I S I T R E A L L Y F O R T O D A Y ?
We are taught in Christianity that the early believers worshipped on Sunday, the first day of the week, but what does the Scripture truly proclaim? Our pastors and teachers have told us that the seventh day Sabbath is from what a lot of people refer to as the 'Old Testament' - just for the 'Jews', and the ‘new day’ to worship is Sunday. Nonetheless if Yahushua kept the seventh day, and the Apostles and early believers did as well, as we will soon prove that they did, then who made a decree, ordering with the penalty of death that all were to worship on the first day?
WHAT HAPPENED IN HISTORY?
Emperor Aurelian begins new Sun cult. (274 A.D.)
[p. 55] In 274, Aurelian … created a new cult of the “Invincible Sun.” Worshipped in a splendid temple, served by pontiffs who were raised to the level of the ancient pontiffs of Rome, celebrated every fourth year by magnificent games, Sol Invictus was definitely promoted to the highest rank in the divine hierarchy and became the official protector of the Sovereigns and of the Empire… He [Aurelian] placed in his new sanctuary the images of Bel and Helios, which he captured at Palmyra. In establishing this new State cult, Aurelian in reality proclaimed the dethronement of the old Roman idolatry and the accession of Semitic Sun-worship…"
[p. 56] This sidereal theology, founded on ancient beliefs of Chaldean astrologers, transformed in the Hellenistic age under the twofold influence of astronomic discoveries and Stoic thought, [was] promoted, after becoming a pantheistic Sun-worship, to the rank of official religion of the Roman Empire.
Source: Franz Cumont, Astrology and Religion Among the Greeks and Romans (reprint; New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1960), pp. 55, 56.
First Sunday Law enacted by Emperor Constantine -March, 321 A.D.
“On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another day is not so suitable for grain-sowing or for vine-planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost. (Given the 7th day of March, Crispus and Constantine being consuls each of them for the second time [A.D. 321].)”
Source: Codex Justinianus, lib. 3, tit. 12, 3; trans. in Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol. 3 (5th ed.; New York: Scribner, 1902), p. 380, note
Transition from Pagan to Christian
[p. 122] “This legislation by Constantine probably bore no relation to Christianity; it appears, on the contrary, that the emperor, in his capacity of Pontifex Maximus, was only adding the day of the Sun, the worship of which was then firmly [p. 123] established in the Roman Empire, to the other ferial days of the sacred calendar…”
[p. 270] "What began, however, as a pagan ordinance, ended as a Christian regulation; and a long series of imperial decrees, during the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries, enjoined with increasing stringency abstinence from labour on Sunday.” Source: Hutton Webster, Rest Days, pp. 122, 123, 270. Copyright 1916 by The Macmillan Company, New York.
Pagan Festivals and Church Policy
"The Church made a sacred day of Sunday … largely because it was the weekly festival of the sun; for it was a definite Christian policy to take over the pagan festivals endeared to the people by tradition, and to give them a Christian significance."
Source: Arthur Weigall, The Paganism in Our Christianity, p. 145. Copyright 1928 by G. p. Putnam’s Sons, New York.
PROTESTANT CONFESSIONS ABOUT SUNDAY:
Again, the question here is: What is your “measuring stick” for truth – a teaching or tradition that has been around for 100 or even over 1000 years, or is your final authority for truth built on the sure foundation of Scripture?
Despite the Sabbath being one of the Ten Commandments written by the finger of YHWH Himself, Christianity has continued the Catholic tradition of honoring the first day of the week known as “Sun-day” that the sun worshiping Constantine ordained.
This is not a “Jewish” command, the Sabbath was given to us as an example by YHWH immediately after Creation.
This world's traditions are of no importance to us as followers of YHWH, so let's examine His Word to find the Truth (“Thy Word is Truth” JOHN 17:17).
In the Beginning: Genesis 2:1-3
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their array. And on the seventh day Elohim completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And .
blessed the seventh day and set it apart, because on it He rested from all His work which Elohim in creating had made."
The Fourth Commandment: Exodus 20:8-11
8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart. 9 “Six days you labor, and shall do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath of YHWH your Mighty One. You do not do any 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. 11 “For in six days YHWH made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore YHWH blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart. (Ex 31:18).
The Commandment Repeated: Exodus 31:12-17
12 And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 13 “And you, speak to the children of Yisrayl, saying, ‘My Sabbaths you are to guard, by all means, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, to know that I, YHWH, am setting you apart. 14 ‘And you shall guard the Sabbath, for it is set-apart to you. Everyone who profanes it shall certainly be put to death, for anyone who does work on it, that being shall be cut off from among his people. 15 ‘Six days work is done, and on the seventh is a Sabbath of rest, set-apart to YHWH. Everyone doing work on the Sabbath day shall certainly be put to death. 16 ‘And the children of Yisrayl shall guard the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant. 17 ‘Between Me and the children of Yisrayl it is a sign forever. For in six days YHWH made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’ ”
The Warning: Ezekiel 20:10-20
“...so I took them out of the land of Egypt, and I brought them into the wilderness. And I gave them My laws and showed them My right-rulings, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ And I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, to know that I am YHWH who sets them apart. But the house of Yisrayl rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in My laws, and they rejected My right-rulings, which, if a man does, he shall live by them. And they greatly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume them. But I acted for My Name’s sake, not to profane it before the gentiles, before whose eyes I had brought them out.And I Myself also lifted My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, not to bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, the splendor of all lands, because they rejected My right-rulings and did not walk in My laws, and they profaned My Sabbaths. For their heart went after their idols. And My eye pardoned them, from destroying them. And I did not make an end of them in the wilderness. And I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the laws of your fathers, nor observe their rulings, nor defile yourselves with their idols. ‘I am YHWH your Mighty One. Walk in My laws, and guard My right-rulings, and do them. ‘And set apart My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and you, to know that I am YHWH your Mighty One.’"
These Scriptures make it very clear how serious YHWH treats the violation of His Sabbath (and laws). It should serve as a reminder to us all.
The Sabbath as a Sign: Exodus 31:16-17
And the children of Yisrayl shall guard the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant. 17 ‘Between Me and the children of Yisrayl it is a sign forever...
Some get confused over who Yisrayl actually is, but as we see in Isaiah in the verse preceding; Yisrayl is those who hold fast to His Covenant. See also: Hos 2:23, Rom 10:12, Gal 3:28.
Notice the Sabbath is a sign forever.
Ezekiel 20:12 “And I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, to know that I am Yahweh who sets them apart.
Ezekiel 20:20 ‘And set apart My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and you, to know that I am Yahweh your Elohim.’
The Sabbath being a “sign” is indicative that others should be able to recognize this observance in an obedient believer.
Yahushua and the people of Yisrayl all observed the Sabbath:
Luke 4:16 " And He came to Natsareth, where He had been brought up. And according to His practice, He went into the congregation on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read."
Luke 23:56 " And having returned, they prepared spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the command."
Sha'ul and the apostles kept the Sabbath:
Act 13:42 "And when the Yehudim went out of the congregation, the gentiles begged to have these words spoken to them the next Sabbath. And when the meeting of the congregation had broken up, many of the Yehudim and of the worshiping converts followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the favor of Elohim. 44 And on the next Sabbath almost all the city came together to hear the Word of Elohim."
Acts 17:2 And according to his practice, Paul went in unto them, and for three Sabbaths was reasoning with them from the Scriptures...
Acts 18:4 And he was reasoning in the congregation every Sabbath, and won over both Yehudim and Greeks.
Because of mis translation, the following verse has caused much confusion to some:
Colossians 2:16 Let no one therefore judge you in eating or in drinking, or in respect of a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths – 17 which are a shadow of what is to come – but the Body of the Messiah.
This verse states that the Body of Messiah are the only ones to judge in these matters but is confusing in Bible translations with the added word of “is” - “but the body is of Christ.” (KJV). This changes the whole meaning of the Scripture and the last sentence becomes an irrelevant statement.
Hebrews 4:9 " ...so there remains a Sabbath-keeping for the people of Elohim.
This verse in Bibles has been poorly (or deliberately) mistranslated. It reads: “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.”(KJV). This word “rest” is “Sabbatismos” in Greek and literally means Sabbath-keeping.
The conclusion of the matter is: Jeremiah 17:5 Thus said Yahweh, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart turns away from Yahweh.”