Stay Home for the Sabbath?

The Bible contains no requirement to go to church on Saturday, but does it require Sabbath-keepers to stay home? And where does a Sabbath day's journey fit in to this? Let's see if we can find an answer.

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While I was studying for the article "What Do You Mean... ‘Holy Convocation’?", an interesting point came up which I wanted to go over in more depth but I didn't have the space in that article. So, I thought we could go over it here. It has to do with what ancient Israel did on the weekly Sabbath, or more specifically, where they would be.

To start, let's review the underlying issue so we know why we're going over today's topic in the first place.

Sabbatarianism tends toward legalism and fixating on commands. Sabbatarians believe the weekly Sabbath is a command for Christians and going to church is how the Sabbath is commanded to be "kept". Church on Saturday is central to their identity. Meanwhile, going to church on Sunday, specifically, is condemned in the strongest terms as a man-made tradition in defiance of the laws of the Almighty.
The catch is, there is no command to 'go to church' on Sabbath anywhere in the Bible. Search all you wish, you will not find one. That's a big part of what the post "What Do You Mean... ‘Holy Convocation’?" was all about. The Sabbath is not about when you go to church, but Sabbatarianism is.

At this point, the conversation usually shifts to traditions, but I will spare you that. Instead, I recommend the posts "Common Legalist Arguments - Part VIII" and "Established and Imposed".

This is the background issue that brings us to today's post. Today we ask, perhaps God did not give a command to go to church/synagogue on Sabbath, but did God command Israel to be anywhere in particular? Some will turn to Exodus 16.

PLACE

(EXO. 16:28-30) 28 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? 29 See! For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

The Israelites, to whom the law was given, were commanded by Moses to stay in their homes for the Sabbath.

There is no doubt that this command exists. But it's more than that. I want to share this interesting tidbit from Barnes' Commentary:

"The expression in Hebrew is unique and seems almost to enjoin a position of complete repose: “in his place” is literally under himself, as the Oriental sits with his legs drawn up under him."

So, they were to stay not just at home but where they were. As we should expect, it was understood in different ways. Just look at this interesting tidbit from Adam Clarke's Commentary:

"Some of the Jews have carried the rigorous observance of the letter of this law to such a length, that in whatever posture they find themselves on the Sabbath morning when they awake, they continue in the same during the day; or should they be up and happen to fall, they refuse even to rise till the Sabbath be ended! Mr. Stapleton tells a story of one Rabbi Solomon, who fell into a slough on the Jewish Sabbath, Saturday, and refused to be pulled out."

Have you ever followed the law that closely? In my 30 years as a Sabbatarian, I never did. So much for my righteousness in the law exceeding that of the Pharisees!

For all those who ask, "can we follow Jesus and ignore the Torah," will you ignore this part of Torah?

But don't make up your mind yet. There is more to this story. The question becomes: was Israel really forevermore required to stay home for the Sabbath?

MANNA

What do we say here at As Bereans Did? Context, context, context. And what is the context of Exodus 16:29? Manna.

The Israelites were being tested with the manna and they were failing. They were told not to keep it overnight. They did anyway. God sent worms and rot. They were told not to gather it on Sabbath. They did anyway. Moses commanded them to stay home. The command to stay at home appears to be a way to get the people to follow the rules of manna collection. Can't quite collect it if you're home.

Now, we find ourselves with two options:

Option 1:
Exodus 16:29 could be understood as only pertaining to the Israelites in the Desert Wandering at that time when both manna and the law were being introduced and Israel had to learn how to navigate the new conditions; a temporary command. There is no 'this shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations' attached.

Option 2:
Exodus 16:29 could be understood as a permanent command. There may not be a 'this shall be a perpetual statute' but there also is no clear indication that it ended or was intended to end. Keep in mind, even though this might look like it was about manna collection, the manna collection was itself set up in such a way as to teach Sabbath observance. We've come full circle.

Can I justify one over the other? Well ... it's complicated.

There is no small amount of scholarly work to go on here. Just for example, see Biblehub's list of commentaries on this verse. Many commentators understand the command as being specific to the gathering of manna. Many do not. Commentators aside, what did Israel understand it to mean? Many, perhaps most, Israelites understood it as a permanent command. So, we have evidence for both options.

But! At the same time, the Israelites who did believe it was perpetual do not appear to believe the perpetual command was to stay home ...or in a ditch. I mean, there couldn't be people offering to pull that guy from the ditch if they all were all at home, or in agreement with the guy in the ditch.

Let's get more detail to see if we can make some sense of this dilemma.

DWELLINGS

(LEV. 23:3) 3 ‘Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings [moshevoteykhem].

This verse has implications for Exodus 16:29. I am going to pull a short selection from that Holy Convocation article:

We have another Hebrew word now: moshevoteykhem (מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם) which means dwelling places, habitations, places where people live - be that homes or home towns. The result of this is the opposite of being commanded to travel to Jerusalem. For the non-pilgrimage holy days there were no large gatherings. They were all smaller.

So, we have two places where miqra qodesh [holy convocation] can happen: at the Temple in Jerusalem, and wherever you dwell. Neither of those are 'at church'. Some portions of miqra qodesh were national and some familial. Some large assemblies and some small assemblies. Some at designated places and some wherever you happen to be.

So 'dwellings' can mean 'homes', sure enough, but must it mean homes? I don't think so. Why not? Because let's look at another place where "in all your dwellings" appears.

(NUM. 35:29) And these things shall be a statute of judgment to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

This part of Numbers 35 talks about murderers, and witnesses necessary for the death penalty, and posting bail, and refuge cities, etc. How in the world are those supposed to be 'in your house'? This is only one example. Other examples are quite similar. Insisting that dwellings must mean homes plays havoc with this and other laws.

I just do not see how we can get moshevoteykhem to always mean 'at home'. It can mean 'at home' sometimes, but not always. And if it's not always, then it's contextual. I do not see anything in the context of Leviticus 23:3 that makes me believe it should be understood as exclusively at home. Even the extremist who refused to be pulled from a ditch did not believe this meant to be at home, as certainly there was no ditch inside his house. It would be better understood as, "It is the Sabbath of the Lord in all the places where Israelites settle." In other words, in their towns. And if you weren't in your town at the time, then by implication this means something closer to 'wherever you happen to be.'

If this is how Leviticus 23:3 is understood, then this has implications for Exodus 16:29.

This detail isn't the only clue we have.

FAMILIAL

Let's look at the law for the Sabbath and note something:

(EXO. 20:10b) In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.

(DEU. 5: 14) but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.

These clearly speak in household terms. These words aren't, "You and your constituents and your townsfolk and your country sides, etc." These words aren't, "You and your congregation and your choir and your service organizer and your prayer leader and your sound crew, etc." These are familial words.

I am trying to make two points here:

First, there is a clear focus on family. Who was responsible for ensuring regular duties had stopped? The head of household. Who did the teaching on Sabbath? The parents. This isn't about going to church. This isn't about sitting for an hour trying not to fall asleep while someone else presents part 38 in a 52-part sermon series. Not a single word spent on Ministers and their fiefdoms and their importance in prophecy and how they are the only ones qualified to teach. Not one jot or one tittle wasted on "pay, pray, stay."

Second, on the pilgrimage holy days, Israel was required to assemble as a nation. But apart from those three, nothing in the laws regarding the sacred assemblies (that includes the weekly Sabbath) ever says what size the assembly had to be, or where it had to be. It could be a town, or a home, or a large gathering, or even as little as a single family, or perhaps it was two families gathered together in a home for a Sabbath visit. Leave your house, stay home, it's all good ...just don't go far.

Finally, let's wrap this up with a few smaller clues.

CLUES

There is a tiny clue hidden in II Kings that demonstrates ancient Israelites did not understand that they were required to stay home. Apparently, it was normal to go see a prophet on Sabbaths and New Moons.

(II KIN. 4:23) So he said, “Why are you going to him [Elisha] today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.”

Ancient Israelites might not have been going to synagogue on Sabbath, because synagogues didn't exist at that time, but it seems going to see a prophet was within the realm of possibility. Going to see a prophet by definition means not staying at home. So, maybe not stay at home, but stay close to home.
Also, for all those who say the Sabbath is mandatory but New Moons aren't important, you might want to rethink that.

Interestingly, most of the commentaries I've read mention Exodus 16:29 as the source for where the idea of a Sabbath day's journey comes from.

(ACT. 1:12) 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey.

If the Israelites, including the Apostles, understood that they were to stay at home on Sabbath, then the concept of a Sabbath day's journey should not exist. A Sabbath day's journey should be across the room. Once again, Israel saw it as a permanent command, but not to stay still or even to stay home, but to stay in their dwellings. It is a restriction on travel, but not a restriction on leaving home.

And now maybe this verse also makes more sense:

(ACT. 16:13) And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.

How can one go to see a prophet or on a Sabbath-day's journey, or gather at a river, when they were supposed to be at synagogue? How can one be at synagogue when they were supposed to stay home? They can't.

The answer is, none of these things were required. Going to synagogue was never a requirement in the first place. Even in the time of synagogue, it wasn't mandatory to go there. But more importantly for today's article, staying home for the Sabbath appears more and more like it was not mandatory.

One last clue to point out here. There were three annual pilgrimage festivals where all the males in Israel were commanded to appear at the Temple in Jerusalem: Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. We know Unleavened Bread and Tabernacles were seven days long (Tabernacles was eight if you count the last day). There was guaranteed to be a weekly Sabbath in there somewhere. Tell me, how can one be at the Temple in Jerusalem for the annual holy days and at home for the weekly Sabbath at the same time? Not possible. But this can be done: stay close to where you are dwelling at that time.

One might wonder what the official word from Armstrongism was on this. Well, there wasn't really one. Here, read this typical comment:

"Some people ask about the mention of 'a sabbath day’s journey' in Act; 1: 12. There is no special command anywhere in the Bible limiting travel on the Sabbath. This 'sabbath day’s journey' was a custom of the Jews and is not a biblical command."
-Rod Meredith, "Rejoice In God's Sabbath!", Good News Magazine, Dec. 1957, p.5

Hopefully, you can now see why this was not correct. There is a law limiting travel: Exodus 16:29, which says, "Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." The Sabbath day's journey is not merely a custom of the Jews, it is their way of interpreting how Exodus 16:29 applied to them in light of all the other relevant evidence. Disagree with the conclusion Israel came to if you must, but at least address it. Armstrongism did not address it; it ignored it. The same way it ignores how the Fourth Commandment was written specifically for Israel. This is entirely par for the course with Armstrongism.

Meredith goes on to say how a walk on Sabbath is good but you shouldn't walk so far as to tire yourself. The Sabbath law of rest was not about staying well rested, it was about ceasing from normal activity and treating the time as holy and set apart, belonging to God, not for ordinary use. He didn't even understand the primary feature of the day. These are Sabbatarians we're talking about. What irony! A group whose entire identity is this one thing, yet they clearly misunderstand the very core of the thing.

CONCLUSION

Did God command Israel to be anywhere in particular? Yes. He said to stay in place. The question is not whether Exodus 16:29 says to stay in place; it does. The question is: what does that mean, exactly, and to whom does it apply? It applies to Israel, to whom the law was given, and none besides. The evidence as I see it points away from it literally meaning 'stay in your house' (or staying in a ditch all day). There appears to be more leeway to it than that. To Israel, "place" seems to have meant something closer to 'surrounding area'. So, no, a Sabbath-keeper does not appear to be required to stay home for Sabbath.

This post isn't really about a Sabbath day's journey. That is a secondary item, but one I thought was helpful to the main point. During my time in Armstrongism, we were never told how the Sabbath day's journey came about. We read about it in Acts and dismissed it as yet another odd tradition of the Pharisees. Turns out it is built on grappling with Exodus 16:29 and other evidence, like we did today. We don't know exactly how it started or by whom, but I imagine it started because there is no clear answer in Scripture, and some Rabbi probably got fed up with being asked about it and just came up with an answer. I can't fault that.

The upside of today's article is:
Sabbatarians narrowly escape repeating the error of the Pharisees. There is no law to go to church on Sabbath, and it doesn't look like there was a law to stay home either. So, going to church does not vacate any law in favor of tradition.

The downsides include:
1) Most Sabbatarians simply ignore this command entirely. They either aren't aware of it or they simply ignore it as if it isn't there. They neither stay still, nor at home, nor a Sabbath day's journey, nor anything else besides.
2) We still have the issue of not having a command to go to church. Sabbatarianism turns an opinion about a man-made tradition into a command, all while condemning man-made traditions.
3) Sabbatarian churches are going to have to decide for themselves how to interpret Exodus 16:29. Does that make it ... a tradition?
4) This has implications for the annual holy days as well. I have the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles particularly in mind, since people often begin their long journeys home on that day.

To help you move forward, I suggest these articles:

What Do You Mean... ‘Holy Convocation’?
Established and Imposed
Common Legalist Arguments - Part VIII
The Sabbath Rest of Genesis 2
The Road to Sabbatarianism - Part I
Editing The Commandments
Acts 15 - What Was Debated - Part I
Confusing the Covenants
If You Love Me, Keep My Commandments
For Paul, Jesus Is The Answer

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It is important that you understand; Everything on this blog is based on the current understanding of each author. Never take anyone's word for it, always prove it for yourself, it is your responsibility. You cannot ride someone else's coattail into the Kingdom. ; )

Acts 17:11

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A Wondrous Thing: Salvation Sans the Law

Now here is a wondrous thing to contemplate.

Jesus came preaching the Gospel — the good news regarding Salvation being a matter of faith in Him – belief in Him.

Those who opposed Him did so in favor of the law, and many today who claim to believe Him as being the Christ to come cannot fathom God saving people without the benefit or inclusion of the law. So they conclude the law is a given, and anyone who believes otherwise, they conclude those people are looking for “cheap grace,” where this version of the Gospel is merely an attempt to justify a sinful lifestyle.

Such people believe and insist the Gospel and grace are not a license to sin, and they are correct. What they fail to realize however is that they still sin themselves. What the Gospel does is rescue the sinner from the consequences of sin – the consequences having been transferred to Jesus who forgives us our sins simply because He took our sins to Himself.

Why then would someone insist the law still plays a role when part of that includes condemnation meted out by that law for sin against the ones who actually sin? All have sinned. All have fallen short of the glory of God. That is a given; an intractable truth. Do you want condemnation?

Paul addresses this in regards to sin where sins are the fruit of the flesh and not the Spirit and those led by the Spirit.

(Romans 8:4-14) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. °For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. °For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. °Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. °So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. °But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. °And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. °But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. °Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. °For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. °For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

There is no mention of the works of the law, such as the Sabbath and transgressions of the works of the law as being a sin of concern when it comes to condemnation.

When we examine the claim of those who question salvation through grace being cheap grace, we find that their complaint revolves around the Sabbath commandment, and the Decalogue in general. Now consider this in light of what Paul wrote as stated above regarding the works of the flesh.

Works of the flesh transcend the works of the law and Sabbath. By insisting the sins that will bar you from eternal life are found solely within the confines of the Decalogue and Sabbath, the innumerable sins of the flesh are what are ignored and made irrelevant when it comes to salvation; eternal life. For accusations are often leveled in an attempt to overlook something else; distract you from something important; something relevant. A Christian who believes what Jesus preached regarding the nature of the Gospel lacks the Sabbath according to those who embrace the Sabbath, while they ignore and overlook the issue of the flesh and being led by the flesh, and not the Spirit, where such accusations are in fact works of the flesh; judging and condemning others according to appearance (breaking the Sabbath) which Jesus identifies and equivocates with unrighteous judgment that was specifically addressed by Jesus in relation to working on the Sabbath.

The wondrous thing then is how people cannot imagine God providing salvation; eternal life without the law that threatens them with eternal death for non-compliance. Under this scenario, not one person would ever be saved.

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It is important that you understand; Everything on this blog is based on the current understanding of each author. Never take anyone's word for it, always prove it for yourself, it is your responsibility. You cannot ride someone else's coattail into the Kingdom. ; )

Acts 17:11

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Theological Catch-22

There is a ‘Catch-22’ when it comes to discerning good and evil.

If your heart is evil, then there is no way for you to discern what is truly good as contrasted to evil. It is a situation described in Scripture where evil people call evil good, and good, evil.

(Isaiah 5:20) Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

We can further elaborate on this subject by citing what Jesus had to say in this regard.

(Matthew 7:17-20) Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. °A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. °Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. °Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

(Matthew 12:35) A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

With these two passages of Scripture, it should be apparent that the real problem resides in the heart, mind, and soul of mankind, which is where we can identify the culprit.

(Jeremiah 17:9) The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

What does a deceitful heart do? Create deceptions. Who can know it? Not the deceived, where that desperate heart deceives the self, first and foremost. What then will a desperate, wicked, deceitful heart do in order to insulate itself from good?

Anything and everything it can.

The end result is a person who is, realistically, unable to discern between good and evil, and being evil, chooses the evil and disguises it to look good; making excuses and rationalizations so as to make evil appear good and good (people) look evil in order to further cloak their own evil and the evil works they think are good.

What happens then when an otherwise evil person, who has embraced religion in order to look and appear good, is confronted with the Gospel? They must manipulate and massage the Gospel to conform to their already established system that they use to cloak their evil hearts.

If the Pharisees are any indication, this can be done by embracing the law, where one gives a convincing projection of themselves as being good because of the law and their devotion to it. Keeping the law is the standard by which they can not only judge themselves as good, as well as others who likewise have embraced this methodology, it also results in an outlet for evil to practice the evil of condemning others of evil for rejecting what they uphold is the standard for doing good.

Consider then what Jesus had to say to the Pharisees whose “right”-eousness was through the law.

(Matthew 21:28-32) But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. °He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. °And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. °Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. °For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

The publicans and harlots who believed enter into the kingdom of God “before” the Pharisees, which can be understood in two ways, where “before” implies they enter into the kingdom later, or they stand there watching the others enter into the kingdom in their presence and they do not. They watch others enter when and where they do not.

A hopefully simple question for those who have embraced law and see the law as the means for them to look upright and “obedient” to God, even if only the Decalogue and not the whole law. The publicans and harlots did not keep the law. They were not obedient to it, and yet here they are, entering into God’s kingdom while those “obedient” to the law do not. Those “obedient” to the law see faith/belief as part of keeping the law, yet this example trashes that assumption.

But with a desperately deceitful heart; a wicked, evil heart of unbelief (Heb. 3:12) like the Pharisees who relied on the law, there will be a rude awakening later.

The way out for those with the evil hearts is only possible through one avenue, and that is where they receive what only God can relate to them. Only He can crack open a closed, evil mind.

When the Gospel was preached to the Jews by Jesus, a relatively very few believed Him, due to their hard hearts ensconced in the law. Same with the preaching of the Gospel by the disciples after Jesus’ death and resurrection. But all of the persecution of Jesus and His followers came from those of the law, who used the law as the means of persecuting and putting many of them to death.

And still today, many will not see the obvious. And if you don’t see what is so plainly placed before you, that is your own evil heart holding you prisoner, with the law that produces wrath and makes all guilty before God.

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It is important that you understand; Everything on this blog is based on the current understanding of each author. Never take anyone's word for it, always prove it for yourself, it is your responsibility. You cannot ride someone else's coattail into the Kingdom. ; )

Acts 17:11

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The Biblical Days Checklist

I have created a "holy day success checklist" from the law to help you remember all of the things you've done throughout the year in the observance of God's laws of the annual biblical days.

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So, the annual festival days are over. That was the best Feast ever. You're back at home from the Feast of Tabernacles. You're probably dealing with that post-Feast depression that grips you once your normal schedule resumes and the bitter disappointment in the modern world sets in. But at least you can know you obeyed God by observing the things He commanded in the law.

To help you fight that post-Feast depression, I've created this handy checklist of the laws regarding the holy days so you can check off the ones you obeyed and recapture that sense of accomplishment you might not be seeing right now due to the general malaise and disenchantment. Just print this out and check off 100% the boxes.

OK, not 100%. I've made this list inclusive so that if you happen to be a Levitical/Aaronic priest, you too can use this list to make sure you've performed your parts. Since all 613 laws don't apply to all people, most people can just skip these ones. Just check off 100% of the non-priestly boxes.

Next year in Jerusalem!

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Biblical Days Success Checklist

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Before the Feasts

☐ Take caution that you complete any necessary rituals to become an Israelite so you may participate.

☐ Take caution that you observe cleanliness rituals so you may participate.

☐ Have the appropriate calendar, with new moons and etc. (Not the modern Jewish calendar.)

For the priests:

☐ Have the Levitical priesthood available.

☐ Have the Aaronic High Priest available.

☐ Have the Temple in Jerusalem (the place where God chose to place His name).

☐ Have the Holy Place in the Temple.

☐ Have the Most Holy Place in the Holy Place in the Temple.

☐ Have the altar.

☐ Have all the prescribed items necessary for the sacrificial system.

☐ Have a shofar.

☐ Have the priestly silver trumpets.

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Passover

☐ Select the prescribed Passover animal.

☐ Select it at the prescribed time.

☐ Keep it until the appointed day.

☐ Bring it to Jerusalem (the place where God chose to place His name).

☐ Have it slaughtered according to the prescribed procedure.

☐ Roast the Passover animal. Do not boil it.

☐ Wait until the appropriate evening on the 14th day of the 1st month.

☐ Eat it at the place God chose.

☐ Eat it with unleavened bread.

☐ Eat it with bitter herbs.

☐ Do not break its bones.

☐ Do not leave any of it until morning.

☐ Return to your dwelling place after the Passover meal.

☐ Observe the restrictions governing who may eat it (hint: not Gentiles).

☐ Observe the prescribed memorial of Israel's bondage in Egypt, and how God rescued them.

For the priests:

☐ Slaughter the animals according to the prescribed procedure.

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Unleavened Bread

☐ Remove leaven as commanded.

☐ Eat unleavened bread for seven days.

☐ Observe the first day as a holy convocation.

☐ Do no ordinary work on the first day.

☐ Observe the seventh day as a holy convocation.

☐ Do no ordinary work on the seventh day.

For the priests:

☐ Proclaim the first day to be holy. If it's not consecrated, then it's not holy.

☐ Proclaim the last day to be holy. If it's not consecrated, then it's not holy.

☐ Present the prescribed offerings throughout the seven days.

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Firstfruits

☐ Decide whether to follow the Pharisees or the Sadducees in determining when to count the Omer.

☐ Cut the first sheaf of the wheat harvest.

☐ Bring it to the priest.

☐ Give the prescribed portion to the poor, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.

☐ Do not eat the new grain before the prescribed offering is made.

For the priests:

☐ Have the priest wave the sheaf before God.

☐ Present the prescribed lamb.

☐ Present the prescribed grain offering.

☐ Present the prescribed drink offering.

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Weeks / Pentecost

☐ Count seven complete weeks / seven Sabbaths / fifty days from the Wave Sheaf.

☐ Travel to Jerusalem (the place where God chose to place His name).

☐ Observe the day as a holy convocation.

☐ Do no ordinary work/activities.

☐ Rejoice before God at the place He chose.

☐ Bring the prescribed new-grain offering.

For the Priests:

☐ Proclaim the day to be holy. If it's not consecrated, then it's not holy.

☐ Priests bake the two prescribed loaves with leaven.

☐ Have the priest wave the two loaves.

☐ Have the priest wave the prescribed lambs.

☐ Present the prescribed burnt offerings.

☐ Present the prescribed sin offering.

☐ Present the prescribed peace offerings.

☐ Make the required freewill offering.

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Trumpets

☐ Observe the first day of the seventh month as a holy convocation.

☐ Do no ordinary work/activities.

For the priests:

☐ Proclaim the day to be holy. If it's not consecrated, then it's not holy.

☐ Have the Aaronic priests perform the prescribed shofar blowing (remember, it doesn't say 'trumpet' in Hebrew).

☐ Have the Aaronic priests blow the two silver trumpets when required for the appointed assembly.

☐ Present the prescribed burnt offerings.

☐ Present the prescribed sin offering.

☐ Present the prescribed grain offerings.

☐ Present the prescribed drink offerings.

☐ Perform the regular daily offering.

☐ Perform the prescribed new-moon offering.

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Day of Atonement

☐ Observe a holy convocation.

☐ Do no ordinary work/activities.

☐ Afflict yourself.

☐ Observe the day as a Sabbath rest.

For the priests:

☐ Proclaim the first day to be holy. If it's not consecrated, then it's not holy.

☐ Have the High Priest perform the prescribed atonement ritual.

☐ Have the High Priest enter the Most Holy Place.

☐ Have the High Priest wear the prescribed sacred garments.

☐ Make atonement for the sanctuary.

☐ Make atonement for the altar.

☐ Make atonement for the priesthood.

☐ Make atonement for the people.

☐ Provide the two prescribed goats.

☐ Sacrifice the prescribed goat.

☐ Confess Israel's sins over the live goat.

☐ Send the other goat away according to the prescribed ritual.

☐ Perform the prescribed annual sacrifices.

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Tabernacles / Booths

☐ Go to Jerusalem (the place where God chose to place His name).

☐ Bring the prescribed offerings, the firstfruits of the fall harvest.

☐ Observe the first day as a holy convocation.

☐ Do no ordinary work/activities on the first day.

☐ Take the prescribed branches.

☐ Rejoice before God for seven days.

☐ Dwell in booths for seven days.

☐ Observe the prescribed memorial of Israel's wilderness dwelling.

☐ Include the household in the rejoicing.

☐ Include the Levites.

☐ Include the resident foreigner.

☐ Include the fatherless and widow.

☐ Bring the required offerings.

For the priests:

☐ Proclaim the first day to be holy. If it's not consecrated, then it's not holy.

☐ Offer thirteen bulls on the first day.

☐ Offer twelve bulls on the second day.

☐ Offer eleven bulls on the third day.

☐ Offer ten bulls on the fourth day.

☐ Offer nine bulls on the fifth day.

☐ Offer eight bulls on the sixth day.

☐ Offer seven bulls on the seventh day.

☐ Offer the prescribed rams each day.

☐ Offer the prescribed lambs each day.

☐ Offer the prescribed goat each day.

☐ Offer the prescribed grain offerings.

☐ Offer the prescribed drink offerings.

☐ Perform the regular daily offerings.

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Eighth Day

☐ Observe the entire eighth day as a solemn assembly in Jerusalem. (Do not leave until the day is over.)

☐ Do no ordinary work/activities. (Including driving home.)

For the priests:

☐ Proclaim the day to be holy. If it's not consecrated, then it's not holy.

☐ Present the prescribed burnt offerings.

☐ Present the prescribed sin offering.

☐ Present the prescribed grain offerings.

☐ Present the prescribed drink offerings.

☐ Perform the regular daily offering.

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How did you do? Did you miss any?
Did you keep 100% of the laws that apply to you?

I bet there is someone out there who is taking umbrage with my list. Perhaps it makes you feel as if you aren't keeping the law. I do regret that. But my list is a simple list taken from the Father's laws. Laws "which Jesus didn't remove", right? "Until heaven and earth passes away, not one jot or one tittle," right? It's hardly fair to fault my list. Isn't keeping the law up to you?

Perhaps someone out there thinks most of these things are no longer necessary in the New Covenant period because they are ceremonial and Jesus did remove them. (Wait. What happened to "not one jot or one tittle?") Would it surprise you that I agree? The difference is, I believe none of these things are necessary any longer, not one, because absolutely all of it was Old Covenant law, all of it was for physical Israel alone, all of it was ceremonial, all of it pointed to Jesus Christ, and all of it was fulfilled by Him.

But nevertheless, if we wish to participate in the singular and indivisible body of Old Covenant law that was given to the people of Israel, then we cannot take it upon ourselves to carve it up into the parts we want to keep, the parts we skip because we know we cannot keep, and the parts we change to make it more possible to keep.

For example, would we be saying, "Next year in Jerusalem," if we kept the law, which states every year in Jerusalem? In fact, three times every year in Jerusalem. The law of travelling three times a year to the place where the Lord places His name wasn't intended as some millennial hope. It was the command. A command you could have kept (if indeed you feel you must keep these commands). If you didn't go to the one designated location for the Feast, did you go to the Feast at all? Should we be picking and choosing fine vacation destinations as "the place where the Lord places His name" when the law already sets that place? Should we be camping in our back yards and making things up as we go along? The goal is to keep the law, right? Well, that list above is from the law. Check those boxes! Or don't.

People say, "God commands and we must obey." OK. Then obey.
But they can't.
People say, "We have to keep the parts we can keep." OK. Then do it.
But they don't.
People say, "The ceremonial law is not necessary in the New Covenant." OK. Then don't do it.
But they still try.
But more importantly, 'keep some, skip some, change some' is not how the law worked.

(DEU. 12:32) Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.
(JAS. 2:10) For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

Keep all the law or you're not keeping the law at all.

I will concede this: if attempting to keep some of the law helps you develop a closer relationship with God, then hey, I wish you the best. Even though it might not seem like it, As Bereans Did has always made the distinction that we are free to do what our conscience dictates. So, if you feel you must do what you do, then do so. (But must you?) Or, if you feel it's a benefit to your faith, then we have no quarrel with this. Our two main concerns in all of this are really: 1) the gravely dangerous mistake that we must earn something or qualify for something through [partial] law-keeping, and 2) the judgment and condemnation that so frequently goes along with such things. We recommend Paul's advice:

(ROM. 14:6,12-13) 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.
12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

It's the judgment and condemnation Paul is against. We know from experience that what starts as, "Keep the law," tends to end in, "...like I do, and you're a sinner if you don't." The elephant in this room is: you're not actually keeping the law that you say you keep. So, since neither of us keep the law, let's not beat each other up over it, eh?

But! There is an even better solution available to you. I invite you to investigate it. See, "For Paul, Jesus Is The Answer".

(DEU.12:8-11a) 8 “You shall not at all do as we are doing here today—every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes— 9 for as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you. 10 But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety, 11 then there will be the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the Lord. 12 And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion nor inheritance with you. 13 Take heed to yourself that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see; 14 but in the place which the Lord chooses, in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.

For more, I suggest:

Why Not Keep Biblical Days?
What Do You Mean... 'Holy Convocation'?
Is Ceremonial Law Removed?
You SHOULD Keep the Feast of Tabernacles
Shadows, Nails and the Fall Holy Days
Three Times in the Year part1
The God’s Law Controversy
Common Legalist Arguments - Part II
Editing the Commandments
Temple of God / Law of God
The Sabbath Rest of Isaiah 66
Confusing the Covenants

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It is important that you understand; Everything on this blog is based on the current understanding of each author. Never take anyone's word for it, always prove it for yourself, it is your responsibility. You cannot ride someone else's coattail into the Kingdom. ; )

Acts 17:11

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Evils of Adventist Sabbatarianism

(Matthew 7:19) Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

If you have bought into deceptions, believing them to be truth, then you will not recognize real truths; spiritual truths. Spiritual truths are substituted with things more physical in nature, where the carnal mind can grasp things physical, being physical.

A deceptive ideology needs to have one, overarching belief upon which all else is built; this sand castle built of sand. It must contain biblical elements, rearranged into a convincing belief model.

With Adventism, this overarching belief upon which all else is built upon is the weekly Sabbath; seen as the ‘missing link’ of true Christianity, with the balance of the Decalogue held together with it… the Commandment with the special aura surrounding it by the balance of the Decalogue.

The indoctrination of Sabbatarianism results in a near impenetrable barrier of the core belief. The escape from Sabbatarianism begins in the outer fringes of the belief model, where things don’t add up. Given enough time and exposure, some begin to see a picture develop that is inconsistent with much of what is ancillary to the basic belief model, chipping away at the foundation. Quite a number who leave Sabbatarianism do so not over the Sabbath but the administration of it, and all that flows downstream from it, so that it is the Sabbath that is the last thing that is abandoned, if ever.

My opening citation points out the necessity to produce good fruits; good works that can only be carried out in and through the Holy Spirit, which of course necessitates having the Holy Spirit in you to begin with; working through you. The Holy Spirit does not operate in a false system. What a false religion must do as a result is convince the minions within the system of some substitute for the Holy Spirit; in this case that is keeping the of the Sabbath and the Decalogue is a demonstration of love for God and fellow man. No critical thinking examination of either the claim or the results of keeping them is permitted.

If you refrain from murdering others, is that an expression of love, and if so, then how? Realistically, how is refraining from doing an evil act the same as doing a good act? How does that producing good fruits? Good works? Did not the Pharisees, whom Jesus labeled as evil children of the devil doing the will of their father the devil. not keep the law; the Decalogue? Yes. Even the Apostle Paul relates that when he was an active, practicing Pharisee that when it came to the law, he was blameless... so blameless that he saw putting Stephen the Martyr to death and persecuting the church as being a good work, following the dictates of the Decalogue as he understood it.

As an analogy, the Adventist core belief of keeping the Decalogue can be visualized as a tree that produces no fruit either good or evil. It is a fruit tree in the grove we will refer to as the “murder tree” that produces murderous fruit. If it stops producing fruit, now Adventists label it a good tree because it no longer produces murder fruit. It is now, however, a fruitless tree. It is as that fig tree that Jesus cursed, that withered and died in one day, ready for kindling.

Thus, if you are being honest with yourself, keeping the Decalogue is not about expressing love for anyone. They are commandments that require restraint from doing evil. For, again, bad trees cannot produce good fruit. Bad trees can only stop producing bad/evil fruit.

If you are the typical person who bought into the idea that keeping the Decalogue is the same as expressing good works, you will think of the commandment to honor one’s parents, where not honoring one’s parents in Jewish society was considered an evil thing of neglect. It is, upon careful examination, another example of refraining from doing evil by not at least giving your parents their due respect, despite any abuse you might have suffered at their hands, seeing as they too are bad trees, producing only bad fruits even in child rearing.

The next kink in the armor of Sabbatarianism is expressly an issue with Adventism. I will set the scene thus.

In discussing good and evil works done on the Sabbath, Jesus pointed out expressly that the “destruction of life” was evil; a sinful act.

In 1970, Adventist hospitals began carrying out elective abortions, starting with Castle hospital, an Adventist hospital in Hawaii, in the Kailua area, less than two miles from where I lived at the time, and I have walked the halls of that hospital.

Abortion; especially elective abortions is the destruction of life. There is no way to side-step this, morally. But an evil person, devoid of the Holy Spirit, will find self-justification for just about any evil.

Adventists claim and insist the Decalogue; the 10 Commandments are “moral law” without exception, especially the Sabbath, whereas the destruction of life, reprehensible in the sight of God, has been performed in Adventists hospitals, and carried out by Adventist doctors for profit, in pursuit of the ‘Almighty Dollar.’ The Adventist church has even recognized the “work” of Adventist doctors in this regard, with accolades, while the dumb sheeple divert their attention, and continue the mantra that it is “God’s church” and thus somehow this is acceptable to the rank and file of Adventism.

Evil people busy themselves with outward appearance, so they ignore the appearance of evil while embracing it privately and internally. Every Adventist is complicit when it comes to the evil works of Adventism, where the destruction of life carried out by their hospitals and Doctors is ignored; burying the evil fruit they produce, then declaring publicly they produce good fruit by keeping the Sabbath; a “work” where they do no “work.” A day where they refrain from evil works, such as the destruction of life even in their hospitals, doing that the other six days.

An evil tree produces only evil fruit; evil works, and the destruction of life was specifically addressed by God Incarnate; Jesus Christ, as evil works.

If you are an Adventist, I remind you of what you yourselves repeat constantly; that you are duty-bound to keep the law; be obedient to it. That law says not to do murder. Jesus said murder; the lawless destruction of life, is evil. Both the law and Jesus testify against you. The Sabbath does not negate the rest of the law, or the rest of the Decalogue you now claim to be the “whole” law when you read and cite James 2:10, and where verse 11 condemns you.

(James 2:10-11) For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

Now, go ahead. Do what you commonly do… vilify those who shine a light on your evil deeds. That is what evil people do; lash out when the spotlight is on them. Whatever you do, do not repent of your evil participation; your silent assent to the evils of Adventism. Your just ‘reward’ awaits.

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It is important that you understand; Everything on this blog is based on the current understanding of each author. Never take anyone's word for it, always prove it for yourself, it is your responsibility. You cannot ride someone else's coattail into the Kingdom. ; )

Acts 17:11

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The Gospel: The First, The Last, and the Kingdom

There is an interesting aspect of the Gospel that I am just now beginning to comprehend. It is not just a message of Christ’s salvation through His sacrifice and a call to repent and believe the Gospel. It goes much deeper than that.

It is a message that has in essence a two fold meaning and purpose. It is the means by which God makes known those He is calling now, and those He is not, yet holding them responsible for its rejection by the faithless that make up the vast majority of mankind.

The faithless, stiff-necked and rebellious hear the Gospel. Those with the “deceitful and desperately wicked hearts” which all are born with hear the Gospel. Those with evil hearts of unbelief hear and are exposed to the Gospel, and they reject it. Not outright, but through what a deceitful heart does, taking it and transforming it into a message palatable to an evil heart, that is also an evil mind and soul – an evil ego.

The ego demands “participation” because the ego demands credit for accomplishments; real or imagined. That God would grant salvation, grant righteousness, grant repentance takes all the spiritual wind out of the sails of those whose egos demand recognition. They must present salvation as a goal to be achieved through personal effort, where they elevate the self and debase those less capable; less determined, and less talented as they. They must have bragging rights. They must acquire the medal on the chest where they have succeeded where others have failed. Pride.

Jesus told the ‘righteous’ Pharisees that they were going to stand there and watch the ones they despised; the ones they looked down upon, enter into the kingdom of God in their sight.

(Matthew 21:28-32) But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. °He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. °And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. °Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. °For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

I would mention here the Pharisees kept the law to a degree where they would not have had any need to “repent of sin”, where 'sin' is defined as transgressing the law, like some here view repentance, but their lack of repentance was in relation to what John the Baptist was preaching, letting it be known He was preparing the way for One to follow. You could hardly claim John was preaching the law and repentance of sin/transgressions of the law to those who were devoted to the law. But some here will make the attempt anyway…

People indeed confessed their sins that were related to their having turned away from God, where their hearts, minds, and souls were far from God. The important issue here however is when Pharisees showed up where John was preaching and baptizing…

(Matthew 3:5-10) Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, °And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. °But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? °Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: °And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. °And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Fruits of repentance are not found in the law; they are found in good works later expressed by Jesus and reiterated by Paul in regards to works wrought in and through the Holy Spirit. But again those who resist the Holy Spirit conclude what is palatable to their condition, where keeping the commandments was good fruit, when in reality, keeping the law was to be fruitless when it came to good works. Or was John here mistaken with the Pharisees who kept the law? Was John falsely indicting them? Their reliance was with the law, like those Jews who passed by the severely injured man in the parable of "The Good Samaritan" which Jesus gave. The crux of the parable was about one Samaritan, whom the Jews despised, stopping and aiding the injured man. Who did the good work, the Jews who had the law or the Samaritan who had humility and loved his enemy? The Samaritans act was a good work.

Back to the Gospel then.

Those few who hear the Gospel and begin to comprehend the significance of it may well be astonished, for here was Christ Jesus declaring salvation - eternal life - to be had by simply believing Him and believing IN Him. This was completely apart from the law; to the exclusion of the law. Those being ‘granted’ comprehension would have already realized that no matter how devoted to the law one is, they still sin; they are still flawed and lacking, especially when compared to a holy God who is perfect. Those who respond to the actual Gospel, without modification or parsing, see how a Holy, Just, Righteous God would have an unbounded mercy for those who place their true and real faith in Him only, knowing now that the law they thought would lead to life had the opposite effect.

(Romans 7:10) And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

The carnal mind; the evil mind enamored with his own ego, doesn’t perceive the law as that which condemns him to death. He sees life and reward there; an opportunity to prove himself worthy and to be placed in the kingdom of Heaven due to his elevated, sinless state.

(Genesis 3:4-6) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: °For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. °And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

What imparts a knowledge of good and evil? What imparts a modicum of wisdom?

The law.

What was the sin of the devil, found IN him? His desire to become like God is God; to elevate himself to be on par with God and to share in the glory of God.

False prophets have been known to preach parity with God; be like God by becoming perfect through the law.

But Jesus described a different route of becoming “perfect” and that was through faith; following Him, deriving our righteousness through Him, His righteousness imparted to us by Him, where a Christian’s righteousness is an imputed righteousness, founded in faith and not law, for the law is NOT of faith.

The true Christian is a child of God who inherits eternal life through Jesus’ “Testament” put in force by His death, where eternal life is bequeathed to the heirs. Eternal life is not a payment or compensation for “work” performed; for keeping the law.

One must be born again, of the Spirit; become a child of God, on that spiritual plane. Being in this condition, good works, wrought in the Spirit, become possible. The children of God are led by the Holy Spirit, not an outdated law given to, and required of those Hebrews who did not have the Spirit of God, but where led by their evil flesh, given a law that condemned them, being evil in heart, where all their works were motivated by that heart.

All these things are in Scripture, beyond the grasp of those led by the flesh, held by the law. They have a veil before the eyes, unable to see the true Christ, seeing only what Moses both wrote and taught, written down in the book of the law. You can find that written in 2Corinthians chapter 3.

The first will be last, and the last will be first when it comes to entry into the kingdom of God, and those who believe they should be first are going to find themselves in an embarrassing situation when those they believe will be excluded from the kingdom of Heaven walk past them into it.

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It is important that you understand; Everything on this blog is based on the current understanding of each author. Never take anyone's word for it, always prove it for yourself, it is your responsibility. You cannot ride someone else's coattail into the Kingdom. ; )

Acts 17:11

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