The Sabbath in the Scriptures

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The Sabbath in the Scriptures

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Most people have given little thought to what God says about the Sabbath in His Word. Here are some highlights:

  • The Sabbath is mentioned 117 times in the Bible (King James Version)—61 in the Old Testament and 56 in the new. None of these mentions refers to Sunday, the first day of the week, but all to the seventh day of the week (Friday sunset to Saturday sunset).
  • The Sabbath is mentioned 45 times in the four Gospels—far more than the number of times it is mentioned in the five books of Moses.
  • The Sabbath was made for man, not for any particular group, race or nationality (Mark 2:27).
  • Jesus Christ's custom was to keep the Sabbath (Luke 4:16).
  • Jesus expected His followers would be keeping the Sabbath at the time of the end (Matthew 24:20).
  • Several decades after Christ's death, Luke described the Sabbath as a commandment (Luke 23:56).
  • The apostle Paul taught both Jews and gentiles on the Sabbath, never hinting that they didn't need to observe it (Acts 13:42-44; 17:1-4).
  • After Christ establishes His Kingdom on earth, "from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship" before Him (Isaiah 66:23).
  • Out of 117 times the Sabbath is mentioned in the Scriptures, not a single one so much as hints that the Sabbath has been changed to another day or abolished.
  • The Bible nowhere gives man authority to change what God has commanded and made holy (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32).
  • Nowhere in the Bible is there a commandment to remember or observe Sunday as the Sabbath.
  • God wants the Sabbath to be a delight to mankind (Isaiah 58:13-14). Those who condemn it or criticize its observance obviously have a view that differs from God's.