At the Upper Room Chapel Shabbat Shalom Welcome to The Miqra (The Gathering) At the Upper Room Chapel

The Biblical Sabbath, Pt 2 Understanding the Sabbath as a Sign Between the Creator and His People

The Sabbath as God’s Appointed Time of Meeting *The Sabbath as God’s Appointed Time of Meeting *The Consequences of Ignoring the Sabbath *What Does it Mean that the Sabbath is a Sign? *Prophets…

Genesis 2:1-3 The heavens and the earth were completed with everything that was in them.  By the seventh day Elohim finished the work that he had been doing, and he ceased on the seventh day all the work that he had been doing.  Elohim blessed the seventh day and set it apart because on it he ceased all the work that he had been doing in creation. 

What Does it Mean that the Sabbath is Blessed What Does it Mean that the Sabbath is Blessed? Barak – to kneel, bless, salute, greet; To bless in the OT means "to endue with power for success, prosperity, fecundity, longevity, etc." It is frequently contrasted with qalal "to esteem lightly, curse" (cf. Deut 30:1, 19). Father has blessed the seventh day which means he has given it special value. It is a time with a unique purpose. It’s purpose is to equip his people (those who obey it) with success, prosperity and life!

The Separations of Creation (Heb bdl – divide,separate,distinguish) *Day 1- Light from Darkness *Day 2 – Waters Above from Waters Below Day 3 – Land from Water *Day 4 – Day from Night (Day 6? – Woman from Man) Day 7 – Sabbath Day from the other Six

Holy (qadash) The BDB suggests the meaning of this root word is separation, withdrawal.  HALOT defines it as holy, commanding respect, awesome, singled out, consecrated for.  The TWOT renders our word be hallowed, holy, sanctified; to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate.  Emerging from these terms is the concept of separating or setting apart of something.  Thus, separate or set apart is its true and basic meaning and is usually the best way to translate it.

Remember the Sabbath (shabbat) day to set it apart Remember the Sabbath (shabbat) day to set it apart.  For six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahuwah your Elohim; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or your resident foreigner who is in your gates.  For in six days Yahuwah made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore Yahuwah blessed the Sabbath (shabbat) day and set it apart. (Ex 20:8-11)

Guard the day of the Sabbath to set it apart just as Yahuwah your Elohim has commanded you.  You are to serve and do all your work in six days, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of Yahuwah your Elohim. On that day you must not do any work, you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, your ox, your donkey, any other animal, or the foreigner who lives with you, so that your male and female slaves, like yourself, may have rest (nuwach).  (Deut 5:12-14)

1 – A Day to Rest Rest from what 1 – A Day to Rest Rest from what? (work – melacha) Melacha is what you do to earn a living, the work of your hands, what you create or form or produce with your hands. Business, occupational work, handiwork, craftsmanship.

2 - It is a Day unto Yahuwah For six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahuwah your Elohim (Exodus 20:10) Not for your own pleasure! Isaiah 58:12-14 The Sabbath was made for man… Mark 2:27 Is it a day to sleep and lounge?

3 – A Day to Worship Yahuwah In Leviticus 23 it is called a moed which means an appointment, an appointed time Psalm 95 – a Sabbath Psalm

4 – A Day For Holy Assembly Speak to the sons of Yisrael and tell them, 'These are Yahuwah's appointed times which you must proclaim as set-apart assemblies--my appointed times: (moedim). Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest, a set-apart assembly (miqra qodesh). You must not do any work; it is a Sabbath to Yahuwah in all the places where you live. These are Yahuwah's appointed times, set-apart assemblies, which you must proclaim at their appointed time.‘ (Leviticus 23:2-4)

What Does it Mean that the Sabbath is a Sign What Does it Mean that the Sabbath is a Sign? What Does Sabbath-Keeping Signify? Can You be in Good Standing with the Creator While Ignoring the Sabbath?

Tell the sons of Yisrael, 'Surely you shall keep my Sabbaths, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am Yahuwah who sets you apart.  So you must keep the Sabbath, for it is set-apart for you. Everyone who defiles it must surely be put to death; indeed, anyone who does any work on it, then that life will be cut off from among his people.  Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, set-apart to Yahuwah; anyone who does work on the seventh day must surely be put to death.  (Exodus 31:13-15)

And the sons of Yisrael must keep the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.  It is a sign between me and the sons of Yisrael forever; for in six days Yahuwah made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed (Exodus 31:16-17)

Sign – Hebrew tAa (owt) HALOT: sign, distinguishing mark TWOT: sign, mark, token, ensign, standard, miracle, miraculous sign, proof, warning.

How Does the Sabbath Function as a Sign? Only those who are truly committed to Yahuwah will set apart the Sabbath. The world does not recognize it as from God It is a sign “between you and me” – a private sign which others do not understand. When you set apart the Sabbath, He sets you apart as belonging to Him The committed, submitted ones will keep it.

Penalty for not keeping Sabbath holy Surely die and Cut off from his people. “Everyone who defiles it must surely be put to death; indeed, anyone who does any work on it, then that life will be cut off from among his people.” When does this occur?

Sabbath Sign – a Test commandment Exodus 16:4-5 4 Then Yahuwah said to Mosheh, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instruction (Torah). 5 On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days."

The Torah is a Mark Love the Yahuwah your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts... Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads (Deuteronomy 6:5,6,8).

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads... Observe all these commands I am giving you to follow--to love the Yahuwah your Elohim, to walk in all his ways and to hold fast to him" (Deuteronomy 11:18,22).

Keeping Feast of Unleavened This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of Yahuwah is to be on your lips. For Yahuwah brought you out of Mitzrayim with his mighty hand. (Exodus 13:9)

Why Did Israel and Judah Get Exiled? Ezekiel 20

Is the Sabbath Just For the Jews? Isaiah 56:1-8