The Sabbath

Many believe that the Sabbath is about taking a day off during the work week. That would be the literal interpretation. The Sabbath was a shadow pointing to a much bigger event.


God calls us to be Holy as he is Holy. He gave us his standard through Torah, the Law. The law shows the duties and requirements of the Priest as mediators between man and God. They were responsible for duties of the Temple. They were responsible for teaching man the commands of God. It was through the law that Mankind found we could never live up to Gods standard because of our sin nature. When man fell short of Gods commands, as mediator, the Priest provided atonement through confession and providing the sin offering. These were the “works” of the Law.


Deut 6:25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God,

 as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness." NIV


Heb 10:11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13 Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. NIV

The law was temporary, pointing to something greater. God planned on the Messiah from the beginning. It was the work of the Messiah fulfilling the requirements of the Law that brought an end to the covenant of the Law. He is our Passover lamb, he fulfilled the daily offerings, the fellowship offerings, the drink offering, and more importantly, the sin offering. As mediator, he is the priest who declares us clean by his blood offering.


The Sabbath was not about a literal day of the week, it was about the event. It was the end of the first covenant, the era of the Law. It is no longer by man's labor, but through faith that Gods Messiah fulfilled the requirements of the law. Today we continue to remember the Sabbath because of the fulfillment of Gods promises. Jesus gives us rest from the works of the law.


Rom 3:21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. NIV

Matt 5:17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;

I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. NIV


John 4:34 "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. NIV


John 19:28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips.  30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. NIV


Rom 10:4 Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. NIV


Rom 7:6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law

so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. NIV


Gal 2:15 "We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' 16 know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified. NIV


Col 2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. NIV

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