2. The Sabbath Principle Shown to be an Abiding Principle
The Sabbath is a creation ordinance (Genesis 2:3)
Since the other creation ordinances of labor (Gen. 2:15), marriage (Gen. 2:24-25) and fruitfulness (Gen. 1:28), have abiding significance for all mankind, one would expect the same of the Sabbath. This appears to be Christ’s interpretation when He declares that the Sabbath was made for mankind (Mark 2:27). Set in the context of creation (man not being made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath being made for man), Christ seems to agree that the Sabbath was observed as a creation ordinance when mankind was made. If this is true, then all attempts to treat the Sabbath as an institution unique to Israel are eliminated.
Gentiles are repeatedly commanded to keep the Sabbath
(Exodus 20:10; Deut. 5:14; Numb. 15:30-36; Neh. 13:16 in context of 15-22; Isaiah 56:1-8; 66:23). Evidence of Sabbath observance prior to the formation of Israel can be seen in the fact that Cain and Abel offered their sacrifices at the end of the week (literal Hebrew of Gen. 4:3 is “at the end of the days”). Likewise, time was divided up into “weeks” (Gen. 29:27-28) or periods of “seven days” (Gen. 7:10; 8:10,12) long before Israel came on the scene. This is why Israel observed the Sabbath before the Ten Commandments were written on stone (see Ex. 16:23,25-26,29). The evidence for this being a moral precept binding on all men is strong.
It is one of the “Ten Commandments” (Exodus 20)
These commandments were written by the very finger of God to show their importance and they were written on stone to show their abiding validity. God’s law is always summarized as “Ten Commandments” (Ex. 34:28; Deut. 4:13; 10:4), not as nine. It is arbitrary to chisel one of the commandments out of the stone on which they were written.
Explicitly called an everlasting or perpetual statute (Exodus 31:16-17)
This is because it is a sign of the everlasting covenant (Ezek. 20:12,20; Is. 55:3 with 56:1-8; Ex. 31:16-17).
We are commanded to worship God on the Sabbath
Lev. 23:3; cf. e.g. 2 Kings 4:23; and Christ’s habit of meeting on the seventh day with God’s people (Mark 6:2; Luke 4:16) which habit we will see was transferred to the first day of the week after the resurrection.
Sabbath command to labor for six days
If the fourth commandment has been thrown out as some allege, how can the Ten Commandments summarize all the law? (cf. 2 Thes. 3:6-15, etc. for this side of the commandment.)
New Testament continuation
“There remains therefore a Sabbath observance6 for the people of God” (Heb. 4:9). Far from being abolished, the Bible says it “remains.”
Old Testament prophesy
The Old Testament prophesied that in New Testament times Gentiles would honor the Sabbath (Isa. 56:1-8) and that eventually “’from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,’ says the Lord” (Isaiah 66:23, emphasis added). There is no time period prior to the resurrection of Jesus Christ that this statement could have been fulfilled. It applies to Gentiles in our era.
Christ taught proper observance of the Sabbath
(Matt. 12:1-14; Mark 2:23-3:6; Luke 13:10-17; 14:1-6; John 7:22-24). In these passages Christ does not overturn the Old Testament. Instead, He uses the Old Testament to justify His actions and to overturn the false interpretations and additions imposed by the Pharisees.
Christ’s prophesy for the Great Tribulation
He said that there would still be a Sabbath that true Christians ought to be concerned about (Matt. 24:20). Whatever interpretation of prophecy one might have, this is clearly in the New Covenant era.
Revelation 1:10
This verse indicates that there is still a day of the week that is set apart as belonging to the Lord and is called “the Lord’s day.”
If Scripture teaches that the Sabbath is a permanent moral law, it would require specific information from the Lord to authorize any change in the day. It is to that subject that we now turn.