“Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed.”
ARE YOU CHRIST’S?
If you are then you are Abraham’s seed and bound by God’s covenant.
All Christians are commanded to keep the seventh day Sabbath holy by a perpetual decree – not the first day of the week. It still matters to God for several reasons. The scriptures below weave together the associations God has made for us today, under the New Covenant which basically show:
1. God’s covenant given to Abraham is a promise that is still very much in effect today under the New Covenant. The Lord said that he would be the father of many nations and generations. God’s promise to Abraham is still actively going on and also sets up the source of our inheritance which therefore also establishes the source of our obligations to keep the aspects of that covenant which have carried forward to us today living in the 21st century.
2. The burden of the Lord, which is light and easy as Jesus said, are the conditions of the Everlasting Covenant/Everlasting Gospel that we are supposed to obey as our duty as God’s children and we will be called God’s children; another promise given to us by that covenant.
What is so important about being God’s children? Only God’s children will inherit salvation and the rest of what He has promised to them who keep His covenant. The logical reasoning is then, if we are not keeping our Father’s covenant then we’re not His children. We need to know and understand what He expects us to do, and what we should do when we fail and sin; God has a remedy and a plan for us and it’s not impossible to keep.
The blood of Jesus Christ is called “the blood of the Everlasting Covenant”. Salvation is a free gift that cannot be earned because there is no law we can keep to give us life once we’ve lost it; however, God’s condtions of receiving the free gift is to believe on His Son Jesus Christ for our salvation which is also part of the Everlasting Covenant. “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?”
3. God gave the seventh day Sabbath as a perpetual covenant to the children of Abraham throughout their generations including under the New Covenant. We are Abraham’s children through Jesus Christ. If we are Christ’s then we are “Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise”. Ephesians 2:12 makes it clear that before we had Christ we were without God, without the covenants of promise and not fellow citizens/members of the commonwealth of Israel. The commonwealth of Israel is everything that God provides to His children including their inheritance which is everything our heavenly Father has promised to them by His covenants.
“That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:”
Genesis 17:4-5
“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with thee,
and thou shalt be a father of many nations.”
Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram,
but thy name shall be Abraham;
for a father of many nations have I made thee.”
Genesis 22:15-18
“And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By Myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice.”
Galatians 3:29
“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed,
and heirs according to the promise.”
Exodus 31:13-17
“Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily My sabbaths ye shall keep: FOR it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.”
Featured Image Details:
Isaac embraces his father Abraham after the Binding of Isaac, early 1900s Bible illustration – O.A. Stemler • Public domain