600 years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Ezekiel beheld in a vision in chapter 10 of Ezekiel the glory of God's presence rising, rising, rising from the temple. And it wasn't rising in order to bless the people of Israel. But rather it was a symbol of God leaving, abandoning His people, His blessing. The glory of the Lord had departed from Israel. But why? What was the problem? What was going on within Israel that God would depart and leave His people? Ezekiel chapter 22 lists the sins of Jerusalem. But note very carefully in verse 26 the sins of the priests. The ministers of that time who should have made known and clear to God's people these things and what they were failing to make known to His people. Verse 26 says, Her priests have violated my law and profaned my holy things. They have not distinguished between the holy and the unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean. And they have hidden their eyes from my Sabbaths." Note, they have hidden their eyes from my Sabbaths. so that I am profaned among them." Because the priest at that time had not instructed the people as to the sanctity of that day, oh, they were keeping the Sabbath outwardly, ritualistically they were coming, but they were not internally keeping the Sabbath. They have violated the Sabbaths. They went through the motions of worship. And God says, they had not simply profaned the Sabbath, but in so doing, they had profaned God Himself. That's how closely God sees His holy day. It is joined and united with him, and to profane his Sabbath is to profane his very name, because his name is upon the Sabbath. The people, in their minds, according to Amos 8.5, had thoughts like this. When will the Sabbath be passed that we may trade our wheat? They were thinking, even though, again, they were going through the outward motions, they were thinking of all these other things of life, rather than for the purpose with which they had gathered, and that was to commune with God, to be filled with His thoughts, with His glory, with His ways. And for that sin, amongst others, the glory of the Lord was seen by Ezekiel as leaving the temple, leaving the house of God, and darkness, deep darkness fell upon Israel. And I submit to you, dear ones, today, that to the degree that a church, or the church of Jesus Christ, hides its eyes from God's Sabbath day to the degree that they do not distinguish between that which is holy and that which is unholy, that which is holy and that which is common, that which is clean and that which is unclean in their thoughts, in their words, in their actions. To that degree, God will either bless Or God will curse. Because the Sabbath day is joined with the very name of God. And you cannot profane one without profaning the other. I'm reminded of the words that we find in 1 Samuel 2, verse 30. God speaking. He says, those who honor me, I will honor. and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed." Not just honoring him when things are going well with us, but who honor him through thick and thin, through the good times as well as the difficult times. Those God will honor. And perhaps one of the most used arguments for not keeping the Sabbath day holy, as mandated in the fourth commandment, is this, that a weekly Sabbath was commanded of Israel alone. Sabbath-keeping is intrinsically, uniquely Jewish in nature. It's a part of the old covenant, it's not a part of the new covenant. It's a part of the ceremonial law, like the sacrificial system, which typified and pointed to Jesus Christ and his redemption. But now that Christ has come, it's been abolished, it's been done away with, just as animal sacrifices have been fulfilled in Christ's coming. But what we want to consider in the sermon today is that a valid conclusion to draw from the Word of God, that the Sabbath was uniquely Jewish in nature. Well, on the authority, not of my words, but on the authority of God's Word, I pray that we will, by the end of the sermon, conclude that that is not the case, that the Sabbath was not uniquely Jewish, but that it is for all people, all mankind, to keep. And in order to do this, I won't be limiting myself to simply one text, but we're going to, Lord willing, in the next few minutes, try to cover five periods in redemptive history. We're going to look at creation, that period of redemptive history, the giving of the law, the time of the prophets, the ministry of Christ, and the ministry of the apostles. And we won't, because we're covering such a large span of time, we will not be able to give very much time to each of those. That's why there will be a couple more sermons to try to be able to give more information, to be able to expound on particularly passages in the New Testament as to what God says with regard to the Sabbath. But we are going to do kind of a broad stroke of the brush to be able to seek to understand what does God say within His Word from beginning to end about the Sabbath. So we'll be looking at those five periods in redemptive history. So let us put on our thinking caps today to be able to really stay in tune as we move along through the Scriptures. That first period then that we want to begin with is that of creation. In Genesis 1 and 2, before sin had even entered the world, before Satan's fall, before the temptation of Eve, and the sinful rebellion of Adam against God's will. Before Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, before the giving of the law from Mount Sinai, God established one day out of seven that was to be uniquely His, different from all of the other six. God blessed one day and sanctified and set it apart from the other six days. Now, we looked at this very briefly the last time that we addressed this whole subject, but I want to go into much more detail. This really is the pivotal passage in my judgment. If one can establish very clearly that God ordained and established the Sabbath at this point, then I think that those who would seek to argue that it was ceremonial law, distinctly Jewish, and every other particular reason or argument that comes up, falls to the ground. This is really the most critical passage, I think, certainly in the Old Testament. All the other passages tend to refer back to this one. So turn with me again to Genesis chapter 2, verses 1 through 3. And we find there these words, 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. Heroins is all that God created and blessed was for the benefit of man, according to Genesis 1.28. Genesis 1.28, then God blessed them and God said to them, be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. Bring the earth under dominion. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over every living thing that moves on the earth. Man was to be God's vice-regent to subdue and bring all the earth under God's dominion. All things were created for the benefit of man from the very beginning. Among those that we find, monogamous marriage certainly was created for man's benefit. One man and one woman joined forever for all their earthly life. The procreation of children, another creation mandate. To be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth. Another blessing that God gave from the very beginning before sin entered into the world. Work and labor to find one's, to fulfill the dominion mandate. the cultural mandate by working, subduing, bringing all things under the dominion of God, which is the cultural mandate, as I said. And so God gave all of those things, but God also gave, according to Genesis 2, God also gave to man the Sabbath. God blessed and sanctified that seventh day to be a blessing for man. As you read the first two chapters of Genesis, particularly the first seven days, the six days of creation, the seventh day, what I would ask you to think in terms of, if God does not set aside the Sabbath day, for the purpose of rest and worship. Since worship is one of the most important things that we give to God, where does God institute worship within the creation week or within that first week? Where does God institute worship? He talks about marriage. He talks about children. God talks about work. But what about worship? Worship of the Almighty God! I submit to you that without seeing that God instituted the Sabbath at that particular point, God did not specifically institute worship. The worship of Himself. Now wherever and whenever God blesses a thing in Scripture, He always does so for His own glory, and for man's benefit and for man's good. Hence, for God to bless the Sabbath, as it says in Genesis 2.3, then God blessed the seventh day. For God to bless the Sabbath implies that He makes the day a blessing for men. And He makes it a blessing for men beginning at that particular point, not saying that he's making it a blessing for man 2,500 years later on when he gives that as a part of the Decalogue from Mount Sinai. God is not saying that he blessed the Sabbath in order for man 2,500 years hence for it to be a blessing to them simply or merely. No, He blessed it and sanctified or set it apart for it to begin to be a blessing to man at that particular point in time. You see, dear ones, God did not need rest. It was not for God's benefit that he sanctified and blessed the Sabbath day. Those are usually the two arguments that can be brought to try to minimize what occurs here in Genesis chapter 2, that God did so for his benefit, or that he did so for the benefit of men, but not immediately, later on when he instituted the law from Mount Sinai. Well, neither one of those is going to hold any weight, as we will see very shortly. God, first of all, as we said, did not need rest. We know from Isaiah chapter 40, very clearly, God says that, have you not known, I'm sorry, Isaiah 40, 28. Have you not known, have you not heard, the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. So this was not instituted for God's benefit. for God's glory, maybe, but not for God's benefit. God did not need the Sabbath in order to rest. That word rest certainly, as we'll see, implies something far more different than simply resting from his works of creation as if he were tired. In order to understand exactly what occurred here, hold your place in Genesis 2, but turn to Mark 2, because there Christ gives us the divine commentary on the Sabbath, and the reason for establishing the Sabbath, and when it was established. Mark 2.27. In this particular text, the disciples of Christ were walking through the grain fields, and it happened to be a Sabbath day, and they were picking the grains and eating them, and they were accused of violating the Sabbath by the Pharisees. And so the Lord Jesus defends the actions of himself and his apostles in doing so. And he comes to this conclusion. There's actually two conclusions. We're only going to look at one at this particular point. One of those conclusions is drawn in verse 27. And he said to them, that is to the Pharisees, the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. In this particular verse, we find the words of Jesus himself, the authoritative words of Jesus, explaining why the Sabbath was instituted. The word made, you see there the word made, the Sabbath was made for man. The word made is used for the week of creation and all that God created in other passages in the scripture. For example, a very familiar passage in John chapter 1, verse 3, John 1.3 speaks of Christ, the Word, creating all things, and he says, all things were made, that's the same word, were made through Him. And without Him, nothing was made that was made. That includes the Sabbath, because there it says, the Sabbath was made for man. Christ was the one who made the Sabbath as well. We find even the word that's used in Mark 2.27 for made, associated specifically with the creation of man in 1 Corinthians 15.45. The Apostle Paul, speaking of the resurrection body, contrasting the natural body with the glorified body that man will enjoy. And in verse 45 he says, and so it is written, the first man, Adam, became a living being, was made, the same word, was made a living being. God created man. Now, because the Sabbath in Mark 2.27 is associated with man, and the word made is associated with what God did with the Sabbath, He made the Sabbath, and He made the man, the two must be joined together as having been brought into being and established at the same time. I cannot refer to the fact that God made man Here in Genesis chapters 1 and 2, and then 2,500 years thereafter, he made the Sabbath, because, as I said, the very word that's used is associated in the New Testament with God's creating acts within creation week. Furthermore, it's interesting in 1 Corinthians chapter 11. It's always amazing to me how as you begin to study the scripture, this has been a passage we've been going through on Thursday nights, very much in detail. And it's interesting how we find things that we never realized before, never saw before, but in the study of the Word of God, these things kind of leap out at you. First Corinthians 11.9. And notice the similarity between First Corinthians 11.9 to what Jesus says in Mark 2.27. Now, in Mark 2.27, to refresh your memory, Jesus says the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. In First Corinthians 11.9, nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. The same preposition is used, dia, in both cases. The Sabbath was made because of the man. Not man for the Sabbath, or because of the Sabbath. And then in 1 Corinthians 11, 9. Nor was man created because of the woman, but woman because of the man. What we find as we compare these two passages is just this. 1 Corinthians 11.9 speaks of the creation of man first, and then woman brought into being. Why? To be man's helpmate, to assist, to be his helper, for his benefit from the point of creation. The same terminology is used by the Lord Jesus Christ with regard to the Sabbath. Man was not created for the Sabbath, implying that the Sabbath preceded man. Man was created first and then the Sabbath was created afterwards, even as Adam was created first and Eve was created afterwards. That which comes afterwards is to benefit that which came first in both cases. And so we find in Mark 2, 27, that the Sabbath was created for the benefit, was made for the benefit of man. in at creation. Now, an objection is registered by some in Nehemiah chapter 9 verse 14 that the Sabbath indeed was not made at creation, but rather was made at the giving of the law from Mount Sinai. Nehemiah 9.13. Those who would oppose the teaching that I have just brought would refer us to Nehemiah 9.13 and 14. For it says, you came down also, speaking of God, this is a prayer by the Levites recounting redemptive history and how God had been faithful to his people. And now they come to that point of redemptive history, speaking of the giving of the law from Mount Sinai, and they say, you came down also on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave them just ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments. You made known to them your holy Sabbath, and commanded them precepts, statutes, and laws by the hand of Moses your servant." And so the argument would basically run this way. There it very clearly says that God made known his Sabbath to his people at the giving of the law from Mount Sinai. It could not have existed prior to that time. Well, there's a few problems with that particular view. First of all, we know that the Sabbath in Exodus 16 was observed. In Exodus 16, verse 23, and following it very clearly, this is before you get to Exodus 20, so it's a few weeks at least before the giving of the law from Mount Sinai. God says, tomorrow you will keep the Sabbath. And so we know that if this refers, and very clearly it says Mount Sinai, It wasn't the first occasion in which even Israel celebrated the Sabbath. But even furthermore, it doesn't say God made the Sabbath. It doesn't say you made the Sabbath for them, as you gave your law from Mount Sinai. It says you made known the Sabbath. to them. You made known the Sabbath as a covenant sign to Israel. It was already instituted, but you took that which you had instituted, and you made it a covenant sign, just like God took circumcision that was given to Abraham, and he made that a covenant sign with Israel. So he took the Sabbath which he had instituted from the point of creation, and that became a covenant sign. For His people, Israel, there on Mount Sinai, as well as for all people, as we have already noted, those Ten Commandments, even though they are in the form of a covenant code to Israel, that's not in any way to say that the other nine specifically apply to Israel and not to the other nations. And one last thing about the passage in Mark chapter 2, verse 27, it says very clearly that the Sabbath was made for man. It doesn't say the Sabbath was made for Israel. It doesn't say the Sabbath was made for the Jews. It was made for man, and man there is in its most generic term, anthropos, mankind. It was made for man. And so as we look at the, again, the divine commentary, we find that God blessed the Sabbath, He made it for man from that particular point on. Now, God not only blessed it, but the Bible says in Genesis 2-3 that He sanctified it as well. He sanctified the day. That is, He set it apart as holy and to be treated as holy by all men. Now, God and angels and glorified saints do not keep holy days. They do not need to celebrate a Sabbath day. They are in an eternal Sabbath. They are in God's rest. And so, therefore, to sanctify a day is for our benefit, for us to keep. And to keep from that point on. Whatever God sanctifies, men are obligated to set it apart and use it for their growth, for their benefit as a means of grace. You remember in the case of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10.3, that they did not treat the fire on the altar as holy, but used strange fire, and God smote them and struck them down dead, because they did not treat what God said was holy as holy. Similarly, the tabernacle and the altars and showbread and Ark of the Covenant, all the utensils that were associated with the tabernacle were said to be holy. The garments that the priests wore, the anointing oil was holy. The incense that they made was holy and it could not be used for any other use, lest they find themselves in the same situation as Nadab and Abihu. That which God sanctifies is to be used at that point in time and treated as holy. You'll find that consistently taught throughout scripture. God does not sanctify something if he does not at that point in time intend for it to be treated as holy. He sanctifies it and sets it apart as unique for man to treat it as such. And because man was created in the image of God, in order to imitate his creator, he, as well as not only God, was to rest, but man was to rest every seventh day, from the point of creation to the coming of Christ. That was the Sabbath that they were to observe. Note very carefully that, as we said, I think, last time, There were no ceremonial laws instituted at that point in time, because there was no sin. Ceremonial laws are instituted because there is sin, because there is forgiveness needed. Because it points to the need of a Savior in Jesus Christ. This was prior to sin. This was not a ceremonial law. This was an ordinance that was given for man, as Christ himself says. And so I ask you, according to the creation account, is Sabbath-keeping for Israel alone? Absolutely not. That becomes our paradigm. That becomes the argument, the case, the foundation upon which we build the case for Sabbath-keeping. If God ordained a sinless man and woman, dear ones, to keep the Sabbath because they needed a Sabbath, how much more sinful men, women, and children like you and me need a Sabbath to commune with God, to worship Him. Now, moving from that particular part or section of redemptive history, moving to the second phase of redemptive history, the giving of the law, we really covered that particular area of redemptive history last time, spent nearly the whole sermon on the fourth commandment. So let me simply say this, in regard to Exodus chapter 20, turn there very quickly, Exodus chapter 20, the warrant for Sabbath keeping is given to us in verse 11. Why are we to keep the Sabbath? According to this particular commandment why is the Sabbath to be kept notice in verse 11 for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth the sea and all that is in them and rested the seventh day therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and Howard it or sanctified it so the warrant here that God gives goes back to creation that's why I said If we establish Sabbath keeping from the point of creation, everything points back as to the reason for the Sabbath to be kept. Here, in giving the fourth commandment, that's the warmth, that's the basis that God himself delivers and gives for keeping that day, setting it apart as holy, remembering it to keep it holy. And so we see, from this particular point in redemptive history again, that Sabbath-keeping is not for Israel alone, distinctly for Israel alone, because the basis, the warrant for keeping it goes back to creation, when there was no Israel. The next area, or point in time of redemptive history, we will turn to the prophets in Isaiah 56. Isaiah 56, very quickly, trying to move along here. As we consider now this period of the prophets, let's consider what is declared concerning the Sabbath Approximately 700 years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah, the prophet, was sent by God to bring a covenant lawsuit against God's people for their rebellion against the Lord, who loved them and had delivered them out of Egypt by His amazing grace and power and mercy. Listen to the cry of the prophet in bringing his covenant lawsuit against Israel in chapter 1. verses two through four. He says, Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth. In other words, he's calling the heavens and earth to be a witness to what he's about to say. For the Lord has spoken. I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib, but Israel does not know. My people do not consider. Alas, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who are corruptors. They have forsaken the Lord. They have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel. They have turned away, backward. And then in verse 10 and following, Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom. It says that Jerusalem has become spiritual Sodom. Give ear to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me?" says the Lord. I've had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls or lambs or goats. When you come to appear before me, who has required this from your hand to trample my courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices. Incense is an abomination to me. the new moons, the sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure iniquity in the sacred meeting." Implying I cannot endure the iniquity that's in your hearts, and you're gathering together these times of holy convocation. Your new moons and your appointed feasts, my soul hates. They are a trouble to me. I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Even though you may make many prayers, I will not hear. You are full of blood. Wash yourselves. Make yourselves clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil. Learn to do justice. Seek justice. Reprove the oppressor. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow." And so Isaiah invites As he goes through this particular covenant lawsuit, he invites the people to come to the servant who will bear all of their iniquity. And in Isaiah 52 and 53, he brings before the people this servant who would bear their sin. Verse four says, Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted, but he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities, and the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. And so, because the Lord would carry in His great servant, even the Lord Jesus Christ, the sins of His people, He invites His people in Isaiah 55, Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. And you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Verse six and seven, seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon. All those who will come are invited. The message goes out not simply to Israel, but the message goes out to the Gentiles as well. who will hear, not simply Jews. In fact, those who were under the law of Moses, as it's stipulated in Deuteronomy 23, the eunuchs and the foreigners, certain foreigners, were not permitted into the congregation of God, it says in Deuteronomy 23, verses 1-8. They're excluded from God's congregation. And yet, in this particular passage in Isaiah 56, which was read earlier, we find their inclusion in God's covenant, implying that he's speaking of a time beyond the time in which the ceremonial law held sway over the people. Because under the ceremonial law, these people were excluded. Now, under this particular age of which chapter 56, Isaiah speaks, he calls the same ones who were excluded and says, you will be included in the house of God. You will find your place. You will be given an everlasting name. And so we're looking into the gospel age. That is the prophecy. That's the nature of Isaiah 56. It's looking beyond the ceremonial dispensation, the old covenant into the new covenant. And what do we find there in this particular prophecy? We find very clearly that Sabbath keeping sums up It sums up the first table commandments in verse two. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who lays hold on it, who keeps from defiling the Sabbath. That sums up first table commandments. And keeps his hand from doing any evil, sums up the second table of commandments. That's the one who will be included whether a eunuch or a foreigner will be included in this particular prophecy, included in the kingdom of God, in the house of God. This again is made very clear in verse 8. The Lord God who gathers the outcasts of Israel says, yet I will gather to Him, notice, others besides those who are gathered to Him. Who are the others? The foreigners. will be gathered. Notice verse 7. Where do we find this particular phrase? For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations. Christ was cleansing the temple, the money changers. The money changers had set up their trade in the court of the Gentiles, thereby excluding the Gentiles from having any access to God. He had the court of Israel, the court of women, the court of Gentiles, the various courts in the temple. But they had excluded the Gentiles. That's where they had set up their trade. They showed no care that the gospel go to the Gentiles. Jesus condemns them. He chases out the money changers, and he says to them, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations. How dare you exclude people I've called? unto myself." And these are the very people who, if they keep the Sabbath, will be a part of God's house, according to this particular passage. Some people say, well, there's also included in this passage not only the Sabbath, but it also speaks of them bringing their offerings, their burnt offerings and sacrifices in verse 7. That's obviously ceremonial. Therefore isn't Sabbath keeping as well ceremonial? And we would respond simply by saying Very clearly Offering burnt offerings and sacrifices is ceremonial Hebrews says so all of those pointed to the work of Christ. They were done away with but just as clearly we've seen that the Sabbath was not instituted as at the giving of the law from Mount Sinai. It was instituted from the point of creation. There was nothing ceremonial at that point in time at all. The Sabbath is not ceremonial. The offerings, those will cease. Those are simply metaphors speaking of worshiping in the Gospel age, but not Sabbath-keeping. That is not ceremonial. Well, let's go very quickly then to the fourth period of redemptive history, moving from the prophets. We again ask the question, is Sabbath-keeping exclusively Jewish? Very clearly, here it is not. It's for the foreigners who would be brought into the kingdom. And so, fourthly, we come to the ministry of Christ, and we've already looked at the passage, but turn with me once more to Mark 2, verse 27 and 28. We've looked at verse 27, we've made observations about that particular verse, but look at verse 28. Verse 28 follows verse 27, and verse 20 says, Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, conclusion, the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath. What can we say about that particular passage? That emphasizes the continuity of the Sabbath very clearly. Here we find that the Son of Man, it says, is, not was, but is Lord of the Sabbath. The Son of Man is, and the impact of the present verb is and continues to be Lord of the Sabbath. Continues to be. It's a continuous kind of reference in the tense there, rather than was. Now, contrast that with verse 27, the Sabbath was, past tense, made for man. Now, if he had simply wanted to make clear to us that Sabbath-keeping was simply for the Old Covenant age, that was nothing that we were to expect to continue, he very clearly could have made that the same tense. Therefore, the Son of Man was also Lord of the Sabbath. The title, Son of Man, refers to Christ's redemptive work. From the point of His incarnation to the time that He returns in His second coming, you will find throughout the New Testament, Jesus referred to as the Son of Man. I don't have the time to look all these passages up, but just to get them on the tape as well as if you want to write them down. As to his own life during his ministry, he's called the Son of Man in Matthew 11, 19. His death, at the point of his death, he refers to the Son of Man dying and being crucified in Matthew 26, 2. As to his resurrection, he compares it to Jonah, who was in the belly of the great fish for three days. He talks about the Son of Man being raised from the dead in Matthew 12, 40. His ascension into heaven and sitting upon that glorious throne in heaven is referred to, he refers to himself as the son of man in that particular state in Matthew 19, 28. And his coming in 70 A.D. And his coming in 70 A.D. to show forth the glories of the kingdom and destroying the, bringing judgment upon Israel of old. Matthew 16, 27, and 28, he refers to himself as the Son of Man. And in his second coming, Matthew 25, 31, he refers to himself as the Son of Man. The whole period, from his first coming to his second coming, he is the Son of Man. And he says the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. As the Son of Man, he exercises Lordship. over the Sabbath as he exercises Lordship over everything. That does not mean that the Sabbath is non-existent. He can't exercise Lordship over something that's non-existent during this particular age. He only can exercise Lordship over something that continues to be true. And so I ask again, does this particular period of redemptive history reveal that Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath? Indeed it does. That means that it is not distinctively Jewish. That it is for all nations to keep. And finally, one last note. It is in Hebrews chapter 4, very quickly. Hebrews chapter 4, we'll be spending an entire sermon on this, but let me simply note this very quickly. In verse 9, verse 9, the writer of the book of Hebrews is seeking to call the Hebrew Christians here to faithfulness, to obey him, to not turn back to Judaism. He wants them to enter into God's rest, God's eternal rest, God's salvation rest, to enjoy God, to fellowship with God, to commune with God. But in order to do so, they must see that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. They cannot turn their backs upon Christ. They cannot go back to the sacrifices of the Old Testament. Now, he says in verse 9, there remains, therefore, a rest for the people of God. Very simple verse, but very important. You'll find the word rest mentioned 8 times previously in chapters 3 and 4. The word rest in those other 8 occurrences is the Greek word katapasis, katapasis, rest. This is the only time in verse 9 that the word that is used here is found in the New Testament. It is the word sabbatismos. Only time that's used. Sabbatismos. Because, and let me simply make the argument, I won't be able to go into too much detail and elaborate it, but let me simply give you, I think, what the argument is. Because God continues to call people into His rest. The period for the rest has not closed. God continues to say through Christ, come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden, I will give you rest. He continues to call people into his rest. Therefore, and because of the eternal rest, we see in Revelation chapter 14 that those who dine the Lord, it says, enter into their rest. at that particular point in time. Because Christ continues to offer the rest, because the eternal rest is still open, there is needed a Sabbath rest to continue to remind God's people of that rest that is to come. So they do not cast these things off. There are issues so critical, so important, that the people of God not simply cast off Christianity for Judaism because of the rest. that so many Jews, as he points out throughout redemptive history, did not enter into because they didn't believe. There remains, therefore, a Sabbath-keeping. That's literally what that word means. It simply says rest in the King James Version. Literally, there remains a Sabbath-keeping for the people of God. And the word remains two words formed together, a proposition and then a verb. Apaliko, there is literally left behind a Sabbath keeping for the people of God. That which is left behind is not ended. That which is left behind is not non-existent. That which is left behind is intended to be kept. And so this particular verse actually teaches there is left behind a Sabbath-keeping for the people of God. Now that word sabbatismos in its noun form is not found anywhere else in all biblical literature, even in the Greek Septuagint of the Old Testament. Though the verbal form, sabbatizine, not sabbatismos, but the verbal form, sabbatizine, is found in the Old Testament eight times. And in each and every case it refers to the earthly Sabbath. There is left behind a Sabbath observance, a Sabbath celebration. It can be interpreted in various ways, but there is left behind a Sabbath keeping for the people of God. Why? For what reason? Verse 10 tells us why. For he who has entered his rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from his. I believe that refers to Christ. For Christ who has entered his rest God's rest has Himself also ceased from His works as God did from His. Now we have a special reason to keep the Sabbath, because Christ has ceased from His works, has gained our eternal salvation, and we enter into that rest. And let me just then say that according to the Apostles as well, the Sabbath-keeping is not distinctly Jewish, it's for all people. So dear ones, Sabbath is a creation ordinance, it's not a Jewish institution. It's become a covenant sign for us who know the Lord even as it was for Israel, but it is a creation ordinance for all people to keep. Secondly, Sabbath is a blessing to man. It's not a curse. It's not a burden to bear. Did you realize that every seven years, every Sabbath of years, every seven years of keeping the Lord's Day means you have had a full year of Sabbath keeping? Every seven years, you will have kept 365 Sabbaths, a whole year. Now, I ask you, Why is the church so lethargic? Why is the church so illiterate biblically? Because they have not kept the Sabbath. Because they do not see the Sabbath as a time to grow in fellowship, in being nurtured in the covenant, to draw near God. And according to Exodus 31.17, dear ones, I close with this particular thought. Exodus 31 17 it talks about God Resting he rested after having created all things six days he rested and was refreshed That puzzled me He was refreshed That implies in our minds at least that he was tired, but I would have you think again. What is the essence of? of God's rest and God's refreshment. Because that's what it says, we enter into. We enter into God's rest and His refreshment. God certainly was not tired, we've already pointed that out in Isaiah 40, 28. God does not grow weary, tired. This is so very important that we understand what it means God's rest and refreshment because that according to Hebrews chapter 4 is what we enter into. God's rest, dear ones, and his refreshment speak of his ceasing his acts of creation in order to enjoy all that he had made, to delight in all his mighty acts to reflect upon the goodness of those works which he had brought into being. And God saw all that he had made, and behold, it was very good." Dear ones, you're entering into God's rest at salvation. You're entering into His rest Each Lord's Day, when you keep an earthly Sabbath and you're entering into God's rest on that final day of your mortal life here, all speak of the essence of your salvation. Do you know what the essence of your salvation is? It's not the forgiveness of your sins. It's not justification. It's not adoption. Those are all means to the end, which is the essence of your salvation. It's not even deliverance from hell. That's not the essence of your salvation. The essence of your salvation is to enjoy God. All those things are wrought in order for you to commune with the eternal God. And God could not have communed with you, nor you with Him, had those things not been taken care of. The essence of entering into His refreshment and His rest is to delight in the things in which He delighted in. To enjoy Him and His works of salvation. and creation, His sovereignty, His holy character, to enjoy God. That's the essence of your salvation and how many Christians fall so far short of enjoying their salvation. Enjoying the rest which God has purchased. Just as circumcision, dear ones, in the Old Testament became baptism in the New Testament, as the Passover in the Old Testament became the Lord's Supper in the New Testament, so the last day Sabbath became a first day Sabbath in the New Testament. In order to focus our attention upon the glories of our salvation through Christ, that He has wrought a new work, a marvelous work, And we are to enjoy Him. Dear ones, we will never, ever, ever enjoy the glories of that salvation, of that communion, by simply keeping outwardly the Sabbath. We can argue vociferously for keeping the Lord's Day. We can debate with others about keeping the Lord's Day. But we break the Sabbath! Whenever we come to worship and we do not enjoy God, and we do not commune with Him and fellowship, we break the Sabbath just as much as someone who doesn't acknowledge that the Sabbath exists. In fact, we're more responsible according to God's law, because He held Israel more responsible. They knew better. God help us to enjoy Him each Lord's Day. This is His day, a day of refreshment for His people. Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, forgive us for not longing to enter into that rest and refreshment. for not seeing that the Sabbath is exactly that, but becoming so much at times like Pharisees, simply talking about setting apart a day apart from the other six. O Father, we pray that you would cause us to see as your people that you have established the Sabbath day, that we would have a foretaste of that communion and that fellowship that we'll enjoy with you forever, that we can enjoy a foretaste of that even now. Dear Father, we pray that you would bless your people here, and that you would lead your church throughout the world. O God, lead them to understand the binding obligation to keep the Sabbath, but also, Lord, the great joy that you promise when we keep it faithfully. how it is a means of grace to us, your people. We pray all these things in Christ's name. Amen. This Reformation audio track is a production of Stillwaters Revival Books. You are welcome to make copies and give them to those in need. SWRB makes thousands of classic Reformation resources available, free and for sale, in audio, video, and printed formats. 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And remember that John Calvin, in defending the Reformation's regulative principle of worship, or what is sometimes called the scriptural law of worship, commenting on the words of God, which I commanded them not, neither came into my heart, from his commentary on Jeremiah 731, writes, God here cuts off from men every occasion for making evasions, since he condemns by this one phrase, I have not commanded them, whatever the Jews devised. There is then no other argument needed to condemn superstitions than that they are not commanded by God. For when men allow themselves to worship God according to their own fancies, and attend not to His commands, they pervert true religion. And if this principle was adopted by the Papists, all those fictitious modes of worship in which they absurdly exercise themselves would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the Papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying His word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of error. The prophet's words, then, are very important, when he says that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind, as though he had said that men assume too much wisdom when they devise what he never required, nay, what he never knew.