2 – A Missing Lesson of The Sabbath

Clarification: At the 10:15 mark, I stated, “I don’t know that I would predict it, but I wouldn’t be surprised.” After some feedback and conversations with those who have watched this message, some have taken this as referring to what was already stated, but it was actually an introduction to what follows.

Celestial Bodies Reckon Time

And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day. Genesis 1:14-19 NIV

The Day 

The Month

The Year

Three Different Calendar Years

Roman -> Julian -> Gregorian: Year begins January 1st

Hebrew

• Ecclesiastical: Year starts Nisan 1st
• Civil: Year begins Tishrei 1st

The Sabbath Created/Revealed

Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. Genesis 2:1-3 NKJV

The Sabbath “Commandment”

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Exodus 20:8-11 NIV

The Fourth…

• The fourth day of creation, is focused on the celestial reckoning of time. Genesis 1:14-19
• The fourth commandment, is focused on God’s reckoning of time through the weekly Sabbath cycle.

The Sabbath AND The Week Are Reckoned From God

• The week and Sabbath have no connection to celestial bodies
• They are established by and connected directly to God

The Sabbath and Week Are Inseparable

• The Sabbath can not exist without the week.
• The Sabbath defines and maintains the week.

The Sabbath and Week Cycle Reveal God

Say to the Israelites, “You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy”. Exodus 31:13 NIV

The Sabbath and Week are Ongoing

• The creation and re-creation of the material world were completed
• The Sabbath and week cycle are ongoing – They do not end
• God’s spiritual creation is an ongoing process of weeks/Sabbaths

Constancy of The Week

In spite of many different calendar systems throughout time and regions, the week has been consistently maintained.

Will The 7-Day Week Be Altered?

He gave me this explanation: “The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time. Daniel 7:23-25 NIV