How To Keep

The Sabbath Day Holy

The Meaning Of Sabbath

Sabbath is a Hebrew word, which means rest. The Sabbath Day is every seventh day. It is a holy day of rest as commanded by God, for humanity to rest from all forms of daily labour. It is also a day of worship and prayer; a day for the study of the word of God.

By rest on the Sabbath Day, it means a day set aside for every one to direct his thoughts and actions toward God. It should be spent in worship and reverence. The rest from daily activities makes our hearts free to ponder on spiritual matters, heavenly life and our oneness with God, because we are created in His image and likeness. In His image and likeness simply mean that we are the children of God. We are the sons of the living God.

Sabbath is also called “the Lord’s Day,” because only the things of God should be done on that day.

It Is God’s Commandment

8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 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 hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11

Why did God use the word ‘remember’? He used the word because He foreknew that time shall come when people shall start saying that the Sabbath is no longer relevant, as many churches do claim today. Thereby, many are deceiving themselves and misleading the ignorant masses into the hell fire.

Count Of The Days

Today, humanity are not living according to the footstep of God. Instead of doing what God has commanded, majority deceive themselves with freedom of worship. Thereby, they change whatever God has ordained, thinking that they please God by so doing. Mankind counts the day from midnight to midnight. This is contrary to God’s system. God counts the day from evening to evening. Whoever that wants to worship God in spirit and in truth, must follow His word. Such a person must not play with God’s words and numbers.

Several portions of the Bible bear record that God counts the day from evening to evening, as shown below:

1. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. Genesis 1:5

2. ... And there was evening and there was morning, a second day. Genesis 1:8

3. And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. Genesis 1:13

4. And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. Genesis 1:19

5. And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. Genesis 1:23

6. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. Genesis 1:31

Check every calendar – Sunday is the first day of the week.

Other relevant portions are:

1. It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your Sabbath." Leviticus 23:32

2. … Aaron shall be in charge of it from evening until morning before the Lord continually; it shall be a statute forever in your generations. 4 He shall be in charge of the lamps on the pure gold lampstand before the Lord continually. Leviticus 24:3-4

3. Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. Numbers 9:15-16

The Importance Of Sabbath

1. Your life is renewed.

2. You feel better after a rest.

3. Your strength is renewed:

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.

His understanding is unsearchable.

29 He gives power to the weak,

And to those who have no might He increases strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,

And the young men shall utterly fall,

31 But those who wait on the Lord

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:28-41:1

4. Your brain functions better and faster after a rest or break.

5. You are healthier after a rest, and you look more beautiful or handsome.

6. God dwells in silence; and quietness, the gateway into His presence. - “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

7. The Sabbath is the key to your blessings.

Thus says the Lord:

".. . Blessed is the man who does this,

And the son of man who lays hold on it;

Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath ,

And keeps his hand from doing any evil."

3 Do not let the son of the foreigner

Who has joined himself to the Lord

Speak, saying,

"The Lord has utterly separated me from His people";

Nor let the eunuch say,

"Here I am, a dry tree."

4 For thus says the Lord:

"To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths,

And choose what pleases Me,

And hold fast My covenant,

5 Even to them I will give in My house

And within My walls a place and a name

Better than that of sons and daughters;

I will give them an everlasting name

That shall not be cut off.

6 "Also the sons of the foreigner

Who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him,

And to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants —

Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath ,

And holds fast My covenant —

7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain,

And make them joyful in My house of prayer.

Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices

Will be accepted on My altar;

For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."

8 The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says,

"Yet I will gather to him

Others besides those who are gathered to him."

Genesis 1:1 - Isaiah 56:8

8. More blessings for calling the Sabbath a delight:

13 "If you turn away your foot from (0) the Sabbath,

From doing your pleasure on My holy day,

And call the Sabbath a delight,

The holy day of the Lord honourable,

And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways,

Nor finding your own pleasure,

Nor speaking your own words,

14 Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord;

And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,

And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.

The mouth of the Lord has spoken."

Isaiah 58:13-59:1

9. Expect VIPs as children.

24 "And it shall be, if you heed Me carefully," says the Lord, "to bring no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but hallow the Sabbath day, to do no work in it, 25 then shall enter the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, accompanied by the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall remain forever. 26 And they shall come from the cities of Judah and from the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin and from the lowland, from the mountains and from the South, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, bringing sacrifices of praise to the house of the Lord.

10. The Sabbath is a key to your victory over your enemies.

God said, “Neither by power nor by might, but by my spirit,” says the Lord.

…But people would not,

16 And you said, "No, for we will flee on horses" -

Therefore you shall flee!

And, "We will ride on swift horses" -

Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift!

17 One thousand shall flee at the threat of one,

At the threat of five you shall flee,

Till you are left as a pole on top of a mountain

And as a banner on a hill.

Isaiah 30:15-17

11 "Behold, all those who were incensed against you

Shall be ashamed and disgraced;

They shall be as nothing,

And those who strive with you shall perish.

12 You shall seek them and not find them —

Those who contended with you.

Those who war against you

Shall be as nothing,

As a nonexistent thing.

13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,

Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'

Isaiah 41:10-13

The Spiritual Importance Of Sabbath

A saint wanted to teach his students the importance of rest. Therefore, he asked them questions.

The Saint: When you want to move on the road, what do you do?

The Students: You enter a vehicle.

The Saint: When you want to move on the sea, what do you do?

The Students: You board a ship.

The Saint: When you want to move in the air, what do you do?

The Students: You take a flight in an aeroplane.

The Saint: Then, he asked them, “Those who want to visit heaven should enter which form of automobile?”

The Students: … kept silent. They could not answer the question. So, the saint replied.

The Saint: The Sabbath is the gateway to Heaven:

When a person travels on a road,

he enters a vehicle.

When he wants to travel on the sea,

he boards a ship.

When he wants to travel by air,

he takes flight in the airplane.

So it is that the vehicle that takes somebody to heaven

is rest: quiet time, meditation or Sabbath.

As simple as that.

For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:

"In returning and rest you shall be saved;

In quietness and confidence shall be your strength."

Isaiah 30:15

Duration Of The Sabbath

The Sabbath is not Saturday and Saturday is not the Sabbath. The Sabbath is from 4.00pm on Friday to 4:00pm on Saturday. Every church should recognize and follow this time duration, because that is the time period recognized by God. Starting the Sabbath day from 6:00pm, darkness or whenever the sun sets on a Friday, is not acceptable to God, for such time settings are irregular and often misleading.

The Feast Of Feasts - The High Day Sabbaths Of The Lord

People have asked this question, “Which feast is the greatest feast among God’s festivals?” You should know that God’s seven annual festivals are very important. The feasts are Passover and Unleavened Bread, Wave Sheaf, Pentecost, Trumpet, Atonement and Tabernacles. However, the one feast that is also embedded in every feast of God is the Sabbath, as shown by the following references:

'These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times. Leviticus 23:4-5

1. The First And Last Days Of The Feast Of 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 23:7-8

2. The Day Of Pentecost

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 23:20-21

3. The Day Of The Feast Of Trumpet

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a Sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. 25 You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.'" Leviticus 23:23-25

4. The Day Of Atonement

32 It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your Sabbath." Leviticus 23:31-32

5. The First And Last Days Of The Feast Of Tabernacles

35 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it…. 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 23:35-36

In all, there are seven High Day Sabbaths, as ordained by God.

Sabbath Rules And Regulations

1. Remembrance and keeping of Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:8-11

2. The seventh day of every week is Yahweh’s Sabbath of rest and a holy convocation. Exod. 23:12

3. Keep the Sabbath day holy by making preparation in advance, on or before 3:00pm on Friday. Exod. 20:8-11, 16:12

4. Do not work on the Sabbath. Exod. 20:10, 31:18

5. Do not conduct your business or leisure on the Sabbath. Exod. 16:29

6. Do not kindle fire on the Sabbath. Exod. 35:3, Deut. 32:22

7. Do not allow anger or wrath on the Sabbath Day. Do not allow the sun to go down, to set, on your anger. Avoid or stop your anger before sunset.

8. The Sabbath day is not a day for washing clothes

9. The Sabbath day is not a day for performing domestic duties.

10. It is not a day for buying and selling.

11. It is not a day for marriage or wedding ceremonies.

12. The Sabbath is not a day for doing ashebi.

13. It is not a day for meetings or social gatherings.

14. It is not a day for traveling or business conferences.

15. It is not a day for washing of video and television.

16. It is not a day for using Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Pinging, android, etc.

17. It is not a day for site-seeing.

18. It is not a day for calling people on the phone.

19. It is not a day for answering phone calls.

20. It is not a day for asking after relations, friends and well-wishers.

21. It is not a day for inter-personal conversations.

22. Throughout your generations.

Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.'" Exodus 31:16-17

23. Allow your servants to rest. Deuteronomy 5:12-15

24. Sabbath is forever.

"For as the new heavens and the new earth

Which I will make shall remain before Me,"

says the Lord,

"So shall your descendants and your name remain.

And it shall come to pass

That from one New Moon to another,

And from one Sabbath to another,

All flesh shall come to worship before Me,"

says the Lord.

25. Hallow the Sabbath Day.

Thus says the Lord: "Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; nor carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, nor do any work, but hallow the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. But they did not obey nor incline their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear nor receive instruction. Jeremiah 17:20-23

26. You should not do your pleasures on the Sabbath Day: playing football, swimming, travelling, watching films and videos, socializing on the social networks, pressing phones, making and answering calls, worldly songs and music, watching comedies, conversations, hobbies, visiting friends, holding parties and ceremonies, romance, sex, etc.

27. Only duties for God shall be performed on that day. The day belongs to God. Therefore, it is a day for rest, for the study of Yahweh’s Book Of Life, prayer and worship.

Conditions For Receiving

Abraham’s Blessing

Introduction

Often, people delight to sing, “Abraham’s Blessings are mine.” Unfortunately, and carelessly too, they forget about the conditions for the blessings.

Keeping The Sabbath And Commandments As The Key To God’s Blessings

1. "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God…

2. "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.

3. "Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.

4. "Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

5. "Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

6. "The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.

7. "The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

8. "The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. 10 Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. 11 And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you.

12 The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 13 And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. 14 So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them. Deuteronomy 28:1-14

Do Not Learn The Ways Of The Nations

Thus says the Lord:

"Do not learn the way of the Gentiles;

(Enculturation is not allowed by God.)

Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven,

For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.

3 For the customs of the peoples are futile;

Jeremiah 10:2-3

Beware Of The Mixed Multitude

4 Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said:"Who will give us meat to eat? 5 We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!" Numbers 11:4-6

Do Not Join The Multitudes In Committing Sin

“If the multitudes commit sin, do not join them.”

God Will Satisfy Those Who Thirst For Righteousness

18 "I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly,

Who are among you,

To whom its reproach is a burden.

19 Behold, at that time

I will deal with all who afflict you;

I will save the lame,

And gather those who were driven out;

I will appoint them for praise and fame

In every land where they were put to shame.

20 At that time I will bring you back,

Even at the time I gather you;

For I will give you fame and praise

Among all the peoples of the earth,

When I return your captives before your eyes,"

Says the Lord. Zephaniah 3:18-20

Repentance

40 'But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me,

41 and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt - 42 then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember; I will remember the land. Leviticus 26:40-42

18 "Thus says the Lord:

'Behold, I will bring back the captivity of Jacob's tents,

And have mercy on his dwelling places;

The city shall be built upon its own mound,

And the palace shall remain according to its own plan.

19 Then out of them shall proceed thanksgiving

And the voice of those who make merry;

I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish;

I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.

20 Their children also shall be as before,

And their congregation shall be established before Me;

And I will punish all who oppress them.

21 Their nobles shall be from among them,

And their governor shall come from their midst;

Then I will cause him to draw near,

And he shall approach Me;

For who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?' says the Lord.

22 'You shall be My people,

And I will be your God.'" Jeremiah 30:18-22

Types And Levels Of Sabbath Keeping

1. The Weekly, Seventh Day Sabbath

2. The High Day Sabbaths, as explained on page ???

3. The Sabbath of the Seventh Year

25:1 And the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, 2 "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When you come into the land which I give you, then the land shall keep a Sabbath to the Lord. 3 Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather its fruit; 4 but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the Lord. You shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard. 5 What grows of its own accord of your harvest you shall not reap, nor gather the grapes of your untended vine, for it is a year of rest for the land. 6 And the Sabbath produce of the land shall be food for you: for you, your male and female servants, your hired man, and the stranger who dwells with you, 7 for your livestock and the beasts that are in your land - all its produce shall be for food. Leviticus 25:1-7 (Deuteronomy 15:1-11)

4. The Daily Sabbath, as everyday rest and sleep.

Silence is guardian of wisdom; and rest, the strength of action. The Bible confirms it in the psalms:

“Be still, and know that I am God;” Psalms 46:10

You should have set period for quiet times, everyday. It may be 15 minutes, 30 minutes or 1 hour. The longer, the better. The time may be in the morning, afternoon or night, when you stay alone for a while. Do your best to avoid much talking or noisy distractions, during the Sabbath Day.

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

"Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." Mark 6:31

5. The Everlasting Sabbath

The Seventh Day Sabbath is a foretaste of the everlasting kingdom of God, wherein all is peace, rest and security.

All Things Made New:

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:1-4 The key to these blessings is keeping the Sabbath Day.

Holiness Of Sabbath

The Bible tells us that God worked for six days and rested on the seventh day. Therefore, God hallowed the seventh day and blessed it. The word ‘hallowed,’ means that God sanctified the Sabbath day and made it holy. Also, God said, “You must be holy, because I, the Lord, am holy.”

There are different degrees of holiness. The holiness of God is higher than the holiness of man. Therefore, sexual relationship on the Sabbath Day is not allowed. A man and a woman shall not sleep together in the same bed on the Sabbath Day.

The Reasons Why People Hate Sabbath

1. False indoctrination, by religious leaders, who teach man-made doctrines in place of the eternal Truth.

2. Childhood foundation, by churches who teach forged ten commandments in catechism, instead of the original Ten Commandments as given by God.

3. The evil spirits make people hate Sabbath, so that they shall not enter heaven.

4. People are ignorant of the Truth. It is quite disappointing that Christians do not read the Bible. Refer to Ex odus 20 and Leviticus 23.

Order Of Sabbath Worship

Sabbath Eve: Friday Evening Prayer

1. Sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus.

2. Opening Songs.

3. Opening Prayer, with Shouts of Halleluiah… and Bowing.

4. Brief Lecture.

5. Praises and Adoration.

6. General Collection/Gifts for the Saints.

7. First Offering on the Sabbath Day.

8. Testimonies and Saraka.

9. Closing Prayer.

Sabbath Day

1. Sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus.

2. Opening Songs.

3. Opening Prayer, with Shouts of Halleluiah… and Bowing.

4. Light of the Day.

5. Reading of the Ten Commandments.

6. Prophecy: Dreams, Visions, Trances, Oracles, Etc.

7. First Lecture: 30 Minutes.

8. Second Lecture: 30 Minutes.

9. Praises and Adoration.

10. General Collection/Gifts for the Saints.

11. Second Offering on the Sabbath Day.

12. Ministration: Deliverance, Healing and Spiritual Works.

13. Praises and Dances.

14. Testimonies and Saraka.

15. Third Offering on the Sabbath Day.

16. Closing Prayer.