X-mas Ham?

For as long as I can remember, there was a tradition in my family, that many would mistake for a Christian tradition. This is the tradition of eating Ham for Christmas dinner.  One day I began to wonder where such a tradition could have come from. As a Histroy Major, wondering about origins of this or that, is how I spend the majority of any day.

Christmas ham at dinner is directly connected to the Yule log. 

The story of the Yule depends greatly on the region of the world in which you ask the question. In Nordic societies, during the Winter Solstice, a boar (pig) would be sacrificed to the Norse god Freyr, the god of fertility and harvest. The boar was always chosen because, in the stories associated Freyr, he rode a boar with gold bristles named Gullinburst and was said to shine with a golden light that drove out darkness and turned night into daytime. The sacrifice of a boar in honor of Freyr would also, help to ensure a plentiful harvest the next season.

Food4Thought (You do the dishes): You can rest assured that Jesus does not approve of this tradition, for He warned against eating or even touching a dead pig.

"And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase." Deuteronomy 14:8

"Think NOT that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matthew 5:17-18 

It's not too late to throw the abomination away, and follow God!

May the Lord add a blessing to the obedience of His word.

LOCKSMIF... Knowledge is the Key

Oh Xmas Tree... No one thinks I'm crazy when I talk to you

Since I was a child, I figured there was something stupid (forgive my profane speech) about bringing a tree inside the house. It was probably during a Christian summer camp rain-day, when we ran out of songs to sing, so we sang O Christmas Tree.  It Used to be a very popular Christmas carol when I was young. I will post some of the lyrics here:

Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!

Thy leaves are so unchanging;

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!

Thy leaves are so unchanging;

Not only green when summer's here,

But also when 'tis cold and drear.

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!

Thy leaves are so unchanging!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!

Much pleasure thou can'st give me;

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!

Much pleasure thou can'st give me;

How often has the Christmas tree

Afforded me the greatest glee!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!

Much pleasure thou can'st give me.

First of all you are speaking/ singing to a tree? Why? Well, firstly because the tree doesn't die in the winter ( Thy leaves are so unchanging; Not only green when summer's here, But also when 'tis cold and drear.)

Seondly, you are singing to a tree, because it, "gives you great pleasure." 

Now a naïve mine would say it is a pleasure to see the tree full of colours and decorated. In reality the tree brings pleasure, because it is a symbol of fertility: a phallus of sorts (A tree that doesn't die; being continually fertile).

 It gives you pleasure because: "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Romans 8:7-8

Wickedness brings pleasure when you are outside of the will of God. 

Finally sisters and brothers, I want to encourage you to resist the temptation to Bring a tree into your home.  Because the Bible strictly forbids the practice denouncing it:

"Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men. But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation." Jeremiah 10:1-5, 9-10

A stock of vanities, decked with silver and gold, fastened with hammers and nails so that it won't move. 

Come out of her traditions my people...

May the Lord add a blessing to the consideration of His Word

LOCKSMIF... Knowledge Is the Key

The Day of Atonement 3: Aaron the high priest vs Jesus the High Priest

The Day of Atonement Part III 

 Aaron the high priest vs Jesus the High Priest (Compare N Contrast)

Leviticus‬ ‭16 details the ordinance of the Day of Atonement. 

{scriptures from Leviticus 16 detailing Aaron's role as high priest will be in Blue while Scriptures linking Jesus to this day will be in Red.}

Aaron, the brother of Moses was the high priest. Since the Bible teaches us that the volume of the Book is written about Jesus (Psalms 40:7/Hebrews 10:7), so lets analyze the Aaron the High Priest and compare him to Jesus also known as Melchizedek  the High priest. (Genesis 14:8-20; Hebrews 5:6)

I encourage everyone to read the 16th chapter of Leviticus‬ in it's entirety. 

"And the Lord spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the Lord, and died; And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on." (1-4)

From the very beginning,  Aaron must  wash himself and put on holy garments. These special  clothes represents righteousness.  

"And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house." (5-6)

Next Aaron first sacrifices a ram for his sins, and the sins of his household. This informs us (in the old testament) that the Messiah was righteous, and did no sin!

Pay very close attention at the next chain of events, every participant in the scenario represents Jesus Christ:

"And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 

The first goat is sacrificed as a sin offering, just as Jesus Christ was sacrificed for us a sin offering. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 
(2 Corinthians 5:21)

"But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness." (10)

We see now  why Aaron needed two goats, because if he only had 1 goat and sacrificed him,God  would have to resurrect  the goat in order for him to walkaway  with the sins of the people  the way Jesus did. This wilderness represents heaven,  where Jesus went after his resurrection.

"Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come." (John 8:21)

Next  Aaron takes the blood that was shed for the sins of the people and begins to make an Atonement for basically everything..    The Holy  place (v.16)

And, the Altar  "And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about." (v.18)

And no man was to there with Aaron, because when Jesus presents offerings for us there is no-one there with Him in heaven!

"Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come." (John 7:33-34)

"And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel."  (19) 

"And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness." (20-22) 

"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:28)

"And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. It shall be a Sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever. And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments: And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation. And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the Lord commanded Moses." (29-34)

May the Lord add a blessing to the reading of His Word...

Grace and Peace in the name of Jesus... The God of Israel

Knowledge is The Key - Locksmif

The Day of Atonement: The Jesus Connection

The Day of Atonement is found in the Old Testament, however, today StudyTheBibleNotTheSermon will show the connection to Jesus Christ. 

Remember the Volume of the book is written of Him! (Psalms 40:7/ Hebrews10:7) 

So let's jump right in:

Leviticus Chapter 16:

"And the Lord spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the Lord, and died; And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house. And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.

Who is the sin offering? Jesus! St. John 1:29 Let us continue...

Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. V. 15-16

What was done with the sin offering? The blood was taken within the veil... What does that mean ?

"Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews‬ ‭9‬:‭6-7, 11-14

Taking blood behind the veil represents Jesus presenting himself before the Father. Behind the veil; in the Most Holy place represents the place where the presence of the Lord dwells. 

"Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Hebrews‬ ‭9‬:‭21-22, 24, 28‬ 

Sprinkling blood behind the veil, represents Jesus presenting His blood before the Father!

Let's continue in Leviticus 16...

"And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness." V.19-22

The wilderness represents heaven. The place where NO Man lives:

"Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world." John‬ ‭8‬:‭21-23‬ 

Question: Why are two goats necessary?

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭8-11‬ 

The live goat walked away with the sins of the people, Just as Jesus took all of our sins.

Let's finish up in Leviticus chapter 16,

"And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.

And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the Lord commanded Moses."

 V. 29-31, 34‬ 

May the Lord add a blessing to the study of His Word in Jesus name...

 Knowledge is The Key - Locksmif

The Day of Atonement Part I: What is the Day of Atonement?

The day of atonement this year falls on Wednesday, September 23, 2015. That means that Tuesday night at sundown until Wednesday night sundown is the holiest day of the year!

Many of us have been taught that the Old Testament talks about the feasts of the Jews, but it is my purpose over the next three posts to prove that the day of atonement represents Jesus 100%. 

Today we will briefly look through the historical context of the day of atonement and whether or not Christians should participate. 

All of God's holy days can be found outlined in the 23rd chapter of Leviticus. Notice I say God's Holy days (...the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are MY feasts. Leviticus 23:2

And Again,

These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. v.4).

These should not be confused with man's holidays...

This is the 'season,' for the Atonement. 

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God." Leviticus‬ ‭23‬:‭26-28‬

Afflict your soul means to fast. The book of Isaiah reinforces our understanding of the term 'afflict your soul.' (See Isaiah 58:1-8) 

We no longer make the offering made by fire because Jesus was/is our sacrifice. 

Next verse:

"For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people." Leviticus‬ 23:39 ‭23‬:‭29‬

The first time that I read this scripture, it scared me to death. 

Whether you are descendant from the children of Israel or not is irrelevant.  

•1st because there were more than Israelites that left Egypt. The Bible says that there was a mixed multitude went up with them. (Exodus 12:37-38)

•2nd because here it says whatever soul that is not afflicted, will be cut off from among HIS people! Meaning, what ever ancestry you belong to, if you don't fast on the Day of Atonement, you will be cut-off from them!

The warning was repeated in verse 30, the soul that does any work, will be "Destroyed from among HIS people!"

Finally, in verse 31, just in case you thought that Jesus nailed this day to the cross, it says, "Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings!" ‬ ‭23‬:‭31‬  

Tomorrow Tomorrow, we will explore the Jesus connection to the Day of Atonement...

May the Lord add a blessing to reading of His Word...

Knowledge is The Key - Locksmif

The 7th Day part 2: Lord Give Us A Sign

Let's begin here: Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:50 

This is a very big statement. Here the Apostle did not mince words, flesh and blood will not inherit (make it into) the kingdom of God. This kingdom is NOT referring to the Kingdom of Jesus (Revelation 20:4-6) that will last 1,000 years, but rather points to the Fathers Kingdom of Revelation chapter 21-22. In Jesus's kingdom there will still be flesh and blood people still keeping the law and at least one feast day that EVERYONE will HAVE to keep (Zechariah 14:1-5,12,16-17).

But how can we be sure? What clues does the Bible (the Word) provide us with that might help us understand the statement Paul made to the church at Corinth.

We have learned in previous installments of #OnlineBibleBootCamp that God only gave man 7 days to "get it right." Technically we learned that God gave man 6 days to work, and the 7th day to rest. We also learned that the purpose of God's rest is to make us remember Jesus kingdom (that's why it says, "Remember the Sabbath Day") when the earth will be at rest because Satan will be chained for 1,000 years (Revelation 20).

I would now like to show you some double entendre's, that The Most High God uses to drive home the point about man having 7 days. The Bible will speak about more specifically to Paul's point of the Kingdom of God which will occur AFTER the 7th day.

We already know Exodus 20:8-11 so I won't type here. 

The Lord has 7 annual feast days, that Christians are supposed to honor and keep. The Sabbath Day, The Feast of Unleavened Bread (2days), the feast of Pentecost, the Day of Atonement, the feast of Tabernacles & the Eighth Day feast. Let's check out two of them here:

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings." Leviticus‬ ‭23‬:‭1-3‬

 Here is the Sabbath again (you just can't escape the Sabbath). 

"In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord : seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord. On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord : on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord : it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.

Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.

And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month." Leviticus‬ ‭23‬:‭5-8, 34-36, 39, 41

•Also, These two feast days are to be held for 7 days.

Let's explore some other instances using the number 7. The number of completion of God concerning man. 

"Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.

But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days." Leviticus‬ ‭12‬:‭2, 5‬ 

So when a woman has a son he is unclean for seven and if she likewise has a daughter she is unclean for two weeks which is two sets of seven days. 

Let's stay with birth for a moment: 

"And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant." Genesis‬ ‭17‬:‭9-12,14‬ 

And Again...

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised." ‭Leviticus‬ ‭12‬:‭1-3‬ KJV

So, when a son is born he can live for 7 days with his foreskin. However, on the 8th day he MUST BE circumcised.  

These small thing that people have tried to nullify tells us a great message:

Man has 7 days to get it right," and on the 8th day  (which represents the Father's Kingdom 1 Corinthians 15:50) there will be no more flesh and blood.  1 part ancient sanitary practices, 1 part prophetic symbolism!

Even when trying to determine diseases God finds a way to work 7 days in there:

"When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests: And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean. If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days: And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more:" ‭Leviticus‬ ‭13‬:‭2-5‬

When a man has a running issue in his flesh, AND a woman's menstrual cycle:

"And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.

And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even." Leviticus‬ ‭15‬:‭13, 19‬

Not only are the laws of a woman's menstrual cycle for sanitation reasons, it is also symbolic! She is set apart 7 days, and after that she is 'clean.' After the 7th day, After Jesus Kingdom there will be no more blood! (flesh and blood) 

May The Lord add a blessing to the study of His Truth.

                                                     Knowledge is the Key... LOCKSMIF

 I would love to hear your thoughts, questions, comments. Please leave a comment below.

Why the 7th Day?

We learned through reading the Bible  that Jesus was NOT resurrected Sunday morning, but rather, what we would call Saturday night. But why? 

• Is there any type of spiritual significance to Sunday church worship?
• What is (if any) the spiritual significance of Jesus raising from the dead at the end of the seventh day? 
• Is there anything we can look to spiritually back and tell us that he should not have resurrected on the Sabbath?
• Is there any spiritual significance to Jesus backing the idea that Jesus was resurrected on the first day of the week? 

Let's take a brief moment and explore these questions:

We learned in the previous lesson found here According to the scriptures that are used for Sunday worship justification, that the disciples did not meet on the first day of the week for any special reason, ritual or ceremony. The Day of The Lord points to the period of time when Jesus returns to 'Invade,' the earth! Not a literal day of 24 hours, and definitely not the 1st day of the week. Let the record show: There is therefore NO spiritual significance to Sunday church worship. 

Moving On...

Let's examine this Sabbath Day just a little to see if we can find a 'spiritual significance,' to the fact that Jesus was resurrected from the dead at the very end of the Sabbath Day.

In Genesis man was created on the 6th day (Genesis 1:26-31); and on the 7th day the Bible says: 

"And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." Genesis 2:1-3

I posed a question here and on my Instagram and Facebook pages and I will repeat it here: In the creation it is recorded the evening and the morning was the first day. The evening and the morning was the second day, the evening and the morning was the third day and so on until the sixth. However, we never see the completion of the 7th day. Nothing about the evening and the morning. And I asked all the Bible scholars who follow my page, why this was so. I received no responses so I will answer here.

Because the events that were began on day 1-6 were completed hence 'the evening and the morning...' However, the 7th day alluded to in Genesis chapter 2 has not yet come to pass. Meaning when it says that God rested on the 7th day, since the 7th day hasn't happened yet, God has not yet rested from all his work which he had made.

I would like to first run to very plain statement that Jesus made concerning the Sabbath day that are commonly misunderstood, Let's jump in the middle of the Chapter because we are not concerned with the miracle but about the debate that it sparked.

"The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore 
did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.  But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." St. John5:14-18

So the first thing is what kind of work is Jesus talking about here? Work to pay bills? Work so that he can take a vacation? No Jesus's work was preaching the gospel, in fact the context of this Chapter is that the man Jesus healed was carrying his bed on the Sabbath day. When he told the Jews that Jesus healed him, they began to persecute him for working on the Sabbath day. 
Lets briefly look at the commandment that was taken out of context to condemn the Master.

"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." Exodus 20:8-11

See what the Jews in John chapter 5 did not understand is that the Sabbath day has a spiritual significance and points to something Bigger.

When the real Sabbath day comes the entire earth will be at rest. Let's look at it:

"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection." Revelation 20:1-4

In the 19th chapter of Revelation Jesus has returned to the earth, has assaulted the earth, and the Bible (the Word) says that all the fowls were filled with the flesh of all the people Jesus killed with the sword that proceeded out His mouth. So before chapter 20 chaos, and death, War of Armageddon etc. Then Jesus settles the controversy of Zion, and then the earth is at 'Rest,' for 1,000 years! Why 1,000 years and not 500 years or 20,000 years?

"For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." Psalms 90:4

"But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years as one day." 2Peter 3:8

By the mouth of two witnesses is a fact established, so therefore, this Sabbath day is pointing to a 1,000 year period. The 10 commandments told you that God gave  man 6 days to do ALL his work. And on the Sabbath to rest. When the real Sabbath comes the earth will be so much at rest that even Satan will be bound, so that he cannot break the rest of Jesus.

Let's quickly see if the prophets knew about this "rest."

"And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:... And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feek; their young ones shall lie down together; and thelion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice; den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious." Isaiah 11:1-10

If that isn't a depiction of an earth at rest, I don't know what is. Praise the Most High, for the time when Satan will be bound! 

So the Sabbath day points to a time period when the entire earth is at rest. This is why we are instructed to REMEMBER the day, and Not work in recognition of that day, because the day hasn't come yet!

So it seems that Jesus was not be facetious when he said that he was the Lord even of the Sabbath Day. (Matthew 12:8 / Mark 2:28 / Luke 6:5 )

Here's a thought: If Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath Day, (remember also in Exodus 20 and Leviticus 23 it is called the Lord's Sabbath or the Sabbath of the Lord), then it actually makes perfect sense for him to be resurrected just before the end of the 7th day of the week with power, since He is the Captain of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10) that is also when we can expect to be resurrected, during the Sabbath! Remember Revelation 20.We still look for the real Sabbath, therefore the day of worship CANNOT be changed lest you change prophecy and the Bible (the Word) itself.

So to re-cap, No spiritual significance to Sunday church worship; It makes perfect sense for Jesus to resurrect from the dead on the 7th day, He said He was the Lord of the Sabbath Day.As our example He foreshadowed Revelation 20 also telling us that our change will come during the real 7th day.

Furthermore, let the record also show, that there is NO spiritual significance to Jesus backing the idea that Jesus was resurrected on the first day of the week! Because why would He!?

And May the Lord add a blessing to the reading of His Word, in Jesus name.

Knowledge is the Key... LOCKSMIF