Sabbath Questions Answered

Below you will find many of the common sabbath questions answered and clearly explained from the true Word of God.

• How do we know that the seventh day today (Saturday) is the same one as in Bible times?

Ok, so this is the only question we can’t answer directly from the Bible, but we can give clear evidence as to how the seventh day today is the same one as in Bible times. Firstly, the Jews have been meticulously keeping the seventh day sabbath since Bible times, and what day do they keep today? Saturday. How about the majority of Christianity keeping Sunday, the first day of the week, during the past 1700 years in honor of Jesus’ resurrection? What day does that follow? Saturday, the seventh day. It has also previously been confirmed by a Naval Observatory that from the alignment of the stars, they can tell that the weekly cycle has not changed and the seventh day today is the same as the seventh day back in Bible times. There is no doubt that the seventh day today (saturday) is the same as the the sabbath in the new testament.

How about an interesting fact. In over 100 languages of the world, the day they call Saturday in their language means “THE SABBATH”. For example, in Italy, Satuday is called “Sabbato”, which means the sabbath. In France it is called “Samedi”, which means the sabbath, etc., etc.

• Wasn’t it only after the ten commandments were given that the sabbath day was being observed?

No, and we have Bible proof that the sabbath day was instituted and being observed BEFORE the ten commandments were given. Not only, as we explained on our previous post, does the 4th commandment say that the seventh day of creation was the sabbath day, but look also at the following Bible verses from Exodus:

Exodus 16:23,26 ….’And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning ….. Six days ye shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.’

Do you see what God is saying here? The seventh day IS THE SABBATH DAY. It is a holy day and no one is to work on that day, and this is BEFORE the ten commandments. So we can clearly see that the seventh day sabbath was instituted and being observed before the ten commandments were given. It was being observed from creation week.

• If the Patriarchs were already keeping the Sabbath, why does God give it as a commandment later?

Because God’s people had fallen from His ways and commands so much that He had to teach them His law again. The fact that the 4th commandment starts with “REMEMBER”, shows it was already in place before.

• Wasn’t the Sabbath given only to commemorate the children of Isreal being taken out of bondage from Egypt?

Well, if we take this logic, then reading in Leviticus 11:45 it tells us … “For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

So is Holiness JUST for the Jews, because God brought them out of Egypt as it says above? Of course not. God brought His chosen people out of bondage and therefore requested that AS HIS PEOPLE, they should keep the sabbath commandment, which was in force right from creation.

• Wasn’t the Sabbath for the Jews only?

There is clear evidence given on the our  page that shows the sabbath was instituted at creation when there were no Jews, just Adam and Eve. But take a look also at the following Bible verses from Isaiah:

Isaiah 56:1-7 ….’Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer.’

God here confirms through the prophet Isaiah, that the sabbath is also for “THE STRANGER”. Who is a stranger? A NON JEW!! God here is giving a beautiful promise to ANYONE who wants to join unto Him and keep His Holy Seventh Day Sabbath.

• Didn’t Jesus abolish the sabbath at the cross?

Impossible! Why? Because the seventh day sabbath was made and instituted BEFORE sin entered this world. Therefore, the sabbath is not subject to sin and the fallen nature of man and had no need for Jesus to take it out of the way. The only things that were taken away by Jesus at the cross, were those things that were brought in BECAUSE of sin and was a substitute until Jesus came. For example, the sacrificial service, the priestly service, the ceremonial monthly and yearly sabbaths, etc.

There isn’t a single verse in the whole Bible that clearly says Jesus WOULD or HAS abolished the sabbath. Also, take a look at the following verse:

Luke 23:56 …..’And they returned and prepared spices and ointments, and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.’

These are the women who followed Jesus each day and heard Him speak. Now don’t you think they would have known if Jesus was going to do away with the sabbath by His death? The above verse is AFTER Jesus died, and what did they do? They kept the sabbath AS PER THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.

• Didn’t the disciples change the sabbath to the first day (Sunday)?

The argument that the disciples changed the sabbath to the first day in honor of the resurrection is such a weak argument, with no CLEAR Biblical support, it amazes me that people believe this.

First of all, what is the first day of the week called in the New Testament, AFTER the death of Christ?

Acts 20:7 – First day of the week.

1 Corinthians 16:2 – First day of the week.

And what is the seventh day sabbath called in the New Testament, AFTER the death of Christ?

Acts 13:4 – the sabbath day.

Acts 13:42 – the sabbath.

Acts 16:13 – the sabbath.

Acts 13:4 – the sabbath day.

Do we see any change here? No, the first day (Sunday) is still called the first day with no added emphasis that it is now any kind of special day, and the seventh day sabbath continues to be called just that, the sabbath day. Why? Because it is STILL the sabbath day and nothing has changed!

• But the disciples met on Sunday didn’t they?

Those who keep Sunday love to use the Bible verse in Acts 20:7-8, where the disciples met on the first day. First of all, before we look into that verse, let’s just confirm which days the disciples met together:

Acts 2:46 …..’And they, continuing DAILY with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.’

The disciples met DAILY. But what has that got to do with keeping the sabbath of the 4th commandment? Nothing! We should ALL meet daily to worship Jesus and study His Word, but we should also KEEP THE SABBATH, just like the disciples did. Now let’s look at this verse in Acts 20:

Acts 20:7-8,11 ….. ‘And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together…. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed’

Now many sincere Christians have made a simple mistake with this verse. How does God view a day? Take a look at the creation account and you will see that a day begins at SUNDOWN the previous day. A day is “evening and morning”, not from 12 midnight to 12 midnight the way man has introduced. So when did the disciples meet above? UPON the first day of the week. So they met at sundown SATURDAY EVENING and Paul preached until midnight and then he departed at break of day Sunday morning for his journey. And Paul made his journey during Sunday. So when you really look into these Bible verses, you can see that in no way do they even suggest that Sunday is the new sabbath.

One more thing to note about this verse in Acts 20. If we take it to mean how I’ve suggested above, then Paul would have preached and talked from Saturday evening to Sunday morning, which makes sense. But if we take it as Sunday keeping Christians do, then Paul preached, WAIT FOR IT, from early on Sunday morning, right up to midnight, and then continued until Monday morning!! Nearly 24 HOURS?? Do you see how our true interpretation makes more sense?

Let me give you a Bible verse that shows Paul MUST have been keeping the seventh day sabbath as per the 4th commandment:

Acts 23:9 …..’And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man.’

Stop and think about this verse. If Paul and the disciples had now changed the sabbath day to Sunday, don’t you think the Pharisees would have had something to say about it? Instead they say “we find no evil in this man.” Paul MUST have been keeping the seventh day sabbath.

• Isn’t Jesus now our Sabbath rest?

This is such a common misunderstanding of what Jesus said in Matthew 11:28. Let’s take a look:

Matthew 11:28 …’Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’

Now show me where in this verse it says that Jesus IS our rest. Because what I read is that Jesus would GIVE rest to all who come to Him. And He does GIVE us rest, every week … The Seventh Day Sabbath!

• It doesn’t matter what day we keep does it?

Have a long good think about this fact. When God put Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, there were MANY trees that they could eat from, but God told them that they could not eat from ONE PARTICULAR tree. “Oh God doesn’t really mind what tree we eat from!” What did God do? He cast them out of Paradise! We have the same situation with the sabbath day. There are seven days in a week, but God has told us to KEEP ONE PARTICULAR day, the seventh day.

YES, it does matter what day we keep. God has COMMANDED us to keep the seventh day. Let’s obey our awesome Creator!

John 14:15 …..’If ye love Me, keep My commandments.’