Body: | The Ten Commandments and the Sabbath, did not exist from the Garden of
Eden.
Click to View The Ten Commandments did not exist as a formal code of law
until Moses Sabbatarians haven't comprehended the fact that the word
"Sabbath" is never found in the book of Genesis. The first case of Sabbath
keeping was in Exodus 16 at Mt. Sinai. Here Jehovah gave Moses the "Ten
Commandments", for the first time in world history. If the Ten commandments
did not exist before Moses, then neither did the 4th commandment unless we
find some command or example before Moses. The truth is that Adam never
kept the Sabbath, nor did Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph or anyone in
while in Egyptian bondage.
Here are two comments from our history archive that prove the common view
between 150 and 200AD was that the Patriarchs never kept the Sabbath!
150AD JUSTIN: Moreover, all those righteous men already mentioned
[after mentioning Adam. Abel, Enoch, Lot, Noah, Melchizedek, and Abraham],
though they kept no Sabbaths, were pleasing to God; and after them Abraham
with all his descendants until Moses... And you [fleshly Jews] were
commanded to keep Sabbaths, that you might retain the memorial of God. For
His word makes this announcement, saying, "That you may know that I am God
who redeemed you." (Dialogue With Trypho the Jew, 150-165 AD, Ante-Nicene
Fathers , vol. 1, page 204)
200AD TERTULLIAN: Let him who contends that the Sabbath is still to
be observed a balm of salvation, and circumcision on the eighth day because
of threat of death, teach us that in earliest times righteous men kept
Sabbath or practiced circumcision, and so were made friends of God. ..
...Therefore, since God originated Adam uncircumcised, and inobservant of
the Sabbath, consequently his offspring also, Abel, offering Him
sacrifices, uncircumcised and inobservant of the Sabbath, was by Him
commended... Noah also, uncircumcised - yes, and inobservant of the Sabbath
- God freed from the deluge. For Enoch, too, most righteous man,
uncircumcised and inobservant of the Sabbath, He translated from this
world... Melchizedek also, "the priest of most high God," uncircumcised and
inobservant of the Sabbath, was chosen to the priesthood of God. (An Answer
to the Jews 2:10; 4:1, Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. 3, page 153)
Click to View
Actual Sabbatarian false argument: "Adam, Noah and Abraham kept the
Sabbath."
Answers:
A. Even if the Sabbath was given to Adam, that does not mean Christians
must keep it because God also gave sacrificial laws of offering to Adam as
well (although after the garden). Such an argument by Sabbatarians
ultimately proves nothing!
B. The 10 commandments or Sabbath law did not exist before Moses
The word "Sabbath" is not found in the book of Genesis!
The very first thing written on the stones tells us this! Obviously
then, this law was something new. Deut 5:6 'I am the Lord your God, who
brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You
shall have no other gods before Me.
Fathers prior to Egypt did not keep the Sabbath: Deut 5:2-3 "The
Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. The Lord did not make this
covenant with our fathers, but with us, with all those of us alive here
today."
No one prior to the Exodus from Egypt (Ex 16) even knew about the
Sabbath law: Ezek 20:10-12 "So I took them out of the land of Egypt and
brought them into the wilderness. 11 "And I gave them My statutes and
informed them of My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will
live. 12 "And also I gave them My Sabbaths to be a sign between Me and
them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. 13 "But
the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not
walk in My statutes, and they rejected My ordinances, by which, if a man
observes them, he will live; and My Sabbaths they greatly profaned."
Sabbatarians argue that since "Sabbaths" in Ezek 20:10-12 is plural
it cannot refer to the weekly Sabbath: Wrong: The weekly Sabbath is plural
in: Ex 31:13,17. Both singular and plural are used for the weekly Sabbath:
Lev 19:3; 23:38; Isa 56:2,4; Mt 12:5; 12:10; Acts 17:2
God revealed "made known" the Sabbath law at Sinai, He did not
remind them. Nehemiah 9:13-14 "You came down also on Mount Sinai, and spoke
with them from heaven, and gave them just ordinances and true laws, good
statutes and commandments. You made known to them Your holy Sabbath, and
commanded them precepts, statutes and laws, by the hand of Moses Your
servant." This verse is bad news for Sabbatarians!
Gal 3:17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred
and thirty years later (after Abraham)
First Occurrence of the word "Sabbath" - Exodus 16:22-23 And so it
was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers
for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
Then he said to them, 'This is what the Lord has said: 'Tomorrow is a
Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today,
and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to
be kept until morning. The text in verse 23-30 indicates that this was a
new experience for Israel. They were not used to keeping the Sabbath before
this time.
The ten commandments were first given when Moses face shone: Ex
34:27-28; 2 Cor 3
If they had the Sabbath before Ex 16, then they just as likely had
the manna before as well. Yet Sabbatarians freely admit that the manna was
something new for them. Yet when we look at the text, the Jews were equally
unfamiliar with BOTH manna and the Sabbath.
C. There is no record or even hint that anyone prior to Ex 16 kept the
Sabbath: Yet the Patriarchs were instructed regarding:
offerings: Gen 4:3-4
Altars Gen 8:20
Priests: Gen 14:18
Tithes: Gen 14:20
Circumcision: Gen 17:10
Marriage: Gen 2:24 & Gen 34:9
Why would God leave out the "all important" Sabbath command???
D. Sabbath was not sanctified until after God rested: Gen 2:2; Ex 20:11
First God rested, then AFTER HE RESTED then He sanctified it. This
proves that the Sabbath was not part of God's eternal law in heaven prior
to creation!
The Bible no where says WHEN he sanctified it, just that it was
after God rested.
Even if God did sanctify the Sabbath day in Eden, God still did not
revealed the Sabbath in Eden because there is absolutely no evidence that
anyone kept the Sabbath prior to Ex 16.
Gen 2:2 tells us the reason, not the time that God sanctified the
Sabbath.
Genesis was written during the time of Moses, not before. Neither
Adam or Abraham had the book of Genesis! For the first time God told the
Jews in the wilderness about the Sabbath!
Christ was chosen as the sacrificial lamb from before the foundation
of the world, ( 1 Pe 1:20; 2 Tim 1:9) but did not revealed to man some time
later, (at least 6 days) and then only after man ate the tree of life.
Specific details were not revealed for some 4000 years until Christ walked
the earth. In fact God set Jesus apart as the sacrifice for man long before
God actually GAVE His son.
E. The Sabbath would be unsuitable for Adam while in the Garden of Eden:
Work and labour were only existed after Adam sinned: Gen 3:19
"strangers with your gates, servants" make no sense in the garden
regarding the Sabbath
The only two commandments God gave Adam were to keep the garden Gen
2:5 and not eat the forbidden fruit.
F. The first time any Jewish holy day is mentioned in scripture, it always
lacks the definite article (a Sabbath).
All the Jewish holy days are never introduced the first time in
scripture with the definite article "the" but with the indefinite "a" or
"an".
The indefinite article is used both before and after something has
been instituted, but the definite article (THE Sabbath) is never used the
first time something is introduced.
This powerful argument proves that the weekly Sabbath did not exist
before Ex 16:23.
What makes it irrefutable, is the fact that every Jewish Holy Day
follows this same pattern!
first time instituted
after instituted
tomorrow is a Sabbath: Ex 16:23
"the" Lord has given you the Sabbath: Ex 16:29
A solemn rest "a" holy Sabbath: Ex 17:22; Lev 16:25
"the" Sabbath: Ex 20:11
"a" memorial: Lev 12:30
afterwards, the Lord's Passover
"an" holy convocation: Lev 23:21
the day of Pentecost: Acts 2:1
Unleavened bread: "a" feast: Ex 12:40
afterward, the feast: Lev 23:6
In-gathering: "a" feast
the feast: Heb 8:18
"an" alter Gen 8:20
the altar: Gen 8:20
"a" Day of atonement: Lev 23:27
G. The Sabbath was not sanctified on day 6, but is an example of Prolepsis:
Prolepsis: "the representation of something in the future as if it already existed or had occurred." Webster's Dictionary
Genesis 3:20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was
the mother of all living. (This is said before the birth of Cain.)
Genesis 4:20-21 And Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who
dwell in tents and have livestock.
His brother's name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who
play the harp and flute. (but not at that time in the narration)
Matthew 10:4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also
betrayed Him. (The betrayal did not occur until 3 years later.)
1 Sam 4:1 not named until later ( 1 Sam 7:12)
Lk 6:16
Gen 11:9 (2218BC connected with 1492BC)
Gen 10:4-5 There were no Gentiles in Noah's day, connected with
1492BC
Gen 2:24 there were no mothers and fathers at that time!
Jn 11:1-2 anointing did not take place until later in Jn 12:3
When Moses wrote "Genesis" to the Jews, he brought up the reason
they kept the Sabbath in the Creation account, although it was not finally
revealed until the events recorded in Exodus.
Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy... For in
six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is
in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath
day and hallowed it. "
H. Typical case of how Sabbatarians try to prove the 10 commandments
existed before Moses. Here is their favorite proof text: "because Abraham
obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws." "
(Genesis 26:5)
Now the first mistake is that every time they see "my commandments"
they assume it is the ten commandments.
Ok lets run with this for a minute. Assume they are right. Then what
does My statutes and My laws refer to? Well the ceremonial law of Moses of
course!
If "my commandments" refers the to 10 commandments, then My statutes
and My laws refers to the ceremonial law of Moses!
So Seventh-day Adventists read into the text the text the 10
commandments, but ignore the obvious reference to what they call the
ceremonial law of Moses.
The verse proves too much for them, so they merely ignore everything
but the phrase "my commandments".
Click to View
We Speak truth in LOVE
"you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth" Jn 8:40
Click to View
Click to View
Go To Start: WWW.BIBLE.CA
|