Hello DHK, I am posting this again for you to examine. I myself have re-examined what I wrote and can see nothing that suggests sabbath keeping for believers today, nor where another member comes to the conclusion that I am a sabbatarian.
A few notes along the way.
First, I again remind you that your question asked "if there was a command for Gentiles, not Christians, were commanded anywhere to observe the Sabbath."
Please examine this again.
I would say yes...by implication, anyway.
If the entire post was read, the conclusion that I am a sabbatarian would not have been reached.
But it would depend on how one interprets observance, from a limited Old Testament perspective, or from a perspective where New Testament revelation defines obedience as a spiritual matter, rather than that which is more ritualistic.
I think you would agree that keeping the law for many before the Cross was a ritualistic endeavor (as it is today) that was accomplished in outward motions that were not accompanied by the heart of the "observers."
My point here is that like those who worshipped thus, the "stranger" of Exodus 20:10 was compelled to do no work on the Sabbath, and in that way, he "observed" the Sabbath.
As I said in the opening statement, it was by implication, not a direct command to gentiles.
Furthermore, as is the case with all of God's Law, it was for the benefit of the stranger, not for the purpose of exercising authority:
Exodus 23:12 (King James Version)
12Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.
Exodus 20:10 (King James Version)
10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Within the congregation, the stranger (and I think it a reference to a foreigner) was forbidden also from doing work.
Does this mean they observed the Sabbath? By an indirect command they were to do no work, that they might have rest, and, I think, that the Jew be not offended, but...in no way does this mean they kept this day holy.
That is my definition of "observing" the Sabbath.
Today, many "observe" the Sabbath in like manner, not working, perhaps resting, but the question is...do they keep it holy?
You would probably agree that every day belongs to the Lord, and we should keep every day holy unto the Lord, and I, for one, admit that I am not perfect in that. But, my belief is that every day belongs to the Lord, and I try to be the same Christian all week long.
What is interesting though, is, though they were expected to observe this, consider:
Now this may have thrown you, I will admit.
This refers to the following passage (Ex. 12:43-49), not to the one above, and I would just like to clarify that now.
Exodus 12:43-49 (King James Version)
43And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:
44But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.
45A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof.
46In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.
47All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.
48And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
The reason I brought this out is this: notice that circumcision is required of the stranger that would keep the passover.
This sign truly, in specificity, predates even the command to keep the Sabbath holy, and that is just my personal opinion, let that be known. While God rested on the seventh day, and this is given as commentary when the law was given, circumcision was given before the law.
What is significant about that is this: circumcision is directly refuted as an obligation of the New Covenant believer, and if this sign, which very much includes gentiles before the Cross is refuted, seeing that through Abraham the nations would be blessed, why do those who seek to teach sabbath-keeping not also impose circumcision upon believers?
Because it is so directly addressed.
The Sabbath also, being part of the law, is also directly addressed by the writer of Hebrews.
49One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
Predating the law, observance of the Passover was allowed only for those who underwent circumcision, which also predated the law.
A glorious fact concerning Passover is that gentiles were not excluded. They were to be circumcised, but not excluded. There is one law for both the homeborn and the stranger.
So, one could say that "gentiles" were commanded to observe the Sabbath, though, it would be a matter of the proselyte, rather than a general or even a direct command to the gentile population.
I hope you better see what it is I am saying in response to your question.
It could be answered yes or no, depending, as I said at the beginning, upon how you view "observance."
However, in light of the discussion at hand, keeping in mind that all physical acts of that day (both before and during) were meant to figure the reality of Christ, and the fulfillment of what they looked forward to, we can easily separate them from the obligations that are associated with the people of God today.
At least two things have been charged to me which were not true:
1) That no-one is arguing keeping the law (except Dr. Walter and I)...as I said before,
that is why I joined this conversation.
Those who teach sabbath-keeping are, in my view, teaching contrary to New Testament doctrine. Imposition of keeping the sabbath, though, has a converse...forbidding to keep the Sabbath.
If one chooses to worship on saturday, that is between he and God. But that is where it should stay. What someone feels about the particular day I worship really has no impact on that day, or days.
2)That I am a sabbatarian.
At least, that is the impression I have gotten from the content of this thread.
God bless.
Again, I joined this thread due to what I felt was an imposition of law, the error of the Judaizers that Paul contended with.
God bless.
(Romans 2:14-15)