From YAHWEH’S  
Appointed Days and Customs
 
to "Christianity’s" 
Appointed Days and Customs.

THE Sabbath ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES

YAHWEH blessed and sanctified the Sabbath when HE finished creating or fashioning the earth and all the things therein.

Gen. 2 (1) Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. (2) And on the seventh day [YAHWEH] Elohim ended HIS work which HE had made; and HE rested on the seventh day from all HIS work which HE had made. (3) And [YAHWEH] Elohim blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it HE had rested from all HIS work which [YAHWEH] Elohim created and made.

Also, the following scripture proves that YAHWEH established the seventh day as the blessed, sanctified, hallowed Sabbath Day at the end of creation and not at Mount Sinai when HE gave HIS basic ten Commandments to Israel. (The fourth of YAHWEH'S basic ten commandments concerns the weekly Sabbath that has been blessed and sanctified since the end of Creation. It is very clear that the fourth commandment does not establish the Sabbath; however, it does state that one is to remember YAHWEH'S Sabbath Day to keep it holy!)

Exo. 20 (8) Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (9) Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: (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: (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.

Since it is clear that the Sabbath Day was instituted at the end of Creation, the law of remembering the Sabbath Day to keep it holy was surely one of the laws and commandments that the great patriarch Abraham kept.

Gen. 26 (5) Because that Abraham obeyed MY voice, and kept MY charge, MY Commandments, MY statutes, and MY Laws.

YAHWEH also proclaimed that the Sabbath was to be a sign between Himself and HIS people forever. (One should be aware of the fact that people such as Enoch, Noah, Abraham and the believing Gentiles of today are also HIS people too.)

Exo. 31 (13) Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily MY Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between ME and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am YAHWEH that doth sanctify you. (14) Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. (15) Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to YAHWEH: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. (16) Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. (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.

Eze. 20 (10) Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. (11) And I gave them MY statutes, and showed them MY judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. (12) Moreover also I gave them MY Sabbaths, to be a sign between ME and them, that they might know that I am YAHWEH that sanctify them.

Most of the Gentiles have been falsely taught that YAHshua’s first century followers, especially the Apostle Paul, permitted the changing of YAHWEH'S Sabbath to the first day of the week. They do not want to remember and keep holy YAHWEH'S memorial of HIS "Shabath" (Hebrew for rest) at the end of HIS creating or fashioning of the earth. They do not want to remember and keep holy YAHWEH'S sign between HIMSELF and HIS people. Instead, they want to attempt to keep holy the first day of the week as a memorial of YAHshua’s resurrection! (Proof that YAHshua's resurrection was not on the first day of the week will be given later, but it will be explained in greater detail in another article.) They want to set the Sabbath aside and make the first day of the week a day for rest and for worshipping YAHWEH. One should worship YAHWEH and be holy seven days of every week, but one can only keep a day holy that YAHWEH makes holy. YAHWEH said to remember and keep the Sabbath Day holy. He did not say to MAKE another day holy and then keep it holy. ONLY YAHWEH can make days holy! Humans can only keep them holy by not polluting them.

For many years, the true and scattered congregation was Jewish as was YAHshua Ha Mashiach and His Apostles. The authors of His first century followers' letters and documents were also Jewish. It was natural for them to go to the synagogues on the Sabbath, as it was their custom, which was ordained by YAHWEH. When Paul came to a town, if possible, he went to the Jews first. He always found them in the synagogue on YAHWEH'S Sabbath. In one instance, Paul preached to both the Jews and the Gentiles at Antioch on the Sabbath. If YAHWEH'S blessed and sanctified Sabbath had been replaced by the first day of the week for the Gentiles, then Paul certainly missed a good chance to tell them. The Gentiles could have met the next day instead of waiting a week for the next Sabbath day in which almost the whole city came together.

Acts 13 (14) But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. ... (42) And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. (43) Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of YAHWEH. (44) And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of YAHWEH.

There was only one meeting recorded that was held on the first day of the week, which begins Saturday evening at sunset, that Paul attended. It was a Saturday night farewell supper for Paul, at which he did preach after breaking bread. (Semitic people called eating a meal breaking bread.)

Acts 20 (7) And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread [eat a common meal], Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

The first day of the week is only mentioned seven other places in the writings of YAHshua's first century followers. Each place should be carefully investigated to see if any authority is given there to replace the observance of YAHWEH'S seventh day Sabbath by observing the first day of the week as a Sabbath. The first place that the first day of the week is mentioned is concerning when it was first discovered that YAHshua had risen from the dead. This is found in Matthew's account of the death, burial and the resurrection of YAHshua. Only portions of these accounts will be quoted.

Mat. 28 (1) In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher.

The above verse is used by many who attempt to convince others that YAHshua rose from the dead on the first day of the week, but verse five and six states that He was NOT in the grave. It is very clear; He had already risen.

Mat. 28 (5) And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek YAHshua, which [Who] was crucified. (6) He is not here: for He is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Sovereign lay.

The next two places where the first day of the week is mentioned were written by mark in his version of the same event. (Mark was not one of YAHshua's Apostles, but he apparently knew them.) In his version, one finds basically the same things other than the time that the women came to the grave on the first day of the week. Again, one should remember that the Sabbath begins and ends at sunset.

Mark 16 (1) And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him. (2) And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sun. (3) And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher? (4) And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. (5) And entering into the sepulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. (6) And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek YAHshua of Nazareth, which [Who] was crucified: He is risen; He is not here: behold the place where they laid Him. (7) But go your way, tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him, as He said unto you. (8) And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulcher; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid. (9) Now when YAHshua was risen early the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven devils.

Again, many people interpret the last sentence above to mean that YAHshua rose from the dead on the first day of the week. It does not say or imply that He rose on that day, but it is does say that on that day He was (already) risen. If He rose at sunrise on the first day of the week as many people are incorrectly taught, He would have been in the grave three days and four nights. As a portion of YAHWEH manifested in the flesh, YAHshua knew exactly how long He would be in the grave. YAHshua said that He would be in the grave THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS!

Mat. 12 (39) But He answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: (40) For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The next place that the first day of the week is referred to was also written by Mark. He mentioned that when the two women came to the sepulcher on the first day of the week they surprisingly found that YAHshua had already risen.

Luke 24 (1) Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. (2) And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. (3) And they entered in, and found not the body of the Sovereign YAHshua. (4) And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: (5) And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? (6) He is not here, BUT IS RISEN: remember how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee, (7) Saying, The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

The next two places that the first day of the week is mentioned are also concerning the death, burial and resurrection of YAHshua. This was written by John, another one of YAHshua's Apostles. The results were the same; when they came to the tomb on the first day of the week, HE WAS ALREADY RISEN. John also adds that YAHshua came to His Apostles that same day. They were hiding; they were afraid that the Jews would crucify them because they were His closest companions.

John 20 (1) (2) The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple (John), whom YAHshua loved, and saith unto them, they have taken away YAHshua out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid Him … (19) Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came YAHshua and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

The following portion of one of Paul's letters to the congregation at Corinth is used to attempt to justify changing the Sabbath to the first day of the week. This was not a command to come together to worship or to pay tithes and offerings on the first day of the week. Paul was telling them to lay in store each week that which YAHWEH had prospered them. Paul was taking up voluntary donations to take to the poor saints that lived at Jerusalem. Their "liberality" consisted of fruit, grain, meat, clothing and other needed goods. He did not want to wait for each man to start the time consuming gathering of these offerings together after he came to Corinth. He wanted it to be ready when he arrived.

I Cor. 16 (1) Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the Assemblies of Galatia, even so do ye. (2) Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as YAHWEH hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. (3) And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality [generous gift] unto Jerusalem. (4) And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.

In the eight places that the first day of the week was referred to, not one of them had anything to do with changing the observance of the Sabbath to the first day of the week! The first day of the week was not called holy; it was not given a sacred name of any kind. There is no mention of penalties or blessings connected with the first day of the week. There is no mention of the first day of the week as being sanctified, hallowed, blessed, or as being a memorial of YAHWEH’S rest at the end of HIS creating the earth and all the things in it. There is no mention of the first day of the week as being a sign between YAHWEH and HIS people (Please remember that believing Gentiles are also YAHWEH’S people.). There was no authority or even a hint to observe the first day of the week as a day in honor of the resurrection of YAHshua or to call it the "Lord's Day." YAHshua, a portion of YAHWEH’S divine presence (Shekhinah) manifested in the flesh of a human being, is Sovereign of the Sabbath; therefore, the Sabbath is the Sovereign's Day!

Mark 2 (27) And He said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: (28) Therefore the Son of man is Sovereign also of the Sabbath.

YAHshua, as sovereign of the Sabbath, did not change the fourth commandment to read: "Thou shall keep the first day of the week holy in honor of the resurrection of YAHWEH’S Son." YAHshua did not authorize His Apostles to change the observance of YAHWEH’S holy Sabbath to the first day of the week. YAHshua's Apostles kept the Sabbath because they kept YAHWEH’S basic Ten commandments. John, discipled and chosen as an emissary by YAHshua, spoke very clearly about keeping YAHWEH’S commandments. Again, remembering and keeping the Sabbath Day holy is in obedience to the fourth commandment.

I John 2 (3) And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep HIS Commandments.

I John 5 (2) By this we know that we love the children of YAHWEH, when we love YAHWEH, and keep HIS Commandments. (3) For this is the love of YAHWEH, that we keep HIS Commandments: and HIS Commandments are not grievous.

As John relates, YAHWEH’S commandments are not grievous! So, why do most professing "Christians" try so hard to hang the fourth commandment on the "Dear old Rugged Cross" that they sing about so often? Why?

There is absolutely not any existing scriptural authority or evidence that the early New Covenant Congregation, under the supervision of YAHshua’s personally trained Apostles, changed or omitted YAHWEH’S Sabbath! If one wishes to know who did make that change, please read CHAPTER TWO.

CHAPTER ONE  CHAPTER TWO  CHAPTER THREE  CHAPTER FOUR