Is The Sabbath Day Still Holy?

And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. Gen. 2:3 (God blessed and sanctified the 7^th day at the creation, well before Mt. Sinai)

And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath. Mark 2:27-28 (The Sabbath was not just for Jews or for Israel, but for man. And Jesus is not Lord of Sunday, but Lord of the Sabbath.)

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 the LORD thy God: 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 the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. Ex. 20: 8-11 (The 4^th commandment is directly linked to the creation when God rested on the 7^th day. God wants us to “remember” who is the creator of all things.)

And he(Jesus) came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. Luke 4:16 (It was Christ’s custom to observe the Sabbath)

Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. Isaiah 56:1-7 (The Sabbath is commanded to the eunuchs and the sons of the stranger, not just the Israelites or the Jews.)

If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: [14] Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. Isaiah 58:13-14 (God describes the Sabbath as HIS holy day, a delight, holy, and honourable. And then gives blessings for those who keep it.)

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. [11] For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. James 2:10-11 (The 10 commandments are referenced when talking about the law, because that is what the law is.)

Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my Sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.  Ezek. 20:12-13 (God’s Sabbaths is the sign that sets apart his people from everyone else. God’s people keep God’s Sabbaths.)

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 the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ex. 31:13

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 the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. Ex. 31:16-17 (A “perpetual covenant” doesn’t sound like something that would be done away with.)

And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. Isaiah 66:23 (So the Sabbath was observed in the Bible days and the Sabbath will be observed at His return. So why would it be done away with in our day?)

And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. Mark 1:21 (Christ and his disciples taught in the synagogues on the 7^th day of the week, not Sunday.)

In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. [16] There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. [17] Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day? [18] Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath. Nehemiah 13:15-18 (God’s wrath came upon Israel for not observing the Sabbath command.)

But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched. Jeremiah 17:27 (God’s wrath would come if the Sabbath command was not obeyed.)

And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: Dan. 7:25 (The Catholic Church changed the time of God’s Sabbath to Sunday, thus also changing God’s law. And “times” were also changed in that the calendar was changed and caused God’s people to lose knowledge of the time of his Sabbaths and Holy Days.)

But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. [15] And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Acts 13:14-15 (Paul and Barnabus teach on the Sabbath to the Jews.)

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 God. [44] And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. Acts 13:42-44 (Paul and Barnabus teach on the Sabbath to the Gentiles.)

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

And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. Acts 16:13

And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. Acts 18:4 (Paul attended “Church” on the 7^th day of the week. And taught not just Jews, but Greeks also.)

And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Acts 17:2 (It was Paul’s custom to observe the Sabbath.)

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. I Cor. 11:1 (Following Paul would include observing the Sabbath as he did.)

And they(both Marys) returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment. Luke 23:56

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Heb. 4:9 (Almost all translations clarify this as a Sabbath-rest. This is the new testament verse that people say doesn’t exist. Or they will spiritualize away the verse making it still mean the Sabbath rest doesn’t remain for the people of God even though the verse clearly says otherwise.)

But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: Matt. 24:20 (Jesus is talking about a future time when the Sabbath day is still in effect. It doesn’t matter if you interpret this verse to be referring to the destruction of the temple in 70ad or for the end times, either way Jesus is referring to a future time after his death when the Sabbath is still to be obeyed.)

And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden: he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the LORD hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest. Lam. 2:6 (Out of discipline and anger, He caused His people to forget His solemn feasts and Sabbaths.)

I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts. Hosea 2:11 (In the Lord’s anger and discipline, He caused His people to lose knowledge of these things.)