In 2009 I was exposed to the truth about the Lord's day which is the weekly 7th day Sabbath (see Isaiah 58:13, Matthew 12:8, Mark 2:28, Luke 6:5 where the Sabbath, not Sunday, is identified as the Lord's day). The 4th Commandment explicitly tells us it's the 7th day of the week which Hebrews 4:4 reconfirms. Calling the 1st day of the week Sunday the Lord's day is a tradition of man that has no biblical basis. I know people use 1 Corinthians 16:1-3 to claim Sunday is now the Lord's day. They claim "the collection for the saints" (verse 1) is tithing and it's to be done on the 1st day of the week, Sunday. Since it's customary to tithe while at church they claim this proves Sunday became the primary day of worshipping together in church. But Paul said he wanted "no gatherings when I come" (verse 2) which makes no sense if these "gatherings" are really church tithes. Why would Paul tell a church not to tithe when he's around?
1 Corinthians 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
1 Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
1 Corinthians 16:3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
There's no logical reason Paul would say he wanted no gatherings/tithing done while he was there. Look at the story of the poor widow in Mark 12:41-44. She gave all that she had and Jesus praised her for it yet somehow people think Paul was demanding that nobody give a tithe in front of him. That makes no sense since if Christ rejoiced then Paul should rejoice in witnessing tithing too. In Philippians 4:16-17 Paul praises them for helping him with his necessities hoping that "fruit that may abound to your account[s]" in the Lord's eyes.
If you read Acts 11:28-30 you'll see a man named Agabus prophesied a famine would happen in Judea so it was determined to have brethren elsewhere send relief. Paul (still going by Saul) and Barnabas were put in charge of collecting it. That's the "collection for the saints" from 1 Corinthians 16:1. It's not tithing but a famine relief effort which is why he says he's going to bring it back to Jerusalem. If it was a tithe it would go to the pastor's there in Corinth. Paul wanted the relief gathering taken care of before he got to Corinth so the brethren there could focus on his teachings. And the reason he said to do it on the 1st day of the week is this: the epistle would have been read to the entire church on the Sabbath (when the whole church would be there to hear it) so Paul was saying take care of business the next day. Don't gather your offering that day lest people accuse them of doing unnecessary labor on Sabbath.
That passage isn't the one I'm focusing on today. Instead I'm turning my attention to Colossians 2:14-17 which is another misinterpreted verse about the Sabbath. People use that verse to claim the weekly Sabbath was no longer in effect thus we cannot judge each other regarding it. But like 1 Corinthians 16:1-3, there is more to this than meets the eye.
Before we continue ask yourself a couple of questions... who would teach you to rebel against the any of the 10 Commandments in any way, God or Satan? Being etched in stone symbolizes they are in effect for all eternity everlasting does it not?
Here is the 4th commandment:
Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exodus 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exodus 20:10 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exodus 20:11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Okay now let's look at that passage in Colossians where Paul tells the church to not judge others regarding "the Sabbath days". People use this passage to suggest that the 4th Commandment was symbolically nailed to the cross and blotted out at the crucifixion. This passage tells us the Sabbath days were merely a shadow of things to come. Here is the passage:
Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Colossians 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days:
Colossians 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
But before you decide the 4th Commandment is no longer valid let me show you biblical proof that "the Sabbath days" in question are annual Sabbaths that are part of the feast days... and that God draws a clear line of distinction between those Sabbaths and 4th Commandment Sabbath.
In Leviticus chapter 23 the Lord tells the Israelites that they are to keep as holy convocations a series of feast throughout each year. Some of these feasts lasted for several days, for example the Feast of Tabernacles lasted 8 days. When you read chapter 23 you'll notice these feasts contained extra Sabbath days in addition to the weekly 4th Commandment Sabbath.
For example verse 32 speaks of a Sabbath that will always fall on the 9th day of the 7th month.
Leviticus 23:32 It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath.
But as you read further God draws a very clear line between the annual feasts and the regular weekly Sabbath. In verse 37 He says these feasts include meat and drink offerings (the meats & drinks Colossians 2:16 was talking about) but in verse 38 He says they are besides or separate from the standard weekly Sabbaths and the standard offerings that are presented throughout the year.
Leviticus 23:37 These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:
Leviticus 23:38 Beside the Sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the Lord.
But that isn't the only place in scripture were you can find clear, irrefutable proof God makes a distinction between those Sabbaths and His weekly Sabbath. In Isaiah 1:13-14 the Lord reveals He hates the feasts, including their Sabbaths and in Hosea 2:11 God promises to bring an end to Israel's feasts, which He calls "her feasts" and He also refers to "her Sabbaths" as something He will do away with. Yet in Isaiah 58 calls the weekly Sabbath His holy day and He also calls it honorable. Obviously God is not transgender so His Sabbaths are not the same as her Sabbaths. Also God would not call His holy day honorable in one part of the bible, then say he hates His Sabbaths in another part so the Sabbaths he hates are the ones which are part of the feast days.
Let's see where God says he hate's her Sabbaths. First Hosea then Isaiah:
Hosea 2:11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her Sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.
Isaiah 1:13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
Isaiah 1:14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
Now let's see where God calls His Sabbath holy and honorable.
Isaiah 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
Isaiah 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
Isaiah 58:14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
When He says "turn away thy foot from the Sabbath" it means don't trample it under your feet. In Jeremiah 12:10 God says "Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness." The psalmist said "It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law. Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold" (Psalm 119:126-127). It would be wise to believe the Lord is going to pour out some serious wrath upon those who teach others to the weekly Sabbath can be disobeyed. In fact Jesus vows they won't make to heaven. In the following passage Jesus promises "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven... For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Right after saying that Jesus specifically mentions 2 of the 10 Commandments, which proves He was saying whoever teaches anybody it's okay to break any of them is going to lose out on salvation. I've been to lukewarm churches where people would argue that since Jesus only mentioned 2 of the Commandments then He didn't mean the others. You can take that risk if you must but I wouldn't recommend it for James 2:10 says "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." Here is where Jesus says those who teach people to break the commandments will not go to heaven:
Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
...
Matthew 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
...
Matthew 5:31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
Matthew 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
Regarding the commandments, reread verses 21-22 and 27-28. In those verses we learn the letter of the law is to not literally kill someone and not literally commit adultery. But the spirit of the law is to go the extra mile and not even hate anybody or even think about committing adultery. Now go back and read Exodus 20:8-11 then Isaiah 58:12-14 again and you'll see the letter of the law is to obey the Sabbath (not do any secular work, nor make anybody do any secular work) yet the spirit of the law is to delight in the time you spend with God. If keeping the Sabbath is a burden because you want to do your own ways or you want to shop or go to your secular job or then you aren't obeying the law in the spirit. Yet how many Christians actually delight in the Sabbath and keep it holy AS GOD INSTRUCTED US? And how many Jeremiah 12:10 preachers have taught people to trod God's portion under their feet in total defiance of the 4th Commandment and Isaiah 58:13's command to turn your foot away from trampling upon the Sabbath? And remember nowhere does the bible say keeping Sunday holy in place of the real Sabbath is acceptable. Isaiah 58:12 speaks of God's people being "repairer[s] of the breach, The restorer[s] of paths to dwell in" and then tells us that the breach is dishonoring the Sabbath! The repairers of the breach are those who "call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words."
In Isaiah 42:21 we are told "The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable." Magnifying the law is exactly what Jesus was doing when He said hating your brother without a cause was a violation of the 6th Commandment, or lusting after a women in your heart was a violation of the 7th Commandment. And magnifying the Sabbath law is exactly what Isaiah 58:13 tells us to do; but thanks to the falling away (2 Thessalonians 2:3) virtually the whole Christian world thinks the 4th Commandment is just an optional guideline. Christians actually teach each other to turn their foot towards the Sabbath and trample it into the ground!
I'm going to post Colossians 2:14-17 again then let's compare it to what we see in Hebrews.
Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Colossians 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days:
Colossians 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Now let's see what it says about this very same subject in Hebrews chapters 9 & 10. I'm going to post my comments in brackets.
Hebrews 9:1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service [these are the handwritten ordinances to be blotted out; handwritten by Moses], and a worldly sanctuary.
...
Hebrews 9:9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Hebrews 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances [the things we are no longer to judge on because they were] imposed on them until the time of reformation [they were caused to cease just as Hosea 2:11 foretold].
...
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. [Notice it didn't say the whole law was a shadow of things to come. But it does say the law had a shadow within it of things to come; this shadow within the law had was done away with, but not all of the law of Moses was done away with because not all of it was a foreshadowing of Jesus. Much of the law of Moses is simply good moral behaviors the Lord expects us to follow. Leviticus 18:23 forbids defiling ourselves sexually with animals and no doubt that ordinance wasn't done away with. And of course we are still to love our neighbor as ourselves but the sacrificial offerings and all ordinances that had anything to do with ritually cleansing us from our sins including the feasts were done away with because the blood of Jesus fulfilled those things for as verse 10:4 says the blood of animals cannot take away sins. As Colossians 2:14 says those ordinances were against us and contrary to us because they proved we were in sin and worthy of death. Think about how ridiculous it is to say the weekly Sabbath is "against us" or "contrary to us." Is communing with God on the day He sanctified against or contrary to us? Certainly Not!]
Hebrews 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
Hebrews 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
I think there is nothing wrong with remembering the feast days. In fact I think it's a very good thing to study them since they foreshadowed the works of Jesus. What Paul was dealing with when he wrote his epistles was Jewish people constantly telling the Gentiles they had to keep the feasts as written in Leviticus which included animal sacrifices. Paul was telling the Colossians not to let themselves be judged by ordinances which were made void at the cross.
I wish all who currently do so would stop using Colossians 2:14-17 to teach people they can disregard the weekly Sabbath. It dishonors God and frankly it's dangerous.
I will end with this; Psalm 37:4 says "Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." I hope the desire of your heart is to honor the Lord and be with Jesus for eternity. If so there is a place in the bible where God tells you how to "delight thyself in the Lord" and I included in earlier in this study. Do you remember where? It's in Isaiah 58:13-14. If you "call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." The Lord is calling us to do His will "For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works" (Hebrews 4:4). Since the Lord blessed one day over the others and since He calls you to delight in that specific day, why would you disregard it or substitute another day?
I hope this was a blessing for you. Amen.
1 Corinthians 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
1 Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
1 Corinthians 16:3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
There's no logical reason Paul would say he wanted no gatherings/tithing done while he was there. Look at the story of the poor widow in Mark 12:41-44. She gave all that she had and Jesus praised her for it yet somehow people think Paul was demanding that nobody give a tithe in front of him. That makes no sense since if Christ rejoiced then Paul should rejoice in witnessing tithing too. In Philippians 4:16-17 Paul praises them for helping him with his necessities hoping that "fruit that may abound to your account[s]" in the Lord's eyes.
If you read Acts 11:28-30 you'll see a man named Agabus prophesied a famine would happen in Judea so it was determined to have brethren elsewhere send relief. Paul (still going by Saul) and Barnabas were put in charge of collecting it. That's the "collection for the saints" from 1 Corinthians 16:1. It's not tithing but a famine relief effort which is why he says he's going to bring it back to Jerusalem. If it was a tithe it would go to the pastor's there in Corinth. Paul wanted the relief gathering taken care of before he got to Corinth so the brethren there could focus on his teachings. And the reason he said to do it on the 1st day of the week is this: the epistle would have been read to the entire church on the Sabbath (when the whole church would be there to hear it) so Paul was saying take care of business the next day. Don't gather your offering that day lest people accuse them of doing unnecessary labor on Sabbath.
That passage isn't the one I'm focusing on today. Instead I'm turning my attention to Colossians 2:14-17 which is another misinterpreted verse about the Sabbath. People use that verse to claim the weekly Sabbath was no longer in effect thus we cannot judge each other regarding it. But like 1 Corinthians 16:1-3, there is more to this than meets the eye.
Before we continue ask yourself a couple of questions... who would teach you to rebel against the any of the 10 Commandments in any way, God or Satan? Being etched in stone symbolizes they are in effect for all eternity everlasting does it not?
Here is the 4th commandment:
Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exodus 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exodus 20:10 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exodus 20:11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Okay now let's look at that passage in Colossians where Paul tells the church to not judge others regarding "the Sabbath days". People use this passage to suggest that the 4th Commandment was symbolically nailed to the cross and blotted out at the crucifixion. This passage tells us the Sabbath days were merely a shadow of things to come. Here is the passage:
Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Colossians 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days:
Colossians 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
But before you decide the 4th Commandment is no longer valid let me show you biblical proof that "the Sabbath days" in question are annual Sabbaths that are part of the feast days... and that God draws a clear line of distinction between those Sabbaths and 4th Commandment Sabbath.
In Leviticus chapter 23 the Lord tells the Israelites that they are to keep as holy convocations a series of feast throughout each year. Some of these feasts lasted for several days, for example the Feast of Tabernacles lasted 8 days. When you read chapter 23 you'll notice these feasts contained extra Sabbath days in addition to the weekly 4th Commandment Sabbath.
For example verse 32 speaks of a Sabbath that will always fall on the 9th day of the 7th month.
Leviticus 23:32 It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath.
But as you read further God draws a very clear line between the annual feasts and the regular weekly Sabbath. In verse 37 He says these feasts include meat and drink offerings (the meats & drinks Colossians 2:16 was talking about) but in verse 38 He says they are besides or separate from the standard weekly Sabbaths and the standard offerings that are presented throughout the year.
Leviticus 23:37 These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:
Leviticus 23:38 Beside the Sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the Lord.
But that isn't the only place in scripture were you can find clear, irrefutable proof God makes a distinction between those Sabbaths and His weekly Sabbath. In Isaiah 1:13-14 the Lord reveals He hates the feasts, including their Sabbaths and in Hosea 2:11 God promises to bring an end to Israel's feasts, which He calls "her feasts" and He also refers to "her Sabbaths" as something He will do away with. Yet in Isaiah 58 calls the weekly Sabbath His holy day and He also calls it honorable. Obviously God is not transgender so His Sabbaths are not the same as her Sabbaths. Also God would not call His holy day honorable in one part of the bible, then say he hates His Sabbaths in another part so the Sabbaths he hates are the ones which are part of the feast days.
Let's see where God says he hate's her Sabbaths. First Hosea then Isaiah:
Hosea 2:11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her Sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.
Isaiah 1:13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
Isaiah 1:14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
Now let's see where God calls His Sabbath holy and honorable.
Isaiah 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
Isaiah 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
Isaiah 58:14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
When He says "turn away thy foot from the Sabbath" it means don't trample it under your feet. In Jeremiah 12:10 God says "Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness." The psalmist said "It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law. Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold" (Psalm 119:126-127). It would be wise to believe the Lord is going to pour out some serious wrath upon those who teach others to the weekly Sabbath can be disobeyed. In fact Jesus vows they won't make to heaven. In the following passage Jesus promises "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven... For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Right after saying that Jesus specifically mentions 2 of the 10 Commandments, which proves He was saying whoever teaches anybody it's okay to break any of them is going to lose out on salvation. I've been to lukewarm churches where people would argue that since Jesus only mentioned 2 of the Commandments then He didn't mean the others. You can take that risk if you must but I wouldn't recommend it for James 2:10 says "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." Here is where Jesus says those who teach people to break the commandments will not go to heaven:
Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
...
Matthew 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
...
Matthew 5:31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
Matthew 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
Regarding the commandments, reread verses 21-22 and 27-28. In those verses we learn the letter of the law is to not literally kill someone and not literally commit adultery. But the spirit of the law is to go the extra mile and not even hate anybody or even think about committing adultery. Now go back and read Exodus 20:8-11 then Isaiah 58:12-14 again and you'll see the letter of the law is to obey the Sabbath (not do any secular work, nor make anybody do any secular work) yet the spirit of the law is to delight in the time you spend with God. If keeping the Sabbath is a burden because you want to do your own ways or you want to shop or go to your secular job or then you aren't obeying the law in the spirit. Yet how many Christians actually delight in the Sabbath and keep it holy AS GOD INSTRUCTED US? And how many Jeremiah 12:10 preachers have taught people to trod God's portion under their feet in total defiance of the 4th Commandment and Isaiah 58:13's command to turn your foot away from trampling upon the Sabbath? And remember nowhere does the bible say keeping Sunday holy in place of the real Sabbath is acceptable. Isaiah 58:12 speaks of God's people being "repairer[s] of the breach, The restorer[s] of paths to dwell in" and then tells us that the breach is dishonoring the Sabbath! The repairers of the breach are those who "call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words."
In Isaiah 42:21 we are told "The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable." Magnifying the law is exactly what Jesus was doing when He said hating your brother without a cause was a violation of the 6th Commandment, or lusting after a women in your heart was a violation of the 7th Commandment. And magnifying the Sabbath law is exactly what Isaiah 58:13 tells us to do; but thanks to the falling away (2 Thessalonians 2:3) virtually the whole Christian world thinks the 4th Commandment is just an optional guideline. Christians actually teach each other to turn their foot towards the Sabbath and trample it into the ground!
I'm going to post Colossians 2:14-17 again then let's compare it to what we see in Hebrews.
Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Colossians 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days:
Colossians 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Now let's see what it says about this very same subject in Hebrews chapters 9 & 10. I'm going to post my comments in brackets.
Hebrews 9:1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service [these are the handwritten ordinances to be blotted out; handwritten by Moses], and a worldly sanctuary.
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Hebrews 9:9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Hebrews 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances [the things we are no longer to judge on because they were] imposed on them until the time of reformation [they were caused to cease just as Hosea 2:11 foretold].
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Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. [Notice it didn't say the whole law was a shadow of things to come. But it does say the law had a shadow within it of things to come; this shadow within the law had was done away with, but not all of the law of Moses was done away with because not all of it was a foreshadowing of Jesus. Much of the law of Moses is simply good moral behaviors the Lord expects us to follow. Leviticus 18:23 forbids defiling ourselves sexually with animals and no doubt that ordinance wasn't done away with. And of course we are still to love our neighbor as ourselves but the sacrificial offerings and all ordinances that had anything to do with ritually cleansing us from our sins including the feasts were done away with because the blood of Jesus fulfilled those things for as verse 10:4 says the blood of animals cannot take away sins. As Colossians 2:14 says those ordinances were against us and contrary to us because they proved we were in sin and worthy of death. Think about how ridiculous it is to say the weekly Sabbath is "against us" or "contrary to us." Is communing with God on the day He sanctified against or contrary to us? Certainly Not!]
Hebrews 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
Hebrews 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
I think there is nothing wrong with remembering the feast days. In fact I think it's a very good thing to study them since they foreshadowed the works of Jesus. What Paul was dealing with when he wrote his epistles was Jewish people constantly telling the Gentiles they had to keep the feasts as written in Leviticus which included animal sacrifices. Paul was telling the Colossians not to let themselves be judged by ordinances which were made void at the cross.
I wish all who currently do so would stop using Colossians 2:14-17 to teach people they can disregard the weekly Sabbath. It dishonors God and frankly it's dangerous.
I will end with this; Psalm 37:4 says "Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." I hope the desire of your heart is to honor the Lord and be with Jesus for eternity. If so there is a place in the bible where God tells you how to "delight thyself in the Lord" and I included in earlier in this study. Do you remember where? It's in Isaiah 58:13-14. If you "call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." The Lord is calling us to do His will "For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works" (Hebrews 4:4). Since the Lord blessed one day over the others and since He calls you to delight in that specific day, why would you disregard it or substitute another day?
I hope this was a blessing for you. Amen.
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