Lesson 20
God’s Commandment Remains Unchanged
Courtesy of Pastor Ken LeBrun
God’s Commandment Remains Unchanged
Courtesy of Pastor Ken LeBrun
Lesson 18 and 19 are prerequisites to this lesson.
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou 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, 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 the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” The Fourth Commandment, Exodus 20:8-11.
1. Can any alterations be made in what God does?
Ecclesiastes 3:14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
2. Are His past requirements still required now?
Ecclesiastes 3:15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
3. When God blesses something, how long will it be blessed?
1 Chronicles 17:27 Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever.
4. He hath blessed; and I cannot do what?
Numbers 23:20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
5. Why did the Lord bless the seventh day?
Exodus 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
6. By whom did God make the worlds?
Hebrews 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
7. How involved was Jesus in the whole creation process?
Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
8. What then is Jesus’ relation to the Sabbath?
Matthew 12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
9. What do we know about our Lord?
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
10. Looking nearly forty years beyond the crucifixion, what day was Jesus concerned about?
Matthew 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
The seventh-day Sabbath is mentioned 59 times in the New Testament. And in no instance does the Bible say that God ever removed its sacredness. By contrast, the first day of the week is mentioned only 8 times in the New Testament. And in not a single case does the Bible attach sacredness to it.
11. According to Paul, what is the basis of the Sabbath rest?
Hebrews 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
12. Paul confessed that he believed all things written where?
Acts 24:14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
13. On what day did he go to the house of worship?
Acts 13:14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
14. Gentiles wanted him to preach to them when?
Acts 13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
15. Who came the next Sabbath to hear God’s word?
Acts 13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
16. On what day was prayer wont to be made?
Acts 16:13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
17. How does the Bible tell us that gathering for public worship on the Sabbath was Paul’s regular practice?
Acts 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
18. How often did Paul present the Scriptures to both Jews and Greeks?
Acts 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
19. How thoroughly did Paul instruct his converts?
Acts 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Paul declared all the counsel of God. And he never mentioned anything about Sunday sacredness.
20. Of whom would men arise, speaking perverse things?
Acts 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
21. To what class of people was he speaking?
Acts 20:17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
22. When would this take place?
Acts 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Peter also predicted the rise of false teachers in the church who would bring in “damnable heresies” (2 Peter 2:1).
23. In vision, Daniel was shown a power that would arise which would think to change what?
Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
24. Paul told the early believers not to expect the end of the world except there come what first?
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
25. What two names did he call the one who would lead out in this falling away?
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Carefully study 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12. This man of sin who would cause the church to fall away would actually put himself in the place of God (verse 4). The mystery of iniquity was already at work in Paul’s day but was not allowed to fully develop as long as a certain other power was in existence (verse 7). Notice that this falling away would involve serious doctrinal deceptions (verses 9-12). The prophetic development of this apostasy is the subject of the next two lessons.
26. God wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of what?
1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
27. For what weak reason do some reject God’s commandments?
Mark 7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4.
28. The times of our ignorance God winked at; but now He commands men everywhere to do what?
Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
29. How should I respond when I learn the truth?
Psalm 119:60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.
See also, The Lord’s Holy Day.
In the Light of God's Word...
I understand that it was Jesus who created the world and set apart the 7th day as the Sabbath.
I understand that neither Jesus nor His apostles ever abolished the Sabbath or sanctified another day in its place.
I choose to follow the example of Jesus and keep the Sabbath holy.
Next Lesson: Winds, Waves, and Beasts from the Sea
The Lochness monster myth of Scotland has been around for quite a few years but, to my knowledge, it is still an unproven myth. For many, it's entertaining to hear the story of a mysterious monster lurking in some body of water, ready to devour an unsuspecting passer-by. The movie "Jaws", about a very hungry shark, has been extremely popular, both at the box office and in DVD's since it came out in the 1970's. The Bible also has a story of four monsters coming out of the sea, going forth to conquer and destroy. Lesson 21 examines Daniel 7 and looks again at the the four major kingdoms that were discussed in Daniel 2 and 8 from Lesson 2 but in greater detail. You'll learn what these beasts represented and how one of these beasts especially put forth an effort to destroy God's people. Pay close attention to the little horn of the 4th beast because you'll see it again as you study Revelation 13 in Lesson 22 which deals with the future, possibly ours!