Answers To Difficult Questions
About The Sabbath
Part 2
source of questions:
http://www.bible.ca/7-sabbath-questions.htm
Answers provided by the DivineBase Ministry.
Approved By
The Man Who Saw God Face To Face
Raphael Okechukwu Nweze
1. If every man from Adam to
Moses kept the Sabbath, why is the Hebrew word for the weekly Sabbath found in
the Ten Commandments, never found in the book of Genesis?
Answer: The Sabbath is mentioned in Genesis chapter 2,
which reads,
1 “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host
of them, were finished. 2 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.
3 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
a. Why is no one before Moses ever being told to keep
the Sabbath.
i. The Garden of Eden was a garden of peace and rest.
Suffering and hard labour came into existence after Adam and Eve disobeyed God.
ii. Again, before the time of Moses, the Angels and
Saints were keeping the Sabbath in heaven, for the kingdom of God is one of
rest.
b. Why are there no examples of anyone keeping the
Sabbath?
i. God Himself kept the Sabbath. “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.” Genesis 2:2
ii. That also means that the Angels and Saints in
heaven kept the Sabbath. The Bible said that God rested on the seventh day. The
word ‘Sabbath’ means ‘rest’.
2. Why were the Patriarchs never
instructed about he Sabbath, but were instructed regarding: offerings: Gen
4:3-4, Altars Gen 8:20, Priests: Gen 14:18, Tithes: Gen 14:20, Circumcision:
Gen 17:10, Marriage: Gen 2:24 & Gen 34:9. Why would God leave out the
"all important" Sabbath command?
Answers:
i. Noah, his family and cattle kept the Sabbath for
forty days and forty nights, inside the ark, while the world population
perished by the flood.
ii. God told Abraham to go to the land of Canaan, a land
flowing with milk and honey. That land was established by God to be a
Sabbath-keeping land, for when the Israelites inherited the land, they kept the
Sabbath and the land itself also kept the Sabbath.
3. If the fact that God wrote
the 10 commandments on stone proves they are forever, then whatever happened to
the two stone tablets that God gave Adam at the beginning of time? Why is Moses
the first one to see a stone tablet written by the finger of God?
Answer: The Bible did not say that God gave two tablets of
Ten Commandments to Adam.
4. Why is the weekly Sabbath
commandment never quoted in the New Testament?
Answer:
i. Several portions of the Bible showed that Jesus
observed the Sabbath day, and was performing healing and deliverance on the
Sabbath, as His custom was.
So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought
up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and
stood up to read. Luke 4:16
ii. The New Testament mentioned/quoted the laws of God as
was given to Moses. The laws include the commandments, statutes and precepts.
And Sabbath-keeping is one of the commandments and one of the statutes.
iii. The Bible described the Saints as those people who
keep God’s laws.
“… who keep the
commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17
iv. Both Jesus and Abraham made it clear that salvation
is from Moses and the Prophets.
27 "Then he said,
'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's
house, 28 for I have five brothers, that
he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' 29 Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and
the prophets; let them hear them.'
30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the
dead, they will repent.' 31 But he said
to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be
persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"
Luke 16:27-31
5. Why is the Sabbath the only
one of the Ten Commandments that are said to be "throughout your
generations", the usual phrase that indicates it was a temporary
ceremonial law only for the Jews?
Answer:
i.
It is everlasting,
because the generations of the Israelites last forever.
ii.
The festivals are
God’s festivals.
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Speak
to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'The feasts of the LORD, which
you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.
Leviticus 23:1-2
iii.
For each of the
feasts, God said, “it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all
your dwellings.” Leviticus 23:14
iv.
God gave the same law for the Israelites and
non-Israelites.
22 You shall have the
same law for the stranger and for one from your own country; for I am the LORD
your God.'" Leviticus 24:22
6. Why is there no example of
exclusively Christians coming together on the Sabbath day as a church or prayer
meeting after the resurrection of Christ?
Answer:
i. It is indeed disappointing that Christians are
ignorant of the scriptures. They go about deceiving themselves by claiming
their respective churches to be the best, without knowing the facts about the
true worship of God.
ii. Jesus and His disciples were keeping the Sabbath.
“So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought
up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and
stood up to read.” Luke 4:16 Jesus was not moving about alone, but with His
disciples.
iii. Jesus and His disciples were keeping the feast of
Passover, which included Sabbath.
'These are the feasts
of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed
times. 5 On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD's
Passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of
Unleavened Bread to the LORD; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. 7 On
the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work
on it. 8 But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD
for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary
work on it.'" Leviticus 23:4-8
iv. Jesus and His disciples were keeping the feast of
Tabernacles, which included Sabbath.
Then the LORD spoke to Moses,
saying, 34 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'The fifteenth day of
this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the
LORD. 35 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no
customary work on it. 36 For seven days you shall offer an offering made
by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy
convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a
sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it. Leviticus 23:33-36
v. Jesus and
His disciples were keeping the feast of Pentecost, which included Sabbath.
15 'And you shall count for
yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the
sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. 16 Count fifty
days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; … 21 And you shall proclaim on the same day
that it is a holy convocation to you. You shall do no customary work on it. It
shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
Leviticus 23:15-21
vi. Paul, Jews and Christians were keeping the Sabbath.
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and
Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
2 Then
Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with
them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the
Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus
whom I preach to you is the Christ." 4 And some of them were
persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the
leading women, joined Paul and Silas. Acts 17:1-4
vii. Etc.
7. Why is there no command in
the New Testament for Christians to keep the Sabbath holy?
Answer:
i.
"Do not think
that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but
to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to
you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means
pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and
teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever
does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:17-20
ii.
When Jesus said He is
the Lord of Sabbath, He meant that humanity should continue keeping the
Sabbath. He never said He is the Lord of Sunday.
8. While Paul taught in the
synagogues up to 84 times, why does the Bible never say he kept the Sabbath?
Answer:
St Paul was keeping the Sabbath.
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and
Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
2 Then
Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with
them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the
Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus
whom I preach to you is the Christ." 4 And some of them were persuaded;
and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women,
joined Paul and Silas. Acts 17:1-4
9. If Paul's action of preaching
to non-believers 84 times in the book of Acts on the Sabbath make him a Sabbath
keeper, is a Seventh-day Adventist pastor a Sunday keeper if we invite him for
84 Sundays in a row to teach us about God's word?
Answer: Yes. By their fruits you shall know them, and by
their works you shall confirm them.
10.How could Adam, Noah and
Abraham keep the Sabbath, when Deuteronomy 5:2-4 says that the 10 commandment
covenant (see was "not made with any of the fathers of Israel who lived
before Moses."
Answer:
i. Adam kept the Sabbath in the Garden of Eden, for
there was no labour or suffering until sin came in.
ii. Noah kept the Sabbath for forty days and forty
nights. Forty being one of the marks of perfection. Moses fasted forty days and
forty nights. Elijah fasted forty days and forty nights. And Jesus fasted forty
days and forty nights.
11.If we must follow the example
of Jesus in all things like keeping the Sabbath, then why do Sabbatharians not
follow the example of Jesus in circumcision, animal sacrifices and keeping
Passover?
Answer: Sabbatharians follow/keep the example of Jesus in
terms of circumcision, animal sacrifice and feast of Passover. Jesus was
circumcised and he attended Passover feasts. Also, he taught people about
sacrifice. for example, he told the cleansed lepers to go to the priests and
offer the stipulated sacrifice according to the laws of Moses.
12.If the Sabbath was for
Gentiles and Adam, Noah and Abraham, then why is the Sabbath a sign to remind
their exodus from Egypt? Exodus 16:23,29; 31:13-18. Were either Abraham or
Seventh-day Adventists ever slaves in Egypt?
Answer: Sabbath is not a sign of Exodus. It is a sign
between God and his people.
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 13 "Speak
also to the children of Israel, saying: 'Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep,
for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may
know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. Exodus 31:13
Abraham was like a slave for some days in Egypt.
His wife was taken by Pharoah and he went to Egypt because of famine.
13.If the Sabbath law is still
in force, then why do they not stone their own members when they break the
Sabbath as the law said?
Answer: God wants repentance. Therefore,
6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice,
And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
Hosea 6:6
12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them,
"Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are
sick. 13 But go and learn what this
means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the
righteous, but sinners, to repentance ." Matthew 9:12-13
9 The Lord
is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is
longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all
should come to repentance .
2 Peter 3:8-9
14.Ellen G. White, who is
considered inspired by Seventh-day Adventists, said that the Pope changed the
Sabbath in about 321 AD. Why do all Adventists today reject their inspired
prophet and say the change of the Sabbath occurred in about 140 AD? If White
was wrong about this, was she wrong when she traveled to heaven and saw the 4th
commandment glowing brighter than all the rest?
Answer:
i.
You should know that
before Ellen White, many people in the past broke the Sabbath laws, even before
140 AD. This happened several times. For some kings did what pleased God, and
many other kings provoked the wrath of God by abandoning His laws, which
include the Sabbath day and worship.
ii.
The fact the 4th
commandment glow brighter than others means that it is very important, people
must not play with it and it is the feast of feasts because every feast of God
includes the Sabbath.
15.If the current position of
the Seventh-day Adventist church is that the change from Saturday to Sunday
took place in 140 AD, doesn't that mean that they have come a long way from
Whites 325 AD and have only 40 more years to travel to reach the truth of the
Apostolic age?
Answer: No. This question is not necessary.
16.If the change from Saturday
to Sunday happened, why is there absolutely no discussion of this change of
actual day for the first 600 years of church history. Merely calling Sunday the
Sabbath doesn't count!
Answer:
i. The fact that there is no discussion and no record
of the change means that the change is not authorized by God, not scriptural
and therefore, it is the work of antichrist. Sunday means the day of the sun,
the Romans day for the worship of the sun.
ii. Jesus said He is the Lord of Sabbath. He never said
that He is the Lord of Sunday.
17.If Sabbatarians reject
White's inspiration, that Constantine changed the Sabbath day to Sunday, why do
they keep bringing Constantine up as proof? If Constantine changed the Sabbath
to Sunday, why does here merely legislate that work must stop on Sunday with no
actual mention of the day being moved?
Answer:
i. Constantine is a proof. He has to be mentioned,
because he changed the day of worship. Thereby, he misled the world into the
waws of the antichrist.
ii. When a thief wants to steal, he does everything
possible to hide his intention and actions. So, the antichrist hide the change
so that humanity would not know what was happening. And the general public do
not know this evil change was made. Even most of the ministers of God do not
know that this evil was committed. That is why you hear of “Sunday, Sunday,
Sunday” as if it were the true day of worship.
18.If the first/old covenant was
abolished according to Heb 8:13 and the Ten commandment law was that first
covenant (Ex 34:27-28; 1 Kings 8:9,21; Heb 9:1-4), then why do Sabbatarians
want to keep the first/old covenant?
Answer:
i. The Old Testament covenant was not the first.
Before Moses, there was Noah’s covenant with God. Then came Abraham’s covenant
before the time of the Israelites when God made another covenant with them.
ii. None of the seven covenant of God was old. Instead,
God was renewing (repeating) the same old covenant in seven different ways
using tree of life (Adam’s), rainbow (Noah’s), circumcision (Abraham’s), Ark of
Covenant (Moses’), Temple (David’s), body and blood - bread and wine (Jesus’)
and Everlasting (Holy Spirit).
19.Why is the universal record
of history (75-500AD) 100% in unanimous agreement that Christians never kept
the Sabbath (7th day) and have always worshipped on Sunday?
Answer:
i. Christians kept the Sabbath, because:
ii. The twelve Apostles kept the Sabbath.
iii. The one hundred and twenty (120) Disciples kept the
Sabbath.
iv. The twelve Apostles and one hundred and twenty
Disciples were Christians.
v. The Disciples and the three thousand (3000) who were
converted on the Pentecost Day kept the Sabbath because the Pentecost is also a
Sabbath Day. Check the Old Testament record of Leviticus 23
vi. The twelve Apostles and one hundred and twenty
Disciples kept the feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread, as well as the
feast of Tabernacles. These feasts each include Sabbath. Refer to Leviticus 23.
20.Why is the universal record
of history (75-500AD) 100% in unanimous agreement that Christians ate the
Lord's Supper every Sunday in the tradition of Acts 20:7?
Answer:
i. That something happened once as written in Acts
20:7 does not make it an always event. It happened once, because Paul left them
the same day at daybreak.
21.Why is the universal record
of history (75-500AD) 100% in unanimous agreement that Christians always called
Sunday the Lord's Day because, they said, this was the day Jesus rose from the
dead?
Answer:
i. The Bible proves that the Lord’s Day is Sabbath and
not Sunday.
ii. The reason is that the Lord’s Day is the seventh
day (Sabbath). Refer to the original 4th commandment in Exodus 20.
iii. Sunday is the first day of the week and therefore,
it is not the Sabbath.
22.Why has no Sabbatarian every
produced even one historical quote (75-500AD) that says Christians kept the
Sabbath?
Answer:
i. Christians kept the Sabbath, because Jesus and His
Apostles and Disciples kept the Sabbath as was their custom.
ii. Also, they kept God’s feasts of Passover,
Unleavened Bread, Pentecost and Tabernacles, which feast each include and is
Sabbath.
23.If the Sabbath is not a
ceremonial law, then why is it lumped into the same identical class of
"holy convocations" as the rest of the Jewish feast days? Lev 23:2;
Ex 20:9; 31:17
Answer:
i. It is a ceremonial law because worship is a
ceremony.
ii. Again, it is one of the Old Testament laws of God,
which laws god said are everlasting.
24.If the 10 commandments remain
but the book of law was abolished, then why did God put two copies of the 10
commandments in the book of the law? Ex 20; Deut 5
Answer:
i. The book of the law was not abolished.
ii. The laws of God were not abolished.
iii. The Old Testament was not abolished.
iv. Jesus made these facts clear saying,
"Do not think
that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but
to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you,
till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one title will by no means pass
from the law till all is fulfilled. 19
Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches
men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and
teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17-20
v. 27 "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore,
father, that you would send him to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may
testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' 29 Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' 30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if
one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 But he said to him, 'If they do not hear
Moses and the prophets, neither will
they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'" Luke 16:27-31
25.How can there possibly be an
difference between "the law of God" and the "Law of Moses"
when God gave the Law of Moses (Ezra 7:6; Neh 8:1) and Moses gave the Law of
God (Neh 10:29; 2 Chron 34:14)?
Answer:
i. There is no difference between the two.
ii. They are different names for the same law.
26.If there is a distinction
between the moral and ceremonial laws, why are the Jewish feast days called
part of the Law of the Lord? (2 Chron 331:3)
Answer:
i. It is fitting to fulfill all righteousness.
ii. Therefore, the law, as well as righteousness,
includes both moral and ceremonial laws.
27.If there is a distinction between
the moral and ceremonial laws, why in a single chapter of Nehemiah 8 are the
following phrases all used interchangeably: "book of the law of
Moses" v1, "the law" v2, "book of the law" v3,
"the law of god" v8, "book of the law of god" v18?
Answer:
i. The word of God is one.
ii. That is why it is fitting to fulfill all
righteousness, without neglecting any one of the laws.
28.Why are the two most
important commandments contained within the "ceremonial law of Moses that
Sabbatarians say was nailed to the cross? (Matthew 22:36-40)
Answer:
i. Sabbatarians do not say that any law has been
nailed to the cross.
ii. The Sabbatharians keep the Old Testament laws of
God.
29.Why did Jesus say Moses gave
the 10 commandment law: "Thou shalt not kill" in Jn 7:19?
Answer:
i. If Jesus said so, He is right.
ii. God gave the laws to Moses, and Moses gave the same
laws to the Israelites.
iii. Moses received the laws for humanity, because God
said the same laws applies to all Israelites and non-Israelites.
30.If the Sabbath cannot change,
because God cannot change (Mal 3:6) then what about all the other feast days
and laws that changed? Heb 7:12. And why did Jesus give a "a new
commandment" in John 13:34?
Answer:
i. None of the feast days changed.
ii. Instead, humanity changed from obeying the law to
disobeying the law.
iii. God never changes.
31.If the Ten Commandments are
going to be in heaven, what is the use of "thou shalt not commit
adultery", if there is no marriage in heaven? Lk 20:34-35
Answer:
i. In heaven, everybody has his/her mate, but not for
child birth.
ii. In the long process of evolution and spiritual
growth, one soul divided into two, to become male and female. For example, Eve
came out of Adam.
iii. As such, no one should leave his own mate and take
another person’s own.
iv. The Bible confirms this
16'Search from the book of the LORD, and read:
Not one of these shall fail;
Not one shall lack her mate .
For My mouth has commanded it, and His Spirit has
gathered them.
Isaiah 34:16
32.If the Sabbath was given to
all men, why were Gentiles called "strangers". Why were Gentiles
outside the gates not required to keep the Sabbath? Ex 20:10.
Answer:
i. The Gentiles were called strangers because they
were not keeping the laws.
ii. The Gentiles outside the gates not required to keep
the Sabbath because they are outside the territory of Israel.
iii. Every law has a king, citizens and territory, and
the law is applicable only within the territory.
33.How could the Sabbath be a
sign between God and Israel, if all nations were expected to keep it? Ex 31:17
Answer:
i. The same law for the Israelites and non-Israelites.
ii. The Sabbath is a sign between God and His people.
34.Why did God send the Jews
into Babylonian Captivity for breaking the Sabbath, but never ever criticized
any Gentiles for never keeping the Sabbath?
Answer:
i. He sent the Israelites out of Israel into
captivity, because the Israelites were inside the holy land.
ii. The Gentiles did not keep the law and they were
already in captivity outside Israel.
35.Why did God often criticize
the Gentiles via the prophets for moral violations, but never for not keeping
the Sabbath?
Answer:
i. Before your Sabbath worship will be accepted by
God, you must be living a life of righteousness.
ii. It is no use keeping the Sabbath if you are
wallowing in sin.
36.If the Gentiles were supposed
to keep the Sabbath, why are they called "strangers of the Covenant"
in Eph 2:12?
Answer:
i. The Gentiles were called strangers of the Covenant
because they were not keeping the laws.
ii. If they keep the law, they are no longer strangers.
iii. The Gentiles outside the gates not required to keep
the Sabbath because they are outside the territory of Israel.
iv. Every law has a king, citizens and territory, and
the law is applicable only within the territory.
37.If the term, "the
law" always means the 10 commandments, then why is Leviticus called
"The Law" in Mt 22:35ff, Numbers called "The Law" in Mt
12:5, Deuteronomy called "The Law" in Mt 22:35f, Psalms called
"The Law" in Jn 10:34,45, Rom 3:10-12; 3:13-14,19, the Prophets
called "The Law" in 1 Cor 14:21 and the Ten commandments are called
"The Law" that is abolished in Rom 7:4-7?
Answer:
i. One a law is made, every part of the law is also a
law.
ii. No law was abolished.
iii. Even in the corrections Jesus gave, they were
intended for peace among humanity, because God said we should avenge for
vengeance is God’s
iv. Made was not allowed to avenge. Yet, every sinner
that fails to repent shall bear the consequences, because God is God of
vengeance. Even Jesus made this clear, saying, “whatever a man sows, that he
reaps”.
38.If the term
"commandments" always means the 10 commandments, then why are the
laws that are not part of the ten commandments but called commandments in Mt
19:16-19 not also included?
Answer:
i. A law is a commandment.
ii. And a commandment is a law.
iii. No law takes effect until people are commanded to
keep it.
39.If the term
"commandments" always means the 10 commandments, then what did Paul
call the injunction for prophet's wives to keep silent in the assemblies, a
"commandment of the Lord" in 1 Cor 14:37?
Answer:
i. Law means anything made compulsory for the good of
humanity.
ii. The injunction is a commandment because it is
intended for the good of humanity.
40.If the term "keep my commandments"
always means the 10 commandments, then why is this a new commandment? Jn
15:10-12 + Jn 13:34.
Answer:
i. Jesus gave the same law anew.
ii. Already, He explained the love is the summary of
the laws of God, as specified in the Golden Rule.