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Now let’s carry the story forward a little bit further. When the children of Israel were in bondage in Egypt, they didn’t have an opportunity to keep the Sabbath. Moses came in and said, “We want them to have a day of rest.” And Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I will give them rest?” Let’s come here to Exodus 16. Very important. This is a profound chapter when you understand everything that is here. Because Exodus 16 tells us concerning the Sabbath, and God has performed some special miracles on it. Now we need to understand and realize, that when this message was given about the manna, and about the quail, that it was given on the Sabbath day.

So let’s read here. Let’s begin right here in verse 4. The whole assembly was there. “Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or no.” Because you see, God’s law is in existence, whether it is stated in a particular place that you may think it needs to be. Because that’s neither here nor there. That’s a false judgment, you see. God’s laws are God’s laws at all times. And whether people even in the world don’t know God’s laws or not, that’s neither here nor there. God’s laws are spiritual and active and moving, and they are in place and in operation all the time, just like the law of gravity.

Exodus 16:5 now, “And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even [at sunset], then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt: and in the morning [sunrise], then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that He heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us? And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat,…” (Ex. 16:5-8). And that was after sunset, because on the Sabbath He sent the quail right at sunset. And after the Sabbath, in the evening, here it’s between the two evenings, as I’ve explained in great detail in the Passover book; meaning, “Between sunset and dark, you shall eat flesh.”

“…And in the morning…” So you’ve got sunset, Sabbath ends, quail comes, they eat them that night, between the two evenings, between sunset and dark. “…In the morning, [sunrise] bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against Him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD” (vs. 8). So then, God sent it. And here’s all the instruction that He gave them to do. They went out and they found the manna in the morning the way that they were supposed to. Some of them brought in more than they should have during the week, and it bred worms and stunk and rotted. So then when they went out on the sixth day, they went out and they were to get in twice as much. Now let’s read that.

Exodus 16:22, “And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for [every] one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To- morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath…” (vs. 22-23). The Sabbath was in existence before the Ten Commandments were given. Don’t let anyone kid you and say, “The Sabbath did not come into existence until God gave it to the children of Israel.” Nonsense! He created it right at the beginning, didn’t He? Yes He did.

“…Bake that which ye will bake to-day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, Eat that to-day; for to-day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to-day ye shall not find it in the field.” And from that day forward, every week, six days a week, the manna came. Even all during their wanderings for forty years. There was no doubt when the Sabbath was. Now notice, “…To-day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none” (vs. 23-27).

Now here’s the question: what does it take for people to understand the Word of God? What does it take for them to believe the Word of God? What will it take for you to believe the Word of God? Now, if you’ve gone to Sunday-keeping, do you really believe it? Do you really think you can turn your back on God? I mean, think about it. That’s something.

Now notice, they didn’t find any. They still went out to work. They didn’t find any. How do you feel when you work on the Sabbath? How do you feel now, that a man has come along and said, “Well, if you have to, it’s ok to work on the Sabbath day. After all, you’ve got to feed yourself. After all, you’ve got to take care of your family.” This is a lesson, brethren, that God is showing us, that He’ll take care of us. He will feed us. He will clothe us. He will watch over us. Now He doesn’t say that we won’t have trials. He doesn’t say that there may not be difficulties. But He’ll still take care of us. That’s all fundamental in believing God.

Now notice verse 28. This is a key and an important verse. Profound saying. “And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws?” Now there it is. God’s laws are living. God’s laws are eternal. They are a spiritual creation. They therefore never are done away. Now when we come to the New Testament, and you want some New Testament arguments, we are going to see that God did not do away with a thing. Yes, He changed the terms of the covenant, but He amplified the law to make it more binding. That’s what He did, not do away of any of His laws.

Now let’s ask another question here: can you do away with the law of gravity? No, you can’t. And if the law of gravity were done away with, what would happen? The whole earth would fly apart. And we would become so much junk floating around in space. Well, you know, it’s the same thing with the Sabbath day. The Sabbath day anchors you to God. And if you are not anchored to God, you are going to fly away spiritually, and become spiritual junk, as it were, floating out in the nether-nether of religious stupidity.

Verse 29, “See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath [day],…” Now, did God ever give us anything that wasn’t good for us? Even His chastisement is good for us, right? So that we learn not to sin. Isn’t that true? I mean, think of it. God gave the Sabbath day. Are you then going to turn around and say, “God, I hate your gift. God, I don’t want what you’ve given me. God, I have something better – I have Sunday”? I mean, maybe you’ve never really put it that way, but that’s exactly what you’re doing, just exactly as these people, who went out there on the Sabbath day to try and find manna, when God told them it wouldn’t be there. So you need to really think on that, and really need to understand it.

Now let’s go to Exodus 20. Let’s come back to chapter 19 first, for just a minute. Let’s understand something concerning obeying the voice of God. This is very important. Now let’s pick it up here in verse 3. “And Moses went up unto God,…” Now this is quite a scene. “…And the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;…” The greatest event to ever happen before the coming of Christ, brethren – the giving of the law at Sinai. And God gave all the commandments for the good of the people, because He loved them. And God wanted to bless them, and God wanted them to prosper; and God wanted them to love Him and serve Him, and have that close relationship with Him.

So He said, “…Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto Myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed,…” (vs. 4). And all the way through, you go through the book of Jeremiah; it’s all based upon obeying the voice of God, hearkening to the voice of God, or not doing it. So that’s very important. I want to ask you a question: do you hear and obey the voice of God today? Do you hear Jesus? Do you hear the words of truth? Do you hear the word of God? God wants it in your mind and in your heart. Is it there? Are you willing to obey? “…If ye will obey My voice indeed and keep My covenant,…” And the New Covenant also has laws. “…Then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine:…” Now you apply that spiritually for the New Covenant. Didn’t we read that, “If you love Me you will keep My words.” Isn’t that what Jesus said? Was not Jesus Christ the Lord God of the Old Testament?

Let’s come here to Exodus 20 now, and let’s see the words of God. This is the voice of God. He spoke this to the people. So if you claim nine of these, and you reject any one of them, you’re going to fall into the same category as James said: if you keep all the law, but offend in one point of the law, you have broken the whole law. So let’s read the one concerning the Sabbath. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:…” This is not a principle of “one day in seven.” This is the seventh day. That’s why it needs to be stated. It is Saturday, from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. That is the Sabbath day. “…But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD…” That means He owns it. It belongs to Him. He created it His holy and special time. “…Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested [on] the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it” (Ex. 20:8-11).

Brethren, no other day has been made holy, except the holy days. And those are also called Sabbaths. So there we have it, right there. And if you keep the Sabbath you will never believe in evolution of any kind. No question about it. Now let’s understand something else concerning the Sabbath. Let’s go to Deuteronomy 5, where the Ten Commandments are given again. There is another reason why we keep the Sabbath. And in particularly for us today who live in the end of the age. Very important for us to understand and realize. This world, brethren, out there, is a slave-hold. Just exactly like Egypt. And if you don’t keep the Sabbath, you’re bound up in that slave-hold. You’re wrapped up in the world.

Now let’s pick it up here in Deuteronomy 5:12, where then, He again talks about the Sabbath day. “Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it,...” Now how can you keep the Sabbath day if you reject it? How can you keep the Sabbath day if you cast it behind you? “...As the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, [where you couldn’t keep the Sabbath]...” And so, brethren, we keep the Sabbath to remember that God has called us out of the world. And we’re going to see that Sunday-keeping is part and parcel with the world. “...And that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day” (vs. 12-15). Now are you going to go to God and say, “I don’t want to keep the Sabbath day”? I mean, that’s something. Keep it in mind.

Now to be called and receive God’s Holy Spirit is the greatest blessing that you can receive in this life. Do you understand that? There can be nothing greater. What are you going to compare it to? I mean, God is giving you the opportunity for eternal life. God has begotten you with His Holy Spirit. God has made you a part of His family, to be the sons and daughters of God at the resurrection. So He has brought you out with a mighty hand. And furthermore, we know it is that God the Father is the one Who draws us. And no one can come to the Father except through Christ. And He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Now let’s come back to Exodus 31. Let’s understand something concerning the Sabbath. Let’s realize that there’s also another aspect to it, which goes on in a perpetual situation. Now here in Exodus 31, beginning in verse 12. And let’s understand that this is a profound section of scripture. This is not only part of the Old Covenant, but also part of the covenant, which perpetuated beyond the Old Covenant. Because “covenant” merely defines the terms by which God engages with you. The New Covenant defines the terms in which God engages with you. There are commandments, there are laws, there are statutes that we are to keep. And they are to be in our hearts and in our minds, in our inward parts, a very part of our being, of which the Sabbath day is that. He says, “I will write My laws into their hearts and inscribe them upon their minds” (Jeremiah 31:33, paraphrased). And this is part of it here.

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily [or that is, truly] My sabbaths ye shall keep:...” (Ex. 31:12-13). And this is plural, meaning also the annual sabbaths. And of course, the world doesn’t understand God’s plan, because they don’t keep the holy days. And, you know, what a shame, even within the Church of God the holy days have been so, just skeletonized, if I could put it that way, that it really has virtually no meaning topeople today. I had one woman tell me that she never knew that the days of Unleavened Bread had more to do than just putting leavened bread out of her home and eating unleavened bread. Now that’s how far down some people have gotten. Brethren, the holy days are so full of understanding and meaning, and portray for us the great plan of God, marvelous and wonderful indeed. And yet people are willing to turn their back on it. And what you’re doing is turning your back on God.

He says, “...My sabbaths [truly] ye shall keep:...” And He means just that. “...For it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations;...” A perpetual generation. Not only to just the children of Israel, but who is the Israel of God today but the church? “…That ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you” (vs. 13). Now it puts you in contact with God. The Sabbath is the very first day that gives you the understanding of who God is. Now, in other churches and religions, you may know some things about God. But to know God, that’s profound. Do you know God? Do you have a relationship with God? Do you fellowship with God when you pray, when you study, when you keep the Sabbath? Is it a day that you fellowship with God on? Here, hold your place here and let’s go to the epistle of 1 John for just a minute, and let’s see what else it tells us concerning commandment keeping, where He says, “Verily, My sabbaths you shall keep.” Now I don’t know how you can get around that. That’s pretty straightforward.

1 John 2. When they had different false teachers coming around then - because this is not the first time that the people of the Church of God have been giving up on the Sabbath. Here, 1 John 2:3. “And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” Now we read earlier that His commandments are not burdensome and grievous. And that’s how we know that we love God and the children of God, when we keep His commandments. So notice this. We know that we know. So I want to ask you a question, and I want you to answer it in your heart and mind right now: do you know God? Does God know you? Now you think on that. I hope you do. “And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” Now notice what else John says. “He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” And who is the father of lies but Satan the devil? Very important. “But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected:...” And that means, “being perfected.” “...Hereby know we that we are in Him” (1 John 2:3-5).

Now it’s the same way back here. Let’s come back to Exodus 31 again and see how this ties in. This is a commandment of God. “...Verily My sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations;...” Are we still in the generation of human beings? Of course we are. “...That ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.” Now continuing, verse 14, “Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore;...” There it is. “Keep the sabbath,” again. “...For it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death:...” And if you defile the Sabbath, you’re going to be put to death spiritually. You’re going to die the death, little by little by little by little. But there may even be a fool’s elation in keeping Sunday. Because there is pleasure in sin for a season. But it’s going to happen. You’re going to be cut off.

“...For whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people” (Ex. 31:13-14). And the greatest punishment that you could ever have is to be cut off from God. That’s the greatest punishment. And you don’t even know it. The people out here in the world don’t even know it. They don’t even know God. They don’t care about God. They’re out there shopping on the Saturdays, polluting and destroying the Sabbath. You can go into stores on a busy day… And I know, I was in Costco yesterday. I had to get some things. And it just struck me as I was pushing the cart around, I could hear the beep, beep, beep of all the checkout stands going together. And so I stopped and I just listened, it was going beep, beep, beep, and it’s just money, money, money, money, money. Well, Saturday is their biggest day. They polluted the Sabbath. They’re cut off from God. They don’t have any spiritual values, no truth, no understanding. No hope of life, no purpose where they’re going. No love of God. Oh, but they have goods. Oh, they have services. And oh yes, they have all these physical things, don’t they? But they’re cut off from God. Walking in blindness. And their spiritual leaders are blind. And Christ said, “Let the blind lead the blind and they’ll both fall in a ditch” (Matthew 15:14, paraphrased). They’re cut off from among the people.

Verse 15, “Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy unto the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.” The wages of sin is death. That’s New Testament doctrine. “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath,...” Now three times it says right here within these few verses, “Keep the Sabbath.” I don’t know how people can get around it. How can theologians and ministers have the gall to stand up at a pulpit and say you don’t need to keep it when God says you do need to keep it? And we’ll show that there is New Testament doctrine to show that, yea, you better keep it.

“...To observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant” (vs. 16). This, brethren, is a separate, perpetual covenant in addition to the Old Covenant that is to go down in time through all history. That’s why it’s listed as separate. That’s why God wanted to make it sure that it was understood. Because He knew there would be clever men coming around with clever arguments who would blaspheme the truth. Men who have stealthily snuck in for the day when they can undo the truth of God and destroy the Church of God and destroy the faith of brethren. So He has it right here. Perpetual covenant. “Perpetual” means never ending. Question: does God still exist? Yes. Question: Do the people of God still exist? Yes. So therefore, in a perpetual covenant you are to keep the Sabbath, no question about it.

And verse 17, “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.” So it always goes back to creation. The Sabbath day has been in effect from creation. Now let’s look and see here in just a minute what the children of Israel did in the wilderness, and what their fathers did when they got into the land, and what the priests and the prophets did to turn their back on God and reject the Sabbath day.

Now let’s come to Ezekiel 20. This is a very profound chapter. This is something that is so important for us to realize. Here, let’s go back to Ezekiel 14, because I want us to understand profound principle that we need to understand concerning not only the Sabbath day, but everything that we do. Let’s begin right in verse 1. Now they were in captivity for their sins. God had destroyed their temple, had destroyed their land, removed them out of it for sinning; for breaking the Sabbath; for destroying the knowledge of the holy days; for worshiping pagan gods, which meant keeping Sunday, and Easter, and Christmas, and all that sort of thing. Maybe under different names, maybe in a little different fashion than some people do today, but it’s still exactly the same principle.

“Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart,...” God took them out of the land, God destroyed the idols, sent them off into captivity, and yet they still had them in their heart. I want to ask you, do you have any idols in your heart? And if you are not keeping the Sabbath any longer, are you not idolizing another day? Think on it. You can’t make it holy, but you can make an idol out of it. “...And put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them?” (Ezek. 14:1-3).

Are you going to go and inquire of God when you reject His way? “Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from Me through their idols. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations” (vs. 4-6).

Now let’s come to Ezekiel 20. Again, “And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD, and sat before me” (Ezek. 20:1). And isn’t that what people do on Sunday? Don’t they all come and sit before the Lord? “We’re here.” But God says, “Yesterday, I was there.”

“Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying, Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye come to enquire of Me? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you. Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers: and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up Mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known unto them in the land of Egypt,...” So we go right back to that day. “...When I lifted up Mine hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God; in the day that I lifted up Mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands [a beautiful place]: then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God” (vs. 2-7).

Now let’s understand one thing about Egypt. One of their main gods was sun worship. And guess which day they kept? Sunday. Think on it. That’s an abomination of Egypt. Verse 8, “But they rebelled against Me, and would not hearken unto Me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out My fury upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.” So God was going to destroy them right then. “But I wrought for My name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made Myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt. Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. And I gave them My statutes, and shewed them My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.” And now today we’re to live in truth and in the spirit. “Moreover also I gave them My sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them” (vs. 8-12).

Where they pleased with that? Where they thankful with that? No. “But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness: they walked not in My statutes, and they despised My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and My sabbaths they greatly polluted:...” (vs. 13). That’s what’s happening today. People are polluting the Sabbath by counting it nothing. Let me tell you something, what of God’s way would you count as nothing? What commandment of God to you is worth so little you will throw it away? Now, you need to think about it, because we’re talking about a profound thing. Greatly polluted.

“…Then I said, I would pour out My fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.” But again, He held back His hand. “But I wrought for My name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. Yet also I lifted up My hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; because they despised My judgments, and walked not in My statutes, but polluted My sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols” (vs. 13-16). So there it is. When you start having idolatry and Sabbath-breaking, they go hand in hand. No question about it.

“Nevertheless Mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes, and keep My judgments, and do them; and hallow My sabbaths [plural]; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God. Notwithstanding the children rebelled against Me: they walked not in My statutes, neither kept My judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted My sabbaths; then I said, I would pour out My fury upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness. Nevertheless I withdrew Mine hand,...” (vs. 17-22). Look at God’s mercy, time and time again. Over and over again.

“…That it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen…I lifted up Mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries; because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, and had polluted My sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols. Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;…” (vs. 22-25). Now whose statutes and judgments is this talking about? He turned them over to their own devices. He turned them over to the statutes and judgments which their fathers had created, the pagan abominations based upon their idols, which had Sunday-keeping, Christmas, Easter, and all the pagan things that they were doing. And those were the judgments which were not good. All of God’s ways are good. And it says here, “…whereby they should not live:…” You can’t live in those things.

“…And I polluted them in their own gifts,…” Listen – if you’re keeping Sunday, God is going to pollute you in your own way. It is going to come upon you. “…In that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the LORD” (vs. 25-26). Now look – there are two ways you’re going to know the Lord. We’re going to end it here. You’re going to know Him by keeping His Sabbath and keeping His commandments. “Hereby we do know that we know Him if we keep His commandments” (1 John 2:3). There’s another way you’re going to know God. The other way is, you go your way, you go do your sin, and God’s fury and God’s judgment is going to land on you, and you are going to know that God is the one Who has done it. Now, brethren, that is how serious Sabbath-keeping really is. And we need to understand it. We’ll continue next time, and get into more in the Old Testament, and then get more into the New Testament.

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