The 4th Commandment and a Coming Sabbath Rest

Well, happy Sabbath once again to all of you! As you know, I've been covering the 10 commandments, and one by one we've been going through the 10 commandments. And a few months ago, I began the discussion of the fourth commandment. We primarily looked at the Old Testament, and we looked at the instruction to remember the Sabbath day and to keep it holy. In part one of that sermon, given on April 22nd, that far back, we covered a number of key points regarding the Sabbath day, and that's available on our YouTube site if you'd like to see it. I'm just going to give a brief recap of some of the highlights of that sermon in case you missed it or were here but in the twilight zone during the time it was given. All right, we saw in Genesis chapter 1 by what authority and event the Sabbath was established at creation by the example of God during the Sabbath day. That was Genesis chapter 1 verse 11. Yes, the Sabbath is the fourth commandment, and indeed was given as the fourth commandment and is part of the law of Moses. However, as one of God's great moral laws, it predates the Old Covenant. It's not limited to the law of Moses. So whether the law of Moses is valid or invalid is still going on or done away that has nothing to do with the Sabbath instruction and command given in Genesis chapter 1. God made the first six days by working. He made the seventh day holy by resting. God does not tire. God does not need rest. He performed this act as an example for you and I and all humanity to follow. Also, last time we observed a number of examples of the seven-day weekly cycle being observed by the patriarchs. For example, we looked at Noah. We looked at statements by Laban, and even though the word Sabbath isn't specifically mentioned, remember these are very brief outlines of these individuals' lives, even though the word Sabbath isn't specifically mentioned, it's obvious there was an observance of the seventh-day week. So it isn't a far stretch to understand they kept a seventh-day week because of what's instructed in Genesis 1, and most certainly they would have taken that seventh day and used it as a day of religious celebration. I don't think that's very much of a stretch, even though the word Sabbath is not specifically mentioned in their examples. We witnessed in Exodus chapter 16, remember the gathering of the manna, a double portion before the Sabbath, and don't go out in the Sabbath and try to gather manna. It happened weeks before the nation reached Mount Sinai. The Sabbath is reaffirmed weeks later as part of the Old Covenant, and it's discussed at that time and ratified by the people of Israel. But again, I can't emphasize this enough. The Sabbath predates the Old Covenant, and it's not limited to the terms of the Old Covenant. The reason that has to be emphasized is because if it's limited to the law of Moses and the part of the Old Covenant exclusively, that means when the Old Covenant ends, the need to keep the Sabbath ends. So that's why I keep emphasizing that over and over again. It's a very important concept that we understand.

It is not limited to the terms of the Old Covenant, whatever happens to the Old Covenant.

Last time also, we looked at some examples from the New Testament. We read that Jesus Christ observed the Sabbath. As a matter of fact, there are 40 scriptures mentioning Jesus Christ and relating to the Sabbath day. That's a lot. In one example in the book of Mark, Jesus was criticized for allowing his disciples to do a dastardly thing. They actually plucked the tops off of green and grind it up a little bit and would eat it and chew on it. And of course, they were accused of violating the Sabbath by doing that. You may recall in teaching the humanitarian purpose of the Sabbath, Jesus stated in Mark chapter 2 and verse 27, the Sabbath was made for man, meaning for the benefit of man. Man wasn't created as a tool for the Sabbath. The Sabbath was created as a tool, as a benefit for all humanity. And that's important for us to understand. And the interesting thing is, of course, in the word that Mark chose, when he said the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath, that Greek word for man is the Greek word anthropos. And it means one with a human appearance or a man's face. It's not restricted to any ethnic, any racial lineage. Mark could have been inspired to use a Greek word for Jew. Could have said the Sabbath was made for Jew. That didn't happen. Mark could have been inspired to use the word Hebrew. The Sabbath was made for Hebrew. But that's not what Mark was inspired to record in his gospel. The misunderstanding of the Sabbath as a gift for all humanity goes back to its establishment at creation when there were no Jews or Gentiles. They're basically were a man and a woman and their little reptilian friend in the garden. There were no Jews or Gentiles back at that time. We also saw last time we discovered how the disciples, including Paul, taught Sabbath observance by their example. For example, you may recall Acts chapter 18. In the Gentile city of Corinth, Paul remained for one and a half years. And he also wrote a number of letters to other congregations that he had visited. And verse 4 states, he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.

So by his personal example, Paul would have observed 70 straight Sabbaths in Corinth teaching the Word of God. So that's quite a very powerful example. Well, that's kind of where we left off last time. What I mentioned then, and what I'd like to cover today, is to specifically look at Paul's writings. People love to use Paul's writings to try to do away with the Ten Commandments, or specifically with the Sabbath. Because of the way that Paul wrote, he was an intellectual. Sometimes he writes an entire paragraph, and to get it you have to pick up the first few words of the paragraph, and you get the meaning at the last few words of the paragraph. And in between, it's easy to get lost. So a lot of people use Paul to basically teach anything that they want to teach, and his writings are usually ones that people go to in an effort to either twist the Scripture, or take a verse out of context and say, ah, Paul is condemning Sabbath observance, or Paul is saying we shouldn't be doing that. So let's begin by going to the book of Galatians. Galatians chapter 4 and verse 3. A lot of people who once observed the Sabbath no longer do. They look at Galatians as some remarkable book of liberty. I've had people tell me when I read the book of Galatians, then I understand, and I realized I didn't need to keep the Sabbath or worry about the Ten Commandments, and I didn't need to do any of these things anymore, because now I have the freedom and liberty in Christ, and don't need to do those things. So Galatians, we'll start in chapter 4 and verse 3. Of course, the Galatians were a gentile congregation. Paul writes, even so, when we were children, we're in bondage under the elements of the world, and those who are against the Sabbath would say, see, you're acting like a child if you keep the Sabbath. That's what spiritual children do. But when you come into full maturity, you no longer need childish things like observing the Sabbath, and you're under bondage if you keep that Sabbath. You're under one of the elements of the world. It's carnal. It's fleshly. It's not a spiritual thing.

Verse 4. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father. Therefore, you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. And they imply, of course, that keeping the Sabbath, keeping any part of the law of Moses or anything of that nature puts you in slavery, and you're not really a son, you're just going through these acts of slavery. A little bit of context. Galatia, again, was a gentile congregation. It was in the region of north-central Anatolia, which is modern-day Turkey. So some say that the phrase bondage and elements of the world here include Sabbath observance. Did you see the word Sabbath mentioned anywhere in the verses that we just read? The bondage or slavery spoken here isn't the Sabbath, it's sin.

And those who are under the law are under a curse because God's law has been broken. And the penalty of death is what we receive if we have broken the law. That's why we need to be redeemed. Verse 5, to redeem those who were under the law, under the punishment, under the death sentence of violating God's law. That's why we need a redeemer. The context here has nothing to do with the Sabbath or the Ten Commandments. The whole idea that this could be referring to a Sabbath at all is inserted here without the word Sabbath even being mentioned. Let's now go to chapter 4 of Galatians chapter 4 and verse 8. Chapter 4 and verse 8. Paul writes, But then, indeed, when ye did not know God, ye served those who which by nature are not gods, but now after you've known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements to which you desire to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years. So, according to this perception of saying the Sabbath is done away, Paul is correcting these Gentiles for once again turning back to the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath day. So again, some say Paul is correcting them for returning to Sabbath observance. But I want you, again, to notice the context. Paul must be certainly talking to Gentile believers, since no one could ever say the Jewish believers previously, quote, serve those who by nature are not gods, plural. You could accuse the Jew of being faithless. You might accuse the Jew of breaking the law, but Jews did not worship multiple gods. This is something that can only refer to Gentile believers. The Gentile believers were turning back to the bondage of pagan religious observances here. They never kept the Sabbath before they were called, so how could they turn back to a Sabbath that they never observed before they were even called? The Sabbath, once again, is not mentioned here at all, and it most certainly is not a form of bondage. The form of bondage was for them going back to the pagan religious observances that they had before they were called into the truth. All right, let's go to chapter 5 and verse 1. Galatians chapter 5 and verse 1. This really highlights what Paul has been condemning in the whole book. People want to make Galatians about everything except what it's really about. What it's really about is the false concept that you must be circumcised in order to achieve salvation.

The book is not about Seventh-day Sabbaths. It's not about clean or unclean meats. It's not about holy days or any of the other things people pretend the book of Galatians is about. It's about one very simple false doctrine that you must be circumcised in order to be saved.

Let's take a look at Galatians chapter 5 verse 1. Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. And those would say this includes observing a Sabbath day. Verse 2. Indeed, I, Paul, say to you that if, and here's the real discussion in the whole book, that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. If you think that being circumcised makes you righteous, grants you salvation, then the whole idea of faith in Christ providing that becomes nothing to you. And of course, as I've said before, the whole idea of circumcised leaves out 50% of the human race. It doesn't give them an opportunity for salvation. So this is the real problem that Paul is discussing here. And some say this yoke of bondage includes things like observing the Sabbath. The context is not God's law. The context are not statutes. They're not commandments. None of those things of themselves are a yoke of bondage or a form of slavery by which you need liberty and freedom from. Let's go to Romans chapter 14, another writing of Paul to the church in Rome, chapter 14 and verse 3. And this is one of the favorites. Well, a lot of people love to pull this scripture out, say here Paul absolutely teaches that the Sabbath is necessary. As a matter of fact, you can worship on Sunday if you want. You can decide that Wednesday is the best day for you to worship. You can worship from 3 30 a.m. on Friday morning to 3 30 a.m. Saturday morning. None of that really matters. Here's the scripture. They refer to Romans chapter 14 and verse 3. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats for God has received him. Verse 4.

Very powerful scripture, by the way. This probably should, unfortunately, people have been offended by things said in our congregation, no longer attend with us. Maybe we should make this a banner and hang it on our wall. Who are you to judge another man's servant? To his own master, he stands or falls, indeed he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. So we shouldn't be judging one another. We shouldn't be telling other people what we think all of the time and offending them and saying things frivolously to hurt people to the point that they don't want to come to church anymore. Verse 5. Let's pick up back into the context here. One person esteems one day above another, and the person who doesn't want to keep the Sabbath says, see? This is referring to the Sabbath day. One person esteems one day over another. You might Saturday, I might Sunday. Maybe this person doesn't want to keep any day. They say this is what this scripture is talking about. Let's continue here. One person esteems one day above another. Another esteems every day alike. They're all holy. None of them are holy. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day observes it to the Lord, and he who does not observe the day, the Lord does not observe it. He who eats eats to the Lord, and he gives thanks, and he who does not eat to the Lord, he who does not eat, and he gives thanks. So is this talking about the Sabbath day? Well, as usual, the word Sabbath is not mentioned in these verses at all. The context here is that Romans 14 is not talking about the Sabbath or public worship, but it's talking about the personal private preference for fasting. Whether on a specific day, you're going to choose the fast that day or not choose the fast that day. Some were judging the church members regarding when they fasted or why they didn't fast as often as someone else. For example, the Jews traditionally fasted on Mondays and Thursdays. You may recall in Jesus's parable about the Pharisee, Luke chapter 18 and 12, he gloats, I fast twice a week. Right? So that was a tradition among many conservative Jews of a Pharisaetic background. Some conservative Jewish believers were obviously judging the members for not fasting when they did, or not fasting as often as they did, or the same day that they did.

And a Christian should certainly not judge a fellow brother by their eating habits when you choose the fast or not choose the fast is none of my business. And it's no one else's business.

That's a personal choice the day you choose the fast. We shouldn't be judging each other on things like fasting. By the way, this would also include the concept of one is a vegetarian or chooses to eat meat. If one of our brothers chooses to be a vegetarian, that's their right. We shouldn't be judging them for whether they're a vegetarian or not. We shouldn't be judging people on whether they eat meat or not. Now in regard to esteeming one day above another, again, I want you to notice the word Sabbath or day of worship are not mentioned here. One may esteem or observe a fast day. And to them, that's a very important day. Someone else may not. And that's okay.

Or it may be a civil holiday, an anniversary, for example. For many of us, Thanksgiving Day is a day in which we give thanks to God. That's a special day to me. I hold that in esteem. I try to get my family together. We try to have a meal. We try to have a prayer to thank God for his blessings. My brethren in Mexico may not be doing that because it's not Thanksgiving Day in Mexico or most other areas of the world. So again, brethren, we have to understand that the Christian should not judge his fellow brother on the choices of personal, private preferences, particularly when to feast or when to fast. To associate the Sabbath to these scriptures is reading and forcing a false context into these verses. They're not talking about the Sabbath day or public worship.

All right, let's go to Colossians chapter 2 and verse 16, another book that Paul wrote. Colossians chapter 2 and verse 16. All right, verse 16. Paul says, so let no one judge you in food or in drink or regarding a festival or new moon or sabbaths. There's a word Sabbath finally mentioned somewhere. Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

As it should be translated, the body belongs to Christ, referring to the church. Now, explain what that means in a minute. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, including into those things which is not seen, vainly puffed up with his fleshly mind and not holding fast to the head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why as though living in the world do you subject yourself to regulations? They would say a Sabbath is one of those regulations. It's one of those commandments.

One of those regulations from the law of Moses. And he says, do not touch. He quotes here, do not touch, do not taste, do not handle. All right, let's take a look and dig a little bit into these verses. The first thing to notice is that the Gentile Christians in Colossae are indeed keeping the Sabbath and the Holy Days. This confirms absolutely that they are. And Paul's telling the church that no one, except maybe the church itself, no one has the right to judge them on how they feast and how they rejoice in the Sabbath. It's no one else's business and they have no right to judge the brethren in Colossae. I want you to notice how Paul states, the Sabbaths mentioned are a shadow of things to come. He doesn't say, oh, these things are obsolete.

These things are a shadow of the past, going back to Moses' day. No, he says the Sabbath and the whole days are a shadow of things to come. You see, they picture something that hasn't been fulfilled but is yet coming. And that's an important thing that we understand. Christ coming did not do away with these Sabbaths or Holy Days because Paul is saying these days are a shadow of things yet to come.

That's some obsolete thing of the past. To really understand this, and unfortunately I don't have time to get into the nitty-gritty here. Paul is dealing with something called Gnosticism that had infiltrated this congregation, sadly. It's a Greek Hebrew heresy that considered material existence as flawed or evil.

Everything, even your pleasure, is evil and wicked. You must deny yourself because anything physical is flawed. That was the idea behind it. It taught that salvation is the direct knowledge of a hidden divinity, way up there, only attained through mystical knowledge. And part of that knowledge was asceticism, meaning you despised anything that was physical. You denied yourself. You despised pleasure, including feasting and celebration. And you denied yourself because that was the way to secure spiritual growth.

To become spiritual, one had to purge himself of all evil, matter, physical things, and pleasures. You had to punish the flesh. And this explains Paul's remark about their regulations.

He defines what regulations he's mocking. He's not talking about the commandments. He's talking about the regulations that say, do not touch, do not taste, do not handle a direct teaching of Gnosticism. These were their regulations. The Gnosic influence in the Colossian church was troubling the members by judging them, judging them for eating and drinking, which are pleasurable, enjoyable things, feasting on the Sabbaths.

So you see, these verses do not reject the Sabbath. These verses are not Paul correcting the church for observing the Sabbath. They proved that the church and Colossae were indeed enjoying and celebrating and having feasts on the festival of the new moon and on the Sabbaths.

Another fundamental belief, by the way, of Gnosticism was angel worship. And Paul makes that statement in here about false humility and the worship of angels. That goes back, I believe, to verse 17. Those verses, they believed in a hierarchical series of angels that they existed, and they were like emanations. And you got to know one angel. We know what that spirit really was, don't we? You got to know one angel, and then when you got there, then you went up into higher emanation, and another angel, and a higher emanation, and another angel.

And eventually one would reach God. You would start with the lowest emanation of the angels, and you would work your way up. I want you to notice Paul's warning in this verse regarding false humility. That's that asceticism that I was talking about. Just see, people would say, oh, I don't eat food. I deny myself because that would be pleasurable, and I'm beyond pleasure. I'm beyond enjoying things.

So that's what Paul means when he's talking about false humility, their asceticism to try to appear as superior, an angel worship he mentions. In context, the scriptures not a proof that the Sabbaths are obsolete. It actually confirms that the Gentile Christians were being judged for observing the Sabbath and the Holy Days. All right, let's go to Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 4. Now, this is something a little different. I personally believe the Hebrews was written by Paul, whether it was or not.

It's in our scriptures. It is considered part of the inspired word of God. And in Hebrews chapter 4, verse 4, there is an interesting statement made that is totally glossed over by most translators. There's a unique Greek word, only used once in the New Testament, that is translated the same way as other Greek words, which refer to resting a physical rest. And I think we need to understand that this is kind of a nugget within the book of Hebrews, often overlooked by translators, because it didn't fit their particular agenda of what they wanted to translate and believe in.

But I think we need to know and understand that it is there. So Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 4, in the context here, is that Israel did not mix knowledge with an enduring faith. They were disobedient. They gave up on their obligation to the covenant. They gave up on God. So let's pick it up here. For he has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way, quote, and God rested on the seventh day from all his works.

And again in this place, they shall not enter my rest, since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience. So there still was a promised land. For ancient Israel, it would have been the land of Canaan. It's a metaphor for us, for the kingdom of God. They didn't reach it because they were disobedient. Remember, the first generation, died. Their corpse is rotted in the wilderness.

And there's a warning for us. Make sure that we're not disobedient. Make sure that we don't lose out on the opportunity that we're given. Verse 7, again, he designates a certain day, saying to David, today, after such a long time, it has been said, today, if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. So don't give up on your faith.

Don't quit. Don't go backward is what Paul is saying here. Verse 8, for if Joshua had given them rest, they would not afterward have spoken of another day. Verse 9, there remains, therefore, a rest for the people of God. And that's the way the New King James version answered. How many of you have a translation that says something very similar to that, that remains a rest, therefore, for the people of God? Good. And that's what it says on the screen, which is probably the New King James version. Actually, it's a very poor translation. An honest rendering of that, for example, is in the New International Version. And I'm going to read the New International Version because it sheds a little different light on it. It uses a word that is translated rest here, like another Greek word was repeatedly in chapter 4. But this unique Greek word does not mean simply a physical rest. I'm going to read verse 8 now from the New International Version. Do we have a New International Version at all? We do? Okay, here's what it says. New International Version, verse 8. For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.

There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. That's verse 9. For anyone who enters God's rest also rest from his own work, just as God did from his. So Paul here uses a totally different Greek word right here in these verses that we looked at that's translated in the New International Version is Sabbath rest in verse 9. In every other usage of the word rest in chapters 3 and 4, it was the Greek word kataposis, and it's translated as rest, and that's fine. The Greek word literally means kataposis, just settle down with the rest. And again, that's a beautiful metaphor for the promised land. For us, it's a metaphor for the coming kingdom of God. But here in verse 9, the particular word used is sabatismos. It's a totally different Greek word that usually is simply translated as rest in most translations. They give the impression that this isn't a unique word and that it's just continuing the theme of a wonderful metaphor about being in Christ and someday being in the kingdom of God. And this word sabatismos is nowhere else found in the New Testament, however, it is found in the later writings of Plutarch, and there are several other Christian writings that are not included as part of Holy Scripture in which this Greek word is used. So it's rare, but it indeed is here, and what it basically means is a physical, literal observance of the seventh-day Sabbath. Again, I'm going to read that once again from the New International Version. For Joshua had given them rest. God would not have spoken about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. So the author here of Hebrews, which I believe is Paul, is discussing how a rest still stands for those who seek God. Others previously heard the message, but they failed to achieve the Promised Land because they were disobedient and they lacked faith, and it's a warning for us. And the author then clearly states that we look forward to the ultimate rest of God, and that's primarily the meaning of Hebrews chapter 4. But then he adds a twist with this unique Greek word, clearly connecting the seventh-day observance while resting. Again, this is a hidden gem in most translations, and usually it's not translated properly because it endorses Sabbath observance that doesn't fit within a translator's agenda. We observe a weekly Sabbath, as we are encouraged here to do in Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 9 as a reminder of the ultimate rest of God. We weekly rest from our own work as God did by His example on the seventh day, and some say these verses are only speaking of a continual and spiritual rest in Jesus Christ, and I would agree, indeed, verses 1 through 8 are certainly speaking of the new covenant theme of a spiritual rest in Jesus Christ. There is no debate there.

However, if that were the only intended meaning, then we are ignoring verse 9 because of an additional element weaving into this understanding of rest and faithfulness and obedience. And this weaving in of this understanding is this word, sabbatismos. The author brilliantly weaves in the theme of rest in this chapter. Earlier he talked about rest from our enemies. He talks about the spiritual rest that you and I all have through Christ. The rest that's provided on the weekly Sabbath is then inserted here in verse 9. The conclusion of the author is that the Christian continues to observe the seventh day Sabbath because it pictures the continual and spiritual rest we have in Jesus Christ for the Christian and for all humanity. All right, just a few more scriptures to go. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 17. This one is kind of weak use of those who don't want to keep the Sabbath, but I've read it and people mention it, so I think it's worth us understanding. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 17. Paul writes, therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. So some erroneously use this scripture to insist that Paul's teaching that all old things are passed away. That means Moses, the Sabbath, the Ten Commandments, and anything regarding the Old Testament or Old Covenant, again including the Ten Commandments. But in context, it's the carnal selfish old man that was intended to pass away and become new. It's not talking about the law of God. The old self is replaced by a new creation that's generated by the gift of the Holy Spirit. Talking about the carnality in the human mind and the human attitude being converted from totally carnal and selfish to receiving the gift of God's Holy Spirit and the transformation that takes place as we become a new creation.

Again, the old self is replaced by a new creation generated by God's Spirit. Christians who do observe the Seventh-day Sabbath celebrate their new creation weekly on the day that God blessed to honor his original instruction going all the way back to creation. And just as God created man in his own image, we are now a new creation in process. The Sabbath was created as God's original gift to humankind to help us in that change to becoming a new creation.

Well, brethren, each weekly Sabbath is a holy time to delight in the Creator's love for his creations. And Christians rest mentally and physically on the Sabbath as a weekly refresh of our commitment to Christ and to look forward to the ultimate rest of all humanity in the Kingdom of God, the true millennial rest. We could say that the Sabbath day is more of a modern technological term. This Sabbath day is intended for us to have a reboot, right? We're on the merry-go-round six days a week, and our minds are filled with the world and work and the latest news, degeneracy, and what's going on here. And every day, our new adventures and stupidity and absurdity in this world, and we are surrounded by that all week. And the purpose of the Sabbath is for us to reboot, to shut all that down, to push all that junk out of the way, and for a period of time to refresh and reconnect with our God and with people of like mind. My final scripture today, Isaiah 66 verse 22. Going all the way back to Genesis 1, I emphasized that the Sabbath was created not for Jew alone or for Gentile, but it was created for the benefit of all humanity. There basically were two people and their little serpent friend, and that was the people that existed on earth at that time. We saw on Mark's account how Mark specifically was inspired to use the scripture and throw posts. Right? The Sabbath was made for someone with a man-like face. He didn't use the word Sabbath was made for Jew or Sabbath was made for Hebrew. He doesn't say any of that. Basically, he says the Sabbath was made for one who has a human man-like face. Now, let's take a look in the future at a prophecy. Isaiah chapter 66 verse 22. This is a scripture, I think, for many of us, hard to grasp.

We have not lived in a world whose number one priority is to look for ways to honor and worship God, to relish the opportunity to honor and worship God. We've all been brought up in the world where profit is the number one motive. Selfishness, carnality, politics, that's what rules our world today. It's a world that doesn't think much about God at all. And this scripture talks about a world where God is number one. And the whole structure of this new society that will be created in the kingdom of God, beginning in Jerusalem and filtering throughout the whole world, is the concept that God is number one. And the highest priority we have in our existence is to take time to worship God. Isaiah chapter 66 and verse 22. For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make shall remain before me. And we're familiar with that phrase from the book of Revelation. And we know that a new heaven and a new earth are coming down to this world. Says the Lord, so shall your descendants and your name remain. God made a commitment to Moses. He has a covenant to the Hebrew people. He has a covenant to the descendants of Abraham. And God keeps his promises. That's what he's saying here. So your descendants shall remain. And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, or for month to month, monthly cycle, some special monthly celebration, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before me.

It doesn't say in this new kingdom and world that Jewish people only will come and worship before me, or that Chinese people only will come and worship before me. No, all flesh shall come and worship before me, says the Lord. So, brethren, don't let anyone put you on the defensive regarding your observance at the Sabbath day. Christians who observe the Seventh-day Sabbath don't keep it because we believe it offers salvation or saves us just in keeping the Sabbath. We don't keep it because we believe we are superior to others. We are all sinners in need of a Redeemer and Savior in Christ Jesus. We joyfully observe the Sabbath in respect of the commandments of God, in respect to his original instruction going all the way back to Genesis chapter 1, in respect to following the example of Jesus Christ, the messenger of the new covenant, in respect to following the example of the disciples of Jesus, like the Apostle Paul, as we saw in Corinth. As God's children, we seek to joyfully obey our Father's commands and to please him in all that we do. We have a simple principle. He is our loving Father God. We are his children. What can I do to please you? It's a very simple concept. Father, what can I do that brings you joy, respect, dignity, and honor? And we can do that by remembering the Sabbath day to keep it holy. We also know that we're blessed for our loving obedience to our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ. We believe that observing the seventh-day Sabbath is an act of respect and honor to God. It's a loving response to the grace of Christ. Our sins are forgiven. We can have a relationship with God because of his grace, his favor, his pardon, and in response to that, we say, Father, what can I do to worship you in the way that you choose to be worshipped? What can I do to honor you in a way that honors you in which you feel honored? And the simple way that we can do that is to keep God's Sabbath day. We faithfully worship the Creator God as a holy time of rest and worship and celebration.

We have in the past, we are today, and we will continue to do so in the future. So, as I often say in concluding my sermons, I wish all of you a wonderful and fulfilling Sabbath day.