1989 Issue 4 - Jeremiah: Judgment and Restoration, Part XIV - Counsel of Chalcedon

8/12/2019 1989 Issue 4 - Jeremiah: Judgment and Restoration, Part XIV - Counsel of Chalcedon

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BIBLE STUDY

JeremiahJudgment and Restoration

by Joe Morecraft, III

PartXN

Appendix

Christian Sabbath:The First Day of the Week

Day Changed : The Sabbath Preserved)

I The Continuing Obligationof tbe Sabbath

A (Gen. 2:If) The Creation Ordinance1. Its place in Adam's life (Adam as

head of human race). Sabbath given toman as man.

a. The sabbath is one day younger than man.

b. God blessed and sanctifiedit, according to divine example, man,

im godei

was to sanctify it unto God.c. Objection: no express command here. None of the ten conunandsare explicitly given here, although theywere implicitly and clearly written onthe heart.

2. Its significance for Adam.a. It commemorated God's crea

tion of heavens and earth . Every sabbath he would worship the creator andsustainer who rested in His works.

b. It pointed Adam to the futurecosmic-sabbath through dominion.

c. It celebrated rest in God possessed . It was a sign of this.

d. It marked His passage throughtime to His (and earth's) appointed goal.

e. It meant physical rest for subduing as prophet, priest and king.

3. The continuance of sabbath-keeping from Adam to Sinai.

a. See Gen . 7:4,10; 8 :7-12; 11:7-9; 18:17-19; 26:2-5; 50:10; 29:20-28;31 :23; Job 2:13 ; 42:8; Num . 23:29 ;

Exod. 5 : 14b. Basic motive of Israel behind

Exodus: freedom to celebrate sabbath.Ex. 7:25; 8:1; 12:16,17; Dt. 5:15;Hos . 2:10-14; Ex. 15:23-27; 16:1f;19:1,11 ; 12:18.

c. Specific intimations (implications) .

(1). In Gen . 4:3 the end ofdays at which time Cain and Abel offered their sacrifices was most likely the

end of the week, the sabbath.(2). n Gen . 7:10 we see God

Himself observing the weekly intervalin the preparations for the flood .

(3). In Gen . 8:10-12 Noah observes this weekly division of time during the flood - He twice waited a periodof 7 days to send out the dove .

(4). In Gen . 29:27 we see that itwas customary among the patriarchs tocontinue a wedding festival for 7 days.

(5). In Gen. 50:10 Jacob's funeral services lasted 7 days.

(6). In Ex . 12:3-20 the rust passover lasted 7 days.(7). In Ex. 16:22-30 sabbath ob

servance is seen in full force.

B. The Decalogue (Ex. 20)1. There can be no arbitrary dividing

of the ten words.2. Remember implies no new

law.3. Jew and stranger'' to keep sab-

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bath.4. Reason to keep t creation Ex.

20:1,11) and redemption Ex. 20:1; Dt.5). '

5 . Not ceremonial : for breaking i tmeant death, Ex. 31:14.

6. The sabbath is a needed blessingIs. 58:13; 56:2; Ex. 20:11) . Therefore,

since it is such, i f God has abolishedthe Sabbath , the new dispensation isless blessed than the Old

C. Old Testament Prophecy.1. Isa. 56:2 ,6 pertaining to Messian

ic Age (now).2. Isa. 66 :22-24 pertaining to Mes

sianic Age (now).

D. The Teaching of Christ.1. M t 24:20; no flight on sabbath.2. Sabbath made for man - Mark

2:27.3. Lord of the sabbath- Matt 12:8.4. Three sabbath-works from Matt.

12; Mk. 2; Luke 6.E. Apostolic Doctrine.

1. Heb . 4 :9 - Sahbatismos = sabbath-keeping as in Lev. 23:32 .

2. Apparent contradictions: Col.2:16; Ro m . 14:5-13; Gal. 4:10-11. Athorough study of these passages willshow that it is the Saturday sabbath andother holy days of the Jewish calendarand not the Sunday sabbath to which .they are referring. Saturday sabbath nolonger compulsary for New Testament

Christians .

l l . The Change of the SabbathDay)

A (Gen. 2) The First Sabbath in Eden .1. The seventh day of creation week

was the ftrst full day of Adam'sweek(s).

2. I t reminded him of his possessedrest _with God, from which he began hisliving .

B. (Gen. 3) The Effects of the Fall onthe Sabbath . .

1. Fellowship with God was brokenand rest was lost Now a Savior is needed to restore relationship and rest.

2. Adam lost his rest but not h issabbath . Now, as a sinner, he no longerstarted the weeks of his life with rest asa present posse8sion, but now he o o k ~ed forward, waiting, longing or the endof his weeks; for Christ. who would

once again bririg re8t.3. His first day sabbath turned into a

seventh day sabbath, coming not at thebeginning but at the end of the week.

C. Ex. 20) The Sabbath in the Decalogue.

1. The sabbath day was no flxed dayof the week. For documentation seeRushdoony's Institutes of Biblical Lawpage 134f .

2. The fourth commandment commands a rythmic cycle of living - sixdays work and one day :test. The OldTestament sabbath and the New Testament Lord's Day both ftt into thiscycle.

The key to thechange of day is theresurrection of JesusChrist.

D. (Lev . 23) The Sabbath(s) in the Levitical Calendar .

1. There were other sabbath days besides the seventh days. Called "Sabbaths" were: first days, 8th days , 15thdays, 22nd days, and 50 days .

a. Seven signifies the covenant.completeness and fullness.

b. One signifies messianic redemption , rest, and newness .

c. Eight signifies rest, newness ,and new beginning .

2. The typological prophecy of thechange of sabbath-day in Lev . 23.

a. (23 :2,3) The weekly sabbathwas the supreme day of holy c o n v o c a tion .

b. (23:5) Passover was on the14th day and the celebration of theredemptive effects of passover was on the15th day which was the 1st day of the3rd week.

c . (23:10f) The feast of first

fruits was celebrated upon the first dayentry into the promised land It wasfulfilled in Christ who is "the frrstfruits of them that sleep."

d. (23:15f) The Day of Pentecostwas celebrated on the 50 day, i.e., the1st day of the week after 7 weeks of 7days (7X7+1=50) . It was fulfi.lled inActs 2 .

e. (23:32) I t appears as i f onlythe annual Day of Atonement was from

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evening to evening.f. (23:34,35,36,39) In the Feast

of Booths, the lst and 8th days are ofspecial importance as days of rest artdconvocation.

g. (25:8-55) t h e Sabbatical Yearof Jubilee was fulftlled in Christ and isnow His present reign, Lk. 4:16f andIsa. 61:1f .

h. Conclusion: The Levitica l c l-endar with its sabbatical cycle revealsthe seventh day sabbath as its root; andit declares the eighth day (or frrst day)sabbath of the future as its destination,

E. (Acts 4 :10 and Psa . 118 :24) TheNew Day Sabbath Resulting fromChrist's Resurrection.

1. The Lord made all days, but thisday He m de for a special purpose.

. 2. Psa. 118 prophesies a comingday of joy, salvation, prosperity andlight ushered in by the Lord, whowould be rejectes by men, but whowould erect a magnificent "house" ofsalvation and friendship with God.

3. Acts 4 tells us that this Psalmwas fulfilled in the resurrection day ofJesus Christ.

a. The day of Psa. 118:24, then,is the (sun -)day Christ arose froin thegrave.

b. It is also the new day of salvation, joy and light that began to dawnat Christ's restirrection, n Cor . 6:1 ,2.

F. M t 28 :1; Lk. 23:56; 24:1; Acts20:7) The Sabbath and the Life, Death ,and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

1. As the last Adam, He came to u l ~fill the covenant of works , in whichAdam failed, and now we begin ourspiritual life from our rest in Him. Theold is gone, the new is here.

2. As God the son, there-creator andrest-bringer Mt. 11), He makes allthings new - new church, new heart,new people, new law, new sacraments ,new heavens, new earth, new covenant-for this new day a new day of rest is

needed to commemorate the new .be-ginning and dawning of the kingdom ofGod.

3. The kgy to the chan ofday js the resurrection .o Jesus.c.hiisL

a. 1t s important to iwte thatHe (Christ) did not rise on the SaturdaySabbath, turning that day into one ofjoy but deliberately passed it by in


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death, and fulfilled the prophecy to riseon the third day by rising on Sunday,

. the day after the Saturday Sabbath, thusturning Sunday not Saturday into theday o oy . F.N . Le e .

b. In His resurrection on the 8thday He demonstrated the arrival inprinciple of he eighth day of God's creation week, the day of God's recreation .The Lord's day thus becomes the week

ly sign of the day of the Lord.c. Resurrection day was more

than likely midnight to midnight.(1). Women carne way be

fore dawn and He had arisen.(2). Walked 8 miles to Em-

maeus and then met with disciples atleast 2 hours after dark in Jerusalem on1st day .

(3). Resurrection day asfuirtllment of Psalm 118 was aday of turning sadness into gladness. Friday and Saturday spent

in death and humiliation. Howcould His disciples ever again celebratethe sorrowful horrors o f the last old,joyless Saturday Sabbath? ow couldthey ever cease celebrating the joy andgladnes of that first new Sunday Sab-bath? - F.N. Lee.

4. he new sabbath of the post-resurrection appearances of Christ

a. Many, i f not all of the postresurrection appearances on Sundays,Mt. 28:1f; John 20:2,19,26; next appearance 8 days after fll'St.

b . Christ's teaching during these40 days.

(1). Bring them comfort and joy-ful assurance - peace be unto you.

(2). Upbraid them for unbeliefand hardness of heart Lk. 24:37).

them.

them.

(3). Assure them of His reality.(4). Supped and communed with

(5). Expounded God's word to

(6). Opened their understandingto the word He spoke.

(7). Equipped them with power.(8). Commissioned church with

Matt 28 .C. Conclusion:Christ was resurrected on Sunday .Christ appeared to His congregated

church on 1st Sunday.Christ appeared to His congregated

church on 2nd Sunday.Christ by-passed 7th day sabbaths

during 40 days .

Christ gave His Spirit on PentecostSunday.

Christ caused His supper to be celebrated in His congregated church onSunday.

Christ caused contributions to bemade by His congregated church everySunday.

Christ appeared to John on Patmoson Sunday.

In short, the 1st day of the week became the new da y . Christ would Sabbath with His people.

d. The significance of divineexample.

(1). Divine example is asvalid and instructive a guide toduty as is express command.

2). e keep f ll'st day sabbath for same reason Adam keptsabbath - divine example.

(3) . Adam 's sabbath commemorating creation-rest was great but the last

Adam's sabbath commemorating re -demption-rest is greater.

G. (Acts 2) The New Pentecostal Sabbath.

1. The Day of Pentecost in Acts 2was the (re-)creation of a new heavensand earth by the ( hovering ) Spirit ofGod . Compare Ge n . 1: .

2. As the day of Christ's resurrection, so with the Day of Pentecost.It was a day of joy and gladness.

3. The events of that day, (as well

as those connected with the post-resurrection appearances of Christ) wouldgive a distinct character to the subsequent Sundays thereafter .

a . There would be the preachingof the word.

b. There would be congregational prayer.

c. There would be the administration of the sacraments .

d. There would be praise to God.

H. (Acts 19 :8-10) The New Sabbath in

Apostolic Tradition.1. (Acts 19:8-10) This separationmarked the fmal parting of the waysbetween the synagogue and the church,between the Jewish Saturday sabbathand the Christian Sunday sabbath.From here on there are no further Bib-lical records of Christian evangelizationof the .Jews on the Saturday sabbaths inthe synagogues .

2. (I Cor. 16 :1,2) This epistle en-

joins (implicitly or explicitly) everyone of the Ten Commandments.

a . It abounds with references tothe Lord's death, the Lord's Supper, theLord's resurrection, and the Lord'scorning.

b. In this passage , it commandsChristians to give offerings in assembly on the flrst day of the week,Le., the Lord's day.

3. (Acts 20 :6,7) Paul waited sevendays to be able to attend the regulargathering of the disciples on the frrstday of the week.

a. The disciples did not gatherjust for Paul's sake.

b. On Sundays, the ap{>stles anddisciples partook of the Lord's Supperand assembled to hear the preachedword.

c. Notice: Sunday is from mid-night to ntidnight. In Acts 20:8 theymet on Sunday after sunset.

4. (Heb. 4:9,10 ) The word rest occurs repea tedly in Heb. 4, but in versenine the word for rest is an entirelydifferent word than the other. It is sab-batismos, which is the Old Testamentword for sabbath-keeping. It refers toa weekly (Christian) sabbath.

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a. The weekly (Christian) sabbath rest is commemorative of theOlristian's spiritual rest in Christ

b. (4:10) Sunday points back toChrist's entry into His rest on His resurrection day when He finished the greatwork o f redemption through His deathand entered into His exaltation.

c. Sunday also points forward tothe believer's full entry into his eternalrest on "the day of the Lord ."

5. (Heb. 10:25) The assemblying ofthe church was related to "the day of theLord."

6. (Rev. 1:10) "The Lord's Day."a. This is the same Greek w6rd

as in "the Lord's Supper," which wascelebrated on the first day of the week.

b. John heard Christ preach andteach as "the Lord of the Sabbath."

c. John saw the resurrectedChrist and was assembled with Hisdisciples on the (frrst) days of Christ'spost-resurreetion appearances.

d. John's phrase is apparentlyone recognized by his readers. He isidentifying for them the place (Patmos)and the time {Sunday) of his prophecy.

e. The Lord's Day" is unmistakably the Sunday of the resurrection ofthe Lord of the sabbath.

7. Conclusion: A precedent set bythe apostles may be as binding as theircommand. They were Spirit-inspiredmen, who knew their obligation to thelaw of God, yet who did not see the

seventh day sabbath as of continuingobligation and who regarded the Lord'sday as our holy day o f rest

a. If men will presume thatapostles filled with the Spirit appointedthe Christian sabbath without theSpirit, they may question any chaptero r verse in the New Testament.-Baxter

b . We keep the first day sabbathas the Lord's day because of the authority of Christ and His apostles, illustratedin 2000 yeats of church history.

Conclusion:In Acts 20:7 there is the demarcation

of time according to sabbaths by theChristian church. In that fifst is thepregnant phrase - "the f.rrst of the sabbaths . Luke 23:56 and 24:1 says:They rested on the sabbath day

according to the commandment. Nowon the first o f the 'sabbaths ' (literaltranslation o f Greek) " Matt. 28:1says: ''In the end o f the sabba ths' as it

began to dawn towards the first of the'sabbaths' "

These phrases seem to describe theend of one era and the commencementof another. The old order was givingway t the new. Yet at the same timethe eterna l principles of the sabbath-law

remained. Here are two ends of sabbaths -the close of one and the beginning of

another. The difference is not with thesabbath week. as a whole, but with theend o f it . The f.rrst day of the week' (onwhich Christ arose) shall be thesanctified day of rest D

Wlhle Til to rullf J)JTilie lElicdlteJ

The Biblical Prescriptionfor Temptation

James 5 : 1 3 ~ 2

When should a Christian call forthe Elders to pray for for him? Whatdid James mean by these words? In order to answer this question we will haveto consider the larger issue - Howshould a Christian respond to sickness,illness, and disease? This is a very sen- .sitive issue, but a very practical and im

portant one .

There are two ex treme positionsheld by Christians. On the one hand,there are those who belie ve that it isnot God's will for Christians to be sickat all ; that Christ bore all our diseasesin his de ath on the cross; and therefore,i f we h y ~enough faith, God will healus of all our siclcnesses now . OtherChristians treat illness in purely physical tenns. You go to the docto,:, getyour prescription ftlled, and eventually

get well. They would not think of calling for the Elders, or even prayingabout " t unless it were something serious.

The majority of Christians do both -they pray, and go to the doctor But

they often feel g uilty. "Maybe i f hadenough faith God would heal me without going to the doctor ," they say.How should a Christian handle sick-

by Wayne Rogers

ness? When should I call for the Eldersto pray for me?

James 5 is perhaps the most im-portant passage in the NT for understanding the way Christians should handle sickness today. James is not simply providing additional information to

the other Scriptures on how a Clnistianshould handle sickness. James is providing the standard operating procedurethat should govern the life and practiceo f the church until the corning of theLord .

Before we can look at Jame s 5 Ibelieve we need to re vie w what weknow about sickness and healing ingeneral from the Scriptures.

I. GOD IS ABLE TO HEAL TilESICK

A We believe that God is able toheal and does heal the sick. He controlssickness, illness, and disease for Hisown purposes. He put di seases on theEgyptians . He promised that He wouldnot inflict His people with thosedisea ses i f they ke pt covenant withHim, Ex. 15:26. P salm 103:3 saysthat He "healeth all your diseas es .

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1989 Issue 4 - Jeremiah: Judgment and Restoration, Part XIV - Counsel of Chalcedon