Burial And Funeral Ceremonies
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Burial And
Funeral Ceremonies
1.
The
people shall not disobey the laws of God, just because they disobey the
commandments of God.
2.
For
example, people shall not break the Sabbath because they are on burial or
funeral ceremony.
3.
Such
events shall be scheduled in such a way that they do not interfere or disturb
the worship of God.
4.
Failure
to keep the laws, times and festivals of God, because ceremonies is not
allowed.
5.
The
burial of Jesus on the Sixthday did not prevent the Israelites from keeping the
Sabbath on the next Seventhday.
How To
Conduct Burial And Funeral Ceremony In The Sabbath Way
Introduction
As
the truth becomes manifest and known, from day to day, many people are now
discovering that the only true way of the worship of God is the Sabbath way of
life. Therefore, people need to know how events should be scheduled and
conducted, without breaking the Sabbath.
Confirmations
1.
God
Almighty established the Sabbath on the Seventhday, immediately after creation.
2.
Himself rested on the
Sabbath Day (not on Sunday).
3.
After
so many years, God sent Moses, and came down from heaven, and gave Moses the
Sabbath for the whole Israelites and all humanity (Sunday worship is a pagan
event created by Roman Empire).
4.
Again,
after so many years, God sent Jesus, who observed the Sabbath as written in the
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
5.
Jesus
made it clear that “Salvation is of the Jews,” in John 4:21, which means that
whoever that wants to attain heaven must turn to and follow the God of Israel.
6.
The
God of Israel, Yahweh, is the God of Sabbath.
7.
And
Jesus is the Lord of Sabbath (and not the Lord of Sunday).
8.
The
coming kingdom of heaven is a Sabbath kingdom, a kingdom of rest, where there
is perfect love and peace.
The
Sabbath And Death Of Jesus
Jesus
died and was buried on the Day of Preparation. This day, according the bible,
was the day before the Sabbath. It was called the Day of Preparation because
people have to prepare for the Sabbath, by cooking and making necessary
provisions.
“Now
when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day
before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a
prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God,
coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus…
And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a
stone against the door of the tomb. 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of
Joses observed where He was laid.” Mark 15:42-47
The
next day, after Jesus was buried, was Sabbath, and the Israelites observed it.
Even the disciples of Jesus observed the Sabbath, because it was an everlasting
law, as commanded by God. The disciples did not break the Sabbath, simply
because Jesus died or just because they were mourning the death of their Master
and Saviour.
“And
the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed
the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices
and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the
commandment.” Luke 23:55-56
The
Right Way
1.
God
does not accept any reason or excuse given to Him, for breaking the Sabbath.
2.
That
is why God calls all the reasons and excuses that people do give as “irrelevant
excuses”.
3.
If
somebody dies, the family should bury the person and observe the rites of
holiness for seven days.
4.
On
the third day after the burial, they shall go to the stream and take bath
therein or use specially prepared holy water to bath at home, as God directed.
5.
On
the seventh day after the burial, they shall repeat the stream bath or use
again the holy water in bathing at home.
6.
After
the seven days, they shall perform family deliverance on the house and
compound.
7.
Due
to huge expenses involved in funeral ceremonies, people do not hold funeral
soon after a burial.
8.
The
Sabbatharians shall hold one-day funeral ceremony on the Fifthday, Thursday.
9.
On
the Sixthday (which people wrongly call Friday), they are free to welcome
condolence visits from morning till afternoon.
10.
Immediately
it is 4:00pm on Sixthday, or just before 4:00pm, they shall lock the gate, in order to observe the
Sabbath commandment.
11.
Condolence
visits may continue on the Seventhday (which people wrongly call Saturday), as
from 4:00pm or on the Firstday (which people wrongly
call Sunday).
No
Reasons
There
are no acceptable reasons or excuses for any person to break the Sabbath,
because God clearly stated that everybody, including the visitors, shall keep
the Sabbath.
Observations
This
writing is timely, because people tend to ignore and break the Sabbath, when
somebody dies. Many spend so many days outside the house of God, because they are
preparing for burial and funeral. The best teacher is the one who gives
corrections, from time to time.
Disobedience
It
is indeed disappointing that today, people do whatever they like, and think
that their reasons and excuses shall save them from the judgment throne of God.
Divine justice is not what somebody can dribble or twist to his own personal
advantage, because the natural laws of God are active, sensitive, intelligent,
perfect, universal, irrevocable and impartial.
Irrelevant
Excuses
1.
All
the reason given by Adam and Eve did not save them from being ejected from the
Garden of Eden.
2.
All
the reasons and excuses given by the generations of Noah did not save them from
the Great Flood.
3. All
the reasons given by Moses, that he is a stammerer,
did not save him from doing God’s work, the call to lead the Israelites out of
Egypt.
4.
All
the reasons and excuses given by Pharaoh did not save the Egyptians from the
ten horrible plagues.
5.
All
the reasons given by the Israelites for moulding the
golden calf, image, did not save them from the wrath of God.
6.
All
the reasons given by King Saul did not save him from loosing
the kingdom of Israel.
7.
Even
in this end time, all the reasons and excuses that people give do not save them
from natural disasters, man-made calamities, strange incidents, ghastly
accidents and unexpected deaths, which are becoming more frequent and rampant.
All that God demands from humanity is simple obedience, and not reasons and
excuses.
8.
Jesus
made it clear that all the reasons that ministers of God shall give Him on the
last day shall not save them - "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord , Lord
,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in
heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that
day, 'Lord , Lord , have we not prophesied in Your
name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never
knew you; depart from Me, you who practice
lawlessness!' Matthew 7:21-23
9.
Etc.
Conclusions
1.
Obedience
is better than sacrifice.
2.
It
is better to do what God said in the scriptures, than to be organizing all
kinds of religious pieties and activities – adorations, turnarounds,
congresses, shilohs, conferences, Sunday worships,
Super Sundays, novenas, stations of the crosses, rosaries, penances, prayers
and fasting, which are the false imaginations of spiritually blind and ignorant
religious leaders, and which are evils and abominations that provoke the wrath
of God.