I know your answer to this one.
To us today, it would seem quite extreme to see someone put to death for something as simple as picking up sticks on the Sabbath. Some say that we must keep the Sabbath day holy, but also say that it's okay to do certain things (even more than just picking up sticks), and that's justified if it's something they need. I wonder how many of today's Sabbath Keepers would be stoned to death today for the things they do on the Sabbath day, if they were to do those same things if they lived during the time the command was given?
We as believers have freedom in Jesus Christ. We are not to judge others regarding their view on keeping the Sabbath, regardless of which view one takes ( Colossians 2:16). And yes, our rest is in Christ Jesus, Amen!
Again, thank you for sharing this. I have been following along in this topic for the past week or so but chose to stay out as it seems to be a very sensitive subject with some. I'll just leave it at that.
The concept of "rest" is important in Scripture, and it has a deep spiritual meaning for Christians. As Christians, we understand that our rest is in Christ, who is our Sabbath. When we rest spiritually in Christ, we present ourselves as the people of God before his presence in continuous sacred assembly. We are always the church, in his presence every day of the week, not just one.
In conclusion, for most Israelites, the Sabbath was a day to rest at home, not a day to travel long distances and attend a worship service. The annual harvest festivals were the time for Israelites to enjoy communal worship and fellowship. Here is what the Expositor's Bible Commentary (volume 2, page 623) says about Leviticus 23:3:
[There is an emphasis here that the Israelite rested at home. There were special offerings given in the tabernacle (e.g., a double burnt offering), but the ordinary Israelite and his whole family rested. Presumably here was an opportunity for family worship and instruction in the law of God, but this is not specifically enjoined. What a boon a weekly rest must have been to the ancient laborer and farmer in his weary round of toil! ]
As did the Jews in their synagogue system, Christians find that regular fellowship and communal instruction is an important foundation of their religious life. As Christians, we are free to meet together at any time of the day, any day of the week, and any season of the year. We are not limited to meeting on just one day, since no day has been specifically set aside by God for Christian fellowship and worship. We are always in the presence of God and worship him continually because he and Christ reside in us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. At the same time, we can gather weekly and seasonally in small groups or in larger communal situations to praise God, to recall Christ's work of salvation and to fellowship in the Spirit.
Is worshipping God on any given day breaking the Sabbath?
Part 6.
LEVITICUS 23:3
Let us look at Leviticus 23:3 directly: "There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the Lord." The verse emphasizes rest.
Since the passage is about resting and not working, it seems that the expression "day of sacred assembly" is a parallel to "Sabbath to the Lord" and refers not so much to official communal worship on the Sabbath but to the day itself as being a "sacred assembly."
The phrase "day of sacred assembly" can be understood as a "sacred day of celebration" or a "sacred occasion," as well as a "sacred assembly" or convocation. The weekly Sabbath, as well as the annual festivals, were occasions to worship and praise God for the abundance of his physical blessings and for saving Israel from bondage in Egypt. But this worship and praise could be given to God in the Israelites' participation in rest itself (thus experiencing the blessings of Yahweh through rest), as well as in contemplation and conversation at home.
By resting from their labor and self-interests on the weekly Sabbath, the Israelites were presenting themselves before God through rest. Resting was a way of being in the presence of God and fulfilling his sacred purpose. The only people who were commanded to come to the Temple for worship were the Levites and priests. On behalf of the entire nation, they performed
the prescribed ceremonies. There was no command for people to watch them, or for them to teach the people. It was simply not possible for very many people to be there.
Is worshipping God on any given day breaking the Sabbath?
Part 5.
The synagogue system allowed Jews to meet together in local towns and villages for prayer, the reading of the Holy Scriptures and for fellowship. The synagogue became a miniature sanctuary to replace the loss of the Jerusalem Temple. We do not know when the synagogue system originated. Neither the Old or New Testaments provide any information about this development. It is generally believed that the synagogue system developed when worship at the Temple in Jerusalem became impossible and when Jews were dispersed into other nations.
Jews added the synagogue worship system, not based on biblical command, but on a sociological need, due to the loss of the Temple and the scattering of the people far away from the Promised Land. Nowhere in the Old Testament will you find a command to have local worship sites.
There wasn't anything necessarily wrong with the Jews setting up synagogues. They became an important center of fellowship and instruction in the Jewish faith. The New Testament does not condemn the practice; it is taken for granted. It is nowhere commanded.
Regarding the day on which Jews had their worship service, it's natural that it should occur on the Sabbath. The people worked the other six days and the Sabbath was a good time for them to meet. But there is no biblical command to set up local worship sites and to make the weekly Sabbath "holy convocations." The Old Testament does not indicate that the Sabbath is kept holy through a meeting. Rather, it was kept as holy through rest.
Is worshipping God on any given day breaking the Sabbath?
Part 4.
It would be strange, then, to have one phrase in Leviticus 23:3 refer to a weekly worship service commanded for all Israel, and then claim that this was just as important as resting as a way to keep the Sabbath. It would be a mistake to assume such a teaching from a single and vague phrase in one verse when the entire witness of the Old Testament does not mention worship service attendance in conjunction with the Sabbath.
There is no indication in Scripture of Israelites going to worship services of one kind or another in their local towns and villages. They could travel to worship services at the Tabernacle only for the annual festivals.
SYNAGOGUE SYSTEM.
One might point to the New Testament and say, "But Jesus and Paul attended the synagogue on the Sabbath. Doesn't this indicate that worship services were an essential part of God's command to keep the Sabbath holy?"
So far as we know from Scripture or Jewish history, there was no national system of Sabbath-day worship sites or places of communal instruction throughout Israel's history in the Promised Land up to the captivity of Judah in the 530s B.C. and the return of a remnant to Judea a few decades years later. There were no synagogues before the exile; there were no local meeting places in Israel before the exile, because there was no command for weekly meetings.
Is worshipping God on any given day breaking the Sabbath?
Part 3.
WHAT MADE SABBATH "HOLY "
The essence of Sabbath-keeping was physical rest. In Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15, the Sabbath command specifies rest from labor as the way to keep the day "holy." There is no mention of going to a worship service each Sabbath. Other passages in the Old Testament also define the Sabbath by rest, not by attendance at worship services. See Exodus 31:12-17, Numbers 15:32, Nehemiah 13:15-22 and Jeremiah 17:19-27. The latter two passages, though they refer to Jerusalem, do not mention anything about failure to attend worship services or "sacred assemblies," but only work on the Sabbath as a desecration of this day.
An interesting study is to look up the word "Sabbath" in a concordance, find all the Old Testament references and then read those passages to see how this day was kept "holy." The conclusion will be that rest from labor is what made the Sabbath sacred time, not attendance at a worship service. Most Israelites lived too far from the tabernacle to attend a worship service every Sabbath - and there is no evidence in the Old Testament that they did. And the law did not allow them to assemble anywhere else for worship. Nor do we find commands even for people near the Tabernacle that they had to gather for worship. The Sabbath was kept at home, by resting.
There is no mention in Old Testament passages that attending a worship service on the Sabbath is a way of keeping this day holy. The way the Sabbath was sanctified, made holy or set apart as sacred was through physical rest from labor. All the Old Testament references to Sabbath observance in Israel speak to this point. There is no Old Testament theology of weekly Sabbath holiness that centers around attendance at "holy convocations."
Is worshipping God on any given day breaking the Sabbath?
Part 2.
Let us look at whether Christians must attend "holy convocations" on the Sabbath. If we are to understand what Leviticus 23:3 might mean in its context, we have to know something about the manner of communal worship in Israel under the old covenant. The national corporate worship had to occur in the place that God designated as a central worship site. Originally, this was at the Tabernacle, and after Solomon's time, at the Temple in Jerusalem.
We can see an explicit instruction about the place to worship in Deuteronomy: "You are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go" (12:4). See also verses 11, 14, 17-18, and 26. This command to worship only at a designated location is also seen in Deuteronomy 16, which lists the annual festivals. See verses 5, 7, 11, and 16, among others.
The reasons for this were numerous. One consideration was that Israel should not alter the worship format and purpose that God had given the nation; otherwise they would easily lapse into worship that was directed to pagan deities. We can see how this happened in the wilderness when Moses left the people to receive the stone tablets ( Exodus 32), and when Israel broke politically from Judah and set up its own religious system, including new worship formats, places and times ( 1 Kings 12:25-33).
I was very hesitant to reply to you because of the unkind way you expressed your opinion, I wanted to ignore you, but I didn't because others will read your reply and I feel, in righteous indignation. that I need to debunk what you have accused me of. If you are going to accuse someone of being a heretic and holding on to garbage learned in a cult (I was never in a cult) you are being insulting and should not be on this forum which calls for kindness and love. You didn't do that. I am a true Christian, dedicated to my precious Lord and I do live my life as He would want me to based only on His word, and please don't come back with a snarky "you must think your perfect then," because I'm not. I do have my weaknesses and faults (not sins) but the Holy Spirit is always helping me to overcome them and is helping me to grow in the Lord. Again, if I am wrong, sorry.
Of course Franklin Roosevelt gave the quote "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." That is true to some extent; because the enemy of our souls can only do what God allows; but of course the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; which is found in numerous scriptural passages as well. It has been said that the opposite of fear is faith; and of course true love casts out fear ( 1 John 4:18). This is something only the Lord can give; for Jesus Himself had martyrdom to face daily; and Revelation 2:10 is one example given for the church; as well as the verse where Christ said to not fear what can be done to the body but the one who can cast body and soul into hell. ( Matthew 10:28). The enemy also likes to remind us as the accuser of the brethern of our sins and our condemnation which Christ took at the cross for true believers. (see Revelation 12:10). The Lord will convict us when we grieve the Spirit but that is out of love. The power of sin is death ( 1 Cor. 15:56). Jesus overcame death and the grave and took our sins on Himself at Calvary. We need to be daily reminded of these basic Gospel truths as we can become hardened to it for various reasons.
There is hope for us after death and hope is for things yet unseen ( Hebrews 11:1). Surely with the world in the state it is today we need that future expectation for any joy to be maintained; whether emotionally or as a fruit of the Spirit. Being part of the BODY of Christ is imperitive as to our identity so that we may together strive for unity in fulfilling the Great Commission and prayer and fellowship with one another for strength.
God made man in his image and when you look at male and female you will see God. Both are adopted and loved by God.
I am surprised that you still hold on "ALL of the 10 commandments were given to mankind until the end. We obey all of them except the 4th. Some believers say Sunday is suppose to be that day."
Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Law and his death and resurrection opened the Way. It is what we believe as entering into the rest of God. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away."(1 Co.13:10) How often so called believers though claim to the liberty which is in Christ carry, also their 'baggage' as Rachel did. (Ge.31:34) so Roman Catholics may leave behind Mariolatry but clutch something else. In all humility I ask you to examine your life in order to see if you are struggling under an error. In the 80s I was with a cult group and a decade or so after leaving it it gave me great many shocks their pernicious teachings could spring up in unguarded moments.
Jesus reduced the ten commandments into two. He did it as the Lord of the heaven and as the Word become flesh. The great dragon had ten horns and the Command number 10 merely an indication of judgment. Satan is already judged. Similarly the beast (Re.13:1). "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;/Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;" (1 Ti.4:1-4) It is thus those who follow doctrine of the devils have their consciences seared as with hot iron: Number Ten. Be not deceived Momsage.
"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."(Gal.2:16) Faith means resting in the promises of God. This is what abiding in Christ means.
Thanks and God bless.
I have been blessed by the Holy Spirit to have this love for God and a strong desire to learn from His word all my life. These two blessings have been like hedges beside me to guide me down the path of life. These "hedges" kept me from straying too far to the left or right and kept me going forward in my walk with our Lord. I could look back to see that path I had traveled, but being made short of stature, not being able to see over the "hedge" to see much of what the world was doing has kept my desires for worldiness in check. Yet, I have not walked perfectly with God as Jesus always did, and so thus I need Him every day to help me stay away from the "prodigal road".
The church of Jesus is made up believers whose path in life is unique to them. Many have gone down the prodigal road and were drawn back into the life of the church in Jesus Others were dead to God through adulthood when they were made alive in Him through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. Others, like myself, were brought up by believing parents who taught us and went to church with us so that all of our childhood was deeply rooted in the faith. Some with this kind of upbringing have had a fervent walk with Christ, and others, nominally until the Holy Spirit lit a fire of faith and desire in them to follow God, no turning back, others have stayed the course of faith strongly all their life like I have. But it is the same God who elects, calls, saves, and sanctifies all of us. He will glorify us with Christ in the resurrection when we get the fullness of our inheritance in Christ.
Can't wait.
For in my hope Jesus Christ will appear to me for what I have done to recieve and be done .I will receive the love of God for me and the atonement.
God Bless :)
Christ as the brightness of glory witnessed in his body. The logos aspect of the Son is the Witness so he explains, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise."( John 5:19). So we shall see what this cloud consists of. Jesus in his prayer made clear of those whom his Father had entrusted before the worlds began. "I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me."( John 17:16)
Jude in his epistle refers to them, "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,/To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed." They are witnesses as the Son is appointed to judge the ungodly. (Jude vv.14-15) In short this cloud of witness are created from the Father Son relationship. The eternal Law serves the proof of their disobedience and as God is just their witness shall stand outside what Satan may bring up against. Also refer De.33:2.
We see them in the Book of Daniel, as witnesses, "And they brought him near before him./ And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." (Dan.7:13-14)
"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us"(He. 12:1-2)
God sent forth his word before the worlds began so St Paul refers to it that the sounds of it has been heard. "Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world."(Ro.10:18). So we have clouds as accompaniment to the Son where he is a sign as well as heard as the Word become flesh. "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."(Matt.24:30) What we read in Re.1:7 is the same and from the standpoint of St John.
It is thus the Spirit gives the word its density where space and time holds no meaning. So judging the verse literally leads the interpreter to dead ends. Either we read with the Spirit or lose the thread of the divine Will altogether. No more egregious error we need to cite than the manner Israel and elements of the Law of Moses have taken hold great many Christians despite of their new birth and the fact that they are new creation. They are riding a dead horse.
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."(Re.2:7) The Spirit is referring to the ear of faith. This spiritual underpinning on the scaffold of eternal word is what we need here. Those who made excuses in the Parable of the Marriage for the King's Son heard the call but did not hear well. Their ear of faith was intended. It is thus foolish teachers have taught them and their literal interpretation certainly fell short. The message to seven churches is universal and seven place names are but a handle for local churches coming together for common worship.
The Spirit refers to God as He "who maketh clouds his chariot". (Is.19:1; Ps 104:3) Singularity of the Spirit renders the clouds as visible form of the invisible aspect of God. This also serve as witnesses an in the vision of Daniel, " I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him."( Dan 7:13)
(See entry under B: Behold)
We have another instance where the clouds serve as witness. "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him."(Re.1:7).
Whenever a voice from heaven testified Jesus as 'my beloved Son' symbolic presence of God was in a bright cloud. "While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.(Matt.17:5) ( Mark 9:7). When the rider on the white horse finally appears in Re.19 the cloud is conspicuous by absence. "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war."(Re.19:11). Instead we have an army of saints in white.
2.
Cloud is the glory of God when manifested. His strength is in the clouds (Ps.68:34). Stephen "looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,"(Ac.7:55-56) This Father Son relationship is transcribed into tokens explain the spiritual significance of the clouds. Clouds a natural phenomena doubles as a sign.
Glory of the word that stretched the skies was present at the dedication of the Temple.(Is.40:22) In order to instruct us the Spirit sets the cloud as a sign there. God set His approval when King Solomon dedicated it to him.", that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,/ So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud."(1 Ki.8:10-12)
This word carries much more depths than it sounds. "Behold he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him" is fulfilment of divine Will. (Re.1:7). Consequently seeing not simply a matter of optics but the sovereign aspect of the Word. It was sent forth by God and it shall not return to him in void. So what was according to the divine Will shall certainly come to pass. It was Isaiah who predicted, "Behold a virgin shall give birth" and it came to pass, (Is.7:14).It marked the fullness of time. St John similarly sets what is foreknown in the mind of God, and it marks the latter days. So space and time are pendent to the word. The same density makes the usage of clouds carry significance.
(See entry under C-clouds)
To draw an analogy from Physics the word 'behold' expresses the singularity of the Spirit and we have several examples scattered throughout the Bible.
No I am not offended, so don't worry. I will reply as soon as I have some free time, maybe today. Have a blessed day.
What a great read. Thank you so much for sharing this. You bring up a great point about the man being stoned to death for picking up sticks on the Sabbath. And yes, the Sabbath was given to the children of Israel as a sign between them and God. Have you ever noticed that out of all the 10 Commandments given in the Old Testament (Exodus Chapter 20), only 9 of them are given emphasis in the New Testament ( Matthew 19:18, Romans 13:9).
The commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy seems to be left out of the New Testament. I see no such commandment given to the church. There is no such commandment given to the church to keep the Sabbath day the way the Jews were to keep it. The Sabbath was part of the Old Covenant Law between God and Israel. The church was not in existence when this command was given. As Christians, are we under the Old Covenant law, or are we under God's grace? This is just a general question, no need to provide an answer as I'm sure I know your answer to this one.
To us today, it would seem quite extreme to see someone put to death for something as simple as picking up sticks on the Sabbath. Some say that we must keep the Sabbath day holy, but also say that it's okay to do certain things (even more than just picking up sticks), and that's justified if it's something they need. I wonder how many of today's Sabbath Keepers would be stoned to death today for the things they do on the Sabbath day, if they were to do those same things if they lived during the time the command was given?
We as believers have freedom in Jesus Christ. We are not to judge others regarding their view on keeping the Sabbath, regardless of which view one takes ( Colossians 2:16). And yes, our rest is in Christ Jesus, Amen!
Again, thank you for sharing this. I have been following along in this topic for the past week or so but chose to stay out as it seems to be a very sensitive subject with some. I'll just leave it at that.
Blessings!!!
The concept of "rest" is important in Scripture, and it has a deep spiritual meaning for Christians. As Christians, we understand that our rest is in Christ, who is our Sabbath. When we rest spiritually in Christ, we present ourselves as the people of God before his presence in continuous sacred assembly. We are always the church, in his presence every day of the week, not just one.
In conclusion, for most Israelites, the Sabbath was a day to rest at home, not a day to travel long distances and attend a worship service. The annual harvest festivals were the time for Israelites to enjoy communal worship and fellowship. Here is what the Expositor's Bible Commentary (volume 2, page 623) says about Leviticus 23:3:
[There is an emphasis here that the Israelite rested at home. There were special offerings given in the tabernacle (e.g., a double burnt offering), but the ordinary Israelite and his whole family rested. Presumably here was an opportunity for family worship and instruction in the law of God, but this is not specifically enjoined. What a boon a weekly rest must have been to the ancient laborer and farmer in his weary round of toil! ]
As did the Jews in their synagogue system, Christians find that regular fellowship and communal instruction is an important foundation of their religious life. As Christians, we are free to meet together at any time of the day, any day of the week, and any season of the year. We are not limited to meeting on just one day, since no day has been specifically set aside by God for Christian fellowship and worship. We are always in the presence of God and worship him continually because he and Christ reside in us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. At the same time, we can gather weekly and seasonally in small groups or in larger communal situations to praise God, to recall Christ's work of salvation and to fellowship in the Spirit.
End.
God bless.
Part 6.
LEVITICUS 23:3
Let us look at Leviticus 23:3 directly: "There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the Lord." The verse emphasizes rest.
Since the passage is about resting and not working, it seems that the expression "day of sacred assembly" is a parallel to "Sabbath to the Lord" and refers not so much to official communal worship on the Sabbath but to the day itself as being a "sacred assembly."
The phrase "day of sacred assembly" can be understood as a "sacred day of celebration" or a "sacred occasion," as well as a "sacred assembly" or convocation. The weekly Sabbath, as well as the annual festivals, were occasions to worship and praise God for the abundance of his physical blessings and for saving Israel from bondage in Egypt. But this worship and praise could be given to God in the Israelites' participation in rest itself (thus experiencing the blessings of Yahweh through rest), as well as in contemplation and conversation at home.
By resting from their labor and self-interests on the weekly Sabbath, the Israelites were presenting themselves before God through rest. Resting was a way of being in the presence of God and fulfilling his sacred purpose. The only people who were commanded to come to the Temple for worship were the Levites and priests. On behalf of the entire nation, they performed
the prescribed ceremonies. There was no command for people to watch them, or for them to teach the people. It was simply not possible for very many people to be there.
See Part 7.
Part 5.
The synagogue system allowed Jews to meet together in local towns and villages for prayer, the reading of the Holy Scriptures and for fellowship. The synagogue became a miniature sanctuary to replace the loss of the Jerusalem Temple. We do not know when the synagogue system originated. Neither the Old or New Testaments provide any information about this development. It is generally believed that the synagogue system developed when worship at the Temple in Jerusalem became impossible and when Jews were dispersed into other nations.
Jews added the synagogue worship system, not based on biblical command, but on a sociological need, due to the loss of the Temple and the scattering of the people far away from the Promised Land. Nowhere in the Old Testament will you find a command to have local worship sites.
There wasn't anything necessarily wrong with the Jews setting up synagogues. They became an important center of fellowship and instruction in the Jewish faith. The New Testament does not condemn the practice; it is taken for granted. It is nowhere commanded.
Regarding the day on which Jews had their worship service, it's natural that it should occur on the Sabbath. The people worked the other six days and the Sabbath was a good time for them to meet. But there is no biblical command to set up local worship sites and to make the weekly Sabbath "holy convocations." The Old Testament does not indicate that the Sabbath is kept holy through a meeting. Rather, it was kept as holy through rest.
See Part 6.
Part 4.
It would be strange, then, to have one phrase in Leviticus 23:3 refer to a weekly worship service commanded for all Israel, and then claim that this was just as important as resting as a way to keep the Sabbath. It would be a mistake to assume such a teaching from a single and vague phrase in one verse when the entire witness of the Old Testament does not mention worship service attendance in conjunction with the Sabbath.
There is no indication in Scripture of Israelites going to worship services of one kind or another in their local towns and villages. They could travel to worship services at the Tabernacle only for the annual festivals.
SYNAGOGUE SYSTEM.
One might point to the New Testament and say, "But Jesus and Paul attended the synagogue on the Sabbath. Doesn't this indicate that worship services were an essential part of God's command to keep the Sabbath holy?"
So far as we know from Scripture or Jewish history, there was no national system of Sabbath-day worship sites or places of communal instruction throughout Israel's history in the Promised Land up to the captivity of Judah in the 530s B.C. and the return of a remnant to Judea a few decades years later. There were no synagogues before the exile; there were no local meeting places in Israel before the exile, because there was no command for weekly meetings.
See Part 5.
Part 3.
WHAT MADE SABBATH "HOLY "
The essence of Sabbath-keeping was physical rest. In Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15, the Sabbath command specifies rest from labor as the way to keep the day "holy." There is no mention of going to a worship service each Sabbath. Other passages in the Old Testament also define the Sabbath by rest, not by attendance at worship services. See Exodus 31:12-17, Numbers 15:32, Nehemiah 13:15-22 and Jeremiah 17:19-27. The latter two passages, though they refer to Jerusalem, do not mention anything about failure to attend worship services or "sacred assemblies," but only work on the Sabbath as a desecration of this day.
An interesting study is to look up the word "Sabbath" in a concordance, find all the Old Testament references and then read those passages to see how this day was kept "holy." The conclusion will be that rest from labor is what made the Sabbath sacred time, not attendance at a worship service. Most Israelites lived too far from the tabernacle to attend a worship service every Sabbath - and there is no evidence in the Old Testament that they did. And the law did not allow them to assemble anywhere else for worship. Nor do we find commands even for people near the Tabernacle that they had to gather for worship. The Sabbath was kept at home, by resting.
There is no mention in Old Testament passages that attending a worship service on the Sabbath is a way of keeping this day holy. The way the Sabbath was sanctified, made holy or set apart as sacred was through physical rest from labor. All the Old Testament references to Sabbath observance in Israel speak to this point. There is no Old Testament theology of weekly Sabbath holiness that centers around attendance at "holy convocations."
See Part 4.
Part 2.
Let us look at whether Christians must attend "holy convocations" on the Sabbath. If we are to understand what Leviticus 23:3 might mean in its context, we have to know something about the manner of communal worship in Israel under the old covenant. The national corporate worship had to occur in the place that God designated as a central worship site. Originally, this was at the Tabernacle, and after Solomon's time, at the Temple in Jerusalem.
We can see an explicit instruction about the place to worship in Deuteronomy: "You are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go" (12:4). See also verses 11, 14, 17-18, and 26. This command to worship only at a designated location is also seen in Deuteronomy 16, which lists the annual festivals. See verses 5, 7, 11, and 16, among others.
The reasons for this were numerous. One consideration was that Israel should not alter the worship format and purpose that God had given the nation; otherwise they would easily lapse into worship that was directed to pagan deities. We can see how this happened in the wilderness when Moses left the people to receive the stone tablets ( Exodus 32), and when Israel broke politically from Judah and set up its own religious system, including new worship formats, places and times ( 1 Kings 12:25-33).
See Part 3.