Shabbat / Sabbath

Mark 2:27-28

And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

When studying the SABBATH there is so much more to 'SABBATH' than 'a day of the week' - the 7th day (Saturday).  Just as the biblical feasts declare God's APPOINTED TIMES to dwell with men - so too the SABBATH is an even greater declaration of that promise of an 'appointed thousand year time' for the earth when God comes to 'tabernacle with men' - a millenial Sabbath of rest from evil.    God spoke to Israel 'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy'. HOLINESS is by the RESURRECTION from the DEAD.

Israel declared 'God's promise' of deliverance from death as they rehearsed the feasts, preparing for that time of visitation from God when He would 'make His appearance'.   God's seven feasts - Passover (crucifision), Unleavened Bread (flesh buried), Firstfruits (Resurrection life), Shavuot (Giving of law on Sinai / giving of Spirit in Acts 2) were all the appointment of Messiah Christ.  Yom Teruah (trumpets / tribulation), Yom Kippur (atonement for land) and Sukkot (Christ's millenial reign) are yet the awaited hope of Christ's return.  Yom Teruah designates a Sabbath for Israel upon entering birth pangs (tribulation) to deliver her child [Revelation 12*].  At the 'last trump' the 'dead rise' - keeping the SABBATH - - HOLY.'

*The book of Revelation deals with the fall feasts.  John is in the spirit on the 'Lord's Day' (Day of the Lord) being shown things to come - - - not things past, i.e birth of Christ.  The child  birthed and 'caught up to heaven occurs during a (future) Rosh ha Shanah time. 

The Sabbath not only gives vision of the Messiah Christ, but reveals the 'daughter of Zion ultimately 'repenting and entering His rest (SABBATH).   For us to 'keep the Sabbath holy, is that -  'it is no longer I that live, but that Christ lives in me.'  The mark of the Sabbath is RESURRECTION LIFE.  In that we have passed from 'death to life' in Christ, we keep the Sabbath holy.   

A DAY - even the SABBATH DAY is a THOUSAND YEARS.

Psalm 90:4  For a THOUSAND YEARS [ALef]  in your sight  are but a yesterday

when it is passed, and as a watch in the night.

Christ's sacrifice and resurrection has given us the guarantee of eternal life,
of Sabbath rest.

2 Peter 3:8  But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, 

that ONE DAY is with the Lord as a THOUSAND YEARS

and a THOUSAND YEARS as a DAY.

Jesus spoke only the words of the Father.  He fulfilled the requirement of the law, taking our death penalty upon Himself, offering His own body and blood.  God is  longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

God has promised a SEVENTH DAY - 1000 YEAR - SABBATH REST to the SEED of Abraham - IN CHRIST

There will be 'no work' on the Sabbath' - - no one will need faith to believe - - 

He will be present and He will known.

John 6:29

Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, 

that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

The name 'Lazarus' from the Hebrew is  'Eliezer':  God is my help (meet).  When God formed woman from Adam's side, He later named her 'Chava / Eve' which means 'life-giver'.  Jesus Christ is 'life-giver' and Israel's helpmeet, particularly 'a very present help in trouble (tribulation).  That tribulation, the time of Rosh ha Shanah (Day of trumpets, Day of the Lord) begins by declaring a Sabbath.   Birthpangs (tribulation) come upon Zion as she travails in birth, deliverance to come as Christ's deliverance came for Him - - resurrection from the dead.    [Ezekiel 37?]

Jesus Christ's birth according the the biblical calendar is presented as @3750 + of - approximately 3 1/2 / 4 days (a day a thousand years).  LAZARUS was dead '4 days' when Jesus raised him from the dead, significant of mankind's release (and particularly Israel's) from death as a similar time period [John 5:24].  Christ's ministry was approximately 3 1/2 years ending in his death.  The two witnesses of Revelation 11 prophesy for 1260 days or 3 1/2 years, are killed, and God raises them from the dead after 3 1/2 days.

 

John 5:24

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears my word,

and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life,

and shall not come into condemnation;

but IS PASSED  from death unto life.  

John 11:25  Jesus said unto her, I AM THE RESURRECTION and the life:  

he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet he shall live:

 John 11:43

And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice,  
LAZARUS [helpmeet / God is help], COME FORTH

In considering a ‘first resurrection [Revelation 20:5], there then is a ‘following / second resurrection’.  So too, if there is a ‘second death, there is a ‘first death’.  As God is ‘no respecter of persons - -   and Hebrews 9:27 makes it clear - -  that it is ‘appointed’ unto men ONCE to die – then ALL men  must meet that criteria – even Enoch, Elijah, and those who are alive and remain to be caught up with the Lord.  Even the beast and false prophet - -  both who are 'cast alive' into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.’  


 

                                                                                       
                                                                                            Hebrews 9:27  
                                        And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:  

Hebrews 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; 

and unto them that look for him 

                                                 shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.


Our 'last breath' is not 'our death' / first death.  Our last breath is the result of the 'first death', that in ‘Adam ALL die’.  We are released from 'first death' in Christ:   ‘all will be made alive'.  Jesus refers to the death of the body, although dead, as 'sleep'.   Death is a deeper issue than 'death / sleep' of the body, it is the issue of SIN as descendants of Adam, our physical birth, as you will, occurring in the 'country of death', making us a 'citizen of death'.

                                                                                                

Romans 5:12

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,

and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

The sin in the garden was 'did God say?' and doubting.  Jesus says, [John 5:24] He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Philippians 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, 

and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death ...

                                                                                   

The 'power of resurrection' is according to the 'spirit of HOLINESS'.  Holiness recognizes the 'flesh as dead'; the spirit alive to Christ.  God’s ‘SABBATH’  - - was made for man - - to experience His power of 'resurrection'.   As such, we see the Sabbath 'kept holy' - according to the spirit of holiness, BY THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD' - - not by 'works', or by keeping the 'requirement of the law'.  

 

Romans 1:4

declared to be the Son of God, according to the spirit of HOLINESS

BY THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD

                                                                                             

Revelation 20:5-6

But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished.

This is the first resurrection.  

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the FIRST RESURRECTION

Over such the second death has no power, 

but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, 

and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

 The second resurrection must also meet the judgment of Christ, but having never accepted Christ they continue to the ‘second death’ - the lake of fire.  Those who do not accept God's deliverance through Christ - remain in and with death.  Jesus said, 'I AM THE RESURRECTION and LIFE', thus there is no other way.  

Revelation 20:14  And death and hell were thrown into the LAKE OF FIRE

Revelation 20:15

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life 

was cast into the LAKE OF FIRE.

Still thinking on this - - - particularly in light of Matthew 27:50-52

Matthew 27:50-54
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom;
and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Now when the centurion, and they that were with him,
watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, 
they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.


Selah Shalom