Not sure if you took the time to read my previous response or simply skimmed over it, as I did address most of your points previously. That said, I’m happy to revisit some of them and clarify further where needed.
I appreciate your persistence in seeking clarity on this topic. Let me address your points and provide a response to the challenge.
Misrepresenting the Challenge
You stated:
"The challenge to you is to show from Scripture where and by whom it was kept before it was given to the Israelites."
First, it’s important to recognize that the Sabbath originates not with Israel, but with YHWH Himself. In Genesis 2:2-3 (TLV), we read:
"Then God completed—on the seventh day—His work that He made, and He ceased—on the seventh day—from all His work that He made. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, for on it He ceased from all His work that God created for the purpose of preparing."
This passage establishes the seventh day as sanctified at creation. While it does not explicitly say that Adam, Noah, or others “kept” the Sabbath, it sets a precedent for the sanctity of the day well before the giving of the Torah at Sinai.
Sabbath for All Humanity
Yeshua’s words in Mark 2:27 (TLV):
"Shabbat was made for man, and not man for Shabbat."
The word
man (Greek: anthropos) refers to humanity, not just Israel. This reinforces the idea that the Sabbath was intended as a gift for all mankind, established at creation, and later reaffirmed as a covenant sign for Israel.
Your interpretation that the Sabbath was exclusively for the Israelites is inconsistent with Yeshua’s clarification of its purpose. God’s laws, including the Sabbath, were revealed to Israel, but that does not mean their principles were absent or irrelevant before Sinai.
Isaiah 66:22-23
You suggested this passage does not imply Sabbath observance but is metaphorical for honoring God eternally. However, the text explicitly references "Shabbat" and "New Moon" observances:
"From one New Moon to another and from one Shabbat to another, all flesh will come to bow down before Me,” says Adonai.
The inclusion of “all flesh” implies universal recognition of the Sabbath in the new creation, transcending Israel. As for your reference to Isaiah 60:19-20, it speaks of YHWH as the ultimate light but does not negate the observance of time markers like Shabbat in the new heavens and earth. The two passages complement rather than contradict each other.
Moral Obligation and Intuition
You argued that no one intuitively knows to rest on the seventh day. However, morality is not solely about intuition but about obedience to YHWH’s commands, which reveal His character and will for humanity. The Sabbath command is rooted in YHWH’s authority as Creator and His example at creation.
Exodus 20:11 (TLV):
"For in six days Adonai made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Thus Adonai blessed Yom Shabbat and made it holy."
This command is tied directly to creation, not just Israel's history, affirming its universal moral significance.
The Challenge
Regarding your specific challenge, while the Bible does not explicitly record individuals keeping the Sabbath before Sinai, it is not logical to assume that the absence of such records means it was never kept. Much of early human history is summarized in broad strokes. However:
- The sanctification of the seventh day in Genesis 2:2-3 shows YHWH set it apart from creation.
- Exodus 16:23-30 demonstrates that Sabbath observance was introduced before Sinai when YHWH instructed the Israelites about gathering manna, indicating that the principle of Sabbath rest was already understood.
The lack of explicit pre-Sinai examples does not negate the Sabbath’s existence or its application. Scripture’s silence on who kept it before Sinai does not invalidate its status as a divine institution.
In summary, the Sabbath was established by YHWH at creation and is intended for all humanity. The argument that it was exclusively given to Israel at Sinai ignores the broader biblical narrative.
There is ongoing evidence that believers after Yeshua kept the Sabbath, and Yeshua Himself referenced the Sabbath in Matthew 24:20, saying,
“Pray that your escape will not happen in winter, or on Shabbat.” This reference to the Sabbath in a prophecy about the last days shows that Yeshua considered the Sabbath significant beyond His earthly ministry. If the Sabbath were no longer required, why would Yeshua mention it in this context?
The main point is that, like many others, you seem to downplay the most detailed commandment of all—the 4th Commandment. Yet, most people have no issue with the other nine. If you attempt to diminish the Sabbath commandment, you are essentially undermining the entirety of the Ten Commandments. This is not biblical. The Ten Commandments are foundational to our living faith, helping to instruct and edify us about what sin is and how to overcome it.
Of course, we cannot keep the commandments by our own power because of the sinful nature that dwells within us. However, when we embrace God’s ways and rely on His Spirit, He empowers us to overcome sin, just as Yeshua, in His humanity, overcame. Yeshua is the example we are called to follow.
The Sabbath seems to be a particularly controversial issue among Christians today. I believe there’s a clear reason for this: paganism infiltrated Christianity, which was a work of Satan himself. With the knowledge available to us today, it’s easy to trace the roots of Sunday worship back to pagan rituals designed to undermine God’s commandments—especially the Sabbath.
Throughout Scripture, the Sabbath is consistently instructed and kept. It’s often people’s sinful nature that leads them to reject it. Personally, I embrace the Sabbath because I find it to be a true blessing in today’s fast-paced world. As someone who can easily work seven days a week (and many do today just to survive), the Sabbath is God’s command to stop, to rest, and to spend time with Him. It’s a sanctified day set apart for holy purposes—a time to be in nature, with family, and with brothers and sisters in Yeshua.
Why is the Sabbath such an issue for so many Christians? It truly is a blessing, not a curse. Why fight against something that is meant to be a gift?
