The Sabbath Commandments, Thought #1

The past two years I have attended Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary for my Masters of Arts (MAR). Realizing I now only have 13 months to go, I am starting now to think about what is it that I’ll be doing in January of 2010. But for the past two, and still this next one to go, I have had to study personally and number of areas of theology because my lack of wisdom from North-Central Ohio, or my pervious under grads that I had attended. Doctrines like going over the human soul, the humanity of Christ, to baptism, church government, and end times… They have all been a path that I have enjoyed dearly studying beside my reformed brothers that at often times may disagree with me on a number of issues (Baptism, Church Government, End Times)  but still respect me and what I hold to from the Scriptures. Over the past year I have read numerous books, heard a number of debates and listen to many people on how the Sabbath carries over to that of the Church in the New Testament.

I hear:
“The Moral Law still exists” 
“The Sabbath was made before the Moral Law was given”
“The Sabbath was given at creation”
“The Moral Law cannot be fulfilled”
“The Sabbath is a Law given to all of creation”
“The Sabbath was a type of Christ and now looks back to Christ”
“The Sabbath is a clear distinction of seeing who the Lord’s people are”
“The Sabbath has now transferred to Sunday”
“It’s not Sunday, It’s Sabbath Day!”
“We have Sabbath-school, not Sunday-school…”  

I hear a number of comments, sayings, sides, etc. Now since this is my own personal blog hopefully this post nor the numbers that will come that I plan to write on the Sabbath/Lord’s Day will not get me into trouble with my seminary nor my work. These post that I plan are only and will be only my thoughts as this next 3 months I plan to study the other side (against the keeping of the Sabbath) and just place them up for whoever wants to read, whoever wants to comment, and whoever wants to bash me. I plan NOT to respond back due to the lack of argument I want to create but just give my opinion and my thoughts as I study this area of Theology out, and please do leave whatever thoughts you may have. 

Thought #1
Exodus 16:22-30
22 On k the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of l solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’” 24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and m it did not stink, and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for l today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.”

27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28 And the Lord said to Moses, n “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people o rested on the seventh day.

Exodus 16:22-30 is the 1st occurrence of the actual term and/or concept of the Sabbath. The passage clearly allows one to believe that the institution of the Sabbath was unknown to the people of God (Israel) at this time. Before this actual mention of the Sabbath, the Israelites had been holding to the Egyptian 10-day week calendar. Matter of fact the narrative seems to be preparing the Israelites for the Sabbath which would then be commanded to then in the next coming months, namely Exodus 20 (Decalogue). Matter of fact verse 30 of this section says, “so the people ceased to gather on the seventh day.” Which clearly shows us that this celebration was not on the cultic aspect yet, but a human preparation.