Colossians chapter 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:
[17] Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
There are those who would have us to believe that these “sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to come” pertain only to special Sabbath days like the Jewish feasts and not to the weekly seventh day Sabbath as well, but such is not the case.
So, is this merely my own allegation or is there anything in scripture which indicates that the weekly seventh day Sabbath actually foreshadowed some future event?
Please consider the following:
Hebrews chapter 3
[6] But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, IF we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
[7] Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
[8] Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
[9] When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
[10] Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
[11] So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest)
[12] Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
[13] But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
[14] For we are made partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
[15] While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
[16] For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
[17] But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
[18] And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
[19] So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Hebrews chapter 4
[1] Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
[2] For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
[3] For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
[4] 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.
[5] And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
[6] Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
[7] Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
[8] For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
[9] There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
[10] For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
[11] Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
First of all, the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews was writing to HEBREW CHRISTIANS. Yes, they were clearly “partakers of the heavenly calling” (Heb. 3:1).
Secondly, seeing how these HEBREW CHRISTIANS had recently come out from being under the law, the writer of this epistle repeatedly gave two or three proof texts from the Old Testament to his readers in order to show them how the New Testament was foretold of in the Old Testament. We’ll look at two proof texts in relation to what the Old Testament seventh day Sabbath foreshadowed in just a moment.
Before we do, let’s quickly answer the following question:
Were these HEBREW CHRISTIANS told that ‘Jesus is your sabbath rest” as so many errantly teach today?
No, they were not.
Instead, in stark contrast, they were told that there was “a promise being left us of entering into his rest” (Heb. 4:1), and this “us” included the writer of the epistle himself, that “it remains that some must enter therein” (Heb. 4:6), that “there remains therefore a rest to the people of God” (Heb. 4:9), and they were admonished to “labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (Heb. 4:11) which befell the children of Israel in the wilderness to whom God “swore in his wrath, They shall not enter into my rest” (Heb. 3:11).
While issuing such a stern warning, the writer supplied his readers with two proof texts in relation to this “rest” or with the following portions of scripture:
“And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” (Genesis 2:2 as cited in Hebrews 4:4)
“For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.” (Psalm 95:7-11 as cited in Hebrews 3:7-11, 15, 4:7, and alluded to elsewhere).
So, what exactly is this future “rest” which God initially foreshadowed when he himself “rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made”?
Simply put, it is the coming Millennial Reign or 1000-year reign of Christ. THIS is what Christians ought to be laboring to enter into lest we fall short of the same.
This is the “rest” that the seventh day Sabbath foreshadows in that “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (II Pet. 3:8). In other words, in the same manner in which God labored for 6 days during the creation week while “resting” on the seventh day, Christians have been called to labor for 6000 years, and they will “rest” for 1000 years during the coming Millennial Reign of Christ.
The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews went on to explain how that Joshua (the KJV says “Jesus”, but both Joshua’s and Jesus’ names read the same in the underlying Greek of the New Testament) didn’t provide anyone with this “rest” when the children of Israel entered into the promised land.
Again, we read:
Hebrews chapter 4
[7] Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
[8] For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
In other words, if the “rest” of which God spoke in Genesis 2:2 foreshadowed the children of Israel entering into the promised land, then God wouldn’t have spoken of a future “rest” which yet remained through David in Psalm 95 many years later.
Again, this “rest” yet remains to be entered into, and it won’t arrive until the second coming of Jesus Christ:
II Thessalonians chapter 1
[7] And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
[8] In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
[9] Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
[10] When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
As we look forward to this day of “rest”, in light of what David said in Psalm 95, on any day that is called “Today”, we ought to be exhorting one another lest any of us be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin and fall short of this “rest”.
Hebrews chapter 3
[12] Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
[13] But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
[14] For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
[15] While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
So much for the heresy of “once saved, always saved”.
Anyhow, this is why the Sabbath being on the seventh day is so important. In other words, it foreshadows the 7th 1000-year period of time or the coming Millennial Reign of Christ. By changing the Sabbath to any other day of the week, God's typology or foreshadowing of this future event is destroyed, and, as I said in a post yesterday, I wouldn't want to have to give an account to God for that myself.
Well, this was merely an introduction as the Bible has much more to say in relation to this topic.
[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:
[17] Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
There are those who would have us to believe that these “sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to come” pertain only to special Sabbath days like the Jewish feasts and not to the weekly seventh day Sabbath as well, but such is not the case.
So, is this merely my own allegation or is there anything in scripture which indicates that the weekly seventh day Sabbath actually foreshadowed some future event?
Please consider the following:
Hebrews chapter 3
[6] But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, IF we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
[7] Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
[8] Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
[9] When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
[10] Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
[11] So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest)
[12] Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
[13] But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
[14] For we are made partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
[15] While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
[16] For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
[17] But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
[18] And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
[19] So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Hebrews chapter 4
[1] Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
[2] For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
[3] For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
[4] 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.
[5] And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
[6] Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
[7] Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
[8] For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
[9] There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
[10] For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
[11] Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
First of all, the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews was writing to HEBREW CHRISTIANS. Yes, they were clearly “partakers of the heavenly calling” (Heb. 3:1).
Secondly, seeing how these HEBREW CHRISTIANS had recently come out from being under the law, the writer of this epistle repeatedly gave two or three proof texts from the Old Testament to his readers in order to show them how the New Testament was foretold of in the Old Testament. We’ll look at two proof texts in relation to what the Old Testament seventh day Sabbath foreshadowed in just a moment.
Before we do, let’s quickly answer the following question:
Were these HEBREW CHRISTIANS told that ‘Jesus is your sabbath rest” as so many errantly teach today?
No, they were not.
Instead, in stark contrast, they were told that there was “a promise being left us of entering into his rest” (Heb. 4:1), and this “us” included the writer of the epistle himself, that “it remains that some must enter therein” (Heb. 4:6), that “there remains therefore a rest to the people of God” (Heb. 4:9), and they were admonished to “labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (Heb. 4:11) which befell the children of Israel in the wilderness to whom God “swore in his wrath, They shall not enter into my rest” (Heb. 3:11).
While issuing such a stern warning, the writer supplied his readers with two proof texts in relation to this “rest” or with the following portions of scripture:
“And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” (Genesis 2:2 as cited in Hebrews 4:4)
“For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.” (Psalm 95:7-11 as cited in Hebrews 3:7-11, 15, 4:7, and alluded to elsewhere).
So, what exactly is this future “rest” which God initially foreshadowed when he himself “rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made”?
Simply put, it is the coming Millennial Reign or 1000-year reign of Christ. THIS is what Christians ought to be laboring to enter into lest we fall short of the same.
This is the “rest” that the seventh day Sabbath foreshadows in that “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (II Pet. 3:8). In other words, in the same manner in which God labored for 6 days during the creation week while “resting” on the seventh day, Christians have been called to labor for 6000 years, and they will “rest” for 1000 years during the coming Millennial Reign of Christ.
The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews went on to explain how that Joshua (the KJV says “Jesus”, but both Joshua’s and Jesus’ names read the same in the underlying Greek of the New Testament) didn’t provide anyone with this “rest” when the children of Israel entered into the promised land.
Again, we read:
Hebrews chapter 4
[7] Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
[8] For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
In other words, if the “rest” of which God spoke in Genesis 2:2 foreshadowed the children of Israel entering into the promised land, then God wouldn’t have spoken of a future “rest” which yet remained through David in Psalm 95 many years later.
Again, this “rest” yet remains to be entered into, and it won’t arrive until the second coming of Jesus Christ:
II Thessalonians chapter 1
[7] And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
[8] In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
[9] Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
[10] When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
As we look forward to this day of “rest”, in light of what David said in Psalm 95, on any day that is called “Today”, we ought to be exhorting one another lest any of us be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin and fall short of this “rest”.
Hebrews chapter 3
[12] Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
[13] But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
[14] For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
[15] While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
So much for the heresy of “once saved, always saved”.
Anyhow, this is why the Sabbath being on the seventh day is so important. In other words, it foreshadows the 7th 1000-year period of time or the coming Millennial Reign of Christ. By changing the Sabbath to any other day of the week, God's typology or foreshadowing of this future event is destroyed, and, as I said in a post yesterday, I wouldn't want to have to give an account to God for that myself.
Well, this was merely an introduction as the Bible has much more to say in relation to this topic.
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