Monday: Sabbath – It’s Message and Meaning
When He had opened the book (Luke 4:17, NKJV). The Sabbath was not only for going to church in order to worship but also to hear God’s Word. A life without His Word is not far from the trap of sin: Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You
(Ps. 119:11, NKJV).
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
Read Luke 4:17-19. Today, looking back upon what we know about Jesus, about who He was and what He has accomplished for us, how do we understand the meaning of these words? How have you experienced the reality of His Messianic claims in your own walk with the Lord?
After reading from Isaiah 61:1-2, Jesus said, Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing
(Luke 4:21, NKJV). The word today deserves note. The Jews expected the kingdom of God to come at some time in the future in a dramatic, militaristic way, uprooting an alien regime from Judea and ushering in the Davidic throne. But Jesus was saying that the kingdom had already come in His person and that He would break the power of sin, crush the devil, and free the oppressed captives of his domain.
Think, too, about how closely tied the Sabbath is with His Messianic claims. The Sabbath is a day of rest, rest in Christ (Heb. 4:1-4); the Sabbath is a symbol of freedom, of liberation, the freedom and liberation we have in Christ (Rom. 6:6-7); the Sabbath reveals not only God’s creation but the promise of re-creation in Christ, as well (2 Cor. 5:17, 1 Cor. 15:51-53). It’s no coincidence, either, that Jesus chose the Sabbath day to do many of His healings, to free those who had been oppressed and imprisoned by sickness.
The Sabbath day is a weekly reminder, etched in something more immutable than stone (time!), of what we have been given in Jesus.
How has Sabbath keeping helped you better understand salvation by faith alone, in that we can rest in what Christ has done for us, as opposed to seeking to earn our way to heaven?
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Through Sabbath we come to know who Is God
It's a sign and a seal and the true word of God the bible only its righteousness by faith it's a memorial of creation a memorial of redeemtion it is also about the three angels message rest so much meaning just in this holy true day the sabbath
The Sabbath is a special day for my healing. It is the day on which good news is proclaimed to me, a day of liberation, a day in which my blindness can be healed and I discover afresh the joy of the Lord. It is a day in which I can have freedom from the oppression of the constant demands of work, the day when I receive in limitless measure the favor of the Lord. Together with fellow believers we worship before the Throne of God and receive the Good News of His healing redemptive power. Let us share the amazing abundance of our God's love.
I'm an SDA Protestant I use to go to church when I had not join cycling but since I join I have had No rest on Sabbath, because coach has programmed training sessions until Sabbath day n no one is expected to miss any sessions... please pray for me to get another good job that will allow me rest on Sabbath.
Geoffrey, Bible says that "... all things work together for good to them that love God" Romans 8:28. Jesus said, "If you love Me keep My commandments" John 14:15.
If you put the two verses together it will say- "If you want good things to happen in your life, you should keep Gods commandments- Because you love Him."
Last weeks lesson showed that Peter and his fishermen friends left their boats and followed Jesus. Can you leave your bike and follow Jesus?
I will be praying for you, Geoffrey! I'm sure it must be very scary--- standing up for what you believe in and leaving your job when you don't have another one lined up. But if you move forward in faith and trust in God, He WILL provide for you! God has promised to take care of you and He WILL fulfill His promise---He's not like us human beings who don't keep our word (Numbers 23:19). I am a living testimony that God makes a way out of no way and that He makes opportunities happen that are too orchestrated to be called "luck" or "coincidence". If you are faithful to Him, He WILL be faithful to you! I praise you in advance, oh mighty Jehovah-Jireh, for providing a new job for Geoffrey. In the precious name of Jesus, we thank you and bless Your holy name....AMEN!
There is a hymn that goes: Trust and obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey. Take action & God will certainly bless you.
It has been said: "On Sabbath we rest from our work to allow the LORD to work in us"
I believe that resting on the Sabbath is the biggest evidence of our belief in being saved by faith.
The LORD's instruction to Israel to work their fields for 6 years and then to let it lie fallow for the 7th year was to test their faith in the LORD's promise to provide for them.
Just so in a world where time is money for many not working on Sabbath can mean losing your job and trusting the LORD to find another.
Just so spiritually Sabbath reminds us to not try to earn our salvation but to rest on His promise to save us.
In this fast paced world Sabbath is a haven of rest where we can stop thinking and worrying about our business, our financial and other worries because the LORD of the Universe has told us "take the day off", we get a whole 24 hrs of stress free time to spend with our best friend, brother, Saviour, Creator, to re-charge our batteries, what a wonderful gift!
Shirley, you mention the sabbatical year according to Lev 25:1-7 but it gets even more interesting because after that Moses goes into the Jubilee year which came after 7 X 7 years (49 yrs). As the Lord said, "And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family" (Lev. 25:10 NKJV). Slaves were to be let free and possessions that had to be sold because of poverty were to be returned. All of this is why Jesus read from Isaiah 61 in the synagogue and proclaimed it as His overarching mission to release His creation from the bondage that sin has caused.
It is also interesting that Pentecost which was the fiftieth day after the Passover, a mini jubilee, 7 weeks (Lev 23; Deut 16:9-10), that became in Acts the official start of the mission of the disciples to proclaim the good news.
This same motif is also found more subtly in other places in the Bible. For instance in the reoccurring cycles of seven in Revelation the seventh is always the climax that builds on another seven and sometimes includes a description of the coming of the Lord. And it all ends on the seventh millennium, that 1000 years in Heaven.
We can talk of the Sabbath as a memorial of creation but I think the idea of freedom on the seventh is presented stronger in scripture than what has happened in the past. It is the thing that we are to look forward to in faith - the greatest event to ever take place in the universe - the end of the great controversy and the restoration of God's creation.
We should understand that the Sabbath was made so that we benefit from it and not the Creator. God does not loose anything if we choose not to rest on the Sabbath, the loss would be completely ours. At the end of each Sabbath we would have surely rested in the Lord. We get time to spend with our families and friends while worshiping and fellowshipping with one another. Thank you Jesus for the Sabbath rest.
When Jesus read that part in Isaiah (Isa 61:1-2) He stopped in the middle of a sentence and gave the book back to the attendant. That is something we don't see when we read the gospel account but in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, which was the Bible in use during the first century when we read Isa 61:2 it becomes very clear. Here is that verse in that version:
καλέσαι ἐνιαυτὸν κυρίου δεκτὸν καὶ ἡμέραν ἀνταποδόσεως παρακαλέσαι πάντας τοὺς πενθοῦντας (Isa. 61:2 LXT)
Notice the word "καὶ" in the verse that I have put in bold. It is a conjunction that is usually rendered "and" in the English. Jesus stopped at that word and wouldn't read any further. That was very unusual for the complete verse was normally read during the jubilee year and as I have said before the part that says, "And the day of vengeance of our God" (Isa. 61:2 NKJV) was one of the Jews favorite parts of that reading. I think Jesus doing what He did was very significant because they were looking for a Messiah that was vastly different than He was. What they wanted was a destroyer of the Romans and one that would usher in another period of glory and wealth as it was under Solomon.
As we read the gospels it becomes rather obvious that Jesus was not violent in any way. He stood His ground on theological issues but was totally non violent physically and the cross only put that in flashing neon lights. The problem was that the Old Testament uses the word, "vengeance" some 51 times and except for Lev 19:18 they all seem to support the idea of taking vengeance on other people. In doing that God was meeting them where they were and hoped that they would see the cruelty that vengeance brings and turn to a "different gospel" as it were. Contrary to that Jesus taught, "You have heard that it was said,`You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you" (Matt. 5:43-44 NKJV).
I have just been Baptised and I feel closer the the Lord then ever before.
I am a new member to the SD and I am looking for to my new journey and life with Jesus
Welcome to the Family Penny and all new sabbath keepers, Our christian journey is a "Battle and a March" a "Battle and a March". You are now under the Blood stained Banner of Prince Emmanuel Who has never lost a battle. Put on the whole armor of God ( Ephesian 6:10-18)... God Bless
Hi Penny, and congratulations on your recent decision to follow Jesus. And may God richly bless you on your journey.
Welcome friend to the church of the living God. May God continue to reveal himself to you everyday and guide your thoughts, actions and speech until He comes to take us home.
Hi, Penny. Heaven is rejoice over one sinner repent. Welcome to the family. God bless
I was not raised within an SDA household; thus, keeping the Sabbath has been a learning experience for me... one in which I feel I am tested continuously. Sometimes I feel like it is an internal battle within me, as it is written in Romans 7:14-15 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. I love the Lord and I want to follow his commandments, not as a burden but rather because I want to trust in Him and leave the things of the World behind. Please pray for me.
Hi Camila, I guess there will be a number of people praying for you, we are not always aware who they are. Just keep your eyes on Jesus, read and pray and dont be to hard on yourself.
Yes dear, it is a continuous struggle as the evil one does not give up on us without fight. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. Keep your eyes on Jesus & follow Him closely.
Sabbath is that closer walk,no need to hurry taking time to go deaper into our Bibles, more family time, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, enjoying family time, witn nature, pray and study, Sabbath is a delite.
Sabbath is a day for: recharging my spiritual energy, healing of the human heart which is too sick to be healed and rest from the 6 days' stress.
Dear Camila, I want u to know ur not alone.I'm facing same challenge too.At times in the past I'd rest on the Sabbath & again on Sunday just to avoid conflict with my RC family.I'm now free to worship & rest on seventh day since I accepted to carry my yoke to Jesus.No matter the tribulations we go thru in th name of th Lord,let's b stronger for sooner than we think there would b a proclaimation.Happy Sabbath all.