JesusSaidFollowMe Blog

By Greg Gibson

1. Gentile Heathen and Converts Have Never Testified to Knowing About the Sabbath Written on Their Hearts

It’s a fact, no Gentile heathen has ever testified to knowing about the Sabbath on his conscience. And, no Gentile heathen convert has ever testified to knowing about the Sabbath on his heart from regeneration. There’s no evidence that God has ever written the whole Decalogue on any human heart from creation, or from regeneration.

These 2 unquestionable facts alone should be enough to end all debate about whether the Sabbath and the whole Decalogue are universal laws for Gentiles. The theory that the Sabbath is written on the heart has as much evidence as evolution.

2. Genesis 2:2-3 Is a Description, Not a Prescription

Genesis 2:2-3 is a creation description, not a prescription, or creation ordinance (command). God created, God blessed, and God rested, period! Adam didn’t create, Adam didn’t bless, and Adam didn’t rest from creating. Adam could not have rested from creating because he didn’t create.

There’s no more evidence that Adam rested from creating than did the angels, animals, or serpent. Plus, the 7th day was only Adam’s 2nd day. (Although, Adam didn’t rest for 24 hours, but he may have entered into God’s eternal rest.)

Contrary to popular Sabbatarian belief, Exodus 20:11 does not necessarily make God’s creation rest in Genesis 2:2-3 our motive for keeping the Sabbath.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy…For in six days the LORD made the heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day…” (Ex. 20:8, 11).

Was God’s creation rest Israel’s motive or model for keeping the Sabbath? More likely, it was their model since the Lord gave them a different motive (redemption from Egypt) in Deuteronomy 5:15.

“You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day” (Deut. 5:15).

3. Gen. 2:2-3 Is God’s Eternal Rest, Not Man’s 24-Hour, Weekly Rest

“…His works were finished from the foundation of the world” (Heb. 4:3c).

Since God ceased from creating, His rest was eternal, not 24 hours. He didn’t start re-creating on the 8th day. And, obviously He didn’t rest again every 7th day (the 14th day, 21st day, etc.) from His work of creating. In other words, this is God’s eternal rest (Heb. 4:3, 11), not the 24-hour, weekly Sabbath rest given later in Exodus.

The Sabbath has 2 functions in redemptive history…

1. Eternal rest before the Fall, and by faith in Christ after the Fall (Gen. 2:2-3; Col. 2:16-17; Heb. 4:3, 11).

2. The Old Covenant sign/shadow of eschatological, eternal rest by faith in Christ (Ex. 31:13-17; Col. 2:16-17).

Beware of confusing the mere sign/shadow in Exodus 20 with the reality in Genesis 2. God created the human Sabbath in Exodus 16 to testify to His divine rest in Genesis 2, and coming in Christ.

4. God Introduced the Sabbath in the Wilderness and Placed it in the Middle of the Decalogue Because it Was the Sign of the Covenant

Archaeology testifies that the reason God placed the Sabbath in the middle of 9 universal laws was because in ancient, near east treaties, kings often placed the sign of the covenant in the middle of the covenant document.

But, why did the Jews keep the Sabbath in the wilderness (Ex. 16) before the Old Covenant started? Remember when Christ celebrated the Lord’s Supper (the sign of the New Covenant) before the New Covenant started, when He shed the blood of the covenant on the Cross? Apparently, covenant parties often celebrated the sign before putting the covenant into effect.

God first “gave” and “revealed” the Sabbath in the Wilderness, not Eden…

“Mt. Sinai…you made known to them your holy Sabbath…” (Neh. 9:14).

“So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness…I gave them My Sabbaths…” (Ezek. 20:10, 12).

If they already knew the Sabbath from creation, then how could God make it known in the Wilderness? And, if they already had the Sabbath, then how could He give it to them? Notice in Exodus 16, there’s no rebuke to restore the Sabbath. And, He had to explain the instructions on how to keep it because they had never heard.

There’s no evidence that Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob kept the Sabbath. That’s because God introduced the 24-hour, weekly Sabbath in the wilderness, not at creation. (By the way, did you know that the Orthodox Jewish rabbis agree that God first gave the Sabbath to Israel in the wilderness, not Adam at creation?)

5. It’s Impossible That God Changed the Sabbath Day, Because He Still Calls Saturday the Sabbath 13 Times After Christ Rose

It’s 100% impossible that God changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday, after Christ rose. We can know this for certain because He still calls Saturday the Sabbath (the day when the Jews met in the synagogue) 5 times in Acts.

“…And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down” (Acts 13:14, cf. 13:27, 15:21, 17:1-2, 18:4, cf. 13:42, 13:44, 16:13).

Plus, God still calls Sunday the “first (day) from the Sabbath” 8 times (Greek: mia Sabbaton, or protos Sabbaton: Mt. 28:1; Mk. 16:2; 16:9; Lk. 24:1; Jn. 20:1, 20:19; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2). So, if anyone tries to tell you that God changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday, just tell them, “Mia sabbaton.”

Saturday was still THE only Sabbath. Obviously, there could not have been 2 Sabbaths: A Jewish Sabbath on Saturday, followed by a Christian Sabbath on Sunday. In light of these 13 post-resurrection mentions of the Saturday Sabbath, it is impossible that God changed the Sabbath to Sunday.

6. Jewish Authors Criticized the Sabbath Without Exceptions

When I say that the apostles “criticized” the Sabbath and the law, I mean they criticized their misapplication, not as though God made a mistake.

It’s unthinkable that a Jewish author like Paul could believe the Sabbath was still binding when he omitted any exceptions in his 3, negative criticisms of the Sabbath (Rom. 14:5-6; Gal. 4:10; Col. 2:16-17). And, surely if the author of Hebrews believed the Sabbath was transferred to Sunday, he would have explained it in Hebrews 4, right?

Have you ever heard a Sabbatarian teach on any of those passages say, “BUT, we know that can’t include the Christian Sabbath?” Paul never said “but” because he didn’t believe in Sabbatarianism. Just try substituting Sabbatarian exceptions into the verses below, and see how ridiculous they sound…

“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath (except the weekly, Christian Sabbath). These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ” (Col. 2:16-17).

“One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days (except the weekly, Christian Sabbath) alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind” (Rom. 14:5-6).

“…how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days (except the weekly, Christian Sabbath) and months and seasons and years!” (Gal. 4:9-10).

Can you imagine a Jewish author omitting exceptions like that?

7. We Enter Into God’s Eternal Sabbath Rest by Believing the Gospel

“For the gospel came to us…For we who have believed enter that rest” (Heb. 4:2-3).

In Scripture, there are 2 Sabbaths:

1. The big Sabbath: God’s eternal rest (Gen. 2; Heb. 4)
2. The little Sabbath: Man’s 24-hour, weekly rest (Ex. 16, Ex. 20)

The context of Hebrews 3:11 - 4:11 is God’s eternal rest, not man’s 24-hour, weekly rest. The words for “rest” appear 12 times, always meaning God’s eternal rest, never man’s 24-hour, weekly rest.

But, why does Hebrews 4:9 change the word to “Sabbath-keeping?” Because we are keeping Sabbath by resting in Christ, since we believe the gospel (just like we are circumcised, and keeping Passover in Christ). Notice how the context of v. 9 (before in v. 8 and after in v. 10) speaks of God’s eternal rest, not man’s 24-hour rest…

“For if Joshua had given them (eternal) rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a (eternal) Sabbath-keeping for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s (eternal) rest has also rested from his works as God did (eternally) from His” (Heb. 4:8-10).

And in Hebrews 4, notice how the 2 other verses with the word “remains” refer to God’s eternal Sabbath rest, not man’s 24-hour, Sabbath rest…

“Therefore, while the promise of entering His (eternal) rest still remains…” (Heb. 4:1).

“They shall not enter My (eternal) rest. Since therefore it remains for some to enter (My eternal rest)…” (Heb. 4:5-6).

“So then, there remains a (eternal) Sabbath-keeping for the people of God” (Heb. 4:9).

So in Hebrews 4, all 12 uses of “rest” refer to God’s eternal rest, not man’s 24-hour, weekly rest. And, all 3 uses of “remains” refer to God’s eternal rest, not man’s 24-hour, weekly rest. This is the big Sabbath, not the little Sabbath.

This eternal rest of God is the same salvation rest that Jesus invites us to enter: “Come to Me, all those tired of working, and burdened, and I will give you rest…You will find rest for your souls.” (Mt. 11:28-29).

(Excerpted from the book: “ALL Old Testament Laws Cancelled”
24 Reasons Why All Old Testament Laws Are Cancelled, And All New Testament Laws Are for Our Obedience, by Greg Gibson, pp. 30-35.)