Keeping the Sabbath holy is one of the Ten Commandments.

Exodus 20:8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work… 11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth…and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

Keeping the Sabbath therefore is equal in weight with the other commandments, “Thou shalt not worship another god or gods, adultery, murder, stealing, and the rest.” Christianity is now divided on the specific date Sabbath pertains. Sabbath actually is the 7 th day of the week or SATURDAY. However the oldest sect substituted it for SUNDAY, the first day of the week, and called it the Lord's day. The basis for the substitution is the significant events that happened on Sunday. Christ resurrected on Sunday, the first day of the week (John 20:1). Pentecost occurred on Sunday. Paul preached on Sunday (Acts 20:7). Christ spoke to John the apostle on Sunday called the Lord's Day (Rev. 1:10).

As it is written, punishment for dishonoring Sabbath is strictly enforced and this means death to the violator.

Num. 15:32 "And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. 33And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. 34And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. 35And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. 36And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses."

The Jews found issues with Jesus Christ when He was perceived to have not honored the Sabbath. As a matter of fact, this is one accusation leveled against Him leading to His death on the cross. Today, it is the general perception that with the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, many Old Testament laws have been amended or nullified. This belief led to the varied interpretation and application of the word of God in the Old Testament. Jesus Christ, however, said:

Matt. 5:17 " Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."

With the attributes and faculties of the Natural Man, the statement of our Lord is incomprehensible because they appear to be improbable.

1 Cor. 2:14 " But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

However God is true to His words. Although they are expressed in parables, He explains them by means of “demonstrations” elicited from His very word.

Ezek. 20:49 " Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?"

Psa. 78.2 " I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old."

With the Natural Man's understanding of the law, the Scribes or Teachers of the Law who sincerely and assiduously wanted to apply them failed. No account is written enforcing the execution of the violators. And now because of their hatred on Jesus Christ, the TRUTH, they accused Him violating the Sabbath. This is one reason causing His death on the cross.

John 9:13 " They brought to the Pharisees him that…was blind. 14And it was the sabbath day …and opened his eyes. 15Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. 16Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day."

John 5:5 "And a certain man…had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6When Jesus saw him… he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 8Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. 10The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 11He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? 14Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. 15The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. 16And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day."

GOD RESTED ON THE 7TH DAY

This is God’s direction in reading the Sacred Scriptures:

Isa. 28:10 “ For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: ”

Sabbath or the 7 th day can be considered the "number" of God for He saw the completion of His work and found total satisfaction from it.

Gen. 2:2 "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."

That is all that the Natural Man can see on the significance of Sabbath. However God is speaking in parables. His ultimate purpose in creating man is to have an eternal companion. This is analogous to His creation of Adam whom God saw needing a companion, a wife, when He created Eve. God created man in "His own image" (Gen. 1:27) for the same purpose of having an eternal companions. The "image of God" is JESUS CHRIST.

Col. 1:14 " In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature."

Heb. 1:2 " … by his Son…by whom also he made the worlds; 3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person…"

However, Satan thwarted God's plan by tempting man to fall. But God's plan of having a eternal companions had to be fulfilled. Adam and Eve represent mankind, and their fall followed the spiritual fall of mankind. For details read TRACING THE “ORIGINAL SIN” (click articles: www.purechristianiy.org)

Adam and Eve saw their "nakedness" after the fall. So do many people see spiritual nakedness or the need for salvation. Spiritual covering refers to the "garment of salvation."

Isa. 61:10 " I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation…"

Adam and Eve in their desire to “cover their nakedness” took fig leaves:

Gen. 3:7 "… they knew that they were naked (spiritual nakedness from the garment of salvation); and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons."

Fig tree symbolizes man and the leaves point to the ways of man. This is the equivalent of the Natural Man’s desire for salvation using the “wisdom and ways of man.”

Judges 9:10 “And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. 11But the fig tree said unto them…”

But God cannot sanction the “ways of man” for He condemns human wisdom:

Isa. 29:13 “ Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me…and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: ”

Col. 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy…after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. ”

Therefore God took away the fig leaves covering from Adam and Eve and instead put “coats of skins.”

Gen. 3:21 "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them."

Getting the “skin” necessitates the shedding of blood. This foreshadows the shedding of blood on the cross. Clearly, only God’s way can provide covering for spiritual nakedness of SALVATION!

Col. 1:14 "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins."

When God replaced the “fig leaves” with “coat of skins,” this revealed God’s LOVE for mankind. However, Adam and Eve were separated from the Tree of Life. This is to show that man has to desire and aspire to get it back again. For details read the article: The Sin of Adam and Eve -- http://www.purechristi anity.org/sinofeve.htm .

SIX DAYS AND THE 7TH DAY

The benevolent giving of “coats of skin” marks the restoration of God’s plan to have eternal companions. It is from this act and event that “SABBATH rest” and “SIX DAYS work” evolves. Sabbath is God’s eternal sign to His chosen.

Exodus 31:14 “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. 15Six 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. 16Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17It 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.

Some terms and their spiritual meaning:

a. “Children of Israel” – refers to God’s chosen:

Gal. 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

b. “Put to death” – since God is speaking “spiritual things,” this refers to the 2 nd death in the Lake of Fire

Ezek. 18:20 “ The soul that sinneth, it shall die... ”

Rev. 2:11 “ He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”

Rev. 21:8 “ But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

c. Sabbath – The day of rest and the culmination of God’s plan to have eternal companions. It is an eternal sign of God with His chosen. This is accomplished by the testament of salvation fulfilled with the shedding of blood. In the Old Testament, the shedding of blood of animals is a fore shadow of the death of Christ on the cross.

d. Six Days Work – This refers to man’s “hard work or toil” for his salvation as seen in Adam and Eve covering themselves with fig leaves. They failed to truly “cover their nakedness.”

e. Fig leaves – symbolizes ”man’s way” since fig signifies man in:

Judges 9:10 “And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. 11But the fig tree said unto them…”

For “six days” God worked “ and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.” This is analogous to Adam and Eve’s “working to cover their nakedness with fig leaves” but found true covering only with “skins of animals” provided by God.

f. Tree of Life – this symbolizes the Spirit of God. God’s presence with Adam and Eve before the fall was represented by the Tree of Life.

AFTER THE FALL

After the Fall, Adam and Eve were separated from the Tree of Life:

Gen. 3:22 “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

What transpired in the Garden of Eden is actually the “spiritual history" of mankind. With the use of the intellect and feeling, the forbidden fruits of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, mankind represented by Adam and Eve, made their own "standard of good and evil." This is the great temptation of the serpent telling Eve, “your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:5). Is not GOD alone who can set STANDARD OF GOOD AND EVIL -- righteousness and wickedness? Thus, God driving out man from the Garden of Eden is becoming clearer. But this is another story or message. For details read: THE SIN OF ADAM AND EVE ( http://www.purechristianity.org/sinofeve.htm). Comparison between God and man's concept of Standard of good and evil:

Isa. 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Jer. 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

1 Cor 1:19 “…I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”

Rom. 10:2 “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God .”

God gave His commandments for man to see for himself how impossible for him to follow them. They were given to man to convict him of his sins (Romans 5-7), so as to humble himself asking for God's mercy.

Rom. 3:20 " Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."

Man cannot boast following the "letter" of the law:

James 2:10 " For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

Following the "letter" that refers to "deeds of the law," it is impossible to comply with all the requirements thereto. Thus,

2 Cor. 3:6 " Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. "

Man is saved by grace, and with this goes divine knowledge, wisdom, and strength to follow the "spirit of the law."

Eph. 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

God prefers mercy to sacrifice.

Matt. 9:13 " But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Following the letter of the law cannot attain salvation, because it is impossible for man to obey them all. The Scribes and Pharisees tried to follow the law to the “letter” and succeeded only in exposing their hypocrisy. Christ called them, “blind guides leading the blind.” Example: “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Man will profess faithfulness to the spouse as having followed this commandment. However, this constitutes only HALF of the fulfillment. Unseen is the “other half” which is the spiritual aspect.

2 Cor. 3:6 “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”

Without God that represents the Tree of Life, man remains a NATURAL MAN and can only see the “letter,” remaining blind to the “spirit” of the law:

1 Cor. 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

SPIRITUAL ADULTERY

Unknown to man God is speaking parables as Christ was prophesied to do also:

Ezek. 20:49 “Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?”

Psa. 78:2 “I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old. ”

With God’s revelation, the Teachers of the Law succeeded only in following the "letter" or PHYSICAL, and missed the "spirit" or SPIRITUAL aspect of the commandment “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” God explains the SPIRITUAL aspect in the following:

God is “married” to His chosen:

Jer. 3:14 “Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family…”

God is the spiritual “husband”:

Isa. 54:5 “For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts… “

The “people” (the chosen or the Church) both male and female are the “spiritual wife:”

Gal 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek… there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Ephes. 5:23 “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church:”

God’s seed is the TRUTH in His words:

Luke 8:11 “ Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.”

The “other man” is Satan who tries to implant his “seeds” unto the “wife.” If the seed of God is the TRUTH in His words, Satan’s “seeds” are the deceptions and falsehood in the word. Satan uses the very word to deceive. He quotes verses in tempting our Lord in the desert (Matt. 4:6-7, Psa. 91:11-12).

Rev. 12:9 “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

If Christ has His disciples, Satan has his false prophets using the very word of God.

Matt. 24:4 “And Jesus…said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you."

Matt. 24:24 “ For there shall arise false Christs [varied identifications of Jesus] , and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before.”

Deceptions are precepts of men and religious traditions injected in the word of God.

Col. 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy…after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

Isa. 29:13 “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me…and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: 14Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.”

Gal. 1:8 “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”

Salvation can never be attained solely on the efforts of man since he is limited to the "letter of the law." This satisfies only HALF of the requirement because it cleanses only “the outside of the cup.”

Matt. 23:26 " Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also."

Spiritual perfection requires the cleansing of both the “inside” and “outside of the cup.” And even then, man cannot fully clean the “outside of the cup” because of this provision:

James 2:10 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

CHRIST' INVITATION

This is where our Lord Jesus Christ finds man carrying a “heavy burden and needs rest.” Thus His invitation in:

Matt. 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give yourest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

a. “Come unto me” – This is an invitation to believe in Him:

John 3:16 “ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

b. “All ye that labour” – This refers to those who work by themselves trying to attain eternal life:

John 15:5 “ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

c. “Take my yoke” – the “yoke” that Jesus Christ is carrying is the “cross." Cross symbolizes the TRUTH. Truth is a “heavy burden.” If it were not so, then many people would have been carrying it leading to eternal life. But only a few are willing to accept the invitation and carry the "heavy cross" or TRUTH. With our Lord's help, "the yoke is easy and the burden light."

Matt. 7:14 “ Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

Matt. 22:14 “ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

d. “L earn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart ” – God does not only offer salvation as a gift, but He also shows the Way of accepting and living by it. God demonstrated spiritual humility by “manifesting Himself in the flesh.”

1 Tim. 3:16 [KJV only] “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh.”

Phil 2:8 " And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. "

There is only “one God and this is the Father”:

1 Cor. 8:6 “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things…”

“Emmanuel that means God with us” is JESUS CHRIST. As a human being He showed the Way to salvation through humility.

John 5:19 “…Jesus… said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself…”

Phil. 2:8 “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

e. “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” – who could make the “heavy cross” light but our Lord helping us carry it! Who could make TRUTH easy to accept and follow but Christ strengthening us!

1 Cor 4:4 “For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.”

Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Our Lord knows how people are “heavily laden with carrying the burden of salvation.” But because of spiritual blindness due to pride, people think they can walk their way to eternal life on their own. That is the “SIX DAYS work” that our Lord saw on those who humble themselves and needing a “REST.” The “7 th DAY” is the offer of SPIRITUAL REST FOR SALVATION. This truth is demonstrated in a parable but the Teachers of the Law did not comprehend.

Matt. 12:8 “ For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day .“

Matt. 12:9 “And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. 11And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. 13Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole…”

Does not a “sheep” symbolize the chosen of God? “Falling into a pit” is falling into condemnation as when our Lord said of the Scribes and Pharisees:

Matt. 15:14 “ Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”

Unknown to our Lord’s accusers, the parable of a sheep falling into the ditch and its rescue explains the great spiritual meaning of Sabbath. It is our Lord’s redemption of His chosen from eternal damnation! Indeed, it is SPIRITUAL REST to the “spiritual sheep.” Because the Scribes and Pharisees only see the literal-physical rest for Sabbath, Jesus Christ rebuked them by saying, “ For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. ” But because of spiritual blindness not seeing the “light of the gospel” and spiritual deafness not to understand the truth, the more they hated Him. Rescuing a sheep or bringing the chosen to the heavenly kingdom is what is meant by our Lord, “ For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. ” Further explanation of “rest” on the Sabbath:

Heb. 4:1 “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest,… 2For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them… 3For we which have believed do enter into rest… 4For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. 5And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. 6Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 7…saying in David , To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 8For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.”

The miracles of our Lord done on the Sabbath day therefore have the following spiritual significance:

John 9:13 " They brought to the Pharisees him that…was blind. 14And it was the sabbath day …and opened his eyes. 15Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. 16Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day."

Taking the "letter" of the word, the man is blind literally-physically. However, Jesus wanted to convey the message that this refers to spiritual blindness since the man healed of his disease "saw" or recognized Christ. God explains Jesus' putting "clay" on the eyes of the blind and "washing it with water" as follows. Clay symbolizes man.

Job 10:9 " …thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again? "

It is man's sinful nature and his ways that cause spiritual blindness. But "water" that symbolizes the word of God with the revelation of the Holy Spirit, "open the eyes."

Eph. 5:26 "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by theword. "

John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)"

The Scribes and Pharisees who were not literally-physically blind "did not see" or did not recognize our Lord that instead of worshipping Him they hated Him:

John 9:39 "And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. "

To take the word to the "letter," we have not seen Jesus making some people literally blind. Some Pharisees got the message, said:

John 9:40 "And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? 41Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth "

Because of spiritual blindness, the Scribes and Pharisees could not possibly repent according to the standard of God. Therefore their sins remain. Another miracle:

John 5:5 "And a certain man…had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6When Jesus saw him… he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 8Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. 10The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 11He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? 14Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. 15The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. 16And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day."

The man "made whole" conveys the message of being spiritually delivered from eternal damnation. "Taking up the bed" indicates spiritual "rest," and "walk" is to walk on the Way to eternal life.

If “spiritual rest” means salvation, “working on the Sabbath” means going back to man’s own ways of attaining salvation.

Heb.4:10 “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief."

Attaining the “Sabbath rest” and the believer “going back to work” is what is mean in the following:

Heb. 6:4 “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”

Since the message of Sabbath is the salvation of souls, its violation means spiritual death. This is the spiritual message for the man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day that was brought outside the camp and stoned to death. This refers to the 2 nd death to the “violator” or the unsaved:

Rev 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Examples for God’s chosen who have found the “Sabbath rest” and violated it by “working” that they were “stoned to death” as the man found “gathering sticks:”

• King Saul was a chosen man of God. But because of jealousy for David, greatly deceived by his heart, he forgot the “rest” that God has given him. Instead of repenting, he followed the dictate of his feeling until finally killing himself physically, indicating his “death for working on the Sabbath.”
• Judas Iscariot was given the gift of salvation as a chosen apostle of Christ. He attained the “Sabbath rest,” but violated it by “working” when he pronounced sentence on himself and committed suicide.
• Esau, a first-born entitled to his father’s blessings, “worked on the Sabbath” by selling his birth right to Jacob. He tried to regain it with tears (remorse), but could not get it back anymore.

Heb. 12:16 “Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”

After God revealed the great message of Sabbath, it is now clear why the CHOSEN have this eternal sign with them.

Exodus 31:14 “Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you… 17It is asign 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.

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