10/31/2003 Sabbath Meeting Transcript

Tonight, I would like to deal with a very common misconception

Some are under the guise that we have "rejected Christian holidays in favor of Jewish ones"

Today the world observed "Halloween"

Depending on who you talk to, Halloween is Halloween or All Saints Day

But the practices are pretty much the same

They all go back to idolatry/demon worship

Yet those of us who seek to observe Yahweh's commandments are mocked because we observe scriptural days

For various reasons, it is commonly believed that certain things in the word of Yahweh are "Jewish"

I am reminded of a poem I first heard some years ago

The poem is called "It's Jewish"

When we present Almighty Yahweh's law, And arguments from the Scriptures draw, Objectors say, to pick a flaw, "IT'S JEWISH."

Though at first Almighty Yahweh blessed, And sanctified His day of rest, The same belief is still expressed, "IT'S JEWISH."

Though with the world this rest began, and then through all the Scriptures ran, And Yahushua said, 'Twas made for man" -- "IT'S JEWISH."

If from the bible we present, The Sabbath's meaning and intent, This answers every argument-- "IT'S JEWISH."

Though the disciples, Luke and Saul, Continue still this rest to call, The 'Sabbath Day', this answers all, "IT'S JEWISH."

The evangels taught a plain expression, That "Sin is of the law transgression", Seems not to make the least impression-- "IT'S JEWISH."

They love the rest of man's invention, But if Almighty Yahweh's Day we mention, That puts an end to all contention, "IT'S JEWISH."

Well, those who Yahweh's Day abuse, Simply because 'Twas made for Jews', The Savior, too, you must refuse, for "HE'S JEWISH!"

Indeed, Yahushua the Messiah is the Lion of the tribe of Judah

The term "Jewish" primarily refers to Judah, one of the 12 tribes of Israel, though it can also refer to other tribes who mixed in with Judah

As we read in the poem, many claim that we need not follow the Sabbath or certain other select commandments in the Torah/law because it is (in their mind) Jewish

But is this true? Is the law really Jewish?

I believe that there are 2 answers to that question depending on what you mean by it.

If someone is asking me if the law is 'Jewish', in one sense I would say yes

To be "Jew-ish" in one sense is to be Jew-like. If one were to say that the law is Jewish in that perspective, I would agree for Jews have at least believed in keeping the law/Torah for thousands of years although tradition and the Talmud has placed unnecessary things on top of the law.

It is also true that the Jews were given the oracles of Yahweh

But I think we need to get beyond that, and really look at what the scriptures have to say about His Torah/law

Let's first examine what is meant by "righteousness"

Noah and his family were saved because of righteousness.

Genesis 7:1 - And YAHWEH said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Abraham too:

Genesis 15:5 - And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

Genesis 15:6 - And he believed in YAHWEH; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Genesis 18:19 - For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of YAHWEH, to do justice and judgment; that YAHWEH may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Genesis 26:4 - And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

Genesis 26:5 - Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Yahweh is righteous!

Psalms 40:10 - I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

Exodus 9:27 - And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: YAHWEH is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

John 17:25 - O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

Deuteronomy 6:25 - And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before YAHWEH our Elohim, as he hath commanded us.

His word is His law...His word is righteous.

Psalms 119:123 - Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.

Psalms 119:172 - My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.

Psalms 119:160 - Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

YES

Yahushua agreed

When praying, He said to the Father..

John 17:17 - Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Some think that only certain parts are truth

Luke 1:5 - There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

Luke 1:6 - And they were both righteous before YAHWEH, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of YAHWEH blameless.

Now it can be certain that the scriptures teach that the opposite of "righteousness" is "unrighteousness" or "sin"

Romans 6:15 - What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under favor? By no means.

Romans 6:16 - Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Sin leads to death and obedience leads to righteousness.

Here is another verse showing that sin is simply "unrighteousness"

1John 5:17 - All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

This brings us to the question: "What exactly is sin?"

Well, if obedience to the law is righteousness...then would not transgression of the law (breaking the commandments in the law) be sin/unrighteousness?

YES. Scripture says so.

1John 3:4 - Whoever commits sin trangresses also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law.

1John 3:5 - And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.

1John 3:6 - Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

1John 3:7 - Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

1John 3:8 - He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of YAHWEH was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

1John 3:9 - Whoever has been born of YAHWEH does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of YAHWEH.

1John 3:10 - In this the children of YAHWEH and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of YAHWEH, nor is he who does not love his brother.

See the warnings given!

Now that we have answered the question "What is sin?", what about all those that seem to say certain parts of His torah/law need not be kept by His people?

Should we only observe the commandments that modern preachers say are only for Gentiles?

Who gets to decide which commandments are "Jewish" and which ones aren't?

What makes the command to keep the Sabbath "Jewish" while the command to refrain from adultery is not Jewish?

Are the Sabbath, the Feast days and the clean and unclean commandments given to Jews or Israelites only?

Let's examine...

Genesis 7:1 - And YAHWEH said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Genesis 7:2 - Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.

The concept of clean/unclean couldn't possibly be "Jewish" because Noah, a man who existed centuries before there was ever a Jew or an Israelite, being "RIGHTEOUS" knew about the clean and unclean animals

The answer then must be that this is not a "Jewish" law or doctrine in the sense that it was only given or known to the Jews. This is YAHWEH'S law and doctrine.

Yahweh clearly marked the animals at creation so that man could distinguish between the clean and the unclean animals

For animals, they must have a cloven hoof and chew the cud to be clean.

For fish, they must have fins and scales to be clean.

The remarkable thing about this is that most (though not all) of the clean animals are vegetarians and nearly most of the unclean animals are scavengers and feeders off of the ocean floor, the garbage cleaners of the earth.

Yahweh designed the animals in such a wonderful and miraculous way, what a blessing!

So this is not a 'Jewish' law as commonly meant, this is Yahweh's law that He set forth at creation!

What about the Sabbath, is it intended for Jews or Israelites only?

We learn that Yahweh did something else at creation besides marking the animals. He also rested on the seventh day:

Genesis 2:2 - And on the seventh day Elohim ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

Genesis 2:3 - And Elohim blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which Elohim created and made.

Did He rest because He was tired? Did He need to rest?

Surely, Yahweh rested as an example for us! In the Ten Commandments, which are written in stone by His own finger..Yahweh writes:

Exodus 20:8 - Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Exodus 20:9 - Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

Exodus 20:10 - But the seventh day is the sabbath of YAHWEH thy Elohim: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

Exodus 20:11 - For in six days YAHWEH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore YAHWEH blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Some say that there is no scripture telling us that the patriarchs kept the Sabbath day.. or any commandment telling them to keep the Sabbath day.. so we don't have to

But there is no scripture telling us that the patriarchs DIDN'T keep the Sabbath day. We do see that they must have known about the Sabbath because of how Yahweh created all things and rested

They were closer to the events of creation than we

Few would argue that since there was no commandment forbidding homosexuality that it was okay for them to commit those acts in the wicked city of Sodom

In fact, as I stated before.. it was written of Abraham:

Genesis 26:4 - And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

Genesis 26:5 - Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Why did Yahweh destroy Sodom & Gomorrah if there was no commandment against doing such wickedness?

Where was the standard of righteousness when Yahweh destroyed the whole world except Noah and his family?

Well, surely Adam knew righteousness

I believe they were passed down from generation to generation and were much more commonly known in those days.

Did you know that many bible timelines show that Noah was alive until Abraham was 65 years of age?

Did you know that many timelines show that Adam's son, Seth died just 13 years before Noah was born?

We also see that Jacob (Israel) co-existed with Shem, the son of Noah

Thus, it was not so difficult for the standard of righteousness to be passed down

However, when the children of Israel went into Egypt, they went into forced labor and this commandment along with many others..was forgotten:

Nehemiah 9:13 - Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:

Nehemiah 9:14 - And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:

His Sabbath day had already existed since creation, Yahweh had to make it known to them that they were to be keeping it holy/separate.

It had been holy to Yahweh centuries beforehand..and He wants His own people to keep it Holy

So was the Sabbath for Jews or Israelites only? Some might point to this scripture:

Exodus 31:16 - Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

Exodus 31:17 - It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days YAHWEH made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

It is commonly and rightly taught that all who believe in the Messiah will be or presently are under the New Covenant, and the new covenant was only with Israel and Judah.. not the Gentiles!

Jeremiah 31:31 - Behold, the days come, saith YAHWEH, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Jeremiah 31:32 - Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith YAHWEH:

Jeremiah 31:33 - But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith YAHWEH, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people.

You are not a party to the New Covenant unless you 'become Israel' in Yahushua the Messiah

Thus, both the New covenant and the Sabbath (the sign) is between You (Israel) and Yahweh

Yahweh plainly says that it is a sign between Him and the children of Israel "Forever".

It is written:

Galatians 3:29 - And if you are the Messiah's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

So was/is the Sabbath for Jews or Israelites only? Not at all, it was kept by Yahweh's true people since the beginning of creation. Yahshua plainly said that His Sabbath was for everyone when He said:

Mark 2:27 - And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

When Yahushua said that the Sabbath was made 'for man', I believe that He was telling the truth.

When Yahushua said that the Sabbath was made 'for man', I believe that He was telling the truth.

By some interpretations, they would have to correct Yahushua and tell Him He should have said "The Sabbath was made for Jews, not Jews for the Sabbath".

But this is not what Yahshua said

His statement is backed up by scripture. Let's read the 56th chapter of Isaiah:

Isaiah 56:2 - Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

Isaiah 56:3 - Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to YAHWEH, speak, saying, YAHWEH hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

Isaiah 56:4 - For thus saith YAHWEH unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;

Isaiah 56:5 - Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

Isaiah 56:6 - Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to YAHWEH, to serve him, and to love the name of YAHWEH, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;

Isaiah 56:7 - Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

To be certain, it is written that everyone will be observing His Sabbath day regularly after the resurrection:

Isaiah 66:22 - For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith YAHWEH, so shall your seed and your name remain.

Isaiah 66:23 - And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith YAHWEH.

Not just Israelites or Jews

Every Sabbath

Even in the so called "New Testament" we see that the Gentiles and the Jews were keeping the Sabbath together in the Synagogue

Acts 18:4 - And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

Acts 15:19 - Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to YAHWEH:

Acts 15:20 - But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

Acts 15:21 - For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

James also stated the same thing in his writings:

James 2:2 - For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes,

James 2:3 - and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool,"

Only in this verse (and one other in Acts 13:43) is it not translated "synagogue"

I do wonder how many people honestly believe this scripture:

Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in the Messiah Yahushua.

If we are to believe what Galatians 3:28 says, we cannot say that Yahweh holds one standard for one race of people and another standard for another race of people. This is not truth!

Yet many want to cleave to the promises of Israel while ignoring the obligations!

In scripture, Yahweh chose a people for Himself

The children of Abraham were chosen because of Abraham's faithfulness

They were chosen to be the light to all nations. Through Abraham's seed, all nations (Gentiles) were to be blessed

Israel is geographically situated as a gateway between 3 continents: Europe, Africa and Asia

People traveling through the land would here of Yahweh

(HEAR)

Genesis 22:17 - That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

Genesis 22:18 - And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Through whom all nations would be blessed

Sadly, we know that in the Tanakh, Israel failed to be the light that Yahweh desired

But then..

There arose a man

Who would be the light Yahweh desired!

He would be YISRAEL

Isaiah 49:1 - Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; YAHWEH hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.

Isaiah 49:2 - And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;

Isaiah 49:3 - And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

Isaiah 49:4 - Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with YAHWEH, and my work with my Elohim.

Isaiah 49:5 - And now, saith YAHWEH that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of YAHWEH, and my Elohim shall be my strength.

This is because the Messiah is being called "Israel" in this verse. He would bring back Jacob.

He would be the mediator through whom Jacob's children would come to the Father

But there is more:

Isaiah 49: -

Isaiah 49:6 - And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

And He lives in us, Israel (Yahushua) is in us

Thus, all the covenants and promises of Israel are for us too

No matter our lineage

All of Yahweh's commandments intended for Jews are also intended for anyone who wants to be grafted in and join themselves unto Yahweh.

Keeping the Sabbath is no more Jewish in that context than keeping oneself from idolatry

What makes Sabbath keeping "Jewish" and other commandments like baptism, etc Unjewish?

If only certain things are Jewish must we seek out our lineage now to see if we have any Jewish or Israelite blood and therefore exclude ourselves from needing to keep these commandments?

Forget that! As I often say, let's walk as Yahushua walked:

1John 2:1 - My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Yahushua the Messiah the righteous.

1John 2:2 - And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

1John 2:3 - Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

1John 2:4 - He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1John 2:5 - But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of YAHWEH is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.

1John 2:6 - He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

This is clearly double talk

What we really need to do...

is look at Yahushua's life...

and emulate it...

for then, we will be ISRAEL and we will receive the promises

But in so doing we must realize that it is not we who do it

but it is He doing it in us..

just as He did on earth.

May His Spirit of truth and love and righteousness abide in us forever..

and may Yahweh bless you and have mercy on us all!