KEEPING THE SABBATH HOLY

The Fourth Commandment - Remember and Guard

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" - Exodus 20:8

The Fourth Commandment

Exodus 20:8-11: "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of YHWH 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: For in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore YHWH blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

Deuteronomy 5:12: "Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as YHWH thy Elohim hath commanded thee."

Note: Exodus says "Remember" (zakar) and Deuteronomy says "Keep/Guard" (shamar) - we must both remember and actively guard this day!

When Is the Sabbath?

Friday Sunset → Saturday Sunset

The Biblical day begins at sunset, not midnight!

Genesis 1:5: "And the evening and the morning were the first day."

Leviticus 23:32: "From even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath."

The Seventh Day - Saturday:

  • Jews have kept the same day for 3,500+ years
  • Calendar changes never affected the weekly cycle
  • Yahusha kept Saturday Sabbath
  • The apostles kept Saturday Sabbath
  • Early believers kept Saturday until Rome changed it

Luke 4:16: "And he 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."

Preparation Day (Friday)

Friday Morning:

  • Clean your home
  • Do laundry
  • Shop for food
  • Prepare meals ahead
  • Finish work projects

Friday Afternoon:

  • Cook Sabbath meals
  • Shower and dress nicely
  • Set the table
  • Turn off work devices
  • Light candles before sunset (optional tradition)

Mark 15:42: "And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath."

What TO DO on the Sabbath

✓ DO These Things:

  • Rest from regular work
  • Worship Yahuah
  • Study Scripture
  • Pray and meditate
  • Fellowship with believers
  • Sing praises
  • Enjoy family time
  • Rest your body
  • Walk in nature
  • Do good deeds
  • Visit the sick
  • Share meals together

✗ DON'T Do These:

  • Work for money
  • Buy or sell
  • Cook (prepare ahead)
  • Clean house
  • Do laundry
  • Handle business
  • Watch worldly entertainment
  • Play competitive sports
  • Think about work
  • Carry burdens
  • Travel far (Sabbath day's journey)
  • Kindle fire (debated)

Isaiah 58:13-14: "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 YHWH, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in YHWH."

The Blessings of Sabbath Keeping

Promises for Sabbath Keepers:

Isaiah 56:2: "Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it."

Physical Benefits:

  • Weekly rest prevents burnout
  • Body healing and restoration
  • Stress reduction
  • Better sleep patterns
  • Increased longevity

Spiritual Benefits:

  • Deeper relationship with Yahuah
  • Weekly spiritual renewal
  • Protection from worldliness
  • Family unity and bonding
  • Prophetic understanding

Covenant Sign:

Exodus 31:13: "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 YHWH that doth sanctify you."

Common Objections Answered

"We're under grace, not law"

Matthew 5:17-18: "Yahusha said: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law."

Has heaven and earth passed away? No! Then the Sabbath remains.

"Every day is holy now"

If every day is holy, then no day is special. But Yahuah specifically blessed and sanctified the SEVENTH day, not all days.

"Sunday is the Day of Worship"

Mark 2:28: "Therefore the Son of man is Master also of the sabbath."

Yahusha is Master of the Sabbath (Saturday), not Sunday! The word "Lord" comes from "Baal" in Hebrew - we use His true name Yahuah.

"The apostles met on Sunday"

Acts 20:7 was a Saturday night meeting (after Sabbath ended at sunset). They broke bread daily (Acts 2:46), not just Sunday.

"It's legalistic"

Is it legalistic to not murder? Not steal? The Sabbath is a commandment just like the others. Love motivates obedience!

What About Emergencies?

Matthew 12:11-12: "Yahusha said: What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days."

Permitted on Sabbath:

  • Saving life (human or animal)
  • Medical emergencies
  • Acts of mercy
  • Helping those in need
  • Feeding the hungry

Principles to Remember:

  • The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath
  • It's lawful to do good on the Sabbath
  • Mercy triumphs over sacrifice
  • Use wisdom and pray for guidance

Practical Tips for New Sabbath Keepers

Start Gradually:

  1. Week 1-2: Just rest from work
  2. Week 3-4: Add Scripture study
  3. Week 5-6: Prepare meals ahead
  4. Week 7-8: Find fellowship/online service
  5. Continue: Build your Sabbath traditions

Sabbath Meal Ideas (Prepare Friday):

  • Slow cooker meals (set before Sabbath)
  • Cold salads and sandwiches
  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Bread baked Friday
  • Cholent (traditional Sabbath stew)

Activities for Children:

  • Bible stories and songs
  • Nature walks
  • Family games (non-competitive)
  • Art projects about creation
  • Visiting grandparents

If You Must Work:

  • Talk to your employer about religious accommodation
  • Offer to work Sundays instead
  • Look for new employment that honors Sabbath
  • Trust Yahuah to provide
  • Do your best while seeking change

The End-Time Sabbath Test

Revelation 14:12: "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of Yahuah, and the faith of Yahusha."

The Coming Test:

  • Sunday laws are coming (Mark of the Beast)
  • Sabbath keeping will identify the remnant
  • It's the seal of Yahuah vs Mark of Beast
  • Practice now while it's easy
  • Build habits before persecution

Ezekiel 20:12: "Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am YHWH that sanctify them."

The Promise:

"If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath... I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth" - Isaiah 58:13-14

Start This Week!

Your First Sabbath:

This Friday before sunset: Stop all work

Friday sunset to Saturday sunset: Rest and worship

Saturday after sunset: Resume normal activities

Remember: The Sabbath is a DELIGHT, not a burden! It's Yahuah's gift to you - 24 hours of peace, rest, and spiritual renewal every week.

Mark 2:27: "And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath."

Join the Remnant!

By keeping the Sabbath, you join a continuous chain of faithful believers stretching from Creation to today. You declare that Yahuah is your Creator and Yahusha is your Messiah!

Shabbat Shalom! (Sabbath Peace!)

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