One More Time, Moses Was Right

By Jim O’Brien 

Hi Friend,

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

The news reported the story of a couple that dropped their elderly, wheelchair bound mother off at the airport to catch a plane. The flight was cancelled and the attendants called the family who returned 45 minutes later to retrieve the mother. All should have been well except the family went on social media to falsely report that their mother had been left overnight unattended, in her wheelchair.

While I can’t imagine a person leaving an invalid parent alone at a busy airport, their callous action was exacerbated by a lie. Video and phone records prove that the accusation was false.

Is this where the story ends?

It isn’t. When victimhood is the highest moral value then others aspire to it, thus abdicating responsibility for self. This is mindboggling to previous generations where victimhood was a sign of weakness. Now it’s a virtue.

What happens to the electoral process when a presidential candidate is slandered by a lie such as tying his dog to the top of his car while on a trip or fabricating a fictitious account of a perverted sexual encounter? What happens when an exemplary candidate to our nation’s highest court can be torpedoed by lies from people who want to project their sins on to others? In the end our nation suffers!

Is there nothing that can be done to prevent these atrocities before the collapse of a once great civilization?

There’s a scripture from the Old Testament law that could immediately make our nation better. This one law would improve our culture immeasurably.

There is a reason that an image of Moses holding the Ten Commandments is over the rear entrance to the Supreme Court Building of the United States. Moses established the principle of the presumption of innocence. He wrote, “One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” (Deut. 10:15) Can the power to destroy a person be entrusted to one person without evidence? What if the accuser is malicious-or mentally ill? Are any of us safe if the law does not provide a presumption of innocence?

But, what is the remedy? Moses continues, “If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime…the judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony…then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party. You must purge the evil from among you.” (verses 16 thru 19)

We are in danger of losing the moral concept that a false accusation is equally as dangerous as the crime itself!

In her book, The Diversity Delusion, author Heather McDonald decries the $250,000 salaries paid to Diversity Department heads at universities across America who frequently destroy the lives of innocent people by falsely accusing students. The salaries are paid by your tax dollars to encourage accusations.

She calls it an “absolutist social theology” that extorts huge financial assets from corporations and American taxpayers. Notice the term, “theology” suggesting the source of this madness is spiritual. The Apostle John identifies the power behind false accusations when he writes, “the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night…. (Rev. 12:10) John is talking about Satan and he does not equivocate that he is a spiritual destroyer who desires to corrupt the justice system by encouraging men toward unbridled accusations.

What can be done? Once again, Moses provides the solution. He points out that “the rest of the people will hear of this (punishment for making false accusations) and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you. Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” (Deut. 19:20-21) Moses is telling us that truthfulness is absolutely essential to a nation’s survival-otherwise, we have lost any connection to justice, the cornerstone of civilization.

Do we want a civilized country? Then we must require witnesses to tell the truth. And when they do not, they must receive the same punishment as would have been administered for the accused crime.

This age of man, beginning with the mainstream media, is the most accusing of any that has ever existed. It’s an infectious disease for which, once again, Moses provided the answer.

Until next time,

Jim O’Brien

This pastor’s letter was originally posted on December 07, 2018 on Pastor Jim’s pastor page. He is the pastor of the Church of God Cincinnati. You can learn more about their church and read more of his letters at: http://www.cogcincinnati.org/pages/from-our-pastor.html

 

Are You Building Upon the Foundation of Truth?

By Kelly McDonald, Jr.

We are all born into a country and possibly a church environment with certain beliefs, ideals, and practices. As we grow up, these ideals and practices become engrained into our lives through laws, culture, entertainment, social mores, and celebrations. Thus, we have been influenced by these factors. Your environment has an impact to one degree or another upon the person you are today.

As part of this process of socialization, we have certain traditions and beliefs that become assimilated into our own practice. The challenge I issue to all who read this article is to question your practices, beliefs, and thought patterns in the following manner: Are you building upon the foundation of God’s truth or are you simply following the traditions handed down to you?

Many people follow a degree of traditions given to them, but they are not aware that they should even question them.

For Christians, the Bible is the foundation of truth. In other words, we are expected to build our world view, perspectives on life, and practices upon its precious Words. The great challenge remains for the individual to recognize his/her beliefs or practices and subsequently compare it to the foundation of all knowledge.

This challenge applies to all backgrounds.

This will lead us back to the age-old debate between culture and Christ. To what degree do we allow culture to define or influence our view of Christ? Or, do we view Christ as the rock that influences our view of the world. The answer is simpler than one might think. Christ never changes (Hebrews 13:8). He changes us and then subsequently uses us as an agent of change in the world around us. Therefore culture cannot redefine His eternal nature.

It is so easy to say “well, this tradition means _____ to me”; this is problematic because this is an argument from relativism. People use the same line of reasoning to justify the redefinition of marriage. If there is no perpetual morality in the Bible, then culture can influence our interpretation of the Bible.

At some point in the future, a majority in America will no longer understand the Biblical definition of marriage. They will be engrained into a tradition that supports a false view. Even if the majority accepts this tradition it does not redefine truth.

Following the majority view leads us down a destructive path of reactionary thinking. More often than not, the Bible is quoted from a position of defending tradition rather that building upon truth. Humanity can rationalize any view point. But the never-changing Word of God is that sword (Heb. 4:12) to cut away to the truth of the matter – are we rationalizing what we think is right or simply standing for what is absolutely right?

Questions to ask yourself: Are you using tradition to define the Bible? Do you find Bible verses to justify your behavior or tradition? Does the frame of reference for your world view come from tradition?

When you read the Bible, do you allow its words to change your lifestyle? Do you view the Bible as the source of your life instead of a reactionary crutch?

The Bible should be the foundation of our lives. It should define and start our practices, so we proceed forward on the foundation of truth. We want to build on what is eternal, not temporary and fleeting.

This is indeed a lifelong process; no one has all the answers. And I can assure you the process is not easy – you will alienate family and friends when you choose truth over tradition. But God will also connect you with people to replace what is lost (Matthew 19:29). However, the process also leads to a fulfillment and renewed outlook on life that you will not trade for anything in this world.

Some people believe strongly that they have inherited a tradition of truth. If so, have you proved your views through the lens of God’s Word? Even if something is absolutely true, we should understand, from the Word, why it is true. It is incumbent upon every generation to “Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:21).

The process described in this article can make the difference between operating off inherited beliefs (which may or may not be eternal) or building upon the foundation of everlasting truth (Matthew 7:13-24).

Kelly McDonald, Jr

BSA President

www.biblesabbath.org

 

Sabbath Meditation 16: Who Controls Your Time?

by Kelly McDonald, Jr.

“There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his.” (Hebrews 4:9-10)

The first four commandments are chiefly focused on loving God. The last six have to do with how you show the love of God to others. It is one major way that others will see God in this world. Let’s look at the pattern of the first four commandments and especially the fourth one

The first commandment answers the question: Who is your God?

The second commandments expresses that we should not make representations of the True God and that we should not worship or serve any created thing.

The third commandment conveys the idea that we should not misrepresent the True God.

The fourth commandment requires that we allow the True God to control our time.

The first four commandments contain simple instructions to guide who we worship and adore, what we do with our hands, how we live, and who regulates our time. Why are these so important?

The God of the Holy Bible created matter, space, and time. The Ten Commandments are the guidelines for how created beings are expected to handle these components as part of His creation. The last six commandments guide us in how matter is to be handled with regard to space and time.

The Ten Commandments are a testimony to God’s character and that HE is the creator of all things. The Sabbath is the only one of these ten that govern time, space, and matter. This explains one reason why this day directly connects us with the Creator (Exodus 31:12-17). The God who made all things desires and requires that we allow Him to guide the movement of our individual existence within the created world of time, matter, and space.

When we ignore the Sabbath, we testify that we know how to better handle our time than our Creator. Humanity must realize that God knows what is best. He made us and the time which we operate within. Like the maker of a watch, He knows the mechanics of it; He knows how it works. When we trust Him with it, there will be an efficiency of rest and work in our lives like never before.

There is only one creator of time – God Himself.

Who controls your time?

Selah.

Kelly McDonald, Jr. BSA President – http://www.biblesabbath.org

 

 

Fruits of the Spirit (Part 2 of 2)

By Kelly McDonald, Jr.

This week we will continue our discussion of the fruits of the Spirit!

In Galatians 5, the fifth fruit listed is kindness. It can also be translated as gentleness or moral integrity. This word has a connotation of usefulness or benevolence. It is the Godly character needed so that you can be employed for God’s Kingdom. This character is beneficial in helping others already in the Kingdom or leading others into it.

Once you have developed character through trials, you can be engaged in Kingdom matters. This shows us a powerful progression. The first four fruits should flourish in a believer’s life before he or she should serve in certain positions within the church. This adds further depth to Paul’s statement in I Timothy 3:6 that novices should not be put into offices of the church.

The next fruit is goodness. Like kindness, it has a connotation of usefulness and excellence. In the Bible, this word is often used of people performing good works. This not only means doing the right thing but also the way in which something is conducted. It is also a decision-making process where good and upright decisions are made in the life of the believer and in Kingdom work.

A believer exhibiting the fruit of goodness will not just serve God. He or she will display honor and excellence while doing so. He or she will also display uprightness in dealing with others. This requires a level of zeal that may not be present when a person is only displaying kindness.

Someone displaying the fruit of kindness is a good helper. Someone with the fruit of goodness will fight and stand for what is good, even if it means disciplining or correcting others. It is goodness performed for God and on behalf of others. Christ exhibited this when He cleaned out the Temple of the money changers (see also Matthew 25:21-23, Luke 6:45).

These two characteristics unveil a further progression of usefulness to zeal in the work of God.

The seventh fruit is translated as faithfulness or faith. There is a common faith we must all have to be saved (Romans 10:9-11). The fruit of faith is different. It manifests as continued confidence in God and can also be applied to faithfulness in the work of God with diligence and persistence.

To this end, the fruit of faith can refer to being reliable and consistent. Jesus said, “…when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) Christ posed the question as to whether people would have faith in Him upon His return. Another question to ask ourselves is: Will we be reliable in doing God’s work in the time just before His return?

Gentleness is the eighth fruit. It can also be translated as meekness or humility. This is not martyrdom, self-piety, or a lowly countenance. The Greek word translated as gentleness was used in ancient times of an animal that was wild, but now is tame (1). It has a connotation of being strong and powerful, but refusing to flaunt these traits. In other words, meekness entails knowing the right time and situation to exercise God’s power.

Jesus had the opportunity to call forth twelve legions of angels to rescue Him, but he did not (Matthew 26:53-54). He was meek. God almost destroyed the entire nation of Israel, but Moses interceded to stop this from happening. He was called the meekest man on the earth (Num. 12:3).

This fruit might be better translated as self-restraint. With gentleness, you are allowing Him to manifest the emotions and manner of actions you should display in a given situation. To this end, we display gentleness or meekness with those who are struggling in the faith or overcoming sin. We may have victory in an area where others are weak, but we should be meek in how we treat them (because we could fall into the same sin – see Galatians 6:1-5).

These two fruits continue the progression of God’s power growing in our lives. As we mature in His power, we will be consistent and show self-restraint.

The ninth fruit and final in this progression is self-control. It is sometimes translated as temperance. This virtue was held by some Greeks to be the foundational virtue (2). Paul made it the last virtue in this series. I believe that he did this to show that this fruit is not self-control brought about by human effort. Instead, it is a self-control which comes through the Spirit of God.

To the Greeks, this virtue involved the moderation of the human desires. In Christ, the human desires are subdued first through love for Him. We forsake those desires because of abundant love. Gentleness was properly displaying power at the right time; self-control is when the Spirit of God turns disadvantages into advantages.

Consider the following example. The Pharisees tried to trick Jesus many times. The Spirit of God countered this and turned the situation from a disadvantage into Christ’s favor. Others were not able to manipulate or mislead Christ. Hence, it is self-control.

This word can also indicate being master of one’s situations (by the Spirit). In the gospels, Jesus said, “I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me” (John 14:30). The devil had no hold on Christ. There was nothing in Him that Satan could manipulate, though he tempted Him many times. Disadvantageous situations were transformed into advantageous ones. Obviously, Christ had the highest level of submission to God that has ever existed. As we continue to submit to God, we will taste of this fruit.

We can see a steady progression as we look at these nine fruits. It starts as we fall in love with our Savior. This continues as we experience Joy from being part of God’s Plan. Our radically changed lifestyle brings conflict from others, but peace within. As we endure trials, we do not over react or lash out. Once we have passed these first four tests, our character is prepared for Kingdom work. At this point, we become useful to Him and others. As we are used by God, we develop a zeal for His holy things. Our zeal then becomes channeled into reliability. Reliability then grows into humility as God teaches us the proper way to respond to certain situations. Lastly, God turns disadvantages to advantages as He is in complete control. The first four Fruits prepare someone to enter into the ministry. They build the character of God within us so that we can serve God. The last five are attitudes and Godly character that increase the fruitfulness of an individual’s life in the Work of God.

We can have spiritual gifts without fruits, but true spiritual fruit will always bring about the gifts (see Matthew 7:21-23, I Cor. 13). The Fruits of the Spirit ensure that the gifts we use build something that lasts. The spiritual gifts are meant to be an extension of the fruits. Jesus said that we are His disciples by the fruit we bear (Matthew 7:16, 12:33, Luke 6:44). These nine fruits allow the world to see the character of Christ in our modern world.

Bibliography

(1) Barclay, William. The Letters to the Galatians and the Ephesians. Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1958.

(2) Smith, Richard M. Studies in the Greek New Testament. Nashville: Publishing House Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 1893. p 105.

(3) Strong, James. Strong’s Concordance. Published: Nashville: Abingdon, c1980.

Kelly McDonald, Jr.

President, Bible Sabbath Association (www.biblesabbath.org)

 

Youth Matters

by Brandy Webb

When you go to church, look around you. I want you to pay attention to the average age in your congregation. Do you have a lot of youth? If you do, that is awesome. If you don’t, your group is like the majority of Christian churches around, at least in the United States. According to a study done by Barna, “[n]early six in ten (59 percent) young people who grow up in Christian churches end up walking away, and the unchurched segment among Millennials has increased in the last decade from 44 percent to 52 percent, mirroring a larger cultural trend away from churchgoing in America” (“The Priorities, Challenges, and Trends in Youth Ministry,” Barna Group). The question we have to ask ourselves is, why? Well, according to Pew Research Center, the number one reason is “the questioning of religious teachings” (“Why America’s ‘nones’ don’t identify with a religion,” Alper). Just a quick side note, the term “nones” means someone who doesn’t identify with any religion. They do not consider themselves agnostic, atheist, or any other type of religion.

Why do you think the number one reason is questioning religious teachings? My idea, we may have failed at making our faith a living, breathing thing. In other words, “actions speak louder than words.” Wouldn’t you question something if it seemed that people just “talked the talk but didn’t walk the walk”? The truth is, just going to church once a week and on the Holy Days is not going to convince others of our faith. In fact, my faith grows more from watching and listening to other believers who live out their faith. You know the ones who are strong in God’s Word; who rejoice in trials; who still believe that God is in control even though their lives are hard. I am realizing that faith reveals itself more through a living, breathing person who lives a life of faith rather than a sermon.

So, are we living out our faith to the point that our youth believe because they have seen the belief of others? Or do our lives show hypocrisy instead? These are questions I am asking myself. I have two teenagers that I want to grow up and be strong in their belief in God and Jesus. My husband and I need to live by example through our actions and words. They also need to see others do the same, which leads me to another question I ask myself: do our churches today make the youth feel as part of the family, or do we make them feel like the church is for adults only, especially baptized adults?

Does your local congregation have a youth ministry of some sort? The same article with the Barna research found that churches that had quite a few youth were more likely to have some sort of youth ministry. However, the lower the youth numbers the lower the chances that there was a youth ministry, and the lower the chances where the ministers felt youth ministry was even important. I would think that the groups that had fewer youth would feel more of an importance to reach out to the youth because, without youth, a group will eventually get old and become non-existent.

Another point I found interesting in the same article is they found that the most popular youth program was “youth mission trips” (“The Priorities, Challenges, and Trends in Youth Ministry,” Barna Group). This made me think about the fact that one major point of a mission trip is serving others. I do want to point out mission trips do not have to be expensive excursions to foreign countries. You can start a “mission” in your own home area. Some ideas could be visiting the elderly, helping the widows in your congregation, serving food in low income areas, etc.

The point is, we are to try our best to walk in the footsteps of our Messiah, which means we need to know how He walked. He served others. He also loved the children, and He desires them to come to Him. Our youth should feel His presence within us, and they should feel important when around us. They are just as important family members of God as we are. We have a job to do, every one of us. This is not a job for just a select few who are ordained. No, the falling away of our youth needs to be fixed, which means everyone of us need to use our talents, our faith, our walk, God’s Word, our testimonies, etc., to reach out to them and make them feel at home within God’s people. We need to make sure we do not forget the instructions that God has given us:

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.—Deut 6:6-7

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.—Proverbs 22:6

Then children were brought to Him that he might lay His hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And He laid his hands on them and went away.—Matt 19:13-15

Remember, Christ wishes to find faith on the earth when He returns (Luke 18:8). This cannot be accomplished if there is not a generation behind us to take our place.

The Priorities, Challenges, and Trends in Youth Ministry

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/08/08/why-americas-nones-dont-identify-with-a-religion/

This blog was originally written by Brandy Webb with the Church of God International. It was posted on June 21, 2019 by the Church of God International. We encourage you to follow their blog at: https://www.cgi.org/news-and-events/.

The Fruits of the Spirit (Part 1 of 2)

By Kelly McDonald, Jr.

Before Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He taught about the importance of producing fruit. In John 15:1-8,16 , He said, “1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples…16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” (NIV)

These verses show us that the Lord expects us to produce fruit for His Kingdom. In fact, we are appointed to bear fruit that lasts (verse 16). What fruits does the Lord expect from us?

Jesus’ teaching in John 15 is linked to the Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-25. In these verses, Paul lists nine of them. They are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (NIV).  They are a series of attitudes that allow others to witness the Kingdom of God and thus give God the Father glory.

Before we can delve into the meaning of these fruits, one must understand that they operate differently than the gifts of the Spirit (nine of them are listed in I Cor. 12:1-10). A person can choose whether or not to exercise one of the gifts. On the contrary, the fruits of the Spirit simply grow as we walk with God.

Think of a tree. You cannot make fruit grow by shaking a tree. The tree must be nurtured, watered, and have a proper environment for the fruit to grow. We do not choose to manifest these fruits by human effort; they spontaneously manifest as we yield to the Spirit and Word of God (water) and obey Him in trials (sunlight). We choose to obey God, and they spontaneously manifest. To this end, the fruits are not nine characteristics that come from human effort.

A second factor to keep in mind is that we cannot define these characteristics by the way we view them in our culture. They must be viewed from the perspective of the Word of God and the life of Christ. He is the vine, and we are branches (John 15:1-5). We must take in from His example. Consider the first fruit: Love. In our culture, love tends to be looked at as merely a feeling. This is not the way love is viewed in the Bible. We tend to view kindness and meekness based upon a person’s countenance. As you will come to understand, this is not the Biblical context for these terms. The Spirit of God is the resurrected Christ living inside of us (Col. 1:27); these fruits are Christ’s characteristics manifesting in our vessels. We can see these in His life.

The first fruit of the Spirit is love. It is the first fruit because the Spirit of God is the love of God shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5). We need the Love of God to love God and others. We cannot love with our carnality. This is the starting place and foundation of our faith. When you are first saved/converted, a mindset of love should overflow from within your vessel. The Greek word for love is agapeo. It is a decisive mindset where we desire to make any cost to please God. Jesus gave us this example by being our sacrifice (John 15:9-13). This fruit is first displayed by a person’s decision to obey the Word of God. As an example, Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Instead of doing things our way, we begin doing things His way. We will treat others in a Christ-like manner. Agapeo love will manifest as action.

The second fruit is joy. We think of joy as simply being happy, but it is much more than that. Joy is a realization that your life has value to God in this world. This fruit also arises in our hearts and minds as we realize what He has done for us and others (Savior, redeemer, deliverer, provider, healer, etc.). This is why the disciples had joy when they heard about the work of God in the life of others (Acts 15:3). Said another way – this joy comes about as a person fulfills their intended purpose as a member of God’s family. This joy grows as we obey God (see John 15:9-11); one reason for this is that our Kingdom reward increases. The fruit of joy intensifies in our lives.

These first two fruits (Love and Joy) represent the first phase in the life of a believer. When a person first receives the Holy Spirit, they fall in love with God. There is joy from our new life. The next phase comes when we are growing in Christ and face trials.

Peace is the third fruit. In our modern culture, we define peace as the absence of war or conflict. Jesus told us there would be conflict in our lives for serving Him. He said that even our family would become our enemies (Matthew 10:34-39).  The Hebrew word for peace is shalom, and it means wholeness. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). The fruit of peace is the inner wholeness that comes from walking with God.

Our lives are falling apart on the outside, but this outward environment has not changed our inward resolve to obey Him. God’s Spirit consoles us in this process and makes us whole in the trial. Jesus said we should not be troubled or afraid when He spoke about His peace. In the world, there is peace only when there is a lack of conflict. With Christ, there is peace with or without conflict. Of course, we must live in peace with others. This means having a wholeness of relationship (when possible) and not merely an agreement to avoid conflict. Through prayer, His peace will guard our hearts and minds. It surpasses human understanding because wholeness in the midst of outward turmoil is beyond our natural mind (Phil. 4:6-7).

The next fruit is patience. It can also be translated as endurance, perseverance, or longsuffering. In America, the word patience has a connotation of waiting for something. The Greek word literally means to breathe very passionately for an extended period of time. To have fruit that lasts, we must have trials that last. Some trials do not last long in terms of human time, but they seem long when we go through them. Patience manifests as we endure in trials. When we are provoked to act, we refrain. Our normal, fleshly reactions are restrained so that the longsuffering Christ had for us may be visible to others. In these tough situations, we allow our Savior to work out situations beyond our control instead of working them out by our human understanding. We must also have patience when we deal with others. After all, the Lord shows us patience and endures with us while we learn from Him.

When we experience the fruits of peace and patience, God’s character is being refined in us. This is preparing us to be used even more for God’s Kingdom Work.

Next week, we will finish by covering the last five fruits.

Kelly McDonald, Jr.

President, Bible Sabbath Association (www.biblesabbath.org)

 

Sabbath Meditation #15 – The Gates of Heaven

By Kelly McDonald, Jr

“The LORD says: ‘The gate of the inner court that looks toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened…The people of the land shall worship at the door of that gate before [paniym] The LORD on the Sabbaths and on the new moons'”  (Ezekiel 46:1, 3).

“For if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law, who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses was warned by God when he was about to make the tabernacle, for he said, ‘See, you shall make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain'” (Hebrews 8:4-5).

In the Old Testament, the Tabernacle/Temple structures were built to pattern heavenly things. As we survey the entire Bible, we understand this even more. For instance, three of the furniture pieces from the earthly structures are also mentioned as having Heavenly counterparts: the menorah, the altar of incense, and the Ark of the Covenant (Rev. 4:5, 8:1-5, 11:19).

As discussed in the last Sabbath Meditation, there is one earthly Temple structure that will be built in the future. It is described in the book of Ezekiel. We learn that this Temple will have a gate which is only open on the seventh-day Sabbath and the New Moon.

This allows us to learn yet another reason why we rest from labors and other activities on the Sabbath. By following God’s instructions concerning the Sabbath, we are positioning ourselves to receive from Heavenly Temple.

Recall that not even physical manna fell from Heaven on the Sabbath (Exodus 16). There was a greater revelation than Manna to be received. It cannot come by work or selfish ambition. It can only be received through the blessed Sabbath rest.

Our body is also called God’s Temple (I Cor. 3:16-17). The gate to the Heavenly temple is open every Sabbath; is your temple prepared and open to receive its blessing?

Selah.

Kelly McDonald, Jr

BSA President, www.biblesabbath.org

Seven New Testament Reasons for Christians to Keep the Sabbath

by Jeff Reed

As a Sabbath keeper I am usually perceived by non-Sabbath-keeping Christians as a legalist, outdated, or not fully understanding grace. They believe that the Fourth Commandment has either been done away, changed, or is kept by Jesus living in us. In this article I don’t want to look at why those arguments are flawed. Instead, I believe it would be more constructive to focus on seven New Testament reasons Christians should keep the Sabbath.

1. Jesus kept the Sabbath.

We read many accounts that Jesus was always teaching on the Sabbath. Sometimes He would explain a spiritual truth through a healing. On one occasion He explains a misunderstanding that arose concerning His disciples picking grain. He was teaching through example and focusing on proper understanding of the Fourth Commandment. Luke 4:16 tells us clearly that “as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.” A custom is an established observance that brings meaning into our life. Jesus’ custom started at creation and continued in His human life. “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6). I’m pretty sure that includes His customs.

2. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.

The observances we keep reflect the God we serve. Many different religions have different practices and ceremonies honoring their gods. What Christians observe should honor our God. One of Jesus’ Sabbath lessons ended with him making the conclusion “Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28). By keeping this day we are declaring that Jesus is our Lord. It is a way we honor and worship Him.

3. The Sabbath was made for us.

Also as part as this same lesson to the Pharisees He explains that “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). We are physical creatures and we often find ourselves tired or weary from the challenges of life. The Sabbath was created to give us rest. It gives us opportunity to recharge so that we can function correctly the other six days of the week. It is how the Creator made us. It is a wonderful gift from God that we should rejoice at the wisdom He had in its creation. Importantly, you can only understand how great this gift is by keeping it.

4. The Apostle Paul kept the Sabbath.

“Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures” (Acts 17:2). On several occasions we see Paul keeping the Sabbath. This is the same man who wrote 28 percent of the New Testament. In his letters he continually emphasized the importance of keeping the law for Christians. Not for the purpose of salvation but in response to our salvation through Christ. “Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good” (Romans 7:12). He was a Sabbath keeper and understood its importance in our relationship with Jesus.

5. Luke directly refers to the Sabbath commandment.

In the book of Luke we learn that the women who were at the crucifixion of Jesus afterward prepared spices and fragrant oils to anoint His body. Then “they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment” (Luke 23:56). Luke wrote this account at least thirty years later. Notice that he does not refer to it as “the former Sabbath” or “the Jewish Sabbath” but as a commandment in the present tense. And this was after His crucifixion, a point in time where some believe the commandment was changed.

6. Jesus’ instruction shows that the Sabbath will be important in the future.

In referring to the future event that will precede great tribulation, Jesus advises to “pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath” (Matthew 24:20). If there was no longer going to be a Sabbath command after His resurrection, why would He make this statement? The answer is simple. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

7. Sabbath keeping remains for the people of God.

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9). This verse can be easily overlooked as supporting the Sabbath because the Greek word sabbatismos is translated as rest. Some Bible translations translate it more correctly as “sabbath rest.” When this word is used in other ancient Greek literature it usually means a “keeping of the sabbath.” So Hebrews 4:9 is essentially saying that “there remains a keeping of the sabbath for the people of God.” This emphasizes the theme found in Hebrews 4 connecting the seventh-day rest with the rest that comes as we are diligently obedient to Christ.

These are seven New Testament reasons for Christians to keep the Sabbath. There are actually many more and I encourage you to visit the Sabbath topic section of our website for additional in-depth studies.

This blog was originally written by Pastor Jeff Reed with the Church of God International. It was posted on February 28, 2019 by the Church of God International. We encourage you to follow their blog at: https://www.cgi.org/news-and-events/.

Understanding Isaiah 1:13-15

By Kelly McDonald, Jr.

Many verses are commonly cited to dissuade people from keeping the Sabbath. Among them is Isaiah 1:13-15, where God said: “Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. 14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals. I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!”

Is this verse a condemnation of keeping the Sabbath? Or is there some other message being communicated? Let’s look deeper.

When we study the Bible, we learn that the Lord calls the Sabbath HIS. “…but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God…” (Exodus 20:10a). “There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord” (Lev. 23:3). And of course, Christ called Himself Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28).

In each of these instances, God took personal possession of the Sabbath day calling it “My Sabbath.” When we read Isaiah, the Lord uses the term “your” to signify the celebrations the Israelites were keeping. The use of the word “your” in Isaiah means that they were keeping their own Sabbaths, not those that belong to God.

We can cross reference this conclusion by reading the book of Kings. In chapter 11, we learn that King Solomon took many foreign wives. Eventually, he began to serve their gods; he turned away from the True God. As a result of this sin, the Lord prophesied that 10 of the tribes would be torn away from him. They would be given to one of the men under him named Jeroboam.

As prophesied, the northern 10 tribes of Israel were taken away from Solomon’s son Rehoboam and given to Jeroboam. The remaining tribes remained with Rehoboam. Early on in his reign, Jeroboam began to worry that the tribes would go back to Solomon’s son. Out of fear, he did turned away from God.

In I Kings 12:25-33, we learn how he established his own feast the eighth month in an attempt to replace The Feast of Tabernacles, which occurs in the seventh month. I Kings 12:33 reads, “On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, he offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel. So he instituted the festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to make offerings.” Jeroboam established this feast after his own reckoning. He also set up golden calves and allowed anyone to serve as priests, which violated God’s covenant with Aaron.

Ezekiel prophesied about this further: “Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them” (Ezekiel 22:26).

In Isaiah 1:13-15, God rebuked the Israelites for honoring their own Sabbaths. These were days that they established – not God. At the same time, they refused to honor His Sabbath. They purposefully shut their eyes to the observation of God’s appointed times. Let us not do the same.

Kelly McDonald, Jr.

BSA President – www.biblesabbath.org