How to Observe a Biblical Sabbath

http://www.servantsnews.com/sn9712/s71203.htm

this is the article i mentioned last night. he mentions a good point on lighting fire in sabbath day too.

I also would like to share the commentary from Matthew Henry about Sabbath Day on Amos 8:4-9.

http://www.christnotes.org/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=30&c=8

Commentary on Amos 8:4-10
(Read Amos 8:4-10)

The rich and powerful of the land were the most guilty of oppression, as well as the foremost in idolatry. They were weary of the restraints of the sabbaths and the new moons, and wished them over, because no common work might be done therein. This is the character of many who are called Christians. The sabbath day and sabbath work are a burden to carnal hearts. It will either be profaned or be accounted a dull day. But can we spend our time better than in communion with God? When employed in religious services, they were thinking of marketings. They were weary of holy duties, because their worldly business stood still the while. Those are strangers to God, and enemies to themselves, who love market days better than sabbath days, who would rather be selling corn than worshipping God. They have no regard to man: those who have lost the savour of piety, will not long keep the sense of common honesty. They cheat those they deal with. They take advantage of their neighbour's ignorance or necessity, in a traffic which nearly concerns the labouring poor. Could we witness the fraud and covetousness, which, in such numerous forms, render trading an abomination to the Lord, we should not wonder to see many dealers backward in the service of God. But he who thus despises the poor, reproaches his Maker; as it regards Him, rich and poor meet together. Riches that are got by the ruin of the poor, will bring ruin on those that get them. God will remember their sin against them. This speaks the case of such unjust, unmerciful men, to be miserable indeed, miserable for ever. There shall be terror and desolation every where. It shall come upon them when they little think of it. Thus uncertain are all our creature-comforts and enjoyments, even life itself; in the midst of life we are in death. What will be the wailing in the bitter day which follows sinful and sensual pleasures!

Commentary on Amos 8:11-14
(Read Amos 8:11-14)

Here was a token of God's highest displeasure. At any time, and most in a time of trouble, a famine of the word of God is the heaviest judgment. To many this is no affliction, yet some will feel it very much, and will travel far to hear a good sermon; they feel the loss of the mercies others foolishly sin away. But when God visits a backsliding church, their own plans and endeavours to find out a way of salvation, will stand them in no stead. And the most amiable and zealous would perish, for want of the water of life, which Christ only can bestow. Let us value our advantages, seek to profit by them, and fear sinning them away.

Jeremiah chapter 17.
The beginning of the chapter says the sin of Judah is engraved with an iron tool.
The conclusion of the chapter Yahweh says "This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors. Yet they did not listen or pay attention; they were stiff-necked and would not listen or respond to discipline. But if you are careful to obey me, declares the Lord, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy by not doing any work on it, then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this city with their officials. They and their officials will come riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by the men of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever. People will come from the towns of Judah and the villages around Jerusalem, from the territory of Benjamin and the western foothills, from the hill country and the Negev, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of the Lord. But if you do not obey me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.’ ”

Ezekiel 20.
The beginning of the chapter says the elders came to Ezekiel to enquire of Yahweh.
Yahweh says "I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy. “ ‘Yet the people of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws—by which the person who obeys them will live—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and destroy them in the wilderness. But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands— because they rejected my laws and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts were devoted to their idols. Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or put an end to them in the wilderness. I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the statutes of your parents or keep their laws or defile yourselves with their idols. I am the Lord your God; follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God."

Hebrews 4:8-11
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

Questions for those who understand these verses are about eternal rest:
1. If, and only if, Joshua had given the Israelites rest in the promised land, did they have to observe Sabbaths?
2. KJV has "for if Jesus had given them rest". Is it an error in translation?
3. Was the Israelites the type for Christians? Was the entering of the promised land a type for entering the eternal rest?
4. Did the Israelites diligently observe the Sabbath? Do the antitype Christians diligently observe the Sabbath or do they make the same mistake as the Israelites in the promised land?
5. For anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works - what works?
6. Make every effort to enter that rest - what effort?

The use of psalm 95, and all psalms for that matter, for the Jews (Hebrews)
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/psalms-as-prayer/

1. If, and only if, Joshua had given the Israelites rest in the promised land, did they have to observe Sabbaths?
Yes.

2. KJV has "for if Jesus had given them rest". Is it an error in translation?
Don't know.

3. Was the Israelites the type for Christians? Was the entering of the promised land a type for entering the eternal rest?
Think so.

4. Did the Israelites diligently observe the Sabbath? Do the antitype Christians diligently observe the Sabbath or do they make the same mistake as the Israelites in the promised land?
The make the same mistake. Good point.

5. For anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works - what works?
When they enter God's eternal rest, they would have rest from the current human labor, toil and pain.

6. Make every effort to enter that rest - what effort?
Make every effort to keep God's teaching so that we may enter into his rest.

Does His people work in the new earth?

Does His people observe Sabbath in the new earth?

Are the true believers in His rest or not in His rest?

Does His people work in the new earth?
Who knows, but a different kind of work at least.

Does His people observe Sabbath in the new earth?
I guess so, according to Isaiah. If there is no night, will there still be days? If there is no need for the light of the sun, will there still be a moon? If there is no moon, what is a new moon?

Are the true believers in His rest or not in His rest?
Don't you have to finish the race before you can rest?

Will there not be sun and moon in the new earth?

If there's no night then how can one see the new moon?

Is 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 contradicting Ephesians 2:8-10?

If Hebrews 4:9 Sabbath rest is referring to resting from both physical work and spiritual work does it mean there'll be no physical work in eternal life?

What is in the race?

boyscout wrote:

Will there not be sun and moon in the new earth?

If there's no night then how can one see the new moon?

That's what I'm asking you! What does Rev 22:5 mean?

boyscout wrote:

Is 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 contradicting Ephesians 2:8-10?

If Eph 2:8-10 means there's nothing we need to do, then wouldn't most of the bible be unnecessary? My understanding is something like - no one could be justified by works. It is by grace that man is saved and forgiven his past sins. What he needs to do is "remain in him" or otherwise he will be cut off. That means living by the spirit, not by the flesh, and bearing spiritual fruit. Since the spirit is contrary to sin, if someone sins willfully then that person is not living according to the spirit.

boyscout wrote:

If Hebrews 4:9 Sabbath rest is referring to resting from both physical work and spiritual work does it mean there'll be no physical work in eternal life?

What is in the race?

I don't know.

I was just adding questions to your questions regarding new moon.

I admit Paul is hard to understand.
The race he mentioned is quite contradictory also to Isaiah 30:15 In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.
Racing against sin could only lead to disappointment.
So again what the race he talked about?

I'm guessing what you're saying is the race is preaching the gospel.

I think it's a good topic to discuss.

Eric, do you mind posting all the scriptures that people say we no longer need to follow the sabbath?

Perhaps we should let those who say they no longer have to observe the Sabbath quote the scriptures they use to support and see how they interpret such. Examples are:

http://www.gtycanada.org/resources/questions/QA135/are-the-sabbath-laws-binding-on-christians-today

http://www.gotquestions.org/Sabbath-keeping.html

https://carm.org/should-we-keep-sabbath-or-not

http://www.christiananswers.net/q-acb/acb-t007.html

http://www.bible.ca/H-sunday.htm

What does Isaiah 58:13-14 mean, especially the highlighted?

If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
then you will find your joy in the Lord,
and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

hmm, could it be we are breaking the sabbath because we do as our fellowship pleases on His holy day, such that there is no delight, and we do not keep the Lord's holy day holy and honorable because we go our fellowship's own way and do as our fellowship pleases and speaking idle words, therefore we have no joy in the Lord?

Was my fault.
It started as a remembrance of the Sabbath between me and my wife - A day to dig into His words and to get to know Him all the more.
Then someone joined. Then some more. We lost focus - that's my fault.
We thought the fellowship was His will.
We thought the fellowship would spur us into more diligent studying of the word.
It was not everyone's wish.
Bible study becomes a challenge and to me very tiresome because, as I said, we could not accept each other with different thoughts - even though you all have to admit that I have studied more, if not truer. Any insistence on different thoughts is understood as being defensive. But please pause and try to recall - if I have ever accused anyone of being defensive? Am I not always the one on the receiving end of such?
Anyway we compromised and tried to please.
We tried to make the meeting more interesting while not deviating from our path. It didn't work.
We listened and we added things which do not please everyone even though everyone seemed to have agreed upon.
I saw the reluctance in prayer, in praise and in bible study.
I saw the reluctance in life sharing.
I saw the reluctance to even show up.
When I questioned the above, you all know what the answers are.
Is it really my problem?
Do we really do not love?
Do we really have so much hatred in your eyes?
Really?

Hebrews 4 again:

In the desert the Israelites did not have much to do or to worry about. They didn't have to grow or prepare food for Yahweh supplied manna everyday. They did not need or could not make/buy new clothes/shoes because Yahweh miraculously kept them and there wasn't any material in the desert to make such from. They didn't have to upkeep/decorate their home for they moved from one place to another frequently.

Things became different once they entered Canaan.

Manna stopped. They had to grow/prepare food.

They had to make a living.

They had to get new clothes/shoes.

They had to decorate their homes now that they have a permanent home.

They looked at the nations and tried to be equal or better.

With so much to do they forsook Sabbath, either gradually or instantly. They did what they pleased. They forgot that entering Canaan and living in peace was a blessing based on the covenant of love God made with them.

History shown that they didn't enjoy much peace.

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.