A question that comes up every Shabbos is the thing about not leaving one's place of residence:
29. See that the Lord has given you the Sabbath. Therefore, on the sixth day, He gives you bread for two days. Let each man remain in his place; let no man leave his place on the seventh day - Exodus 16
To which my question is this: I live in an apartment. The building is completely circular. On the interior of the circle is all the recreational stuff like sandpit volleyball, the clubhouse, clay tennis courts, walking paths, and the pool. Is going out to the pool for a swim 'leaving my place of residence?' In other words, does the command mean we should stay indoors, or just 'where ever we live - however those borders are defined?'
Hebrews 4:9-10: �There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.� One can observe the Saturday Sabbath, but to have the rest they need to know �the Lord of the Sabbath. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His.�
Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. The old covenant which the Sabbath was the seal of was a conditional one based on works.
This Scripture is speaking of entering into a future God's Sabbath Rest. Go back and read verses 4 and 5 again. Don't forget that the �Rest� which God entered into (Genesis 2) was not a physical rest from his labor. It is an Eternal rest, not once every week. In Genesis 2 on the day God rested there is no �evening� or �morning.� This �rest� neither they nor we can enter into by the law, or the fourth commandment- a day; Moses was kept out of the Promised Land, the law kept him from entering while Joshua entered by faith.
These men are illustrations of types. The �True Sabbath Rest� is found only, by faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ. In the New Testament the true light comes to earth and the shadows (types which were temporary) disappear. Now we no longer look to the shadows, but to the substance which the shadow was cast from, the substance in the person of Christ (Col. 2:16-17). To go back in the shadows out of necessity is to have our light become darkness as if we never received it. We are undoing all that Christ has done. Jesus said in Mt.11:28: �Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.� The Apostles knew the burden of the law. This is why at their Jerusalem Council they refuted the law being added to grace. Stating those who do trouble you with words and subverting your souls. In Acts15:10: �Now therefore, why put God to the test, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear.�
The Old Testament purpose of Sabbath was one of completion, the number 7 is the number of completion the 8th day is the number of new beginnings.
The emphasis at Pentecost is the first day, we should not confuse the Sabbath as now being Sunday, it is still Friday night to Saturday night. These are pictures of what God would do in the future as He came to earth. The Sabbath refers to completion, God rested when He was done, the Lords Day has to do with a new beginning, the resurrection to eternal life was something absolutely new. The Sabbath is relating to God's rest in creation. The 8th day is a memorial of new creation of Israel as well as Gentiles receiving new life in God, Commemorated by the resurrection.
In Scripture the number seven represents completion; it is the cycle given for us as a completed week. Jesus rose on the first day of the week, (the 8th day) giving us Eternal Life and an eternal Sabbath rest in him. 1 Pet.1:3: �Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.�
In Heb.4:10: �For he that has �entered into� his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his. �This �entering in� is to �remain in�, the rest. It is an Eternal rest of which the seventh day is but a type. The high priest would enter in with sacrifices and come out again. Christ the eternal high priest entered once and finished the work remaining as our eternal high priest.
V.11 therefore let us be diligent (strive) to enter that rest- we must persevere in faith to the end not become disobedient and turn back as Israel did. This was not a day but a person and relationship. The solution is clear, its Jesus, it�s found in His person and not in the Old Testament commandments he replaced.
�We are delivered from the law, that ... we should serve in newness of the spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter� (Rom. 7: 6). This letter clearly is in reference to the Old Testament law.
At His death on the cross, the �veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom� (Matthew 27:51), indicating that the offering of sacrifices and other temple services have already served their purpose and were finished. Christ did not bring reform to the Mosaic Law and the Sabbath, but instead installed a NEW COVENANT to replace the Old (Heb.8:13). The Old Testament Sabbath was based on a works covenant. The NEW Testament rest (Sabbath) is based on grace.
Exod. 33:13-16: �Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.� And He said, �My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.� Then he said to Him, �If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. �For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.�
Grace was shown to Israel by the Holy Spirit who gave them rest. God�s presence, His Spirit brings us into His rest for today. Without Christ fulfilling the law perfectly and raising from the dead we could not be given the Spirit.
This we see why God could not give us any one day of the week as a Sabbath (rest). We've 'entered into' and are to 'remain in' His rest. This, Israel could not do having only a shadow of the true substance which came later, which we now enjoy. God sent the Holy Spirit on Sunday (Pentecost), to accomplish that rest which was apprehended in Christ. 1,500 years before this event the Sabbath was given for Israel, 1,500 years later the church was given the comforter, the Spirit, God himself, who gives us the promises of God and the true rest promised.
WILL THE RESURRECTION OF GOD'S SAINTS BY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TAKE PLACE EXACTLY 6,000 YEARS AFTER GOD'S FIRST 7TH DAY REST??
Hebrews 4:9: �THERE IS AN ETERNAL SABBATH OR 7TH DAY REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD.�
������ God�s Most High Eternal 7th Day Rest or Sabbath Rest is mentioned 10 times in Hebrews 3:11 to Hebrews 4:11 as follows:
** GOD�S REST is mentioned 1 time in Hebrews 4:10 ** MY REST is mentioned 3 times in Hebrews 3:11;4:3;4:5 & also Psalm 95:11 ** THAT REST is mentioned 3 times in Hebrews 4:3;4:6 & 4:11 ** HIS REST is� mentioned 1 time Hebrews 4:8 ** THE SABBATH or 7th DAY REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD is mentioned 1 time in Hebrews 4:9� ** ANOTHER DAY is mentioned 1 time in Hebrews 4:8.� God also mentions His first 7th DAY REST after creating the present heavens and earth in 6� {24 hour} days 2 times in Hebrews 4:4.
����� This 7th Day Rest was for God the Father and God the Son {See John 1:1-3 & Col 1:16 below} after Their work in creating the present heavens and earth in six 24-hour days ALMOST 6,000 years ago. This first 7th Day Rest did not include the people of God.�� Exodus 20:11: �In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is� in them, but He rested on the 7th Day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath or 7th day and made it holy.�
������� John 1:1-3: �In the beginning was the Word {Jesus}, and the Word was with God {The Father}, and the Word was God� Through Him {Jesus} all things were made, without Him nothing was made that has been made.�� Col 1:16: �By Him {Jesus} all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible� all things were created *BY* Him and for Him.�
����� But God says that His 7th DAY REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD will occur on ANOTHER DAY in Hebrews 4:8b and then calls it �SABITISMOS� {In the inspired Greek} which could be translated the Most High Sabbath Rest for the people of God or 7th DAY REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD. ����
� Hebrews 4:8b,9: �God spoke about ANOTHER DAY. There remains, then a Most High Sabbath Rest or 7th DAY REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD; for anyone who enters GOD�S REST also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. {Almost 6,000 years ago} Let us, therefore make every effort to enter THAT REST!� {OR REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD which will come on ANOTHER DAY}�����
NOTE: The exact science of Bible Chronology shows that God�s 6-day creation began between 4000 BC and 3964 BC; and the reason for this 36 year spread is because part of this Bible Chronology depends on the ages of 20 patriarchs {When they became fathers} from Adam to Abraham {See Gen 5:3-28; 11:10-26} and 16 Judean kings from David to Josiah who did not all rule the exact number of years mentioned to the day. For example:
The 40th year could be from 39 years and one day all the way to 40 years. If for example the Last Day is on April 5th, 2015 then the 6,000 years or 6 Lord's Days would have began exactly 6,000 years earlier or on April 5th, 3986 BC since you must deduct 1 year going from BC to AD since there was no year Zero. 3986 plus 2015 equal 6,001 years minus 1 year equal exactly 6,000 years.�
����� God originally made this statement about HIS REST in Psalm 95:11 in the OT era and repeated Psalm 95:11 in Hebrews 3:11; 4:3 & 4:5. In Hebrews 4:1 God states that �THE PROMISE OF ENTERING HIS REST STILL STANDS� which means that his promise STILL STANDS throughout the entire NT era.
������ In Psalm 95:7-11 God states that all those who harden their hearts when they hear My voice are always going astray and shall never enter �MY REST� while those who believe {Heb 4:3} and who are the people of God {Heb 4:9} shall enter My Eternal Rest!
������ I Cor 3:9: �We are God�s fellow workers.� Eph 2:10: �We are God�s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.� During the Great tribulation a Voice from Heaven will say: Rev 14:13: �Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.� �Yes� says the Spirit, �they will REST from their labor, for their deeds will follow them. Heb 4:9,10: �There remains a MOST HIGH SABBATH REST or 7th DAY REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD: for anyone who enters GOD�S REST also rests from his own work.�
������ Hebrews 4:4,5,8,9 tells about TWO 7th DAY RESTS. God�s first 7th Day Rest took place after the Father and Jesus created the first heaven and earth in six 24-hour days and Rev 21:5 shows us that God�s 2nd 7th DAY REST with His fellow workers will take place after He creates a New Heaven and a New Earth and the Heavenly New Jerusalem which will be our ETERNAL HOME with the Father and Jesus.
������ The phrase 7th DAY REST in Heb 4:9 implies that God and His fellow workers will have been working hard for 6 days before enjoying their eternal 7th DAY REST. We know that God and His fellow workers have been working hard since God�s first 7th DAY REST after creating the present heaven and earth which occurred ALMOST 6,000 years ago.
Could the 6 days work for God and His fellow workers actually be exactly 6,000 years?? The answer to this question is in Psalm 90:1-4 and in 2 Peter 3:8 which will be quoted next. Will God�s Last Eternal 7th DAY REST with His people begin exactly 6 days or 6,000 years after God�s first 7th Day Rest after creating the first heaven and earth?
������� Psalm 90:1-4: �Lord you have been our dwelling place throughout ALL GENERATIONS�.. Before you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God� for 1,000 YEARS IN YOUR SIGHT ARE LIKE A **DAY** that has just gone by.� {And so 6,000 years in God�s sight are just like 6 DAYS!}
����� 2 Peter 3:8: �But do not forget this one thing dear friends: WITH THE LORD **A DAY** IS LIKE **1,000 YEARS** and **1,000 YEARS** ARE LIKE **A DAY**!� And so: With the LORD, 6 DAYS are just like 6,000 years and 6,000 years are just like 6 DAYS! And God�s 7th DAY REST could occur after exactly 6,000 years which are exactly like 6 days with the Lord.
����� The context of this 1,000 year statement in 2 Peter 3:8 is related to the reason why the 2nd Coming of Jesus has not yet occurred when Peter wrote this epistle around AD 66 {See 2 Peter 3:4&9a}. This statement is also sandwiched in between statements concerning God�s creation of the present heaven and earth {Almost 6,000 years ago} and God�s destruction of the present heavens and earth when Jesus comes as a thief in 2 Peter 3:10, and finally God�s creation of a New Heaven and a New Earth {See Rev 21:1-5}: The Home of Righteousness on the �Day of Eternity� {RSV} in 2 Peter 3:13,18.
������� Now let us look at the inspired statement in 2 Peter 3:8 in context: 2 Peter 3:3,4,7-13: In the Last Days scoffers will come...They will say. �Where is the coming He promised?...Everything goes on as it has since the beginning of Creation.� {Almost 6,000 years ago} But they deliberately forget that by God�s Word the heavens existed and the earth was formed {Almost 6,000 years ago}� BY that same Word of God the present heaven and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men.� {Exactly 6 Days or 6,000 years later?}��
�But do not forget this one thing dear friends: �WITH THE LORD **A DAY** IS LIKE 1,000 YEARS AND 1,000 YEARS ARE LIKE **A DAY**! The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise {Of His 2nd Coming}, as some understand slowness!��������
But THE DAY OF THE LORD {The Coming Jesus promised} will come like a thief {To unbelievers--See I Thess 4:15-17; 5:2-4; & Rev 3:3}. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be burned up� But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a New Heaven and a New Earth, the Home of Righteousness� 2 Peter 3:18 {RSV}: But grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and to the �DAY OF ETERNITY!� Amen.�
����� The time period for the creation of the present heavens and earth was exactly six 24-hour days before God�s first 7th day rest almost 6,000 years ago.� Does God�s inspired Word in 2 Peter 3 and Hebrews 4 just discussed imply that the time period between God�s first 7th Day Rest and God�s Eternal 7th DAY REST is also 6 days and that these 6 Lord�s Days are exactly like 6,000 years WITH THE LORD??
������ It should come as no surprise that when Jesus paid the full price for our admission to God�s eternal 7th Day Rest; that God�s people should no longer commemorate God�s first 7th Day Rest by resting every 7th day according to OT law. The last time God�s people rested on the 7th day according to OT Law was on the DAY BEFORE {See Luke 23:56} the resurrection of Jesus on April 5th, AD 33; when Jesus had completed the Atonement for sins for God�s people from every generation of man�s 6,000 year history. God now wants us to concentrate on entering God�s eternal 7th DAY REST with all its countless eternal rewards for faithful and loving service.
������ Jesus taught in the new Covenant that God's people no longer have to obey OT Sabbath Laws {See Luke 6:1-9 & John 5:8-11,16.17}. In the NT God's saints worshiped and evangelized EVERY DAY {See Acts 2:46,47; 17:27}. And their preachers preached EVERY DAY and EVERY NIGHT {See Acts 19:9,10; 20:31; 28:31b; Heb 3:13}. Making one day more holy than another is a sin in the NT era according to Galatians 4:9-11 & Col 2:14-17. In the NT era EVERY DAY is holy especially TODAY.� {See Hebrews 3:13-15; 4:7}
����� Colossians 2:13-17: "When you were dead, in your sins and your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins, having canceled the written code with its regulations, that was against us, He took it away, nailing it to the cross... Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Month celebration or a SABBATH DAY.� These are just a *SHADOW* of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ!" For when Jesus, the "Lord of the Sabbath" {See Matt 12:8 & Luke 6:5] or 7th Day Rest; comes again God's people will enter their 7th Day Rest or Sabbath Rest.
������ The above passage from God's Word states that OT Sabbath or 7th Day Rest Laws were just a *SHADOW* of the things that were to come. It would seem completely obvious that the OT Sabbath Rest Laws were then just a **SHADOW** of our eternal 7th DAY REST WITH GOD which may occur exactly 6 Lord's Days or 6,000 years after God's first 7th Day rest just after His creation of man on the 6th Day.
������� Exodus 31:15: "For 6 days {A SHADOW of 6 Lord's days or 6,000 years of work for man after His creation} work is to be done, but the 7th Day is a Sabbath of Rest." {A *SHADOW* of our eternal 7th DAY REST WITH GOD after 6 Lord's Days or 6,000 years as fellow workers with God}
������ John 5:16,17: So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath {Or 7th Day}, the Jews persecuted Him. Jesus said to them, "My Father is ALWAYS at His work to this very day, and I, too am working!" I Cor 3:9: "We are God's fellow workers!"" I Cor 15:58: "ALWAYS give yourself fully to the work of the Lord."
������ God the Father and His Son�s first 7th Day Rest began in the past almost 6,000 years ago and ended 24 hours later; and they have been working ever since. They will certainly deserve Their next 7th DAY REST with Their fellow workers 6 days later; which of course will be 6,000 years later since One Day with the Lord is as 1,000 years.
������ And so the time period between God�s first 7th Day Rest after He finished His 6 {24-hour} Day creation to God�s eternal 7th Day Rest at sundown on the Last Day may be exactly 6,000 years.
������ Acts 3:21: �Jesus must remain in heaven **UNTIL THE TIME COMES* for God to restore everything as He promised.�� Ephesians 1:10b,10a: God will bring all things in Heaven and earth together under One Head, even Christ� This will be put in effect WHEN THE TIMES HAVE REACHED THEIR FULFILLMENT.� {At the FULFILLMENT of the 6 DAY or 6,000 year time period from God the Father�s first 7th Day Rest with His Son and the 2,000 year time period or Last 2 Days when God first spoke to us through His Son!!}
And Jesus, {The First and the Last-Rev 22:13} who will come when the 7th angel sounds the 7th and last trumpet, is Lord of the SABBATH or 7th Day as per Matthew 12:8 and Luke 6:5!
������ Col 2:16,17: �The Sabbath {Or 7th} Day�. Is a **SHADOW** of things to come.� And so our eternal 7th Day rest may begin on the first second of the 7th Bible Day or the eternal 7th Bible Millennium when the 7th angel sounds the 7th and Last Trumpet!! Hebrews 4:8b,9 �God spoke about ANOTHER DAY. There remains, then a Most High Sabbath Rest or 7th DAY REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD!!�
������ Genesis 1:1-5: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. {This proves that the earth had already been created by God BEFORE His 6-day creation almost 6000 years ago.} And God said, �Let there be light,� and there was light�. And there was evening {first at sundown}, and {then} there was morning--the first day. NOTE: Before the first day of God�s creation almost 6,000 years ago there was a formless earth with darkness over the surface and waters. And so the earth could have been millions of years old and could have gone through countless forms of God�s creations including the age of the dinosaurs and the Neanderthal creatures.
The Grand Canyon has probably changed very little in the past 6,000 years. Its many strata with millions of dead fossils in solid rock most likely took millions of years to be chiseled out by the Colorado River. The reason why there was darkness over the earth as per Genesis 1:2 just before God�s 6-day creation, almost 6,000 years ago; can be explained by Job 9:7: �God speaks to the sun and it does not shine, and He seals off the light of the stars.� However, the present light, sun, moon, stars, sky, animals, birds, fish, plants, trees and man with an eternal soul were *ALL* newly created during God�s 6-day creation almost 6,000 years ago as per Genesis 1:3-31 and there was no evolution of any species.
John 1:1-3: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God {The Father} in the beginning. Through Him {The Lord of the Sabbath or 7th Day Rest} all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made!!":applause::angel::bow:
Rashi says that this is referenced only to the manna gatherers. The limit set by the Soferim (Rabbis) was 2000 cubits. However the Torah law was set at twelve mil (about 9 miles-exactly the size of the Camp of Israel). The intent was that the manna gatherers should not go out to gather manna because there was enough on the sixth day to last through the seventh.
A question that comes up every Shabbos is the thing about not leaving one's place of residence:
29. See that the Lord has given you the Sabbath. Therefore, on the sixth day, He gives you bread for two days. Let each man remain in his place; let no man leave his place on the seventh day - Exodus 16
To which my question is this: I live in an apartment. The building is completely circular. On the interior of the circle is all the recreational stuff like sandpit volleyball, the clubhouse, clay tennis courts, walking paths, and the pool. Is going out to the pool for a swim 'leaving my place of residence?' In other words, does the command mean we should stay indoors, or just 'where ever we live - however those borders are defined?'
James replies:
God is absolutely Holy. He demands absolute moral perfection from His creation, and you are part of that creation.
Since you have already sinned against him thousands of times, it is a meaningless act for you to travel or not travel during the Sabbath.
You sins will not be erased by following the Law of God, because for one you cannot follow it perfectly, and two, because you have already broken His law.
To escape the wrath of God that is coming, and to be forgiven and made right with God, you have to repent of thinking that you can be right with God by following rules, and instead, turn from sin as a way of life, and trust completely in the Messiah, Jesus, and what He did on the cross, as payment for your sins.
If you will do this, You will be forgiven, and all your sins are paid for, and you will be declared perfectly righteous in the eyes of God. You will be adopted as God's child, and your suffering in life will have real meaning, and when Christ returns, your nature will be perfected both physically, and spiritually, and you will live forever in paradise with God, in a world that has been restored to its perfection, as it was before the Fall.
True story follows...As if to answer my question about remaining indoors, while sitting outside just a few minutes ago alittle common honeybee began buzzing me getting me up out of my chair and taking anever-ending series of steps and hops back away from it (not killing it an Einstein quote coming to mind about how if ever honeybees went extinct, the human race would follow within 4 years from a lack of pollenation.) This was one seriously persistant bee as it just kept coming at me finally settling on my chair I'd been sitting on. Lifting and shaking the chair to get it off and hopefully send it on its way it resumed coming after me! Finally I just came back inside but not before suffering the embarassment of the security guard standing nearby saying, "Guess a bee is having some fun with you eh?" To which I replied, "There is! It's lucky I like bees!" Then quickly went back inside. :)
I've not had such a clearly religious experience in over 20 years, but because of this thread earlier today, and my going outside my place of residence while still the Sabbath, I can't help but regard this as a proper and genuine sign. It's like the angel responsible for bees (I assume there's one as there's one specifically for birds) whispered in its ear to shoo me back inside. :)
good for you Jeff, nice story. But I'm wondering why it is that you hide away in your residence on the Sabbath. I swhat you're doing found in the old Testament? Becasue Jesus worked and worshipped on the Sabbath. Just wondering if you are in keeping with man made religious rules ad laws, or God made commands and laws, and this why you're staying inside on the Sabbath... is Biblical or not?... is this of the religious laws of man, or the holy laws of God ... enlighten me!:glow:
