Do we need to keep the sabbath? I dunno if I posted about this but I am still confused.
Matthew 5:19 says that if you ignore the least of these commands you get the least position in heaven. So can someone please explain this to me?
btw, what is the purpose of the Sabbath and why is it so hard to keep?
The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week; commencing at sundown Friday and ending at sundown Saturday.
If it is observed under compulsion to build or maintain a relationship with God, it is of NO VALUE.
The ten commandments is NOT the only place that the Sabbath is mentioned.
In Hebrew the word
מוֺעֲד mo ad', which is translated as feast, means appointment or appointed time.
If you make an appointment with a friend to meet at a certain time and place; and your friend doesn't show up, it will probably not end the friendship; but you will be disappointed. [double take intended]
In Leviticus Chapter 23, God has appointed several times at which He has stated His desire to meet with His people.
IMO If some of His people elect not to show up, God is not likely to break off the friendship; but HE is probably disappointed.
Some people believe that the appointed times pertain only to the old covenant; but,Zec 14:3-19
3 Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:7 But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.10 All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses.11 And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.14 And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.15 And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague.
16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
KJV
clearly indicates that at least the appointed time of tabernacles will be mandatory during Jesus' millennial reign.
IMO this indicates that these are likely still times at which God still desires to meet with His people.
The Sabbath is the first and IMO the most important of the appointed times. of Leviticus 23.
IMO If it is observed legalistically under compulsion of Law, God will be just as disappointed as if we don't show up.
If we observe the appointed times because we are persuaded that God is pleased with our doing so; then I believe that God is far more pleased with us than if we don't.