THE SABBATH DAY

[JonC]

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post. I am not offended at all. Just looking to learn.
My question regarding the calendar wasn't very clear. I am wondering if the Sabbath starts at 6:00 pm on Friday or midnight Saturday?

The Sabbath day starts at sundown on Friday. No work (travel, cooking, purchases, secular entertainment, etc). The day was a day dedicated to prayer, meditation and worship. People had to remain in their residence (not actual house but area...they could travel short distances by foot). Things like driving a vehicle, operating machinery, picking food from a garden,, eating at a restaurant, watching a secular event....these things are violating the Sabbath (they constitute work or secular centered activities).

Christians typically view the Sabbath as foreshadowing man entering God's rest, a time they put aside their labors. This is why you will often hear of Christ as our Sabbath (our rest).

 

[Keith Mullins]

The Sabbath day starts at sundown on Friday. No work (travel, cooking, purchases, secular entertainment, etc). The day was a day dedicated to prayer, meditation and worship. People had to remain in their residence (not actual house but area...they could travel short distances by foot). Things like driving a vehicle, operating machinery, picking food from a garden,, eating at a restaurant, watching a secular event....these things are violating the Sabbath (they constitute work or secular centered activities).

Christians typically view the Sabbath as foreshadowing man entering God's rest, a time they put aside their labors. This is why you will often hear of Christ as our Sabbath (our rest).

Thanks Jon, but I was looking for Alex's response as to when he observes the Sabbath.

Also, aren't many of the restrictions observed by the Jews a burden added by the Pharisees. I know there is a name for these rules but I can't think of it now.

 

[Keith Mullins]

Thanks Jon, but I was looking for Alex's response as to when he observes the Sabbath.

Also, aren't many of the restrictions observed by the Jews a burden added by the Pharisees. I know there is a name for these rules but I can't think of it now.

It's the Mishnah. The only biblical rule is not to work.

 

[JonC]

Thanks Jon, but I was looking for Alex's response as to when he observes the Sabbath.

Also, aren't many of the restrictions observed by the Jews a burden added by the Pharisees. I know there is a name for these rules but I can't think of it now.

Yes, the Pharasees added laws.

But there were also Biblical laws (like staying at your residence, not traveling, and dedicating the day for prayer, meditation and worship).

Most I know of who hold that the Sabbath should be observed do not actually observe the Sabbath insofar as Scripture required. What they mean is going to church on Saturday (which for many today would violate the Sabbath).

 

[Alex2165]

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post. I am not offended at all. Just looking to learn.
My question regarding the calendar wasn't very clear. I am wondering if the Sabbath starts at 6:00 pm on Friday or midnight Saturday?

It seems to me that everyone has its own way then Sabbath starts and ends.

I follow the clock time, from midnight to midnight, it makes easier for me.

According to Jewish calendar, for example the next Sabbath Day, April 13, starts on Friday at 7.08 PM (Manchester time, NH) and ends on Saturday at 8.11 PM.

The tradition is that then the first star appears on the sky, it considered as the beginning of a new day.

Similar to your question I remember debating with someone about 7th Day, and the question was, how we know exactly there is the 7th Day? Because in each time zone of the world it falls on a different day of the week.

For me it does not matter on which day of the week 7th Day falls, because there is no such universal official 7th Day for entire Earth, but each time zone and each country has its own calendar and its own 7th Day.

The point and the meaning of the Seventh Day is to count 6 days of your work and on the 7th Day get rest and worship GOD no matter where you are on the planet Earth.

But because we live in US, we have our calendar, and according to that calendar I worship GOD on the 7th Day of the week according to this calendar.

 

[Keith Mullins]

It seems to me that everyone has its own way then Sabbath starts and ends.

I follow the clock time, from midnight to midnight, it makes easier for me.

According to Jewish calendar, for example the next Sabbath Day, April 13, starts on Friday at 7.08 PM (Manchester time, NH) and ends on Saturday at 8.11 PM.

The tradition is that then the first star appears on the sky, it considered as the beginning of a new day.

Similar to your question I remember debating with someone about 7th Day, and the question was, how we know exactly there is the 7th Day? Because in each time zone of the world it falls on a different day of the week.

For me it does not matter on which day of the week 7th Day falls, because there is no such universal official 7th Day for entire Earth, but each time zone and each country has its own calendar and its own 7th Day.

The point and the meaning of the Seventh Day is to count 6 days of your work and on the 7th Day get rest and worship GOD no matter where you are on the planet Earth.

But because we live in US, we have our calendar, and according to that calendar I worship GOD on the 7th Day of the week according to this calendar.

If we can define when our Sabath day begins and ends, as you state above, one could define the Sabbath to begin at Sundown Saturday and run until Sundown Sunday. Or even midnight Sunday AM until midnight Monday.

If you are saying you must worship on Saturday because it is the Biblical Sabbath, you can't redefine when the Sabbath is. Do do so would be dishonest and unbiblical.

Keeping days like a Sabbath, Passover, and such is an insult to our Savior as these days pointed to his death, burial, and resurrection. He has already come, so why would we keep religious ceremonies that point to his coming.

 

[rockytopva]

All who are justified by the law are debtors to keep the whole law...

2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. - Galatians 5

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. - James 2:10

 

[rockytopva]

And... So let no one make rules about what you eat or drink or about holy days or the new moon festival OR THE SABBATH. All such things are only a shadow of things of the future; the reality is Christ. - Colossians 2:16

 

[JonC]

It seems to me that everyone has its own way then Sabbath starts and ends.

If you mean the Sabbath that Scripture speaks of, it starts at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday.

God commanded this to Israel, that they observe the Sabbath as a holy convocation. No work, no traveling outside of their immediate area, no business transactions, no cooking or meal preparation. It was a day of rest from labor and a time to worship and meditate on Scripture.


Today people call the Sabbath (whether on Saturday or Sunday) going to church. But this isn't observing the Sabbath of Scripture.

I've seen friends who are SDA eating at a restaurant or cooking dinner on Saturday (violating the Sabbath). I've seen them watching golf (yawn) on a Saturday afternoon, driving across town to church, going to Walmart. That is not observing the Sabbath.

I saw the father at a minor league game that ran into Friday night (obviously not observing the Sabbath).
His church has evening services 1 hour before sunset on Saturday, so they know they are being a bit hypocritical.


The problem with many who insist on one day to observe the Sabbath based on Scripture is that they themselves don't actually observe the Sabbath at all. They just go to a church meeting.