The Sabbath

What is sabbath?

When God created humanity he ordained a single day to be a memorial in time between God and Man, this is the sabbath. The sabbath is a day to put aside all our weekly worries and desires, instead focusing our attention heavenward toward the source of salvation, christ. Daniel 7 describes and attempt to change the times and laws created by God. What day is the Sabbath? Was the sabbath changed? Discover the truth about the sabbath as you gleam wisdom from the pages of the Bible and learn the significance of the sabbath.

Which day is sabbath?

“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the Seventh Day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done” (Genesis 2:2, 3). The very word “sabbath” means rest, and to rest implies that you have labored. It’s logical, then, for God to have designated the last day of the week a day of rest. “The seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:10).

Did the Sabbath change to Sunday?

Lets go back to the apostolic church to answer this question. The followers of Jesus, after beholding the body of Christ in the sepulcher, “returned and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.” Luke 23:56. There is no record anywhere in the New Testament indicating that the disciples or followers of Jesus honored any other day as the sacred Sabbath of the Lord.

In the book of Acts we find repeated references to the Sabbath long after the resurrection of Jesus. In Acts 13:14 we read: “But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.” In verse 42: “And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.” And in verse 44: “And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.’’ As Paul continued his missionary journeys, he continued to honor the seventh day Sabbath. In Acts 16:13 we read: “And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.” Also in Acts 17:2: “And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.”

The Seventh Day Series with Hal Holbrook

Articles on the sabbath

Stop Look Listen: a Fresh Perspective on the Sabbath

Last month, Israel’s Jerusalem Post published a glowing review of Nehemia Polen’s book on the Sabbath, titled “Stop, Look, Listen: Celebrating Shabbos Through a Spiritual...

Michigan Detention Officer Fired for Keeping the Sabbath

Have you ever experienced being fired from a job after only two days? That’s exactly what happened to Sylvia Coleman, and now she’s taking her case to court in the United States of America v....

The Sabbath Commandment before Sinai

When it comes to the question of observing the seventh-day Sabbath among Christians who do not practice it, one of the most common arguments is...

An Alabama Christian Academy Celebrates a Sabbath Victory

The article discusses a case involving Oakwood Adventist Academy, a Seventh-day Adventist high school, and the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA). Oakwood requested to reschedule a basketball game that was scheduled on the seventh-day...

Thirsting for a Day of Rest

In an article titled “Screen Sabbaths: A Modest Proposal for a Digital World” in The University News, Larisa Tuttle discusses the human quest for fulfillment...

Are you Prepared to take a Sabbath from your Phone?

In a recent article titled “Screen Sabbaths: A Modest Proposal for a Digital World” on desiringgod.org, editor Scott Hubbard discusses the dangers of our obsession with digital devices and the negative effect they can have...

Without the Seventh Day

Scott Hubbard, a lay pastor and editor at Desiring God, wrote a blog post titled “A Rest for Any Restlessness,” in which he explores the...

Seventh-day Baptists and the 4th Commandment

Sunday worship has become deeply entrenched in Christian traditions across Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox faiths. Despite its prevalence, few question its biblical basis today. However, Jesus warned about teaching human traditions and indeed, the observance...

Shabbos and Sunday how Americans got a two-day Weekend

In North America, the establishment of the two-day weekend, which is now taken for granted, was influenced by the challenges faced by Sabbath-keeping Jews, particularly...

Seventh-day Baptists and the 4th commandment

In North America, the establishment of the two-day weekend, which is now taken for granted, was influenced by the challenges faced by Sabbath-keeping Jews, particularly new immigrants, in a predominantly Sunday-keeping Christian nation. The unique...

The Day of the Sun

The division of time into seven-day weekly cycles, as seen in our modern calendar, has no scientific explanation from astronomy or planetary movements. While the...

Sunday Laws in America (Blue laws)

Ken McFarland July/August 2008 My work involves, among other tasks, editing and preparing for publication materials for a wide variety of clients. At the moment, I’m working on a book setting forth the history of...

Separation of Church and State

The passage you provided raises the question of whether a theocratic form of government, like that of ancient Israel, would be beneficial in the present...

Rest in God-keeping the Sabbath Holy

These principles are intended to guide individuals in understanding how to keep the Sabbath holy and please God. Here is a breakdown of the principles mentioned: The Sabbath is a day of refraining from creating...

What about the Lunar Sabbath?

The lunar Sabbath theory suggests that the seven-day week was reset after each new moon, resulting in the Sabbath always falling on the 8th, 15th,...

What about the Lord’s Day?

Some time ago, a mate of mine was driving through Ohio on his way to New York City. At least, that’s where he thought he was heading until he saw a massive bus speeding past...

The Search for the Missing Sunday Text

How surprising it is that tradition often replaces authoritative truth in the minds of many sincere people. Statements that have been repeated for years gain...

7 Facts about the Sabbath

Part of Satan’s strategy to destroy humanity’s trust in God has been to attack His claim as the Creator. Clearly, the theory of evolution is a part of this deceptive and soul-destroying effort. With its...

10 Reasons why the Sabbath is not Jewish

The points you’ve presented highlight the fact that the Sabbath is not exclusive to the Jewish people but has a universal significance. The Sabbath was...

If you Keep the Sabbath, Shouldn’t you be Circumcised too?

The keeping of the Sabbath is based on the Ten Commandments, which are considered part of the eternal and unchanging moral law of God. The apostle Paul affirms the holiness, justice, and goodness of the...

Loving God and my Neighbour is all I’m Required to do

You’re absolutely right in emphasizing the importance of obedience to God’s commandments as a demonstration of our love for Him and for our neighbour. The...

It’s Impossible to Keep the Sabbath on a Round Earth

Jesus did say, “The Sabbath was made for man” (Mark 2:27), emphasizing the universal nature of the Sabbath as a gift from God to humanity. The Sabbath was not created exclusively for a particular group...

The Sabbath is Jewish, Sunday is Christian

The points you raised highlight the universal and timeless nature of the Sabbath as an institution that predates the Hebrews and applies to all of...

We Should Keep the Spirit of the Law not the Letter

The relationship between the letter and the spirit of the law is an important concept to understand. The letter of the law refers to the commands and regulations, while the spirit of the law refers...