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A Catechism on the Sabbath / for study tonight on www.youtube.com/@RenewedCovenan

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A Catechism on the Sabbath

Noah Webster in his 1828 dictionary:

CATECHISM, n.

  1. A form of instruction by means of questions and answers, particularly in the principles of religion.
  2. An elementary book containing a summary of principles in any science or art, but appropriately in religion, reduced to the form of questions and answers, and sometimes with notes, explanations, and references to authorities.

Catechise

CATECHISE, v.t.

  1. To instruct by asking questions, receiving answers, and offering explanations and corrections.
  2. To question; to interrogate; to examine or try by questions, and sometimes with a view to reproof, by eliciting answers from a person, which condemn his own conduct.
  3. Appropriately, to ask questions concerning the doctrines of the Christian religion; to interrogate pupils and give instruction in the principles of religion.

Properly ever serious doctrine understood by a church should be able to offer a concise and exastive catechism to the faithful, which while it is not the rule of law persey, it is an instructor which allows for one to go back to the scripture it self and prove all things and to hold fast that which is true.

The Church of Christ has no need of commandments of men, which have no provability in the Scripture or of the Law of God, as it is not sound doctrine, nor does the church have need of spiritual constructs not admonished fully by the Word of God. Rather the proof of the God of bible YHWH is in his claim as creator, and here by his fact of creation witnesses to his eternal power and godhead, it is only by the Evidence of Scriptural testimony and Evidence of the Created Witness as found in the heavens, in the Earth, and in the waters under the earth, a case is made for any principal of the Christian Faith. Thus in this concise set of Catechisms only the witnesses of
1. Creation and 2. Scripture and that working together to offer one answer will be acceptable as a Faithful Witness. If any wisdom of men is entered into this Catechism either as a question or on the part of an answer it is only of relevance because it is affirming the only Faithful Witness.

 

A Sabbath Catechism

 

  1. Q. What is the 4th Commandment of YHWH GOD?
  2. The 4th is:
  3. Exodus 20:8-11

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 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.

And

  1. Deuteronomy 5:12-15

12  Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.

13  Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:

14  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, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

15  And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

 

I.1.a

  1. Concerning the fourth commandment as it is worded in Exodus 20, What are the positive commands of the 4th commandment?
  2. “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy…”
    Does the Lunar Sabbath position comply with this positive command of ‘remembrance’?
    Yes- we regularly keep ‘the seventh(ed) day, both of the Heavens light (Gen 1:14) and by the cessation of working-labor AFTER six (6) working days.Second positive command
    2. “six days shalt thou… work…”

    II.  Q. What is ‘the Sabbath day’?

  3. The Sabbath Day is the day of ‘rest’ which occurs after the commanded 6 working days, as further described in these Commandments:

Exo 20:9  Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:

Exo 20:10  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:

Deu 5:13  Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:

Deu 5:14  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, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

III. Q. What does YHWH GOD Command his people to ‘remember’ and ‘keep’ this Sabbath day?

  1. 2 reasons are given in the 4th Commandments dialogue directly:

1.The Creation of all things: Exo 20:11  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.

2.The Deliverance from Egyptian servitude:
Deu 5:15  And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

IV.Q. Is there a difference in the Commandment in saying Remember the Sabbath day and Keep the Sabbath day?

  1. No, There a two different words used in enactment of the 4th Commandment as found in Exodus 20:8 Stating, Remember the Sabbath day, and that which is found in Deuteronomy 5:12 stating, Keep the Sabbath day. Yet the remembrance is added further into the command of this Testimony in
    Deuteronomy 5:15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

Thereby both wordings of 4th Commandment speak to a remembrance for both the Creation in Exodus and to the remembrance of servitude and bondage in Egypt in Deuteronomy.

  1. Q. How did YHWH blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it as the Sabbath?
  2. YHWH blessed the seventh day for on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested, which ‘and He Sabbath(ed) on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. Gen 2:2

Gen 2:3  And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had         Rest  / Sabbath from all his work which God created and made.

There for the Seventh Day was blessed and hallowed by YHWH GOD’s Rest thereby being called by the name of ‘the Sabbath’, which was hereafter made known in Scripture as such.

  1. Q. Does the Sabbath also mean ‘the Seventh day’?

Yes, the Seventh (השׁביעי/Eh-SaBIOI) day of Scripture, after Genesis 2:1-3, is  called and referenced as ‘The Sabbath’ (השׁבת/ Eh-SaBaTh) day, as it is revealed in the 4th Commandment, the terms are synonyms.

VII. Q. Is the Hebrew Word SaBBaTh (שׁבת) related to the Hebrew word for Seventh (שׁביעי/SaBIOI) as it is seen in these Hebrew Scriptures?

  1. Yes, the words are related in the Root word SaB /שׁב , which is best seen in it’s verb form ישׁב / YaSaB, meaning to turn in or dwell to settle, with שׁבב / SaBB which means to return. In the Scriptures the numeral 7 is intrinsically linked to ‘Rest’ , ‘turing’, and ‘completion’ on account of Genesis record of the 7th day rest after creation.

VIII. Q. Is there a Scriptural significants to the use of SaB as the root of Sabbath and SaBIOI (Seventh)?

  1. Yes, in that the meaning of the word SaB in both words added to the word Day Y’MIM/ ימים indicates a day of Rest, which is the Seventh day, which is a turning, which is a completion. And this concept is one and the same in the Biblical understanding of what a week, that is a SaBO / שׁבע , indicates in the compleation of seven days. The significance of this word added to the word Day (Y’MIM/ ימים ) is that a Day is Ruled by the prior ordained Law of Genesis 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for Days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
  2. Q. What is meant by “the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also” in relationship to “Remember the Sabbath Seventh day”?
  3. What the greater and lesser lights are is spoken of by David directly in Psa 136:7-9:

To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:

The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

What relationship the sun, moon and stars have to the Sabbath Seventh Day is found in the way in which the Sabbath is Remembered and Kept in it’s timing as indicated by these specified God ordained Governors of Signs, Seasons, Days and Years of Day and Night.

  1. Q. How does Israel ‘Remember’ the Seventh Sabbath Day?
  2. The Word Re-member is indicative of the Hebrew Word זכור / ZiKUR which carries the meaning of memorial, or memory; in the Hebrew this word is directly related to the word זכר / ZiKuR indicative of a male or man, as the head mind of the family structure.

It is the command which is directed towards the males or sons of Israel to remember the Sabbath day and to keep it holy by not committing to labor or work, as the male is the focus of “Thou, shalt not do any work” in Exodus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 5:14, following with, ” thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates”.

XI.Q. How do the Males or Sons of Israel “Remember the Sabbath day”?

  1. The males ( זכר / ZiKuR )of the literal sons of Israel Remember the Sabbath Day by use of the God ordained Rulers of time as ordained on the 4th day of creation, the lights in the firmament of Heaven: the sun, moon and stars, and these lights are specifically made for Signs, Seasons, Days and Years, the Seventh Day thereby answers to this rule with the Sabbath being synonymous to it. Thus, the males as the rememberers of the children of Israel Remember the Sabbath day by accenting to the memorial of the Sabbath’s signs, seasons, days and years according to the lights of the firmament of Heaven.

 

XII.Q. What lights of Heaven Remembers the Seventh Day Sabbath?

  1. All, lights of Heaven, the sun, moon and stars work in unison to memorialize all parts of time by the circuit they follow by the decreed law of YHWH GOD the creator.

1.The moon specifically rules over the sign, seasons, and days of the week (sabbath), which will continue unto years, which is divided by months according to the natural witness. The Natural witness only shows a weekly pattern for evidence in the heavenly signs of the moon’s phases. The use of the moon’s natural witness as a weekly and monthly time piece in conjunction with the sun and stars is confirmed in that there is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. The division of weeks and month by the moon is knowledge known though all the earth. Thus, by observation of the lights of heaven a Remembrance of the Seventh day Sabbath is possible by use of the moon, in conjunction with the sun.

  1. Beside this Natural Witness of Heavens lights, :
    Psalm 104:19 says He appointed the moon for seasons… the Hebrew and Greek texts speak in the manner of Genesis 1:14 and it’s ‘seasons’ which words are Heb. מועדים /MUODIM , Gk. καιρους / Kairous also translated as ‘feast(s)’ in English.
  2. In specific connection of the language of ‘remember’ in relationship to memorial, the New Moon is specifically commanded to be memorialized by a blowing of a Trumpet to call the assembly: Num 10:10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months (LXX. New Moon), ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial (זכרון / ZiKuRUN) before your God: I am the LORD your God.

 

XIII.Q. Is the New Moon ever called a Sabbath in the Scriptural testimony?

  1. Yes, in the Feast Laws of Israel found in Leviticus 23, which all Feasts or Season of YHWH commanded and referred to as Sabbaths or days of no labor spoken of in accordance to the lunar cycle as reckoned from the time of a new moon. Within this set of Laws is Lev_23:23-25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work…

This, Memorial or Remembrance of the blowing of Trumpets serves as the pattern, as happening upon the 7th Month, upon the 7th New Moon, and serves as a Memorial of the New Moon as a sabbath, as well as of the calling of the assembly by the trumpet for a holy convocation.

 

XIV. Q. Why is the Trumpet commanded to be blown at the time of the ‘beginning of your months (New Moons)’ or on the first day of your month to be the memorial?

  1. Because the calling of assembly is the focus in this verse, and that of the son’s of Levi who are servants of God as is represented in this command being given to Moses and not to “the sons of Israel” as a general command is often seen, thus Moses represents the seat of judgment as the Ecclesiastical Judge which is in the Law dispersed to the 70 Elders in part in the next chapter,
    Numbers 11:25 And the LORD came down …and took of the spirit that was upon him (Moses), and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them…

Thus, the memorial and remembrance of ‘the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months’ is proclaimed by the trumpet and remembrance of the Elders and Levites of Israel.

 

XV.Q. Why isn’t the New Moon called a Sabbath in the 4th Commandment directly?

  1. Evidently, YHWH GOD set all things on Earth to function upon a natural order as seen in natures diverse yet symbiotic systems. This is the normative way the Law of GOD interacts with organic truths; for example: as the 5th commandment speaks of “honor thy father and thy mother” it is assumed that “father”, “mother”, and “honor” are known with out explanation due to the organic nature of genative begatal and that those begotten and able to honor must honor those who had begotten them by the honor due in their having been begotten to a father and mother teaching them this very law. Yet the functions of how fathers and mothers are made is entirely lacking.

In this way we also see, YHWH is setting forth the organization of particulars that happen by the rule of the ordained Heavenly lights as clearly stated in Genesis 1:14, the particular natural witness is available to behold, Man is simply given the command “Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day – the sabbath of the LORD thy God thou shalt not do any work…” is given to impose upon the Heavenly witness and implement the results of that implementation in his conduct for the governance of his time.

  1. A. The Term New Moon is interchanged with the term Sabbath in the time given for the loaves of Shewbreads to be changed upon the table before the LORD:

Exodus 40:2-4

On the first day of the first month (LXX. New Moon) shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation… And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it.

And Leviticus 24:6-8

Thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD. And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD. On the sabbath days, On the sabbath days (every sabbath) he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.

Not only do these 2 verses of Law use the New Moon and the Sabbath days interchangeably and or in continued order, but the memorial aspect (see XII.Q ) of the sabbath is mentioned as well within this law.

  1. A. Thus, the Scriptures often speak of the Sabbath and New moon side by side in exclusion to or in conjunction with the sabbatic feast days (2Ki_4:23; 1Ch_23:31; 2Ch_2:4; 2Ch_8:13; 2Ch_31:3; Neh_10:33; Isa_1:13; Isa_66:23; Eze_45:17; Eze_46:1; Eze_46:3; Hos_2:11; Amo_8:5; Col_2:16. Apoch Jdt_8:6; 1Ma_10:34; 1Es_5:52).

Among these examples is a particularly wording, by no means isolated in concept, from Ezekiel 46:1  Thus saith the Lord YHWH; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened.

This specifically shows the New Moon to not be reckoned among the six working days, and thus a day of no work or sabbath.

Another particular example is in notation of the words of
Amos 8:5 …When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat.

Does the Lunar Sabbath position comply to this positive command or not?

Yes it complies- There is at NO time a week wherein we work more or less than 7 days (other than Yom Kippurim / Atonement).

 

 

Does the lunar Sabbath position comply to the negative command?

Yes it complies- the seventh day after 6 working days is always kept holy and on it we do not do any work.

 

Does the observation of the New Moon as more than one day of Rest / Sabbath violate the negative of positive command in the 4th commandment?

No it does not violate the commandment- both the Hebrew and Greek rendering of the primary command of Remembrance uses the plural word for ‘The Sabbath’ “Remember the Sabbath(s) (σαββατωνG4521 N-GPN) ” Therefore, it is implied in the command of Remembrance to consider “the day of the Sabbaths to sanctify it!” (ABP+ trans)

XVI.Q. What other Scriptural evidence is there that the Sabbath is reckoned by the lights of Heaven?

  1. According to the scriptural witness from the Law beyond Genesis, scripture speaks of the Sabbath as being according to the lights of Heaven as having Signs, season (feasts), days and years directly in association to it as a segment of time ruled by:
  2. a Sign: Exodus 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 the LORD that doth sanctify you.
  3. a Season or Feast (these words in the Hebrew and Greek text are one): Leviticus 23:2-3 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts (seasons) of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts (seasons).

Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

Thus, making the Seventh Day Sabbath the first ‘feast’ or ‘season’ mentioned to be proclaimed by the sons of Israel.

  1. a Day: one needs only see any mention of the sabbath as being a day or of days.
  2. a year: through not in the scope of the Seventh day Sabbath, this fact enforces the weight of evidence in the Heavenly lights as ordained for rule of all day and night (time), by mentioning the Sabbath Year(s): Leviticus 25:1-55 …Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD. (3) Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; (4)  But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD…

 

XVII.Q. Are the feasts of the LORD, which shall be proclaim to be holy convocations, the same as the Seventh Day Sabbath of the week?

  1. Yes, according to Leviticus 23:2-3 the weekly Sabbath is the first feast and holy convocation to be Remembered in corrospondance to the feastival system. Which says, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

As it is naturally the case when the New Moon is Remembered according to the fourth Commandment as the first Sabbath of every month and called a feastival in Psalm 81:2, which is reckoned as the 1st day of the month, this reckoning of the new moon causes the first of “the six days thou shalt work” to occure upon the 2nd day of the month, every month, which  after the commanded intravals of “six working days shalt thou work”, according to the fourth commandment, at the end of the evening of the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th day of every month is the start of the weekly sabbath which will occure on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th day light portions of every month as the Sabbath days throught the weeks, months of the year.

  1. The Sabbath as remembered by the new moon aligns by a natural corrospondance the 14th at even followed by the 15th day of the 1st month, which is commanded as a day of Holy Convocation and no servile labour in keeping of the day of YHWH’s Passover and of the first day after that evening to Remember the feastival of unleavened bread; which by the ending of this week is as well the ending of the week of unleavened bread commanded on the 21st day at evening allowing for the Holy Convocation and day of no servile labour to as well corrospond to the 22nd day as the weekly sabbath for the 3rd week of the month.
  2. The Day of the waving of the sheaf, called the feast of Weeks is a feastival which is specificly commanded to contain both 7×7 weeks as well as 50 days in it’s counting, the day following the end of the 50th day according to the keeping of lunar weeks from the morrow after the first weekly sabbath of the month which is the 8th day of the 1st month, aligns the 50th day and the 7 weeks passage to occure dirrectly before or at the time of the last sabbath of the 2nd month in conjuction with the 3rd new moon of the year.
  3. Aswell, the 7th New Moon, as well called the 1st day of the seventh month, is that which has the specific wording of calling this new moon a Sabbath in Leviticus 23:24 which says, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation, Ye shall do no servile work…

As discribed in the first point of this answer so it is in this 4th point concerning the 7th month. The New Moon Feast of Trumpets is the 1st day of the 7th month which in being followed by the 4th commandment intervals of “six days thou shalt work”, this places the month’s 2nd week Sabbath to occur on the 15th day of the month which is the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles , as well the last and 8th day in counting the total days of the Feast of Tabernacle will as well occure on the regular 3rd week sabbath of the month, the 22nd day of the month, both the 15th and 22nd are specifically commanded to be a holy convocation, a day of no servile labor as well as a Sabbath.

 

XVIII.Q. Why is the 10th day, the Day of the Atonement called a Sabbath of rest yet it does not occure in the intravals of “Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work”?

This day is a special Sabbath of rest simply because the LORD YHWH has commanded it thus, it is a day unique in many ways all to it self. Nevertheless, in the sacred numbering of seven and those days adjoined to sevens in counting as is found through out scripture this 10th day of the 7th month is the seventh tenth day in the year when counting from the 1st month’s 10th day, which day was the day of the dwawing of the Passover Lamb for the Feast of Passover which directly corrosponds to the Day of Atonment for the humbeling of the soul of the people, as well as of the release of the scape goat and selection of YHWH’s goat.

 

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About JS Lowther

Foremost I know that I am a chief sinner saved by Grace. I am a servant of YHWH Almighty the one true God Who is Father, Son and Spirit. I believe in God's only begotten and perfect Son Jesu(s) Christ whose redemption power of my soul I have Faith in and testify of. Having been redeemed by the blood of Christ, I wish to no longer spend my time in the lusts of the flesh and of this world, but to promote the Gospel of the Kingdom by means of the knowledge of the New Covenant, a reNewal of the Covenant God made with his people Israel in the blood of Christ (Jer 31:31 and Heb 8:8) whereby He writes His Law upon the Heart and Mind beside the forgiveness of sin and transgressions. I believe Christ Jesus is the incarnate Son of God as the WORD made flesh, and the son of man born of the virgin Mary conceived of the Holy Spirit: I believe Christ Jesus Lived a perfect life for us as a living sacrifice as well as a pattern of the Sanctified newness of life a believer has in Him, I believe Christ Jesus died a cursed death on the Cross for His people of Covenant who are sinners, and I believe in Christ Jesus who Resurrected with power from Death from the grave to Justify the offenders. This is the same Jesus who is indeed the Son of David and king of Israel, who is both LORD and Christ over all the kings and dominions of the earth! In the fullness of time YHWH will regather his people under the Head of the Church, Jesu(s) Christ to affect his will according to the Lord's prayer, Psalm 2, 8 and 110 as well as Genesis 1:26. The focus of my administration of the Gospel is like unto my Lord's who said "I have come not but for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.."(Mathew 15:24), and so I have come to my European kinsman according to the flesh. It is my mission to show the Israel of God the Salvation which is taught by Scripture Alone and offered in all ages by Grace Alone through Faith Alone in the work of Christ Alone to the Glory of GOD Alone. As a modern day Puritan separatist it is my goal to purify the church of Christ with Faith heretofore stated. I am studying to show my self approved, if you have any questions just ask!

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