sunday worship is it just tradition ?

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

... there is nothing in the NT saying not to keep Sabbath, ...

And there is nothing in the NT saying to keep it. Yet there are numerous admonitions to have faith, which is the only way to enter into GOD's eternal rest, as pointedly laid out in Hebrews chapters 3 & 4. Observing a weekly sabbath will not get us there.

Peace back at you...

 

[Hizikyah]

And there is nothing in the NT saying to keep it. Yet there are numerous admonitions to have faith, which is the only way to enter into GOD's eternal rest, as pointedly laid out in Hebrews chapters 3 & 4. Observing a weekly sabbath will not get us there.

Peace back at you...

I never implied the Sabbath was a golden ticket.

Revelation 14:12, "In this manner are the saints purified--by keeping the Laws of Yahweh, in conformity with the faith in
Yahshua Messiah."

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

I never implied the Sabbath was a golden ticket.

Revelation 14:12, "In this manner are the saints purified--by keeping the Laws of Yahweh, in conformity with the faith in
Yahshua Messiah."

You are using a strange translation. Not very accurate IMO...

Here is endurance of the holy ones; here the ones keeping the commands of GOD and the faith of Jesus. Revelation 14:12
​

 

[Hizikyah]

You are using a strange translation. Not very accurate IMO...

Here is endurance of the holy ones; here the ones keeping the commands of GOD and the faith of Jesus. Revelation 14:12
​

there really is no difference between a Commandment and a Law, in MT 22:37-40, Yahshua called (what we call) 2 Laws the 2 greatest commandments:

mattithyah 22:37-40, "Yahshua said to him: You must love Yahweh your Father with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your hneighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang; depend, all the Law and the Prophets."

Deuteronomy 6:5, "And you must love Yahweh your Father with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might."

Leviticus 19:18, "Do not seek revenge nor bear a grudge against one of your own people; but you shall love your neighbor as
yourself. I am Yahweh."

I think the word "Law" sounds scary in our modern perception?

 

[john832]

God's moral laws are absolute and unchangeable. Murder will always be wrong. So Murder is obviously not a part of the old or new wine skin.

Hmmm, number six of ten will always be there but number four is not?

Old wine skin/wine are the Mosaic laws or Old Covenant.
New wine skins/ new wine is the New Covenant.[/quote

You call it the Mosaic Law, God calls it HIS Law...

Exo 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying,
Exo 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

God and LORD are strange ways to spell Moses aren't they?

So your argument fails miserably as the terms do not apply to murder. I often see that Sabbatarians can't see that the old Covenant has ceased. They continue to think we must honor the Sabbath in a legalistic fashion. In fact legalism underpins almost all cults.

I am amazed that you cannot understand this simple passage...

Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Heb 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

And we know that this is quoted from Jer 31:31...

Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

And it doesn't take a Hebrew scholar to look up the word Law...

H8451
תּרה תּורה
tôrâh tôrâh
to-raw', to-raw'
From H3384; a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch: - law.

Even while Jesus was on the earth he was bringing the new covenant even before his death/Resurrection. He plucked grain from the field and healed on the Sabbath--violations of the old Mosaic laws. Jesus even downgraded the dietary laws by saying "It is not what goes in that defiles a man, it is what comes out of him".

Would you now please show me in scripture where it is a violation of the Sabbath to pluck heads of grain?

Rather what He was showing was this...

Mar 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mar 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
Mar 7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

My freind it is time for you to cast off the yoke of Moses and try on the new yoke of Christ.

You mean this yoke...

Mat 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Mat 19:18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Mat 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.


I think I'll keep the Laws that God Almighty gave to Moses and says will be the Laws that Christians keep...

1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

 

[john832]

You are 100% correct if people are preaching we must only attend church on a specific day, Saturday or Sunday or any other day, it is clearly error. I never support any person or system that would claim one day is the correct day to worship--that would make me a legalistic Judaizer. I have never once claimed Sunday or any other day must be kept.

Col. 2:16 makes it very clear that we can worship on any day and no one is to judge us in this freedom. Sabbath keeping is part of the old wine skin, the Mosaic law. You can not pour new wine into an old wine skin.

Col 2:16 does not say that, it says don't let anyone judge for KEEPING the Sabbath, the Holydays and the New Moons. Not sure what translation you are using, but the KJV and the NKJV don't say that...

Col 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:

Col 2:16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths

Where is worshipping on Sunday mentioned here?

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

there really is no difference between a Commandment and a Law, in MT 22:37-40, Yahshua called (what we call) 2 Laws the 2 greatest commandments:

mattithyah 22:37-40, "Yahshua said to him: You must love Yahweh your Father with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your hneighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang; depend, all the Law and the Prophets."

Deuteronomy 6:5, "And you must love Yahweh your Father with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might."

Leviticus 19:18, "Do not seek revenge nor bear a grudge against one of your own people; but you shall love your neighbor as
yourself. I am Yahweh."

I think the word "Law" sounds scary in our modern perception?

I wasn't referring to the word law, but to all of the added words that aren't in the Greek manuscripts, which give that verse a meaning that isn't in the original. And that is an extremely serious charge considering the fact that whoever altered that verse stands in violation of Jesus' law to not add or remove anything to/from that prophecy, and stands in danger of judgment. Woe unto that man...

​I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and from the holy city that are written in this book. Revelation 22:18-19
​

 

[childofgod87]

The above translation is a misrepresentaion of what Hebrews 4:4 actually says. The word day is not present in the first sentence; it merely says the seventh. There are many instances in the bible of the number 7, or the 7th, indicating completeness and rest. The reason the 7th day of creation is mentioned is to draw attention to the 7th, which signifies rest from labor. Here is a better representation of what this verse says.

For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh in this way: “[example 1],” and again in this passage, ‘[example 2]’ ” Hebrews 4:4-5
​

The first example is the seventh day of creation (not the weekly sabbath), and the second example is the promise of the rest of the land of Israel for the wandering Israelites. So Hebrews 4:4 has nothing to do with the weekly sabbath. In fact, the weekly sabbath isn't even mentioned in Hebrews 4:4; it refers to the 7th day of creation. The two are not the same, even though the former was instituted to draw attention to the latter. The author used the seventh day of creation, not the weekly sabbath, to draw attention to the eternal rest that GOD entered into on the 7th day of creation, and that remains for his people to enter into with him.

Hi, I want to take a shot at offering a little clarity. Hopefully I can.
The seventh day creation is where we get our weekly cycle from. It represents completion and perfection.
Now I further hope to prove this in Hizikyah's defense in the fact that. The commands weren't given to Moses on tablets until exodus 20 however if you review Exodus 16 you'll see he asks the Hebrews how long will you refuse to keep my commandments when they went out looking for manna on the Sabbath indicating it had to already be established.

 

[Hizikyah]

I wasn't referring to the word law, but to all of the added words that aren't in the Greek manuscripts, which give that verse a meaning that isn't in the original. And that is an extremely serious charge considering the fact that whoever altered that verse stands in violation of Jesus' law to not add or remove anything to/from that prophecy, and stands in danger of judgment. Woe unto that man...

​I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and from the holy city that are written in this book. Revelation 22:18-19
​

Revelation 14:12, "In this manner are the saints purified--by keeping the Laws of Yahweh, in conformity with the faith in
Yahshua Messiah."

Here is endurance of the holy ones; here the ones keeping the commands of GOD and the faith of Jesus. Revelation 14:12

They all read slightly different but carry the same message, if you find my translation to be faulty how many of these are faulty? surely there must be more faulty, as some say:

in conformity with the faith in
the faith of
remain faithful
maintaining their faith
their faith in
hold to their faith in



New International Version
This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.

New Living Translation
This means that God's holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.

English Standard Version
Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

New American Standard Bible
Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

King James Bible
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
This demands the perseverance of the saints, who keep God's commands and their faith in Jesus."

International Standard Version
Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to their faithfulness in Jesus:

NET Bible
This requires the steadfast endurance of the saints--those who obey God's commandments and hold to their faith in Jesus.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Here is the patience of The Holy Ones, those who keep the commands of God and the faith of Yeshua.”

GOD'S WORD® Translation
In this situation God's holy people, who obey his commands and keep their faith in Jesus, need endurance.

Jubilee Bible 2000
Here is the patience of the saints; here are those that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

King James 2000 Bible
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

American King James Version
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

American Standard Version
Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Here is the patience of the saints, who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Darby Bible Translation
Here is the endurance of the saints, who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

English Revised Version
Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Webster's Bible Translation
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Weymouth New Testament
Here is an opportunity for endurance on the part of God's people, who carefully keep His commandments and the faith of Jesus!"

World English Bible
Here is the patience of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."

Young's Literal Translation
Here is endurance of the saints: here are those keeping the commands of God, and the faith of Jesus.'

 

[Hizikyah]

Hi, I want to take a shot at offering a little clarity. Hopefully I can.
The seventh day creation is where we get our weekly cycle from. It represents completion and perfection.
Now I further hope to prove this in Hizikyah's defense in the fact that. The commands weren't given to Moses on tablets until exodus 20 however if you review Exodus 16 you'll see he asks the Hebrews how long will you refuse to keep my commandments when they went out looking for manna on the Sabbath indicating it had to already be established.

Scriptual truth.

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

Hi, I want to take a shot at offering a little clarity. Hopefully I can.
The seventh day creation is where we get our weekly cycle from. It represents completion and perfection.
Now I further hope to prove this in Hizikyah's defense in the fact that. The commands weren't given to Moses on tablets until exodus 20 however if you review Exodus 16 you'll see he asks the Hebrews how long will you refuse to keep my commandments when they went out looking for manna on the Sabbath indicating it had to already be established.

GOD established the sabbath in Exodus 16, before he made a covenant with Israel. It's pure speculation and reading into the text to say that it existed as law before that point.

 

[childofgod87]

Scriptual truth.

Thanks Hizikyah! It's all in the scriptures. I try to study daily.

 

[childofgod87]

GOD established the sabbath in Exodus 16, before he made a covenant with Israel. It's pure speculation and reading into the text to say that it existed as law before that point.

It's not speculation. The reason I say that is because he didn't say how long will you break my sabbaths. The Lord said how long will you refuse to keep my Commandments(laws) which means the commandments are moral laws which were instituted from the very beginning.

You can further note this upon studying the verses when the Lord told moses to build the sanctuary in the likeness of the heavenly sanctuary shown to him on Mount Sinai including the arch of covenant which contain the 10 commandments.

 

[john832]

GOD established the sabbath in Exodus 16, before he made a covenant with Israel. It's pure speculation and reading into the text to say that it existed as law before that point.

The Sabbath was established at creation...

Gen 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
Gen 2:2 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.
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Now that statement alone says that God blessed the Sabbath at creation...

H1288
בּרך
bârak
baw-rak'
A primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason): - X abundantly, X altogether, X at all, blaspheme, bless, congratulate, curse, X greatly, X indeed, kneel (down), praise, salute, X still, thank.

And He sanctified (set it apart for holy use)...

H6942
קדשׁ
qâdash
kaw-dash'
A primitive root; to be (causatively make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally): - appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy (-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify (-ied one, self), X wholly.

but if we go a step further...

Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

First, God says to REMEMBER the Sabbath.

Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 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:
Exo 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.

Now He says that He blessed the Sabbath and made it holy at creation, not Ex 16, but at the seventh day of the creation.

 

[p_rehbein]

Just a thought...........but how many people regardless of the side of this debate they are on ACTUALLY DO keep the Sabbath Holy? I would think not too many, but that may just be me.......given some of the strict interpretations of what keeping the Sabbath Holy entails.........

And, then, there is what occurred when the Disciples picked and ate corn from a field they were walking through on the Sabbath....and the response of Jesus when confronted with this act of the Disciples.............and there is that whole "which of you who has an ox" statement Jesus made to consider.......

So, as I am curious, what exactly are the requirements for keeping the Sabbath Holy?

As already posted, the Scriptures in Exodus say:
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 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:
Exo 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.

So, are any of these open to interpretation?

 

[john832]

And there is nothing in the NT saying to keep it. Yet there are numerous admonitions to have faith, which is the only way to enter into GOD's eternal rest, as pointedly laid out in Hebrews chapters 3 & 4. Observing a weekly sabbath will not get us there.

Peace back at you...

Nothing except this...

Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

And we do know this is not the best of translations of the word Sabbatismos. The Diaglott has it this way...

Heb 4:9 Therefore remains a keeping of a sabbath for the people of the God.

The word Sabbatismos here is defined by Thayers as...

G4520
σαββατισμός
sabbatismos
Thayer Definition:
1) a keeping sabbath
2) the blessed rest from toils and troubles looked for in the age to come by the true worshippers of God and true Christians
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from a derivative of G4521
Citing in TDNT: 7:34, 989

And the Sabbath is a shadow of something YET to come...

Col 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:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Notice the KJV italicizes the word is? Words italicized are words that are not in the original. The Diaglott has this passage as...

Col 2:16 Not therefore any one you let judge in food or in drink, or in respect of a feast, or of a new moon, or of sabbaths;
Col 2:17 which are a shadow of the things about coming, the but body of Anointed.

Notice that "Which are a shadow of things to come" (KJV) is a paraenthetical thought? We can remove it without changing the overall meaning of the sentence according to the rules of English. So let's do that and also remove the italicized word "is" and read this passage...

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:
but the body of Christ.

So what Paul is saying here is don't let anyone judge in what you eat or drink, the keeping of an holyday, new moon or the Sabbath days except the Body of Christ.

The Sabbath days are the shadow of the plan of God. The Feast of Trumpets, Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day are not yet fulfilled. This is why Col 2:17 is future tens and is looking forward to something yet to occur.

 

[Hizikyah]

Just a thought...........but how many people regardless of the side of this debate they are on ACTUALLY DO keep the Sabbath Holy? I would think not too many, but that may just be me.......given some of the strict interpretations of what keeping the Sabbath Holy entails.........

And, then, there is what occurred when the Disciples picked and ate corn from a field they were walking through on the Sabbath....and the response of Jesus when confronted with this act of the Disciples.............and there is that whole "which of you who has an ox" statement Jesus made to consider.......

So, as I am curious, what exactly are the requirements for keeping the Sabbath Holy?

As already posted, the Scriptures in Exodus say:
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 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:
Exo 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.

So, are any of these open to interpretation?

Isayah 58:12-14, "And those of you will rebuild the old waste places; you will raise up the foundations of many generations; and you will be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In; If you turn away your foot from breaking the Sabbath: from doing your pleasure; your own business, your own pleasure, on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight; the holy day of Yahweh honorable, and will honor Him by not doing your own ways, nor finding
your own pleasure, nor engaging in idle conversation: Then you will find your joy in Yahweh; and I will cause you to ride on the high places of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Yaaqob your father--for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it."

The Sabbath is not for youe own work or recreation


Mattithyah 12:12, "And how much more valuable is a man than a sheep? Therefore, it is Lawful to do righteousness on the Sabbath."

the Sabbath is for the will of Yahweh, it is a blessing, a blessing for mankind.

If one is in the Spirit it is simple to keep Sabbath proerly, but if one id in the flesh they will have a difficult time spending 24hrs removed from the worldly things.

Also the Pharisees had AN ENTIRE BOOK of ADDED Sabbath "laws" (man made garbage), you could only waly like 40 steps or something according to the pharisees, but if you ewalked 40 the buried your lunce you could walk 40 more, the if you burried your dinner you could walk 40 more, than if you layed down your cot (bed) you could walk 40 more. this was the burden. Yahweh's Sabbath was not made for this pharisee phoolishness, and Yahshua made their foolishness clear over and over.

 

[john832]

Just a thought...........but how many people regardless of the side of this debate they are on ACTUALLY DO keep the Sabbath Holy? I would think not too many, but that may just be me.......given some of the strict interpretations of what keeping the Sabbath Holy entails.........

And, then, there is what occurred when the Disciples picked and ate corn from a field they were walking through on the Sabbath....and the response of Jesus when confronted with this act of the Disciples.............and there is that whole "which of you who has an ox" statement Jesus made to consider.......

So, as I am curious, what exactly are the requirements for keeping the Sabbath Holy?

As already posted, the Scriptures in Exodus say:
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 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:
Exo 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.

So, are any of these open to interpretation?

Not sure what you are asking, but the true Sabbath command is not nearly as strict as the Pharisees portrayed it to be. When one understands their history, it isn't too hard to see why they came up with the strict rules they forced on others, but that is not the true intent of the Sabbath.

Eze 20:23 I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries;
Eze 20:24 Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.

Notice why they went into captivity? Idolatry and Sabbath breaking. So Israel went into captivity in 721-719BC and Judah in around 597BC. Judah came back 70 years later but Israel NEVER came back. They were still the Diaspora (dispersed) at the time of Christ. They suffered the loss of their homeland, the loss of their wealth and much loss of life. To make sure this didn't happen again, they made many strict rules about the Sabbath. Many of which are supposed to be from Moses, but aren't.

The restrictions on work are just that...

Exo 34:21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.

Here we see that in ploughing time and harvest time, you do not earn your living on the Sabbath. You do not build communal fires to do work on the Sabbath...

Exo 35:2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.
Exo 35:3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

Should you operate a blacksmiths forge on the Sabbath? No. Read this chapter and see that the context is the building of the Tabernacle. The Sabbath is so important to God that the building of the Tabernacle is not permitted on it.

I hear it said you can't prepare a meal on the Sabbath and yet we read...

Exo 12:16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.

Now that is further clarified in Ex 16...

Exo 16:23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.

Do the heavy lifting on the preparation day. Don't roast a turkey or make a Yankee Potroast (one of my favorites) on the Sabbath. Do it the day before.

It is a day to go to church...

Lev 23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

H4744
מקרא
miqrâ'
mik-raw'
From H7121; something called out, that is, a public meeting (the act, the persons, or the palce); also a rehearsal: - assembly, calling, convocation, reading.

Christ healed on the Sabbath. Now I can't heal, that is God's prerogative, but I can visit the sick and those in nursing homes on the Sabbath.

It is a Feast day...

Lev 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
Lev 23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

so it is a great day for the family to get together and share a meal.

It is a day of rest from my occupation...

Isa 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:

H2656
חפץ
chêphets
khay'-fets
From H2654; pleasure; hence (abstractly) desire; concretely a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind): - acceptable, delight (-some), desire, things desired, matter, pleasant (-ure), purpose, willingly.

It is not my day to worry about work or my occupation. Not the day to watch Final Destination or some other weird, strange movie. It is a day to enjoy the creation. A day to rest...

Exo 16:23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.

A day to relax and rest and spend quality time with God and the family.

The Sabbath is the exact opposite of bondage, it is the day we are commanded not to be in bondage to our employer, our chores or the cares of this world. I truly look forward to the Sabbath each week.

 

[p_rehbein]

Thanks, I'll read through these, but in reading the first few passages of your comment, I have questions buzzing around in the unoccupied are betwixt my ears........

QUOTE: I hear it said you can't prepare a meal on the Sabbath and yet we read...

Exo 12:16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.

AND QUOTE: Exo 16:23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.

Do the heavy lifting on the preparation day. Don't roast a turkey or make a Yankee Potroast (one of my favorites) on the Sabbath. Do it the day before.

END QUOTES...

These appear to contradict each other........or we are going to be dining on cold pot roast.........now, I can enjoy a cold piece of good roasted meat, but cold 'tatters 'n' such are a different matter............see, to me this says "on the Sabbath, dine on left overs from the day before......." not in those exact words of course but,............

I agree that much was "added" to God's Law, and much of it was impossible for people to live by, do...........and Jesus spoke of this, as did the Apostle Paul.........still, thank you for the Scriptures.

 

[p_rehbein]

Thank you both, would you both agree that "work" or "labor" is open to interpretation?