The Sabbaths of God

Johnny Harrell

July 8, 2017

Brethren, the recent sermon series that we have been hearing about, it's about the true story of Jesus Christ and what actually took place when he was physically upon this earth. The truth about Jesus Christ and what actually happened to him, we heard about those events that led up to his death. The world is oblivious to the truth of what really took place, but the truth is about to be taught to all the world in just a short while. We are on the doorsteps of when this truth, of the real Jesus Christ and who he was and who he is, will be revealed into all the world. We are on the doorsteps of when the real God will be revealed to mankind. Mankind will begin to understand that God is the Great God of all the universe, including what His plan for mankind is, the truth about His plan for man. The truth of what God is creating will be revealed in just a short while, and we are on the doorsteps of when this will be realized by all of mankind. The religions of this world have been deceiving mankind through their message.

So today we will take a look at the Sabbaths of God and what the truth is about God's Sabbath days. So that will be your subject today, The Sabbaths of God, and the truth about those Sabbaths.

The Christian world (the Catholic Church, the Protestant world) today, even if they have a bit of understanding about God's days, God's Sabbaths, they do not teach about those days. They do not really understand what sin is. They teach you can come just as you are, that you can attend their churches even though you are living in sin. God's book tells us what sin is, and we know where to find that, in 1 John. I'll just quote what it says in 1 John 3:4—Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law. They do not teach that sin must be put away. They just say, "Come as you are," even if you are in sin, living in a relationship that is in sin. They teach that there are no laws to keep. They teach the Old Testament is not to be observed or even believed and they actually teach that God's Son, Jesus Christ, came and did away with His Commandments, those 10 Commandments. That's what they are actually teaching. They teach that sin is actually okay. They say that God understands and that part is a true statement because God does understand man and what he is capable of, but they have no understanding of what God understands about man and man's ways. But God does understand man's ways, and that's why this plan is in place for man. They do not understand what man is and what the purpose of life is and why man was put upon this earth. They have no idea why man was created and they have no idea of the purpose for man.

They teach about being "born again," but they have no actual meaning, actual understanding of what that actually means, "to be born again." They know about a holy spirit and the presence of that holy spirit that comes from the Great God of this universe, but they have no understanding of what that holy spirit is actually for.

We know that man cannot govern himself. We know man does not have that capability. We know that man needs help from the Great God of this universe to govern himself. Man cannot govern himself and have peace. Peace is so elusive to man. Jesus Christ is coming again to set up the Kingdom of God upon this earth. Most teach that when you die you float on a cloud somewhere and you are forever looking into the face of Jesus Christ for an eternity. They teach that you go off into heaven when you die, or go down, but there are a few that teach about a second coming, but they fail to understand its meaning and purpose and what that second coming is all about. They have no knowledge or conception of the good news of the coming Kingdom of God. They do not understand Christ's message and that message was about the Kingdom of God that is coming to this earth to set up a new government, a just government that will then teach mankind the correct way to live life. A just government with the laws of God to govern mankind – that was the message that Jesus Christ brought to this earth, but the whole world is oblivious to that very message that he brought.

The Catholic and Protestant churches teach that the law is abolished. They teach that Jesus Christ came and did away with His Father's laws—Can you imagine having a son that would do such a thing?—that they were nailed to that pole that Jesus died upon. What they are actually teaching is a pagan doctrine of the immortality of the soul that goes immediately to heaven or hell at death. They teach that death is only life; that you don't really die. They teach that you go off to heaven or hell when you die, but yet somehow you are miraculously still alive – even though you are dead! That's actually what they teach, that you have something that keeps you alive, that you have an immortal soul. So what they really are teaching is confusion. God's book said that Jesus Christ is coming to this earth. They teach that you are going off up into the clouds into heaven somewhere. So they will actually miss the return of Jesus Christ by what they teach.

But God's Church is not in confusion about God's plan. God reveals the truth of His plan through His Feasts, His Sabbaths, the Sabbaths and their meaning that the world is oblivious to, those Sabbaths that teach you and me so much about what God is doing through mankind. God's feasts, God's holy days, which are God's Sabbaths, were commanded to be kept year after year continually, brethren. God's purpose was to impress the truths about these high Sabbaths that we have been hearing so much about through the past sermon series that have just been given. It is the high Sabbaths that the world is really ignorant to; they have no understanding of what a high Sabbath is, but these Sabbaths paint you and me a picture, and it paints a picture upon the minds of God's people. He has worked down through time, through those that He has called, and He has given them true understanding of His plan for man (those that God has called and opened their minds), and the Church of God understands that God's plan begins with the Passover and the days of Unleavened Bread.

Most teach that Christ finished the plan of redemption when he died upon that pole, upon that stake, but the very first event in God's plan for man was the death of His Son Jesus Christ. So the Passover is the very first event pictured to God's, those that God has called, year by year, and it shows us God's plan for man. We have been given so much understanding about God's plan. (And when I say "man" during this sermon I'm including all of mankind.) God's Church has been given understanding about what took place down through time. We understand what took place in Egypt a long, long time ago when God delivered a people. God says that those events were written for our admonition, those of us that find our self at the end of an age and that is God's Church today, preparing for the Kingdom of God that is coming to this earth.

We're the ones that have been given so much understanding about what took place down through time. God uses Egypt, and what took place is a teaching tool for God's Church. What took in Egypt paints us a picture. Egypt is used as a "type" of sin, coming out of sin. God's people today are not in confusion even though we find our self living in a world that is in confusion, but God's people will soon be delivered. And just as they were once in Egypt and were delivered after the pouring out of the plagues, so will those in God's Church at the end of this age, they will begin to be delivered when those plagues begin to be poured out upon man. Just as the Christianity professes to be Christians, and they have taught nothing but deception and have no knowledge of God's days and what they mean, and even though the Jews keep a day, the holy days, the high Sabbaths, some of those Sabbaths, they have no understanding of what it means in God's plan, so none of these can understand how to worship the true God. So it was back in the days of Egypt with the children of Israel that were in Egypt. For over two centuries they had been in bondage in Egypt and they were forced to work with taskmasters over them, as we know the story. There was no Bible at that time. There was no written word of God at that time. They were not permitted to worship God as God had ordained. They were forced to work seven days a week so the children of Israel had lost sight of all of God's Sabbaths and that is why God revealed to them the Sabbath in the Wilderness of Sin. That's the account that we will look at today, that Wilderness of Sin and what took place. We will see why it was so important to God that He did it for forty years.

We will begin today in Exodus 16, if you want to turn over there. Exodus 16. That is where the story will begin. We'll go through this story today and we'll look at how God taught ancient Israel about His days, His Sabbaths, the Sabbaths of God. We'll start in verse 1. It's about the bread from heaven and it's used to teach about God's Sabbaths. So let's read through the story and let's see how God taught the Israelites about His Sabbaths. If the Sabbath was not important to God, why would He spend forty years of teaching man why the Sabbath and when the Sabbath was to be kept and how it was to be kept? Why would God do such a thing if His Son was to come in time and do away with the Sabbaths of God? The world, like I said, is oblivious to God's Sabbaths, but that is about to change. Change is coming to man and man will once again be taught about the Sabbaths of God, the one that we will read about in this chapter. They will be taught for 1,100 years. That's how long they will be taught about these Sabbaths. So change is coming to man and God's Sabbaths will be kept again when Jesus Christ sets his feet upon the Mount of Olives. So let's see what God taught for forty years to those that He brought out of Egypt.

In Exodus 16:1 we find they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt. So we can see the time frame. Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said to them, Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots and the meat, and when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

Then the Eternal said to Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the children will go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them—let's notice—whether they will walk in My law's or not. And it will be on the sixth day that they will prepare what they bring in, and it will be twice as much as they gather daily. And Moses and Aaron said to the children of Israel, At evening you will know that the Eternal has brought you out of the land of Egypt. And in the morning, you will see the glory of the Eternal; for He hears your complaints against the Eternal. That's who it was against, as we know. But what are we, that you complain against us? That's what Moses asked. This shall be seen when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Eternal hears your complaints which you make against Him. And here Moses is asking them again, Why are you complaining about me and Aaron? What are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Eternal. So Moses was reminding them who they were complaining against. It was the Great God of this universe.

Then Moses said to Aaron, Say to all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the Eternal, for He has heard your complaints. Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Eternal appeared in the cloud. So we can see what they were witnesses, witnessing while they were in that wilderness. I can only imagine what they saw when they saw these events taking place.

The children of Israel witnessed some awesome events by the Great God of this universe, and this is one of them. And the Eternal spoke to Moses, saying, I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Say to them, At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread; and you will know that I am the Eternal your God. So it was that quail came up at evening and covered the camp. And in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. And when the layer of dew lifted on the surface of the wilderness was a small round substance, as fine as frost upon the ground. So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, What is it? And it says, This is the bread which the Eternal has given you to eat, and this is the thing which the Eternal has commanded, Let every man gather it according to each one's need, one omer for each person, according to the number of your persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent. Then the children of Israel did so, and gathered; some more, some less.  So when they measured it by omers, let's notice something that took place, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack; every man had gathered according to each one's need. And Moses said, Let none leave it till the morning.

Verse 20. We know what they did. They did not heed Moses. Some of them left part of it until the morning. Some did exactly what Moses told them not to do. So let's notice what took place for those that did not obey what Moses had said; it bred worms and it stank. And Moses was very upset with them. And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted.

And so it was—let's see what day that was—on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said to them, This is what the Eternal has said, Tomorrow is the Sabbath rest—and let's notice what it is—a holy Sabbath to the Eternal. That's what God said. Bake what you will bake today, boil what you will boil, and lay up for yourself all that remains to be kept until morning. So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded. And let's notice what took place. Remember what happened when they gathered before and it stank and bred worms? …it did not stink, nor was there any worms in it. Then Moses said, Eat that today—let's notice—for today is a Sabbath to the Eternal. Today you will not find it in the field. So we see there was no manna on that day, that Sabbath day.

Verse 26—Six days you will gather it; but on the seventh day, not the first day of the week, the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none. There are seven days in a week, and on the Sabbath day there will be none. Now, it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day, the Sabbath that God said was holy, to gather, but they found none. So we can see human nature coming out of man. Man does not want anyone to tell him what to do. That's the nature of man. Obedience to what God says does not appeal to the natural, carnal mind.

The Eternal said to Moses, How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? For the Eternal has given you the Sabbath, therefore, He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place. Let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. We can see it is the seventh day. It's not the first day of the week that is popularly taught to this day by Christianity. So the people rested on the seventh day. And the house of Israel called its name, Manna, talking about the bread from heaven. And this tells us what it looked like. It was white like coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.

Verse 35: This is how many years that God taught them about His Sabbaths. And the children of Israel ate manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. You can read about where that manna ceased on your own in Joshua 5.

So we can see that God taught them about His Sabbaths for forty years. They had laws when to keep God's Sabbaths. The Sabbath, as we go through this sermon, we will see existed before the Law of Moses and it was made holy unto the Eternal before the Mosaic Law was ever given. When the Law of Moses came with its sacrificial ordinances, those meat and drink offerings that were made, that was done temporarily until Jesus Christ came and died. Brethren, the truth about the Sabbath day is the Sabbath existed before these sacrifices were ever added. The same is true of the holy days. They began before the ritualistic Law of Moses.

Let's go over to Numbers 28, Numbers 28. This truth will be taught in just a short while, but Numbers 28, the first part, we find the offerings by fire, by day, the morning and evening sacrifices, and second, we find in verses 9-10, we find the burnt and meat offerings and drink offerings that were given every Sabbath.

In Chapter 29:16 to the end of chapter 29, if you just want to note these, you can find the annual days. You can go back and read that on your own. We know that these offerings that were made by fire, the meat and drink offerings, we know that they were done away with, but the seven weekdays were not done away with. The weekly Sabbath was not done away with and neither were the annual holy days of God done away with. Those sacrifices came with the Law of Moses. That's where they came from and they went with it when Jesus Christ died upon that pole, but the days on which they were held did not come with the Law of Moses, and they did not go with it either, as it is taught. These days are binding forever, brethren, and just as the Sabbath is a memorial, so are those holy days that God gave. The world is oblivious to this very thing, but that is about to change. The truth will be taught in just a short while to mankind and mankind will begin to be given understanding. Man's mind will begin to be opened and they will learn about these Sabbath days that we have just read about that God gave and taught ancient Israel for forty years.

Numbers 28 and let's pay attention to verses 16-17. This is important, as some want to twist the meaning of the Passover. So God had it written very plain when the Passover was. There is some that has walked side-by-side with you and me that have twisted this very thing about the Passover.

Verse 16 tells us, In the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the Eternal. And let's notice, The fifteenth day of this month is the Feast –very plain. Seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. The Feast was not on the fourteenth. The Feast was on the fifteenth. The fourteenth was the Passover when the lamb was killed. The daylight part of the Passover, which was the fourteenth, was the preparation day for the Feast that would begin at sundown at the end of the fourteenth, "at the going down of the sun." At the beginning of the fifteenth day that was the Feast day; a high day, a high Sabbath that the world is oblivious to – most of mankind is, and even if the Jews keep this day they are oblivious to the meaning of those days. They have no idea that it is the plan of the Great God of this universe for man.

Let's go over to Matthew 27. Matthew 27, and let's drop down and look at verse 62. This is the account where the chief priests and the Pharisees asked Pilate to set a guard where Jesus Christ was placed in the tomb (in the grave). They were so stirred up that they came on the high day to ask Pilate to send the soldiers to guard that tomb. What is this world oblivious to? There was a high day, a high Sabbath (that Ron has just gone through in the last sermon series), and it was a high day that occurred during that week. The world does not understand because they do not understand the Sabbaths of God. On the next day, which followed what we just read, the day of the preparation—let's notice what was said and when it was—"On the next day which followed the day of preparation," the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate. So we can see it was on that high day, a holy day, a high Sabbath day. And they were so stirred up that they went to Pilate on a holy day, something that they would never do. They would have never done this on that high day, but they went on the high day that occurred that week. That's how stirred up they were.

And in verse 63 this is why, Sir, we remember while he was still alive, talking about Jesus, how that deceiver said, After three days—let's notice—After three days, so they understood what Jesus Christ had said, After three days I will rise. Therefore, command that the tomb be made secure. So they understood it was about three days – not a day and a half as Christianity teaches, from Friday to Sunday morning. It says, "the third day." …lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say to the people, He has risen from the dead. So we can see that they understood what Jesus Christ had said. There are some today that understand some of this, but they still will not teach it because it does not fit their story of what took place. So we can see who the deceivers are. They claimed that it was Jesus that was deceiver, but we understand who the real deceivers are.

Let's turn to Matthew 26 and let's see what he said. We know what is said in the Old Testament about the Sabbaths of God, but let's see what was written and what was inspired in Matthew 26:3. Then the chief priests, the Scribes, and the elders of the people, assembled at the palace of the high priest called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill him. So that was their plan, to kill him, to have him killed. They wanted to kill Jesus Christ and we know that they succeeded.

Let's look at verse 5. The chief priests and the scribes conspired to kill Jesus. The very priest that was supposed to be teaching the people of a true and right way to live, here they were planning, putting together a plan to kill Jesus Christ. And let's notice what they said, Not on the Feast day, that high holy Sabbath that the world knows nothing about. They are oblivious to this very day. It is a Sabbath of God that occurred during that week. They said, lest there be an uproar among the people, because it would take place on that holy day, that high Sabbath of God. So they hurried so they could take and kill him the day before the Feast, which was on the fourteenth of Abib/Nisan, the Passover.

Mark says the same thing in Chapter 14, that the Feast day was the day after the Passover and that it was the high Sabbath, the holy day after Jesus was nailed to that pole and died.

Let's go over to John 13, John 13, and let's look at verse 29. John 13:29—For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, in other words, what this means is Judas was in charge of the money. That's what is meant by "the bag." He was the treasurer. Jesus said to him, Buy those things that we have need for the Feast. So we can see that Jesus Christ was addressing the Feast, which was the following day after the Passover, the fifteenth of Abib/Nisan. Many do not know that God has His calendar, and that is where we get the saying of "Abib or Nisan." It comes from God's calendar.

Let's look at 1 Corinthians 5 and let's look at verse 7. Christianity has so twisted these scriptures. So we're going to go through quite a few today because many have applied this to the Passover, but let's notice what it does not say. Let's notice that it does not apply to Passover at all, and let's see what it really does say. …For even Christ—let's notice—our Passover was nailed to that pole and died for you and me. Therefore—let's notice—let us keep the Feast, which included two high holy days, high Sabbaths of the Great God of this universe, when he continues through the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Let's notice what it does say, Because Christ our Passover has been nailed to that pole; therefore, let us keep the Feast, which was the fifteenth. That's what is being said. It was the high day Sabbath, the annual holy day. We understand that the whole Feast of Unleavened Bread is for seven days, and it includes two high holy days, two high Sabbaths. And in the recent sermons we heard the true story of Jesus Christ and how he was hung upon that pole, upon that stake, and how he actually died. We heard the truth. We saw how he became our Passover and the suffering that he did to become our Passover and that lamb before pictures Christ. That's what that lamb pictured. They sacrificed that lamb year by year until Jesus Christ fulfilled that. Here it says, Jesus Christ became the Passover, therefore, let us keep the Feast. The fourteenth was the Passover. The fifteenth day of the month was the Feast, the holy day of God. So here it is in the New Testament about this period of time, about these days, those annual Holy Days. It tells us about the weekly Sabbath and the seventh day of the week also – not the first day of the week that was Sunday.

Let's go over to Acts 20:6, Acts 20:6. This is where Paul had observed the Feast, the days of Unleavened Bread. It says, Acts 20:6—We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread. If you said this to most people today that profess to be Christian, "the days of Unleavened Bread," you would get what we call in Georgia, "the deer in the headlight look." I guess I need to explain this because deer are blinded by the lights of an automobile and they will just stop and look straight at those lights. So they are, apparently, blinded by those lights. So it became a saying in Georgia when you are blinded and you are confused and you don't know what's being said, it's "the deer in the headlight" look. So that's the same look that you would get if you mentioned the days of Unleavened Bread. You would get that same look because they have no idea of what you're saying. If you mention a high day or a high Sabbath you get that same look. So that's what would happen if you mentioned that to the Catholic Church. You would get that same look. They are oblivious to these Sabbaths, these high holy days and their meaning. Some of them know that these days exist, but they do not know what their meanings are and what they represent. But it says here Paul had observed the days of Unleavened Bread at Philippi.

Let's notice Acts 12:1. Most of us know how violent Herod was to God's people. That's Acts 12:1. We know how he reacted to God's people. So this tells us about Herod's violence to the Church of God. It says, Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the Church.

Let's look at verse 2 and what it says and what he did. Herod killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews… Can you imagine being pleased when you see somebody that was killed? But here it says that it pleased the Jews that Herod killed James. So they were happy that James was murdered. Can you imagine such a thing? But that's actually what took place. They were happy. Hatred can become so ingrained in the human mind, and this is what had happened. They so hated what was being taught that they were happy that James was killed by Herod.

Let's notice what took place when Herod saw that they were pleased — Herod proceeded further to seize Peter also. We've been through that story in past sermons, about what happened to Peter and how Peter was put in that dungeon and how God sent angels and released Peter, how they broke those shackles off of Peter. So we know that story and we can see now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread. So when he had arrested him, talking about Peter, he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him; intending to bring him before the people after the Passover season (better said).

So this was written in God's book about God's Sabbaths, His holy days, His high days. Why was this written about if God's Son was doing away with the Sabbaths of God? Do you think God had a rebellious son that came and did away with everything that the Great God of this universe had established? This was years after the death of Jesus Christ when this was written. We can see that the days of Unleavened Bread still existed and was being kept by the Church of God.

The religions of this world believe that there is a contest between God and Satan, the one that rebelled and drew a third of the angels (that became demons). Most believe that Jesus Christ came to save the world at that time and that he and God are desperately trying to get the world saved. That's what most of Christianity believes.

So let's go to 2 Corinthians 4 and let's see what the truth is. 2 Corinthians 4:3—But even if our gospel is veiled—let's notice—it is veiled to those who are perishing at this time. So here is the truth of what was taking place, whose minds the god of this age has blinded. Satan is the god of this age, this world, and he is the master of deception. God has allowed it because God has His plan for man.

So this is the reason that mankind today cannot understand what you and me understand – because their minds have been blinded to the truth. The god of this age has blinded man and God has allowed that to take place, but that is about to change. That veil is about to be taken off of mankind, that blindness, and their minds are about to be opened up in just a short while. They will begin to understand what you understand now, brethren. We are on the doorsteps of when this will take place in just a short while.

God used those of old such as Moses, Abraham, Daniel, and many more, and He used them down through time and He dealt with them one on one. The New Testament Church of God was founded on a Sunday, and it started on an annual Sabbath day, a high day called Pentecost, a high holy day, a high Sabbath. It's also called the Feast of Weeks in God's book. It's also called the Feast of First Fruits in God's book and not long ago we just celebrated that very holy day, a high day that is called Pentecost. The Church continues year after year to keep this annual Sabbath, Pentecost. That's what it's called in God's book. God gave these festivals to His people in order to reveal and to keep it continually in their minds about God's purpose for man. It is His annual holy days, those high holy days that was to keep it in the mind of all who He would call down through time, and keep them in the understanding of His plan for man, a yearly reminder of His plan, those that God would call and work with through time.

God paints you and me a picture of His plan through these holy days. That's how it's done, those high Sabbaths, God's Sabbaths. God took the yearly harvest that took place in what we call "the holy land," and He took those harvest seasons; He painted us a picture of a spiritual harvest that would take place in God's plan. That area around Jerusalem that we refer to as "the holy land" (and there is nothing holy at this time about Jerusalem, brethren, but that's how we refer it to, "the holy land"), and there are two annual harvests in that land, the spring harvest and the fall harvest. God uses these holy days during that harvest year by year to paint you and me a picture – to those that He has called, those that can become His begotten children and become Elohim.

So let's go over to Leviticus 23 where we find all of God's holy days listed. Here is where we find all of God's festivals, proclaimed holy convocations. And first is the weekly, that weekly day, the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. And in verse 3 we find that Six days work will be done/shall be done, but the seventh day, not the first day of the week, the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest—let's notice—a holy convocation. You shall do no work therein. So what has man done to God's Sabbaths down through time? It says, it is the Sabbath of the Eternal in all your dwellings. That's what God says.

Let's look at verse 4. It's a list of the annual festivals (also commanded assemblies), "which you shall proclaim in their seasons." First of these is the Passover, which is not a holy day, but it is followed by a holy day, and it begins the Feast of Unleavened Bread with the two annual Sabbaths, and it includes two high days, two holy days.

Let's look at verse 9. We find instructions for the wave sheaf offering. Then on the day following the weekly Sabbath, in a solemn ceremony of the priesthood at that time (the rituals were substitutes, as we know, and we do not practice these today), the first sheaf of grain was cut. This event always occurred during the days of Unleavened Bread. The sheaf was then brought to the priest and the priest waved it before the Eternal to be accepted by God. This pictures the resurrected Jesus Christ ascending to heaven to be accepted by His Father as the very first human being to be actually born of God, to become Elohim, the first, the beginning, the first fruit of the first harvest of mankind.

When we look at John (you don't have to turn there, I'll just tell you these scriptures), but when you compare John 20:17 and what is written in Matthew 28 and some other places, we can see that Jesus Christ presented himself before the Great God of this universe. It tells us about how he ascended to heaven and back, ascended to his Father on the morning after his resurrection the previous afternoon, that we have just heard through a series of sermons, of what and how it took place. So this took place on a Sunday morning, and the fulfillment of the wave sheaf offering did occur on a Sunday, "the morrow after the Sabbath" during the days of Unleavened Bread. So next we come to Pentecost. That is a Greek word and it signifies "fiftieth day," and it means the Feast of First Fruits. It's also called the Feast of Weeks.

So in Leviticus 23:15 we find the instructions about this day. It says, You will count until you, from on/beginning with the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall you number fifty days. That fiftieth day is Pentecost, a high Sabbath day, a holy day, a holy day given by the Great God of this universe.

And you will proclaim on the selfsame day (verse 21) that it may be an holy convocation unto you. You shall do no servile work therein. And let's notice—it shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. All the other holy days come on definite days of the week, but this one, this annual Sabbath day must be determined by counting. It is very simple and plain, the meaning of Pentecost.

Passover symbolized Christ's sacrifice for the remission of our sins, and the days of Unleavened Bread picture the putting away of sin, and the Protestant world says, "Just come as you are. You don't have to do anything. Christ has done everything for you." Pentecost pictures the first part of the spiritual harvest that God used to explain to us about His spiritual harvest, that first spring harvest that takes place on the day of Pentecost. On that day of Pentecost God also sent His holy spirit, and it came to dwell within flesh. So had the disciples not showed upon on that day, that high day that was Pentecost, what would they have missed, brethren? Was the day of Pentecost important to God? Was the day of Pentecost important to those disciples? We understand what God was offering them. Think about it, if they had not shown up on that day, what they would have missed.

Let's look at Leviticus 23:17. On the fiftieth day in Old Testament times two wave loaves were brought out of the habitations of the congregation as the first fruits unto the Eternal. And just as the wave sheaf was lifted up and waved picturing Jesus Christ going to God, his Father, and returning, so the wave loaves were lifted up and waved. It paints us a picture of those who will be in the first resurrection that are accepted by God. They will be resurrected and they will set foot with Jesus Christ on the Mount of Olives at his return – on the day of Pentecost.

Let's go over to 1 Thessalonians 4:15. 1 Thessalonians 4:15—For this we say to you by the word of the Eternal, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep, speaking about Jesus Christ. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the Trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Jesus Christ in the air: and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. They will be resurrected, just as these wave offerings show, and return with Jesus Christ to stand on the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus Christ will begin his millennial reign upon this earth to teach mankind what you are hearing about today, the laws of God and His Sabbath days, and to set up God's Kingdom upon this earth. That was the message that Jesus Christ brought to this world and that is the message that this world is oblivious to at this time.

Let's look at chapter 1 and verse 9, and let's look at what God recorded in His book. It tells us about how Jesus Christ left this earth. Acts 1:9 we find, When he had spoken these things, while they watched he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, two men stood by them in white apparel. So we understand who that was, that it was two angelic beings, it was two angels. That's who was speaking to them.

And in verse 11, who also said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? So this same Jesus, who was taken up into heaven—let's notice—will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven. So we know how he will come back.

Now let's look at what his job will be and what he will begin to rebuild when he sets his feet upon the Mount of Olives. Let's look at Acts 15:16. Acts 15:16. Christianity teaches that one goes to heaven when they die, so I guess they will miss this event, as this says Jesus Christ is returning to this earth to set up God's Kingdom upon this earth and we know that Jesus Christ will rule for a 1,000 years, the Millennium that God's book tells us about.

Verse 16—After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen down. I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up.

Verse 17 tells us (let's notice what will be done). The New King James says, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Eternal I will return and I will rebuild again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down. And I will again build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up.

God tells us why. In the King James Version it says, that the residue of men might seek after the Lord. The world is oblivious to this very thing about how it will be done, that Jesus Christ will return with the first fruits, that first harvest of mankind that has now become Elohim. They have now become in the God Family and the world is oblivious as to how this will take place. They are oblivious to God's plan for man, but Jesus Christ will set his feet upon the Mount of Olives when he returns, and then the rest of mankind that are blinded, who the god of this age has blinded (they are oblivious to what is about to take place), God says that they will seek after the Eternal, the Great God of this universe. Then Satan will be chained and put in his prison for a thousand years.

Jesus Christ is coming, just as he told Pilate. He is coming as a king this time to rule, to set up God's Kingdom upon this earth and God's government upon this earth, to teach man the correct way to live life. Those first fruits that are now spirit with eternal life, they will now begin to reign with Jesus Christ as kings and priests. Now they will begin building a new civilization for man with peace, peace that has so eluded mankind. This new civilization will begin with a new government upon this earth, a just government, the government of God with the laws of God, the very laws that most teach are done away with, that teach that those laws were nailed to that pole, to that stake. They teach you can come just as you are, but according to God, sin has to be put out of our lives. Those 10 Commandments tell you and me how to worship, how to worship God and the first four tell us that. The last six tell us how to live with one another. Man will be governed by spirit beings that have become in the God Family. They have become Elohim at the return of Jesus Christ. Those 10 Commandments, those laws will be enforced. It's a wonderful plan when we understand it. We see it pictured in God's book through those high days, those high holy Sabbaths that the world is oblivious to at this time. They have no meaning. They have no understanding of their meaning, those high annual holy days, the Sabbaths of God

Let's go over to Colossians 2. This is a banner scripture that Christianity uses so let's go through Colossians 2:16 and let's see. So many teach this is proof that the holy days and the Sabbaths are done away with. This is the scriptures they always use. This is where they twist what was written and they teach a lie about what this means. This was written as a warning to the gentile Christians at Colosse, to protect them from false teachers. That's actually why it was written.

The teachers in Paul's day were perverting the message that Paul taught. It's not any different today; they are still perverting that message. Christianity really twists the writings of Paul, but let's notice what Paul wrote and what it's really speaking about. It says, Let no man, therefore, judge you in meat, or in drink, talking about eating and drinking, or in respect, speaking about any part or any portion connected with the observance, let's notice, of a holy day. That's actually what Paul was writing about. …or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days. There is no way this is speaking of doing away with God's laws or His holy days. Nothing is done away with in these verses. In fact, it's just the opposite. The very criticism that the Colossians were receiving about their observance of these days proves that they were keeping these days. It actually proves it, brethren, because of its being addressed. If they were not keeping these days how could they be criticized about days that they were not keeping? So this is actually proving that they were keeping those high Sabbaths and God's Sabbath days.

They had never kept those days before. They were once pagans. That's where they came out of, but God had now opened their mind to the truths of God and they were keeping the holy days, the days that God made holy. So Paul is actually warning them not to return to their old ways, their old pagan ways. It says, "Let no man, therefore, judge you," verse 16, "in these matters, but rather," let's notice "the Body of Christ." The word "is" is not in the New King James, but the word "is" is in the Authorized King James, and it's in italics. This does not appear in the original. The original Greek says only, but the Body of Christ. That's what it says. What is the Body of Christ? So why is Paul using this expression this way? You and me know that Christ is the Head of the Body, his Church. We understand that. The true Church of God is the Body of Christ, and the holy spirit dwells in each member of the Church of God. So together the members constitute one body. The Church is, therefore, Christ's body, Jesus Christ's body today. Jesus Christ is the Head of his Church, the Body of Christ.

So Paul is saying that no unauthorized person is to sit in judgment of a true member of the Church of God, or a true Christian. Man does not determine how you and me should live. God determines how you and me live, and it is through His laws, those 10 Commandments that so many say were nailed to that pole. They say they were done away with. The Church of God is to teach how to observe God's laws and God's Holy Days, God's High Sabbaths. God's ministry is to explain the meaning of these days year by year, brethren. When a holy day comes around God's ministry is to teach about those days and what they mean. That's what they are to do.

Paul said, let's notice, "Let no man, therefore, judge you, but rather let the Body of Christ." In other words, let that determine it. Let Christ's Body judge these church matters. It is through God's Church, through His ministry that is to deal with these matters. That's how it's done.

Let's notice that the Feasts, Unleavened Bread and Pentecost, fall in the beginning of the year and the great events they picture occur at the very beginning of God's plan, that first harvest. There are a group of holy days that come at the end of the year, and these picture events in God's plan that are yet future in God's plan. They all come in the seventh month of God's calendar. They tell us about a 7,000 year plan that God has had in place since the creation of man. We understand that through 6,000 years only a few have been called by God. We know about Noah. We know about Abraham, and Daniel, and so many others that God have worked with one on one. God dealt directly with them, but many have been called at the end of this age, at the time of the end, but only a few have actually been chosen, and few have remained faithful, brethren, that were called at the end of this age. The ones God has called that have been faithful, they will be a part of the 144,000, those that were chosen to be a part of that 144,000. They will be made immortal and they will reign with Jesus Christ during the thousand years of God's Kingdom upon this earth. When Jesus Christ returns that blindness will be removed, that the god of this age has blinded, that God has allowed. We know that the heavens have received Jesus Christ "until the time of the restitution of all things."

So let's go over to Isaiah 11 and let's look at a scripture that the world is so oblivious to what it says.  When Jesus Christ returns Isaiah says that God will set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people. Christianity knows nothing about God's plan for man. They say all those of old are just lost.

Isaiah 11:11 tells us so much about God's plan. When you understand about the first harvest and God setting up His Kingdom upon this earth and His government upon this earth, it says, It will come to pass in that day that the LORD shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people. They are not lost as the Protestant and Catholic world teach. God says He will receive the remnant of His people, which shall be left, from Assyria, from Egypt, and it goes on and tells, and from the islands of the sea.

We know about the hundred-year plan of God for man, the rest of mankind, all those that are in the grave. We know about the resurrection in a Great White Throne, a resurrection of the rest of the dead that will take place. We know that man will live again a second time, and Isaiah is telling us about a time when that will begin.

Let's drop down to Isaiah 66:14. It tells us about a time when Jesus Christ will come to this earth and he will begin to reign. It tells us about a time when our hearts and our minds will rejoice, when we see that return. …and all your bones shall flourish like grass. The hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies. For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword the Lord will judge all flesh: And the slain of the Lord shall be many.

So let's notice what this says as we know religions that do this, this very thing. So this is talking about worship and if you know anything about the Old Testament, this is how they worshipped Ba-al. They went to the gardens and they went to the groves to worship the false gods.

Verse 17. That's what it's speaking about here. It's speaking about worship: Those who sanctify themself and purify themselves to go to the gardens after an idol in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse—let's notice—will be consumed together, says the LORD. For I know their works and their thoughts. And it shall be that I will gather all nations—let's notice the time frame—all nations and tongues. They will come and see My glory.

And in verse 23—It will come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh—all, brethren—will come to worship before Me, says the LORD.

Zechariah 14 tells us, and we read this at every Feast of Tabernacles, but we know that living waters will go out from Jerusalem, from that City of Peace that is coming to this earth when Jesus Christ sets his feet upon the Mount of Olives. The nations that have not heard previously will go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, and keep the Feast of Tabernacles. We hear these scriptures almost every year.

If you mention this to the Catholic and Protestant world, and Christianity as a whole, you would get that deer in the headlights look, "The Feast of what…?!"

Let's turn over to Micah 4, Micah 4, and let's see what God tells us that will take place. Then it is that many nations will come and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Eternal…and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths. Let's notice what law. We know the law. For the law shall go forth out of Zion, and the word of the Eternal from Jerusalem, from that City of Peace that is coming to this earth, from Jesus Christ and those 144,000 that have become spirit beings, that will enforce God's laws that we have been reading about today, to teach man the way to peace. This is the only way to have peace, brethren, is through God's Sabbaths. It's the only way to live life in peace. It's the only way to obtain Eternal life with no more suffering, no more pain. It says, "for the law will go forth out of Zion, and the word of the Eternal from Jerusalem," from that City of Peace, teaching those 10 Commandments. And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they will beat their swords into plowshares…neither will they learn war any more.

In that day, says the Lord, the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth, even forever. That is the truth of the matter, brethren. All that man has been taught is deception and lies with a little truth here and a little truth there. It ends up in confusion, ends up in Babylon. "Confusion," that's what it means. God has His holy days and His Sabbaths. God says they are holy. God gave His 10 Commandments. The religions of this world say they are done away with. God says His holy days and His Sabbaths are holy. That's what God says.

When we understand that it is only God that can make something holy, can we ask ourselves, "Does any man upon the face of this earth have any authority to make time holy? Does man have power to do such a thing? Can man change something that God has made holy?" We know that no one has that kind of authority to make anything holy except God. Man cannot make time holy.

As I said, the Sabbath is a special time that God set apart from Friday night sunset, Friday evening at sunset to Saturday at sunset, the going down of the sun and whenever that comes to you and me we are in holy time, brethren. It's God's time. It's not our time. When that sun goes down on Friday evening it's God's time and God made that time holy. The 10 Commandments, as we will see, we will see a little later that God commanded us to keep it holy. It is a sin to profane that time. That time is holy to the Great God of this universe.

Let's look at Isaiah 58:13, Isaiah 58:13, and let's look at instructions that God told you and me. God said, If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing our pleasure on His holy day; that's what God calls it; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day. Let's notice what God says it is, the holy day of the Eternal, honorable; and will honor Him. That's what we do when we keep our foot off the Sabbath day; not doing your own things, our own ways, finding our own pleasures, nor speaking our own words: then you will delight yourself in the Eternal.

So what does this mean, "delight our self in the Eternal?" In other words, better said, we will joy in our self. And it is. It's an enjoyable thing to come before God every Sabbath. We look forward to God's Sabbath day every week, brethren. He says, I will cause you to ride upon the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Eternal has spoken. So the Sabbath is a delight to those that God has opened their minds. Then we are "fed with the heritage of Jacob." We know God's plan. That's the heritage of Jacob, brethren, God's plan. God tells us about Israel and how He used Israel to paint you and me a picture, a picture about His plan for man.

So we can see that it is the Great God of this universe that set apart that Sabbath day, that space of time, and it was made holy.

So let's go over to Exodus 3:2 and let's look at an explanation in the experience of Moses. We know that Moses was raised from a baby by Pharaoh's daughter. We know he was put in that basket in that river and Pharaoh's daughter found him and raised him as her own. We know that Moses killed an Egyptian and he fled to Midian, which was near Mount Sinai and there Moses married the daughter of Jethro. We know this story. We know Moses was leading a flock of sheep when he came to Mount Sinai (Mount Horeb, as it's also called), and there he saw this burning bush. Moses noticed that this bush was not being consumed, that it just kept on burning.

Let's look at verse 5. God told Moses to put off his shoes from off his feet. That's what God told him. Let's notice what He told him: for the place that you stand is holy ground. Moses knew that the ground that he had just walked across was not holy. Why would this be any different, the ground that he was standing upon? It's because God said that that ground where Moses stood was holy. We understand that it was God's presence, His very presence that made it holy. God was there and Moses was in the presence of the Great God of this universe. God's presence in that bush that was burning made that ground around it holy.

So when we come to the Sabbath it's a very good explanation because it's God's presence in His Sabbath days that makes them holy to you and me. God rested on that first Sabbath and He put His presence in that day, the Sabbath day. This made it holy time and that is what makes the Sabbath holy. Mankind is commanded by that same Eternal God that spoke to Moses to take our foot off from trampling over His holy days, His Sabbaths. God requires you and me, those that He has called, to treat that as holy time, His Sabbaths, from sunset to sunset. That's what God requires for you and me. And just as we just read in Isaiah, our focus should be upon God during that time, that holy time, the time that God has set aside for you and me.

God says if we do that we will delight our self in the Eternal God and He will feed us with His plan for man—that's what He will do—and you will have understanding. So we honor God by keeping these things that God has made holy. God tells you and me not to trample over that that He has made holy, the sin, and profaning that which God has made holy. So we understand what we are doing when we do that. God has never made any other weekly day holy except His holy days which fall during the week, those high days that the world is oblivious to. Man has no authority to make a day holy. You and me cannot keep a day holy unless God has first made it holy.

We live in this world where all these religions have beliefs and customs that seem right to them. We understand it's not their time. They have no control over that. We understand their time is coming in just a short while. Change is coming for man when God will open their mind to His Sabbaths. There have been many arguments made to evade the commandments of God, those 10 Commandments.

Let's look at Genesis 26:5. Genesis 26:5. We know that Abraham kept God's commandments 430 years before his descendants reached Mount Sinai. It says, Abraham obeyed My voice, kept My charge—and let's notice—My commandments, My statutes, and My laws. So Abraham kept God's Sabbaths. And God tells us in the New Testament, in James, through James, that it says to break any one of the commandments is sin. That was written by James.

So we've heard all the arguments about how time has been lost and how could you really know when the seventh day comes around? We know that Adam was created and he knew when God rested from His work. We know Adam knew which was the seventh day as he was directly instructed by the Great God of this universe. In Matthew we see where Jesus Christ called Abel righteous. So to be righteous we know that Abel kept the Sabbath. We know that Enoch walked with God. So to be righteous Enoch kept the Sabbath. All these knew which was the seventh day. Noah certainly knew which was the Sabbath day. Noah kept the Sabbath because he was a preacher of righteousness. We know what it says in the Psalms that David wrote, "All the commandments are righteousness." That's what David wrote through the inspiration of the Great God of this universe. These scriptures tell us that Shem was also righteous. We know about many others that were righteous. So we know that time was not lost down to the time of Abraham. All understood.

So in Exodus 1:11 let's look at what took place there. We can see that after the death of Joseph, Jacob and of Joseph, the children of Israel became slaves in Egypt. So it is written that they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. …And the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigour. So we know the story. As far as we know the Egyptians kept no days. Not that we know of and they had the Israelites in slave labor and they worked seven days a week.

So in Exodus 16 when we read earlier, which we read earlier about the Wilderness of Sin, the scriptures say that there was 600,000 men above the age of 20 came to that Wilderness of Sin. So it's hard to comprehend that many people in one location, but this is where we find them griping and grumbling because of the food. In verse 4 we found that this is where God revealed to them which day was the Sabbath day. We saw that it did make a difference whether the Sabbath was kept or not. We saw how God taught them about the Sabbaths. They had not even gotten to where the 10 Commandments were given. God is saying that He would test them to whether they would walk in His law or not. So this was before the old covenant had even been proposed to them as a nation. The reason the law was given, God Almighty is not only Creator and ruler over the entire universe, God is still creating man in His image. We know that He is creating Elohim. We know that God loves man and all of mankind. When we understand in the scheme of things that that is ultimately what God will create, He will create peace so that man can enjoy life in peace. Peace has been an elusive thing for mankind. God tells us that man does not know the way to peace.

So when we look on the horizon at what is taking place we know that man would ultimately destroy himself from the face of this earth if it was not for this plan, God's plan for mankind to bring about peace. And it is through a set of laws that God gave man that it will be done. We understand that it is these spiritual laws—that's what they actually are—it is those laws that provide a way for man to actually be happy, to have a joyful way of life, to teach man the way to live. The first four tell us how to worship God. The last six tell us how to live with each other. God tells us of a time when there will be no more sorrow. God tells us of a time when there will be no more crying because of these laws. God will place these laws upon this earth and Jesus Christ will teach mankind through the Millennium the way to peace, the way to true happiness.

So when we look at these commandments and when we look at God's Sabbaths that God made for man, it was a wonderful gift to mankind, when we understand the plan of God. You would think man would rejoice over such a thing, you think they would thank God for such a gift to mankind. God said He made the Sabbaths for man. We can only read what God had written in His book, the end of the story, that there will be no more crying, no more sorrow, and there will be endless joy and happiness. So that's the glimpse that God gives you and me of what these laws will bring about, the Sabbaths of God. We see that it is through these laws that Jesus Christ will establish once again upon this earth when he returns to bring God's plan to fruition.

So let's go to Exodus 20. We know what was given there. It's where God spoke all these words, saying that He was "the Eternal your God." That's what God said. So in Exodus 20:1 we find this, that the voice of God spoke to the mass of people the words of the 10 Commandments. It was the voice of God that spoke, not Moses, on the day of Pentecost, a high holy day, which we call the Festival of First Fruits, the Festival of Weeks. We saw the thunders, the lightening, that took place. We've read about that and seen about it in different sermons of what was taking place. It was in the midst of all this display, of the thunderings and the lightening that God brought about that He gave His laws. He gave His way of life to those that was there.

Many centuries later on the day of Pentecost in 31 A.D., that's when God gave His holy spirit to His people – on that day. That founded, if you want to call it, God's Church upon this earth. That's when the Church of God was started, the New Testament Church. We know that some were called down through time, and that's the foundation of the apostles and prophets that the Church is built upon, that were called before that time, but we'll look at who gave the people the 10 Commandments. As we know, the people did not receive those commandments from Moses, as most of mankind think. That's what they seem to think, that it was Moses that gave those commandments, but it was not. Moses was hearing right along with the nation, whole nation of people. It was God that spoke all of those laws.

Let's look at Deuteronomy 5:4. Deuteronomy 5:4. Moses is talking to the people of Israel and he said, The Eternal—let's notice what's being said—talked with you face to face in the mountain out of the midst of the fire, saying… Then followed the words of those 10 Commandments. We can see that the 10 Commandments came from God and the 10 Commandments were given to the people by God speaking on that mountain. It says the Eternal talked with them face to face.

Moses explains in verse 5, because the people were frightened, because of the lightening and the thundering and that great display in the sky that was taking place (we can understand why they were afraid), and Moses stood in front of them in order to reassure those people.

Verse 22 we find the rewriting of the words of the 10 Commandments, which God spoke, and Moses continues in verse 22 to say to the people of Israel, These words the Eternal spoke unto all your assembly in the mountain out of the midst of the fire, out of the cloud, and out of the thick darkness, with a great voice. Let's notice: And He added no more. Let's notice what was said: And He wrote them in two tables of stone and delivered them unto me. So these words of those 10 Commandments, the Eternal spoke unto all the assembly. So we can see that there were some that heard God giving these 10 Commandments. God added no more to those 10 Commandments. There are ten. It is a complete law, brethren, and it is a spiritual law. I think all of us understand that it is a spiritual law and it is a complete law. God added no more to that law. All of the laws are different; they are separate laws and they were not part of the spiritual law that was given. That law is complete in itself.

Exodus 20:8. When we look at the Sabbath command we know it was in force from creation, that creation day. Exodus 20:8 God had it written in His book, and let's notice how it is written in God's book: Remember—Remember!—the Sabbath day, because it's been there from creation, brethren. Remember the Sabbath day, and let's notice the rest, to keep it holy.

So there are other religions of this world, what do they do? They insist on keeping a different day. Jesus Christ said in the sermon on the mountain, "Think not that I have come to destroy the law." So what does man do? They think that he did come to destroy that law, to do away with it, to nail it to that pole. They call it a cross. We know it was a pole that he died upon. Jesus Christ said in that same sermon upon that mountain, "Swear not." So what do we do in our courts of law? We raise our right hands in America and swear on God's book. Jesus Christ said, "Love your enemies." So we can look on the horizon and tell what we do to our enemies. We go to war and try to kill them. That's what we do. Jesus Christ said, "Do." Man says, "Don't do." Jesus Christ commands, "Don't," and man says just the opposite. So God had it written in His book, a command, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy," to keep in that same condition. Keep. Preserve. Not to change. The only day, weekly day God ever made holy is His Sabbath, except for the high holy days. It's impossible to keep any other day holy unless it's a high Sabbath. These are just the facts, brethren, that man is oblivious to.

Let's look at verses 9 and 10—Six days you will labor, and do all your work: but the seventh day—let's notice—is the Sabbath of the Eternal our God. In it you shall do no work, not just any seventh day. That's not what its saying, not one day in seven. God said "the seventh day." "Six days shall you labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Eternal our God."

1 John 3:4 we know what it says. That's the definition of sin – the transgression of these laws that we have been reading about, those 10 Commandments. James says if we break any one of those commandments we are guilty of sin, but we understand our Passover and our forgiveness of sins, but that's not our subject today. This law says, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." The Sabbath day is the Sabbath of the Eternal our God. Whoever disobeys that command commits sin. That's what it is. But change is coming to man. Man's mind will be opened and given the ability to understand about God's Sabbaths. That change is coming in just a short while.

Verse 11, let's notice, For in six days the Eternal made heaven and earth…and rested the seventh day. Wherefore the Eternal blessed—let's notice—The Eternal, The Great God of this Universe, blessed this day, the Sabbath day and hallowed it. It means set it aside.

In Genesis 2:3 we know that He did this blessing and hallowing on that seventh day of the original creation, of that creation week, of the Sabbath day and the Sabbath day command says, "The Eternal blessed the Sabbath day." He did this blessing and hallowing the very day after the creation of Adam and Eve. That's when it was done. While He then blessed and hallowed it says in Exodus 20:11, it was that Sabbath day. It was God's Sabbath day from that very original creation day. That's when the Eternal made the Sabbath.

Many have used arguments that God never made the Sabbath until He gave those 10 Commandments at Mount Sinai, but now you can see what God says in His book about His Sabbaths. He says plainly that the seventh day of creation week is when He blessed and hallowed that seventh day, that Sabbath day.

The Sabbath existed and the Sabbath was God's holy day before the children of Israel arrived at Mount Sinai. It was the Great God of this universe that made everything that was made. It was God that made that Sabbath day, and it was made on the seventh day of the week, that creation week. The Sabbath has existed from creation. This day that we are here celebrating, this space of time, brethren, that God carved out for you and me, He set it apart for holy use.

So I hope this puts a different light on how you keep God's Sabbath day. I know there are lessons to learn on how we have erred in the past, about how we have kept God's Sabbath day and His holy days. So take it to heart and understand that when that sun goes down on Friday afternoon, that space of time until that sun goes down on Saturday afternoon, that is holy time, brethren, of the Great God of this universe.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1