When God made the seventh day He blessed it and made it holy.
The seventh day is special time to God and we know it is because of the words He uses when He speaks about it. He uses words such as blessed, holy and sanctified. These words give the seventh day value.
The seventh day is special to God and all who love God will value the seventh day too. They will see the seventh day a special day set apart from every other day of the week. If will love God and are filled with His Spirit we will be drawn to the things that God values. Unfortunately, shortly after creation man fell. The things of God began to loose value in the hearts and mind of man. But just because man ceases to value the things of God does not mean the things of God are no longer holy, just and good. The holy, just and good things of God protect the goodness in His creation and protect relationships. Because of this, God protected them with His Law. But the Law is not God's ideal way He wants His creation relating to the holy, just and good things of God. He wants His people to see value in the holy, just and good things of God because they are holy, just and good. He wants His people to love Him enough to obey the holy, just and good things because they protect the goodness of creation and they protect relationships.
The Law brought fear of punishment for anyone who violates the things that protect the goodness in God's creation. This is not how God wants to relate to His people. He does not want to move you with fear of punishment just to make them value the holy, just and good things of God.
Today we are no longer under the Law.
Why is this?
Does this mean that the holy, just and good things of God are no longer valuable?
Does this mean that the holy, just and good things of God no longer protect His creation and relationships?
No way, He is not saying that.
What God is doing is He is removing the fear of punishment in order to move us to value the holy, just and good things of God for only one reason, because they are holy, just and good.
Now carry this over to the seventh day. The seventh day is still and blessed and holy day and was called very good by God when He created it. That has not changed. What has changed is that God is no longer forcing you through fear of the Law to make you value and honor the seventh day.
Therefore don't judge anyone regarding the Sabbath. If they love God they will value and honor the Sabbath because God values and honors the Sabbath. If they don't love God they won't value and honor the Sabbath or anything else of God. To force someone to do so is worthless because God wants His people to love what He loves and value what He values. If you don't then it doesn't matter if you are forced to keep the Sabbath because your heart is not right with God and that's His main concern.
So value the Sabbath, honor the seventh day and enjoy the Sabbath because the strictness of the letter of the Law, which brought legalism and ritualism to the Sabbath, has been lifted. So don't judge anyone in what they do on the Sabbath, but rather, celebrate and enjoy the Sabbath and the sweet fellowship of God's people for the Sabbath day is a holy day to our Lord.
Nehemiah 8:10 Ezra said to them, “Go, eat and drink what you enjoy, and give some to him who has nothing ready. For this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
The seventh day makes one stand out. You can keep all the other Commandments and not stick out like a sore thumb and have your neighbors and friends look at you and wonder what you are doing, but f you keep the Sabbath...
Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
It is absolutely evident.
The Sabbath always has been, is and ever will be the TEST Commandment...
Exo 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
And notice what Commandment was used to prove them...
Exo 16:25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field.
Exo 16:26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
And of course there were those who would not do what God said...
Exo 16:27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
And what was God's response?
Exo 16:28 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
Same today and it will be the same tomorrow, even into the Millennium and beyond...
Isa 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
Isa 66:23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.