Sabbath Is A Day Created for Blessings
God set aside a specific day to fill it with blessings, and He made Sabbath a part of creation. If you believe in keeping the 10 commandments, the Sabbath is commandment number four. Every Friday night at sunset is an opportunity to partake and receive a double portion. The Sabbath was recognized before God gave Moses the 10 Commandments. For example, in Exodus 16:23 God commanded the people, “Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord.” This command was given to the children of Israel and the Gentiles that came out of Egypt with them.
In the 10 commandments in Exodus 20:8 it says, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” The Sabbath day begins when the sun goes down on Friday night, and many people honor it by lighting a candle and taking communion (or saying a blessing that is called Kiddish). Starting in Genesis 1:5 it tells us God’s beginning of the day starts when the sun goes down as it says, “There was evening and there was morning.” Evening came first. Just as God has always used the Jewish people to give the world the Torah, they also have the understanding of how to keep the Appointed Times and when to celebrate them. There may be questions about when the Sabbath day begins; besides the biblical references we have, and the Jewish traditions for the day, many countries call the actual day of Saturday the “Sabbath”.
Honoring Sabbath Can Enhance Your Spiritual Life
“And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant— these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Isaiah 56:6-7
In Leviticus 23:1-2 it states, “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, These are the appointed feasts of the Lord that you shall proclaim as holy convocations; they are my appointed feasts.” The Appointed Times are specific dates and special times on God’s calendar that are filled with spiritual blessing and power. The Appointed Times are a rehearsal of what is to come in the Messianic Era (Colossians 2:16-17, Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:24). Taking part in the Appointed Times prepares you for the coming Kingdom of God, and they help you to have a much better understanding of many of the stories in the Bible.
In Leviticus 23:3 it says, “There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.” The Sabbath is the first Appointed Time. In line with Joshua 1:7 where it says, “Be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you”, it is important to at least recognize the Sabbath and declare that it is a holy day. As a disciple of Jesus, honoring the Sabbath can benefit your relationship with Him.
The Sabbath
- Gives a much deeper understanding of God and will strengthen your relationship with Jesus
- Helps you understand the Kingdom Of God much better
- Will enhance your prayer life
- Gives you an entirely new perspective about the Bible
- Will make the Gospels clearer
Sabbath is a time every week you have the opportunity to participate in God’s Appointed Time, and the Sabbath day is considered to be a rehearsal for the Messianic Kingdom. In Revelation 10:6 it says that time will be no more. In this life you have the opportunity to sanctify and set apart (make holy) time every Friday night through Saturday night as a blessed day just as God did. You will not always have this opportunity. This is a way to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and receive a double portion from Him. If you would like to honor the Sabbath, this is a good resource for Christians.
Sabbath and the Appointed Time are KEYS to the hidden things of God
The Rabbis say it is hidden that God is hiding, and it is terrible when people are not looking for him. To find out more about the Appointed Times of the Lord read Living in Rhythm with Jesus (Celebrating the Appointed Feasts)
Here is a good resource on the Universal Sabbath for Non Jewish people:
Here is another good resource on the Sabbath.
On the Sabbath, every Friday night when the sun goes down, you can celebrate Sabbath by having communion, a special family dinner, and studying the Torah. As you meet others who choose to experience Sabbath, you will grow in commitment to the Sabbath day.
Every family and community have their own traditions, but to help explain how you can share in the appointed time, here is a simplified approach. The book, “From Sabbath to Sabbath” approaches the question of the Sabbath from a completely new Messianic Jewish perspective. Here are also 10 free audios on Sabbath from Beth Immanuel Messianic Synagogue. First Fruits of Zion (FFOZ a ministry based in Israel) also created a book specifically for Sabbath called The Sabbath Table Prayer Book. It is full of helpful hints to lead you through many of the Appointed Times.