Lord of the Sabbath

What is the meaning of the word Sabbath? How is mercy connected to the Sabbath?

Sabbath means to rest, for it is written and it is even stated that God rested on the seventh day. (Genesis 2:2) The celebration of the Sabbath united God’s people as one nation as distinctly his.  The Sabbath is also one of the 10 Commandments given by God and he has also stated that the Sabbath should be set as something holy. (Deuteronomy 5:12-15)

How has Jesus Christ become Lord of the Sabbath?   What is the meaning of the word mercy?

Matthew 12:6-8… But I tell YOU that something greater than the temple is here. 7 However, if YOU had understood what this means, ‘I want mercy, (G1656 eleos) and not sacrifice,’ (Micah 6:8, Hosea 6:4-7) YOU would not have condemned the guiltless ones. 8 For Lord of the sabbath is what the Son of man is.

Man needed the Sabbath as a day to rest and to reflect on the things of God, but the Sabbath is more than that.

Strong Concordance #G1656 renders this Greek word as mercy and compassion and has a tie-in to the expression loving kindness, as we find in the Hebrew word #H2617 checed, translated as goodness, kindness as a feeling and an action toward those who are afflicted and in need of mercy.

The son of God was sent forth into the world to become the light to those sitting in darkness, to enlighten mankind to God’s righteous ways. He was to be the Lord of the Sabbath, the one who would bring rest to mankind from there enslavement to sin.  Jesus Christ provided lovingkindness in an action as he brought relief to those who were in need of God’s mercy.

Mark 2:27-28… So he went on to say to them: “The sabbath came into existence for the sake of man, and not man for the sake of the sabbath; hence the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.

How has Jesus Christ become a light to mankind and the provider of mercy to us?

1 John 3:7-8… Little children, let no one mislead YOU; he who carries on righteousness is righteous, just as that one is righteous. He who carries on sin originates with the Devil, because the Devil has been sinning from [the] beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was made manifest, namely, to break up the works of the Devil.  

Our Lord Jesus Christ came to do the will that God had appointed for him namely, to educate mankind to the love of God. To introduce God’s righteousness and help mankind break free from the enslavement of wicked works, and to attain to a holy standing before God, rendering up acceptable worship to him.

Jesus Christ was manifested to mankind by the doing of God’s will, it was his food.

John 4:34… Jesus said to them: “My food is for me to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work.

Jesus indicated that the eating of food was likened to the doing of God’s will, it was a work for him.  Jesus Christ was faithful in the work that he was given to do, the Christ provided lifesaving information and it was likened to bread.    

John 6:33… For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

How are you and I to benefit from the bread of life?

Benefiting from the Bread of Life

We are not benefiting from the bread of life if we continue to pursue our own works in life. 

2 Timothy 1:9-10… He saved us and called us with a holy calling, not by reason of our works, but by reason of his own purpose and undeserved kindness. This was given us in connection with Christ Jesus before times long lasting, but now it has been made clearly evident through the manifestation of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has abolished death but has shed light upon life and incorruption through the good news…

How has Jesus Christ abolished death? What is this good news of the incorruptible life?

Our Lord Jesus Christ became a life-giving spirit for us and offered to us the new covenant. (1 Corinthians 15:45, Hebrews 8:6) And all we need to do is accept it and act in faith.  But how are we to do that?

John 6:44-51… No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him; and I will resurrect him in the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by Jehovah.’ Everyone that has heard from the Father and has learned comes to me. 46 Not that any man has seen the Father, except he who is from God; this one has seen the Father. 47 Most truly I say to YOU, He that believes has everlasting life. 48 “I am the bread of life. 49 YOUR forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness and yet died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread he will live forever; and, for a fact, the bread that I shall give is my flesh in behalf of the life of the world.

How are we to accept the new covenant and feed on the bread of life? The apostle Paul explained it as he was given the instructions by the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:23-32… For I received from the Lord that which I also handed on to YOU, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was going to be handed over took a loaf 24 and, after giving thanks, he broke it and said: “This means my body which is in YOUR behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” 25 He did likewise respecting the cup also, after he had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood. Keep doing this, as often as YOU drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as YOU eat this loaf and drink this cup, YOU keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives… 31 But if we would discern what we ourselves are, we would not be judged. 32 However, when we are judged, we are disciplined by Jehovah, that we may not become condemned with the world.

Our allowing ourselves to be disciplined by God and our being obedient to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Is a key to understanding the new covenant.

 Believing that Jesus Christ is the son of the living God and that he became the high priest, and the mediator of a new covenant helps unlock the mystery of the new covenant. Hebrews 8:6

Our taking a knee and publicly acknowledging that Jesus Christ is Lord of heaven and earth keeps us in God’s love, because it glorifies God.  Philippians 2:9-11

Our accepting not just with our mind, nor with the words of our mouth but from an action, with an act of public expression of accepting the new covenant this action keeps us from being condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:25-26

Luke 6:46… “Why, then, do YOU call me ‘Lord! Lord!’ but do not do the things I say?

Our Lord Jesus Christ asked a really good question, “why do you not do the things I say”? Do you imagine that you are obedient to Jesus Christ?

We need to read God’s word daily, we need to let the words of Christ reside in us richly, we need to accept the implanting of the word of God. Colossians 3:15-17

We need to be doers of God’s words and not the ones just hearing it, do not allow yourself to be deceived was false reasonings from men.  James 1:21-27 Those who put their trust in men are to become cursed. Jeremiah 17:5

Dealing Treacherously with God

What is meant by the word treachery?  Treachery is a betrayal of trust, it is a deceptive action or nature, one dictionary calls it a violation of allegiance of faith and confidence, it can be considered an act of treason!

Hosea 6:4-7… What shall I do to you, O Ephraim? What shall I do to you, O Judah, when the loving-kindness of YOU people is like the morning clouds and like the dew that early goes away? 5 That is why I shall have to hew [them] by the prophets; I shall have to kill them by the sayings of my mouth. And the judgments upon you will be as the light that goes forth. 6 For in loving-kindness I have taken delight, and not in sacrifice; and in the knowledge of God rather than in whole burnt offerings. 7 But they themselves, like earthling man, have overstepped [the] covenant. There is where they have dealt treacherously with me.

God’s mercy is with his people, it is so refreshing it is called by God, “like the morning clouds, like dew.” But in this passage of Scripture it seems that God is angry.  What has happened that God should say they have overstepped the covenant?  Why does God feel like this is treason?  And who is Ephraim and who is Judah that they should be in trouble with God?

Ephraim is referred to as the northern 10 tribe kingdom, in the past they always have tried to establish the kingship through their own lineage, but it was not their right nor their privilege. 

Does Ephraim have a covenant with God? Who is Ephraim today?  It would be none other than the older men who are not of the priestly class who are dealing treacherously with God over the matter of the new covenant.  

They prevent entry into the kingdom of God, though they themselves do not go in they prevent those who want to go, from going in.  They have introduced another good news to lead mankind off into their kingdom under their control and this will lead to their death and destruction, because of this God has called it an act of treason. Galatians 1:6-9

Isaiah 24:1-6… Look! Jehovah is emptying the land and laying it waste, and he has twisted the face of it and scattered its inhabitants. 2 And it must come to be the same for the people as for the priest; the same for the servant as for his master; the same for the maidservant as for her mistress; the same for the buyer as for the seller; the same for the lender as for the borrower; the same for the interest taker as for the one paying the interest. 3 Without fail the land will be emptied, and without fail it will be plundered, for Jehovah himself has spoken this word. 4 The land has gone to mourning, has faded away. The productive land has withered, has faded away. The high ones of the people of the land have withered. 5 And the very land has been polluted under its inhabitants, for they have bypassed the laws, changed the regulation, broken the indefinitely lasting covenant. 6 That is why the curse itself has eaten up the land, and those inhabiting it are held guilty. That is why the inhabitants of the land have decreased in number, and very few mortal men have remained over.

Can you not look around and see the productive land is being laid to waste? That a curse is eating up the land and those who were dwelling in it will be held guilty?

Jeremiah 25:29-38… For, look! it is upon the city upon which my name is called that I am starting off in bringing calamity, and should YOU yourselves in any way go free of punishment?  YOU will not go free of punishment, for there is a sword that I am calling against all the inhabitants of the earth, is the utterance of Jehovah of armies. 30 And as for you, you will prophesy to them all these words, and you must say to them, From on high Jehovah himself will roar, and from his holy dwelling he will give forth his voice. Without fail he will roar upon his abiding place. A shout like that of those treading [the winepress] he will sing out against all the inhabitants of the earth. 31 A noise will certainly come clear to the farthest part of the earth, for there is a controversy that Jehovah has with the nations. He must personally put himself in judgment with all flesh. As regards the wicked ones, he must give them to the sword, is the utterance of Jehovah. 32 This is what Jehovah of armies has said, Look! A calamity is going forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest itself will be roused up from the remotest parts of the earth. 33 And those slain by Jehovah will certainly come to be in that day from one end of the earth clear to the other end of the earth. They will not be bewailed, neither will they be gathered up or be buried. As manure on the surface of the ground they will become. 34 Howl, YOU shepherds, and cry out! And wallow about, YOU majestic ones of the flock, because YOUR days for slaughtering and for YOUR scatterings have been fulfilled, and YOU must fall like a desirable vessel! 35 And a place to flee to has perished from the shepherds, and a means of escape from the majestic ones of the flock. 36 Listen! The outcry of the shepherds, and the howling of the majestic ones of the flock, for Jehovah is despoiling their pasturage. 37 And the peaceful abiding places have been rendered lifeless because of the burning anger of Jehovah. 38 He has left his covert just like a maned young lion, for their land has become an object of astonishment because of the maltreating sword and because of his burning anger.

What is this peaceful abiding place that has become lifeless?  It’s none other than God’s own pasture ground, the place where the sheep have been kept!  Repent before it’s too late, but we are not without hope! 

Isaiah 35:3-10… Strengthen the weak hands, YOU people, and make the knees that are wobbling firm. 4 Say to those who are anxious at heart: Be strong. Do not be afraid. Look! YOUR own God will come with vengeance itself, God even with a repayment. He himself will come and save YOU people. 5 At that time the eyes of the blind ones will be opened, and the very ears of the deaf ones will be unstopped. 6 At that time the lame one will climb up just as a stag does, and the tongue of the speechless one will cry out in gladness. For in the wilderness waters will have burst out, and torrents in the desert plain. 7 And the heat-parched ground will have become as a reedy pool, and the thirsty ground as springs of water. In the abiding place of jackals, a resting-place for [them], there will be green grass with reeds and papyrus plants. 8 And there will certainly come to be a highway there, even a way; and the Way of Holiness it will be called. The unclean one will not pass over it. And it will be for the one walking on the way, and no foolish ones will wander about [on it]. 9 No lion will prove to be there, and the rapacious sort of wild beasts will not come up on it. None will be found there; and the repurchased ones must walk [there]. 10 And the very ones redeemed by Jehovah will return and certainly come to Zion with a joyful cry; and rejoicing to time indefinite will be upon their head. To exultation and rejoicing they will attain, and grief and sighing must flee away.

Blessed are you if your eyes have been opened.  Rejoice if your ears have been opened with what the spirit has to say.  Praise God if you been spiritually unstable but your legs of been made to stand up for righteousness!  Yes, come Lord Jesus and lead us in the way of holiness.  Cry out joyfully if you been redeemed and repurchased with the blood of the Lamb.  Prepare to sing your song before the congregation of God, Hallelujah.  Our Lord of the Sabbath do come Amen!

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