Sabbath, the Day to Commemorate the Creator

Do not add or take away from the Sabbath

The Sabbath day is a day established by God Almighty for all to commemorate His creation work. Most Christians are taught to commemorate this day on Sunday. However, what do the words of God say? Everything that God established in the Bible was created for the salvation of mankind. Given that the Sabbath, too, is God’s creation, it is important for all who seek salvation to follow the Sabbath that God created rather than follow traditions.

Revelation 22:18-19 “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.”

The Bible teaches us that if we add to God’s words, we will receive plagues (disaster) and if we take words away from the words of God, we will lose our share in the Kingdom of Heaven. Then, how should we follow the words of God? We should regard the words of God as absolute and follow them as they have been given to us.

The origin of the Sabbath day

Then, what are the absolute words of God regarding the Sabbath day? Let us study about this.

Genesis 2:1-3 “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

The words of God teach us that the seventh day, following the six-day creation, was a special day. On this day, God rested, blessed it and made it holy. Amongst the prior six days, God did not give such blessings to any of the days. Then, it is clear to see that the seventh day was truly noteworthy from God’s perspective. However, did God allow such blessings for the seventh day for His own benefit? Does God need rest, blessings and holiness? No, but we, human beings, do. Thus, we can understand that when God created this special day, He only thought of mankind who would need this day for their salvation.

Exodus 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

In the fourth commandment of the Ten Commandments, God gave the seventh day a name and asks us to remember it by keeping it holy. No other day, amongst the six days, did God distinguish so greatly. This shows us how important this day must be.

When one is asked to “remember” something, it shows the importance of the said thing. It also shows that there is a possibility to forget that would lead to consequences. As no parent wants to see their child suffer, our spiritual parents eagerly seek to steer us away from spiritual consequences. Therefore, They established this day and remind us repeatedly to keep the Sabbath day. It is clear to see how precious this day is to God. Then, shouldn’t it be precious to us, too?

What day of the week is the Sabbath day?

But how can we show God our appreciation for this day without knowing exactly when the seventh day is?

Let us confirm what day of the week the Sabbath day is through a dictionary, a calendar and the Bible.

The dictionary is a universal tool that holds the meanings of words we use to communicate with one another. Then, what are the meanings of the words Saturday and Sunday? The Merriam Webster dictionary defines Sunday as “the first day of the week”. It also defines Saturday as “the seventh day of the week”. Thus, if we were to keep the Sabbath day, what day should it be kept on according to the calendar? Saturday.

A calendar is a universal tool used to dictate the times and seasons we live in. Its structure usually consists of seven columns that mark each of the days of the week. Then, per the demarcations of a calendar, what is the seventh day of the week? Saturday. Therefore, if we wanted to commemorate the creator on the seventh day He created specially for us, what day would we keep it? Saturday.

Now let us confirm what day of the week the Sabbath day is through the Bible. It is a well known fact that Christ’s resurrection should be commemorated on Sunday.

Mark 16:9 “When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 [TEV] “When Jesus rose from death early on Sunday…”

From the above verses, we can see that the day of Christ’s resurrection, Sunday is also the first day of the week. Then, is one truly keeping the seventh day, Sabbath day that God established if he/she keeps it on a Sunday? Absolutely not.

If one were to keep the Sabbath on Sunday, this would mean that said person is adding Sunday to the words of God and taking away the Sabbath day. This is exactly what Christ warned us not to do in Rev 22:18-19.

Yet, Sunday worship is a teaching that continues to be taught and practiced globally. Is it due to a lack of knowledge about the true teachings of the Bible?

“Not to mention other examples, is not every Christian obliged to sanctify Sunday and to abstain on that day from unnecessary servile work? Is not the observance of this law among the most prominent of our sacred duties? But you may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify.”
The Faith of Our Fathers

The following book is a Catholic book written by an official within the Catholic church. It not only testifies that the command of Sunday worship does not come from Christ, but it also confirms that they are aware that the Bible teaches the Sabbath should be kept on Saturday. In Rev 22:18-19, the Bible was very clear in the result of altering the words of God. Then with respect to the fate of our spirits, does it makes sense to continue to keep Sunday worship or is it better to observe the holy Sabbath day on Saturday per God’s commands?

A sign between us and God

Exodus 31:13 “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.’”

Keeping the Sabbath day is a must in God’s plan of redemption for us. If we truly want to show God our appreciation for the Sabbath day, wouldn’t it be best to keep the Sabbath day according to how God established it?

Then, why is the Sabbath important? Through the Sabbath, God allows us to be recognized as God’s children and we become the children who worship true God. What is our spiritual status if we do not keep the Sabbath day?

Exodus 31:14 “Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people.”

To desecrate the Sabbath means to fail to do according to the regulations that God established for it. The Bible teaches that those who fail to keep the Sabbath during the time of the Old Testament were put to death (Num 15:32). Despite many Christians not keeping the Sabbath, how many have been physically put to death? None. However, does that mean we don’t face a consequence for not obeying God’s law? No, though we may not physically be put to death, our spirits will surely pass away.

Jesus and His apostles kept the Sabbath

Some argue that the Sabbath is a law that was to be kept only in the time of the Old Testament. As God came to this earth in the flesh as Jesus Christ, let us see the example He set.

Luke 4:16 “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he when into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read,”

In the New Testament, Jesus kept the Sabbath day. Jesus Christ is God Almighty who benefits nothing from keeping His own regulation. Yet, He still kept the Sabbath. Why? He did so as an example for us to follow.

Others argue that the Sabbath was abolished after Christ’s resurrection. By studying the actions for the apostles, who lived after Christ’s resurrection and continued to keep the laws established by Christ, let us disprove this argument.

Acts 17:2-3 “As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. ‘This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,’ he said.”

Apostle Paul was a faithful follower of Christ who was blessed to have written a majority of the New Testament. He consistently followed the example that Christ set and taught others to do likewise (1 Cor 11:1). As he is keeping the Sabbath day, we can also understand that we too should be keeping the Sabbath day.

Let us confirm through the Bible that the Sabbath should be kept until the last days.

Matthew 24:20 “Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.”

In this chapter, Christ speaks about the last days and in doing so, He urges us to pray that the time to flee from disaster does not fall on the Sabbath. This shows that though it would be challenging, the only way to be protected in that time is if we are still following God’s regulation and keeping the Sabbath day.

The will of God

Matthew 7:21-23 “ ‘Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord did we not prophecy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers [‘YOU WHO BREAK GOD’S LAWS’, NLT]’ ”

Though there are many Christians in the world, Christ warns that not all would enter the kingdom of heaven. With love, He also explains that only those who follow God’s will, will receive the blessing of the heavenly kingdom. Then is God’s will to keep the Sabbath on Saturday or Sunday?

Even if one appears to have faith because they drive out demons and perform many miracles, Christ disqualifies such people on the basis that they failed to obey God’s law. Regarding the Sabbath day, let us be the ones to realize and show our appreciation for the great sacrifice and love that God shows us through the Sabbath day by keeping it holy on Saturday.