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Tell the average person that you keep the seventh-day Sabbath and you'll get one of the following responses: 'You must be Jewish'; 'the Sabbath day was changed' or 'the Sabbath is no longer necessary in the New Testament' (Brit Hadashah). Many believe that Scripture neither indicates nor implies that Sabbath worship is for us.

The Sabbath, meaning the seventh day of the week, is to be observed today as it was in Moses' time by resting from our labours and offering worship to our Creator.

These two obligations are stipulated as the proper observance of the Fourth Commandment. If, indeed, the Scriptures are true, then we must at once conclude that the Sabbath is to be observed today, at least by Israel, because Exodus 31:16-17 says that it is to be observed as a perpetual covenant, as a sign forever, throughout their generations.

Now, how long is forever? How long is perpetual? And are the people of Israel still having generations today? They are indeed. So the Sabbath should be observed today, by Israel, at least. Most Americans are not Jewish. Some may ask, then, why it is necessary for us gentiles to keep the Sabbath?

None other than Rabbi Sha'ul explained, "At one time you gentiles were separated from Messiah, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, estranged from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without Elohim in the world. But now in Messiah Yeshua you who were once far off have been brought near in the blood of Messiah" Ephesians 2:11-13 RSV.

Brought near to what? To Yahweh! How? By joining the commonwealth of Israel. And how is this done? By the blood of Messiah, who is the number one citizen of Israel. If the Messiah accepts us, we are indeed member of Israel's commonwealth. Once in commonwealth by faith, repentance, confession, and baptism, we no are longer strangers to the covenants of the promise that were made to Israel.

In verses 19-20 Rabbi Sha'ul continues, "So then, you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but are fellow citizens with the saints, and members of the household of Yahweh built upon the apostles and prophets, Messiah Yeshua Himself being the chief cornerstone."

Some say that the "household of Yahweh" is the Assembly. True, the Assembly is included because it is bought by the blood of Messiah. But mostly, the "household" refers to Israel - to the commonwealth of Israel.

Rabbi Sha'ul in his writing speaks of Apostles (emissaries) prophets and Yeshua the Messiah. Most gentiles forget that the prophets were Jewish, the Apostles were Jewish, and Yeshua the Messiah was Jewish. In addition to this, all the first believers were Jewish.

So when he says that the believing gentiles are now fellow citizens "with the saints," he is saying that the saints are the commonwealth of Israel; and we too are a part of this community - this people.

No covenants of promise have been made with the gentiles (except the covenant of the rainbow). All have been made to and through Israel, including those to Abraham. See that this indeed true by Rabbi Sha'ul's statement in Romans 9:4-5: "They are Israelites, and to them belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Messiah."

A powerful statement, to be sure! These things that Rabbi Sha'ul names include everything of lasting value. To Israel belongs everything. To the gentiles, nothing. Except when gentiles draw near to Yahweh by the blood of Messiah. We then become eligible to partake of the blessings promised to Israel.

Because we must join the commonwealth of Israel in order to be recipients of Yahweh's blessings - His everlasting promises made to Israel - then Exodus 31:16-17 applies to us also.

Keeping the Sabbath is a sign that we belong to Yahweh and that Yahweh created the universe in six days. Our observance of the Sabbath shows our faith in the Creator, rather than in evolution as the cause of our existence.

Let's notice some New Testament (Brit Hadashah) Scriptures that teach by implication that we are to observe the Sabbath today:

Acts 18:1-4 - It was Rabbi Sha'ul's custom to worship every Sabbath (Acts 17:2-3).

Acts 18:11 - Rabbi Sha'ul continued in one place for a year and a half observing the Sabbath.

Acts 19:8-10 - Rabbi Sha'ul observed the Sabbath for three months in Ephesus then apparently continued this practice for more than two years.

Luke was writing a biography of the Apostles (emissaries), especially for Rabbi Sha'ul. Does it seem strange that he would not once mention that Rabbi Sha'ul worshipped on Sunday, if indeed he did this? Or that he observed the Last Supper on the first day of the week? After all, he was at Corinth for nearly two years.

But there's only silence about Sunday observance. Instead, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath days and worshipped. Does this imply Sabbath observance? I believe it does.

There are many Scriptures that show that the law is still in force. Therefore the Sabbath, being a part of the law, is also binding at the present day. Here are just a few of the many Scriptures showing that the law is still in force, and therefore the Sabbath also:

Scripture maintains in James 4:12 that there is only one law and one lawgiver (not two or three of each). Isaiah 33:22 shows that this one Giver of the law is Yahweh, the Father of Yeshua.

The first day of the week is mentioned only nine times in the Sacred Scriptures. Only one time is it mentioned in the Old Testament (Tanakh), Genesis 1:5.

The first day of the week is mention only eight times in the New Testament (Brit Hadashah). These are:

Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2, 9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1, 19 - These last 6 Scriptures tell of the exciting things that took place on the day after Yeshua arose from the grave. Remember, He arose at the close of the Sabbath (the start of the first day of week [Scriptural time goes from sunset to sunset).

The Sabbath is mentioned 59 times alone in the New Testament (Brit Hadashah), always as a special day. Actually, there are more than 200 Scriptures in the New Testament (Brit Hadashah) that teaches directly or indirectly that the law, and therefore the Sabbath, is to be observed today.

Now for a New Testament (Brit Hadashah) Scripture that expressly states that we are to observe the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week:

"So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of Yahweh, for whoever enters Yahweh's rest also ceases from his labours as Yahweh did from His" Hebrews 4:9-10 RSV.

There are two Sabbath rests spoken of here. Hebrews 4:9 speaks of the future for the people of Yahweh. The other day spoken of (Heb. 4:10) is a practice for today. If we expect to enter the rest of the future time (v. 9), we must rest on the seventh day of the week (v. 10).

There are at least 16 other English versions of the Sacred Scriptures that agree with the Revised Standard Version in the reading of Hebrews 4:9-10, and state that we must keep the Sabbath.

So far as I have been able to determine, none of the translators of these 15 English versions keep the Sabbath. All worship on Sunday. Nevertheless, they translate Hebrews 4:9-10 "keep the Sabbath." Because this goes against their beliefs, we know they were forced to this translation by the original text.

The Lamsa version puts it best of any, perhaps. "It is therefore, the duty of the people of Yahweh to keep the Sabbath."

The above article was reprinted and adapted from The Master Key January/February 2003 Vol. 24, No. 1 and used with kind permission. The Master Key is published by Yahweh's Assembly, 401 N. Roby Farm Rd., Rocheport, MO 65279, USA.