The Sabbath Is Messianic

The following terminology will be used in this study and is based upon the Hebrew origins of the Scripture and will open up a bit of depth in our understanding of certain aspects of the Word, which is lost through our English translations of the Bible. • •

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Yahweh, or YHVH – translated in the English Bibles as LORD and is the Name of God that God gave Moses at the burning bush. This Name means; “He is who He is” coming from the first person Name “I Am that I Am” Y’shua, Yeshua or Yehusuah – The word "Jesus" is actually a mis-transliteration of a Greek mis-transliteration. The word "JESUS" had not been "discovered" until around 1530 CE. The Emperor Constantine even mistook Jesus for Apollo, the son of the Greek god Zeus. The name Jesus comes from the Latin word “Iosus” I soûs, that is very close to the name of the Greek deity of healing - Ieusus (which is a variant spelling of Iesous or the Latin Iesus) This is not the same as the Hebrew Name of Y’shua that means, “YHVH is salvation”. Messiah – Translated as Christ in the English Bible and comes form the Greek word Christos which means “Anointed One” and this is also the Hebrew meaning of Messiah or pronounced as “Massiach”. Elohim – Translated as God in the English Bible; it is the Name of God which means; Messenger, Judge and Ruler/King and are the attributes of Y’shua. Torah – translated as Law in the English Bible. It actually means Instructions In the Scripture it is also referred to as the “writings of Moses” and consists of the first five books of the Bible. It comes from the root word “Yarah” which means; “to flow like water” and “to learn how to shoot”. This is interesting because sin in Hebrew is defined as “missing the mark”. Paul refers to the Torah as the “knowledge of sin” and this is why. The concept of water is also found in the “New Testament” where the Word is referred to as water (Eph 5:26). To wash yourself with the water of the Word (Torah) is to cleanse yourself from sin which is defined in the Torah (first five books of the Bible). This helps us not to miss the mark or to sin, but to live a holy righteous life unto Him. (2 Tim 3:16)

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A pastor once asked a rabbi, “What do you believe heaven is like?” The rabbi responded, “Where the righteous dwell for eternity, and study Torah all day long, without ever having need to stop for sleeping or eating or anything.” The pastor then asked, “And what do you believe hell will be like?” The rabbi responded, “The wicked will have to study Torah all day long, without being able to stop to rest or drink or anything.” The goal of Sabbath keeping is to know and love Messiah in studying the Torah. This gives us a glance of what “heaven” will be like. The Apostle Paul said, “

.” This was written after Y’shua' s crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension; it says that the goal of the Torah is (still) Messiah. Y’shua said that all of the law and prophets hang on these two commandments: Love Yahweh your Elohim and your neighbour as yourself. The first five of the Ten Commandments show how we are to love YHVH. The last five show how we are to love our neighbour. Observing Sabbath, the fourth commandment, is a part of loving YHVH, according to Messiah’s own words. Messiah is the goal of the Torah’s Sabbaths!

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This is what we remember by keeping YHVH’s Sabbath. The faith that is a gift of YHVH (Ephesians 2:8) produces action, for faith without works is dead (James 2:20, 26). The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5) indicate the nature of actions that are the fruit of faith: " " (Romans 14:23), is “ ” (I John 3:4), these two statements being synonymous definitions of sin. The commandments are the centre of our faith. 1. 2. 3. 4.

The first commandment requires belief in YHVH. The second forbids idol worship. It is the fruit of believing Yahweh is one, the only Elohim. The third forbids vain use of His Name. It is the fruit of revering His character. The fourth commandment, as stated in Exodus, tells us to “remember the Sabbath, to keep it separate” as the fruit of believing that He created the world in six days, and blessed the seventh day and made it separate.

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Thus the Sabbath is an eternal memorial of YHVH as the creator. The fourth commandment, as stated in Deuteronomy, tells us to “observe the Sabbath Day and keep it separate,” in remembrance of our deliverance from Egypt. This is a memorial of YHVH who is involved in the affairs of men, Elohim who created with purpose. On this day we are told to abstain from common labour: to rest. In what sense do we rest? Elohim did not need rest after six days of creating everything. + ,-

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Adam should not have needed to rest immediately after being created on the sixth day. So why then are various categories of work forbidden on Sabbath? Primarily because the Sabbath is to be kept holy or set-apart. That means that it is a day to set aside for the worship of our Creator and Savoir, set aside from our usual weekly labours. Work on the Sabbath should basically be limited to worship activities, and not with things that are necessary to sustain physical life – such as preparation of food for example. The first six days of the week are for preparation for worship on the Sabbath, Sabbath being the goal of the week. YHVH rested from creating on the Seventh Day. So we are to rest from using our creative intelligence and skill. YHVH finished His creation on the Seventh Day (Genesis 2:2). On the Seventh Day He created rest. YHVH does not change. Therefore, serenity and tranquillity are an imitation of His attributes. On the Seventh Day, YHVH added tranquillity and harmony to the world. It was no longer in the process of change, and so partook of YHVH' s serenity, and became “Holy and Blessed”. A major Sabbath mitzvah (commandment) is rest - not doing. All other mitzvot require our efforts to be holy. In reserving the Sabbath for worship, when we rest, it is YHVH that makes us holy: “0 2 *** + 0%1% & / ( ' 3 (Exodus 31:13).

The Apostle Paul said to a gentile congregation, as we read in Colossians 2:16-17, !" #

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This verse can be used to prove both views because the way it is constructed. If I believe the Feasts, Sabbaths and new moons and food laws are abolished the verse make sense to me; “…let no one judge me regarding these things and by not doing it…”. Makes sense doesn’t it?

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If I believe the Feasts, Sabbaths, new moon observation and the food laws still stand, I can use this verse to defend my faith. “…let no one judge me in food, drink, Feasts, new moons and Sabbaths…” Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? The issue comes in if you read verse 17; “…these are a shadow of the things to come, but the body is of Messiah”. People say that this means that they no longer have to do these things because it is only a shadow of things and the real thing is in the Body of Messiah. Yes they are a shadow of the things to come but if the real things that makes the shadow is not on earth, we actually need these shadows to understand the real things. Before we continue with this explanation, you have to know something about the translation into English. The King James Bible is a very accurate study Bible and can be trusted. The translators have put certain words in italics, words they have inserted to make it read easier in the English language. Words in italics are not in the original text. In this verse you will see that the word “is” is in italics and not in the original text. If you remove the word “is” from the passage, it gives it a completely new meaning that tells you something totally different. !" # (

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Yes, the Sabbath is still applicable and should be kept and taught by those in the Body of Messiah. % ,," - $ 56 )/

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The word “Sabbath” in verse 9 is translated in the English as “rest” which is the Greek word “katapousis” that means “rest and reposing down”. This is the same word that is used in verse 10 saying,”. ” which refers to the Sabbath day, the Seventh day of Creation. So must we rest from our works as He rested from His after creating everything. This rest is associated with the phrase “Shabbat Shalom” that is the “Peace of the Sabbath”. Shalom is the Hebrew word that means “peace and completion of the building (creation) process”. This is the peace you experience when you build a house and everything is complete and perfect. In the same way He rested when everything was perfect and He is building us on the inside and when that process is finished, the we will experience His Shalom. The Sabbath is the time for Him to complete His work in us so that we might be perfect in His sight and this happens if you give yourself on this day and study His Word so that He can change you and complete you on the inside.

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The Messianic Kingdom age is the millennial (thousand year) period when Satan will be bound and Messiah Y’shua will reign on this earth. Ancient Hebrew literature frequently speaks of this being the seventh millennium. We are now approaching the end of the sixth millennium confirmed by the calendar calculation from scripture. YHVH commands us, “2 ( & ' 2 : ) ) + 0%1% / *3 On Erev Shabbat, that is on Friday before sunset as the Sabbath approaches each week, we pronounce a blessing and light Sabbath candles. By lighting fires just before and after the Sabbaths, we symbolically “make separate (YHVH’s) Sabbaths” – during which we are forbidden to light fires. This ancient symbolic means of sanctifying the Sabbath seems prophetic: the Sabbath Millennium will be preceded by the fires of war of the great tribulation (Erev Shabbat). It will be followed by fire from heaven being quenched in the blood of the wicked. There will be a thousand years of Shabbat Shalom (Sabbath peace) between the fires that make the Sabbath separate. Just as the sun sets before Sabbath, so will there be a “dark time” also known as the Great Tribulation, before we can enter into His Rest for a thousand years. The messianic age is called Yom SheKulo Shabbat - the day when all will be Sabbath. The weekly Sabbath is a rehearsal for that great day. A wise man once said, “He who prepares on Friday will eat on the Sabbath,” so should we prepare for the age to come. Emmanuel (YHVH with us) is coming to dwell on earth with us! The Sabbath Day is a picture of the Messianic Kingdom. It is not a detailed picture, but a prophetic shadow picture.

In John 14:2 we read that Y’shua was going to prepare a place for us. In Revelation 21 we read that the prepared place - the New Jerusalem, is coming to an earth renewed by fire, where YHVH (Emmanuel) will dwell with His people and be their Elohim. We also find here that the items mentioned in Genesis as being in the Garden of Eden are restored to earth, such as the tree of life, and the river of living water (Rev 22). In this restored Garden of Eden (also called Paradise) our Sabbath will continue to eternity.

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We also read in Revelation 21:7-8, “% ( : )+ / ) *; ) ) ) ) ) ) ( )) ) ( ) ( .” We must be prepared if we are to enter that great ( )) Sabbath, which will continue into eternity for the righteous. One must prepare ahead for the needs of the day and then enter into the Sabbath day Rest. So also, concerning the coming Millennial Rest, it is written, “< ” % (Hebrews 4:11). What labour should we do to enter this final Rest? We must do the things required in His Word and do the work to help others enter into the Kingdom; this is our labour of love. We prepare by learning to trust Messiah and by following His Word/Torah – by overcoming sin, and thus growing in faith. The purpose of resting on the Sabbath is for setting the whole day apart to worship YHVH. It is for becoming spiritually renewed for the coming week. It is not given for improving the previous six-day’s mundane work. The goal of Sabbath observance is to see a vision of the Messiah who created the world in seven days, and to see a vision of the Messiah’s coming kingdom. The goal of the Torah is Messiah. Sabbath is a shadow picture concerning Messiah, and when we are in the Messianic Kingdom, we will still observe the memorial seventh day Sabbath. + !!

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The New Heavens and the New Earth signifies the time after the Second Coming, after the Judgment of YHVH and the time in the Kingdom where YHVH will dwell with His people. This is the time where everything will be restored and where the Sabbath day worship will be restored and everybody will worship Him in the way He designed it to be in the Beginning of Creation. Do we delight to do something that is a memorial to Y’shua as creator, and also prophetic of His coming kingdom, and that keeps a picture of Him before us?

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