In Genesis 2:1-3 we read that God rested (ceased His work of creation) on the seventh day. We do not find a record of Him resting (ceasing His work of creation) on subsequent seventh days.
There is no record that sabbath is even mentioned in Genesis. So…I’m just wondering how it can be said to have started at creation. It was linked to the sabbath FOR THE ISRAELITES, as a memorial of God’s rest. Read verse 11 of Exodus 20: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
I don’t see any record of anyone else resting, do you?
The first record of the sabbath being given to anyone was Exodus 16, when it was given in conjunction with the manna. We know the manna signified Christ, as the Bread of Life. It is somewhat ominous that the day they were commanded to rest, they were not to gather any manna. They could not collect the Bread of Life, only eat what they had gathered the day before.
NONE of the patriarchs kept sabbath. There is no record of it in Genesis. They were not given the ten commandments. There is no record of it in Genesis. There is record of Abraham and Noah and of course Adam being given commandments, but they were specific to them. Unless of course someone thinks it is still necessary to build an ark. However there were commandments given to Noah in conjunction with the covenant given to him and his descendants. That’s everyone. Do not kill, steal, commit adultery, do not worship idols being some of them.
These commandments were known by the patriarchs between Noah and Moses, and were repeated and expanded by God when He gave Israel the ten commandments, with the addition of the sabbath, which had been given to no other tribe or nation. It had already been given to the Israelites, in Exodus 16, and was repeated in Exodus 20.
You can see some commandments were given in perpetuity. Some commandments were given for a special purpose, to a special person, for a special time. Who then should keep which ones? Why should we keep all of them?
This is only covering the commandments given in Genesis and Exodus. What about the commandments given since then? What about the ones spoken by Jesus in the NT? Should we be keeping them?
Does every commandment given mean it should be kept by everyone, everywhere?
Light of Christ 