Sabbath in a Modern World

[Matthew Kindle]

I maybe have an issue with understanding Shabbat and would like to see what other believers think of the subject, and what we need to do to honor it. The following discussion is basically my understanding of Sabbath in relation to the world after the Messiah sacrificed on the cross.


Matthew 12:1-9 is a very interesting piece of scripture to consider when thinking about what is lawful to do on the Sabbath. Verses 12:1 and 12:9 give us the idea that Yahushua and His followers were traveling from one place to the synagogue....

Some argue that Matthew 24:20 suggests we should not travel on the Sabbath. If that was so why would Yahushua travel on the Sabbath? Perhaps the prophecy in Matthew 24:20 has something to do with fleeing being harder in winter or Sabbath. Maybe in the future there will be extra patrol on the Sabbath, to make sure no one is honoring it, or YHWH, and that is why in end times distress it would be harder to escape persecution on Sabbath and in winter. But I don't believe the verse is commanding literally not to travel on the Sabbath. I don't think Yahushua and His followers would travel on the Sabbath if it was unlawful.

Apparently according to the law, at least in the eyes of the Pharisees picking grain is work. They vocalize this view of it being work in Matthew 12:2 by accusing Yah's disciples of doing what is not lawful. Yahushua does not seem to find anything wrong with what His disciples are doing but instead reminds the Pharisees of scripture involving David and his companions. Yahushua also goes on to say in Matthew 12:5 that priests break the Sabbath and are innocent. Yahushua verifies that His followers who were working were not transgressing the law in Matthew 12:7 where he says to the Pharisees who are accusing His disciples "you would not have condemned the innocent".

Mark 2:27 is an interesting verse that should be considered in this discussion. Is it that Yah gave man a day to rest because it is good for a man to get rest.

If carrying and lifting is work, Yahushua commanded a man to work on the Sabbath in John 5:9. John 9:16 is also very interesting. It might imply that Yahushua didn't view the Sabbath in the same way as the Pharisees.

Here is where it gets tricky for me. I do believe we should follow the 10 commandments, but not all 613 laws of Moses. I believe after the sacrifice on the cross some things changed. I can debate that in another e-mail, debate whether or not scripture supports this view point, but for now I'd like to stay on the Sabbath subject. The Sabbath commandment is one of the 10. Exodus 20:8-11 describes our duty towards the Sabbath. The very first thing the scripture says is in Exodus 20:8 is "remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy". It is possible to remember and honor the Sabbath and still be at work. There are many ways to do that. The verses in exodus go on to say not to do any work though. That is a problem when comparing it to people like David, or the Maccabees brothers who fought and worked on the Sabbath, and the accounts of people working in the New Testament.

It seems to be the Sabbath should be remembered and kept "sacred" according to the 10 commandments. But it seems to me that Yahushua's actions in the scripture suggest He wouldn't mind if someone worked for something good, such as helping family with money. I got some other arguments but I don't want to drag this out too long. This is just some of the thoughts I have, and a partial explanation of why I don't feel I am disrespecting Yah by going to work on Shabbat.

[Cyprium]

the observation of the sabbath, being one of the ten commandments, i do think that it's important that we honor it...quite a few believers (and i know you're not one of them...lol) confuse the commandment on the sabbath as being one of the ordinances of Moses and therefor of some lesser importance today than it was when established, but of course that isn't the case and the commandment was established to be eternal. That said..it's also not supposed to be a burden, it's supposed to be a rest. Common sense is a good place to start when applying what we should and shouldn't do on a day of rest. If one is hungry...go pick that apple off the tree and eat it, just don't harvest the whole lot of them. If one wants to gather with friends and family who live nearby....do that, it's good to fellowship on the sabbath...just don't start an interstate journey on that day. If someone is in desperate need of your help..help them, but if it's a less dire situation..save it for another day. If you need to toast a piece of bread, toast a piece of bread...just don't cook a four course dinner.

This is definitely a time when employment can become a real issue in conflict with the sabbath and we all know jobs aren't easy to find and certainly having one is a blessing...but i don't think i'm equiped to give a rule of thumb on what one should do faced with a conflict of sabbath and work days. Surely if there's any kind of choice..the preferable one is to avoid working...beyond that, maybe the best advice i can give is do what does not offend your conscience. His Spirit will certainly provoke a conscience that isn't doing what He'd like. If it comes down to that... then the good news is He will supply an alternative to what seems like the only option you have.

[Prodigal Son]

i am not in a position to have to provide for a family and so perhaps i am in no position to try to answer. i am not sure that Yahushua was trying to suggest that working on the sabbath would be ok in certain situations, He healed on the Sabbath though maybe that is not exactly comparable to work even though some would accuse Him this way.

i believe He counts the intentions of the heart and that is something no one but Him can do and so maybe only you and He know what is disrespecting Him. if He would have you not work, though, i also believe He has promised to provide no matter what. Is it possible He is teaching you to trust Him in this?

[Bean]

Perhaps the question is : "By doing your job, which YHWH gave you, on the Sabbath - in order to provide for your family - are you "laboring in your occupation" to greedily get gain, or are you working at your job, doing the best you can with what you have available at the moment, to make sure that your family is fed, clothed, housed etc.?"

Five years ago i started working in the mall.. i worked a lot of Friday nights and Saturday days.. after 2 years, i prayed for a job from YHWH.. specifically a "job i would like".. (i could have worded that better, in retrospect). He said that He would, and to wait one year.. a year later (as far as i can tell, it was one year, to the very day) i was hired at my new job (which i did like very much).. i initially requested Friday and Saturday as my days off.. but it turned out that i could have either Friday or Saturday off, not both.. at the time, i was undecided on whether i would be working afternoons or nights, so i chose to be off Saturday.

i ended up working nights.. which meant that i was at work Friday night and at home Saturday day.. the opposite of what i wanted to work.. but there was an option to request a schedule change after 90 days, which i did, and which was, thankfully, granted me.. so now, even though i worked about 3 1/2 years on the Sabbath, i'm now off Friday night and Saturday day.

as you mentioned, in Matthew 12:7 it is written that Yahushua reminded the Pharisees, who adhere not to His Law, but to a perverted and twisted 'version' of His Law - which is in effect Satanic, since Satan himself is the root of everything perverted and twisted which pertains to Him - that "if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless".. Hosea 6:6 "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of 'Elohiym more than burnt offerings."

in Matthew 12:12 the Pharisees are shown asking Him if it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath.. Yahushua answers by asking which of them wouldn't pull their own sheep out of a ditch on the Sabbath, then spells it out with "How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore, it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days."

"well" in this verse is G2573 "kalos". Strong's definition 1a of "kalos" is "rightly, so that there shall be no room for blame, well, truly."

in most areas, employment is scarce these days.. YHWH gave you your job no doubt, and for that i'm sure you (and your family) are grateful to Him.. do you have a choice in your job right now to not work on the Sabbath? if so, take it, if not.. do "rightly, so there shall be no room for blame", by continuing to go to work to support your family, by continuing to pray for a solution from YHWH to working on the Sabbath, and by continuing to "remember to keep the Sabbath holy" by obeying The Holy Spirit when you are at work on the Sabbath.

if your choice right now is between 1:Going to work at the only job you have right now so that you can provide for your family, or 2:Giving up the only job you have right now and not being able to provide for you family - then your choice is between pulling your sheep (family) out of the hole, or leaving it (your family) in the hole.

if you want to be off work on the Sabbath, He will surely make a way for you.. so keep praying and waiting patiently on Him, trusting Him to provide what is right for those who love Him in Yahushua, and He will bring you to a good place of comfort on the Sabbath.. til then, keep honoring the Sabbath, even if you have to work for now (we all have to start somewhere).

while you are working on the Sabbath.. keep using it as an opportunity to glorify YHWH in Yahushua to others.. that is Right and will never be wrong.. YHWH gave you your job and for now, just like it will be later when He takes away your Sabbath work, if you do "well" as He said, then you will stay blameless.. and keep praying and trusting Him to continue to keep you and grow you and bless you in Yahushua, because He will.

travel on the Sabbath.. you have to work right now or your family won't be kept, so you are likely going to have to travel on the Sabbath to do well, but when you stop working on the Sabbath, don't set out on any unnecessary road trips on those days. =)

there are a lot of good discussions possible in this subject.. looking forward to seeing it grow.