I am personally offering a $10,000 reward to the person who can prove unequivocally, from Scripture alone, that God changed the Sabbath day from Saturday, the seventh day, to Sunday the first day.
The successful claimant will:
- Demonstrate from Scripture, with chapter and verse, the prophecy that the Sabbath would change. (Amos 3:7)
- Demonstrate from Scripture, with chapter and verse, where God declared that he had changed the day of rest. (Mal. 3:6)
- Explain how Exodus 31:16-17 does NOT mean ‘perpetual’ and ‘forever.’
- Explain how Isaiah 66:22-24, when speaking of the Sabbath, does NOT mean the seventh day Sabbath.
Any who wish to take this challenge may contact me through this blog’s email/contact form, or in the comment section below.
[Please share and reblog this offer.]
Shalom in Messiah Yeshua,
Pete Rambo
***Hint for those who dare take the plunge…
Or, here….
natsab 
You know the saying, “A fool and his money are soon parted”? Well, you’re no fool. 😉
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O I love this! Our South African Rand is not worth much compared to the Dollar, Euro and pound, but I am willing to match this offer. The thing is, somewhere, somebody will take this bait seriously and will be shocked to find out the truth.
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Maybe, for starters, prove that Saturday is the seventh day, following your own rules.
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That is actually rather simple.
Exodus 31:16-17 says, “So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to [a]celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.’ 17 It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.”
‘Throughout their generations,’ ‘perpetual covenant,’ and ‘forever.’
The Jews may not have always kept it properly, as Scripture often admonishes profaning of the Sabbath, but they have always kept it as there is not a hint, not a whiff anywhere in Scripture, even by Yeshua Himself of them having the day wrong. Only that they were not proper in their observance.
As important as this command is, Yeshua would have addressed the wrong day, instead, that is not the testimony of Scripture. Since then, there is ZERO indication of a date change.
At least the Catholics are honest and don’t try to pull the Protestant ‘one day in seven, doesn’t matter which day’ hog-wash.
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But Rambo you proved my suspicion — namely, your argument hinges on (1) arguing from silence, (2) tradition, and (3) question-begging that there is something magic about a specific modulo-seven day, so that the universe would be out of joint if mankind were not celebrating it on the same day of the week as the terminus of creation, and thus Jesus (appealing I suppose to his omniscience?) would have rebuked it.
BTW, Gary North is the only Protestant I have ever read that argued “doesn’t matter which day.” It’s odd that you would characterize him as “the” Protestant position.
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In fact, there is not one whit of evidence anywhere that the seventh day does not fall on Saturday. The “Jews,” as you referred to them, have been celebrating the Sabbath in an unbroken chain since before Mt. Sinai. Never, ever do we see any controversy over day or possible confusion. Even Protestantism doesn’t argue. Enter any church and ask what day is the ‘first day of the week’ and the answer, 99.999% of the time is Sunday. Therefore, by definition, all parties agree that Saturday is the seventh going back as far as we can see.
You would do well to look back in Scripture and see who first uses the term ‘Sabbath.’ It appears to me that Israel knew full well what the Sabbath was before Mt. Sinai.
Honestly, Scripture is amazingly simple and clear on the topic, but Christendom prefers theological gymnastics in order to obfuscate the simplicity so that they then have excuses for doing what they desire. I say again, at least the Roman Catholic church is honest when they claim to have changed the day by their own authority.
As to the Reformers, there were several in the 1600s who espoused any day as long as it was ‘one in seven.’ I think Bunyan was one, but can’t remember. I read that material several years ago when researching. At the end of the day, Protestantism proclaims the ‘first day’ in error. (If they think Sunday is the first day, then by definition the seventh is….)
So, obfuscate, throw red herrings, or ignore, but the ones who have kept the Shabbat for 3500 unbroken years can tell you exactly which day it is. And they’ve died to keep that commandment.
Simply, you have no answer for my questions, and you know that Christendom is willfully wrong.
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Remember too that not just “the Jews” would have needed to preserve the tradition, but two millennia of the patriarchs as well. (Indeed, but this is a different point, most of the chronology of the OT has nothing to do with judaism.)
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Actually, Rambo, I can’t find that you have posed any question to me, so it’s hard to understand your rebuke for my not answering them!
Given how much popish tradition Protestants, especially the Reformed, were willing to throw overboard, it’s curious that you judge that they were “willful” or just “wanted” Sunday sabbath. Why do you suppose that would be? Given the triumphant way that every possible Scriptural practice was restored if found to differ from the tradition, why would they have shirked this one, if it is as clear as you think?
To my original question, as I said, there were lots of ways the day could have gotten messed up in 6,000 years, even on the assumption that the patriarchs starting with Adam were already observing a cultic day that was measured from his first light of consciousness. Think, for example, how difficult it would have been even on Noah’s ark. It would help corroborate if even one non-Semitic tribe maintained a memory of it — but there are none, to my knowledge at least, correct me if I’m wrong.
So I agree that it is probable that the right day was remembered, but only probable. I would give it 53%.
It hasn’t been a controverted point because, at the end of the day, who cares? It would only be a crucial point if there was something magic about that exact 24 hour rotation of the earth each week (and then: at which point on the earth?) Here’s an analogy. Suppose your family was going through the records and discovered, long story, that your birthday was a day earlier than everyone thought all these years. Would that somehow render all the birthday celebrations of your life of none effect? Of course not. It’s not the exact day, but the intentionality of those honoring it that matters.
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This passage tells us several very important things.
– The heavens and all their hosts were complete.
– God rested on the seventh day.
– God blessed the seventh day.
If I am not mistaken, since creation, the earth has turned and there has been a continuous cycle of evenings and mornings, unbroken. Further, God specifically blessed and sanctified one particular day in that cycle. The seventh. Then, over and over in Scripture He points to, wait for it… the seventh day.
Methinks, HE cares!!
No where ever in Scripture does He take such a lackadaisical approach to HIS moedim/appointed times. He gave the sun, moon and stars for signs and seasons (Gen. 1:14) and gave particular instruction in how to use them for HIS appointed times, Sabbath being the most important. (Lev. 23:1-4ff)
—
53%? How’d you come up with that?
In more than 100 current and ancient languages Saturday is called ‘Sabbath’ while that name is not associated with Sunday (or any other day of the week) in any language. Here is a sampling for your perusal:
Arabic: Sabet
Armenian: Shabat
Bosnian: Subota
Bulgarian: Sabota
Corsican: Sàbatu
Croatian: Subota
Czech: Sobota
Georgian: Sabati
Greek: Savvato
Indonesian: Sabtu
Italian: Sabato
Latin: Sabbatum
Maltese: is-Sibt
Polish: Sobota
Portuguese: S ábado
Romanian: Sambata
Russian: Subbota
Serbian: Subota
Slovak: Sobota
Slovene: Sobota
Somali: Sabti
Spanish: Sabado
Sudanese: Saptu
Ukranian: Subota
[I knew of the calendar naming evidence and a quick websearch turned up the above info from http://www.ucg.org/booklet/sunset-sunset-gods-sabbath-rest/sabbath-beginning/names-saturday-many-languages-prove-which-/ but, I have seen it elsewhere before.]
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No. All those languages were influenced by the Bible. I’m talking about independent evidence. Any more than that the Italians call Sunday Domenica, this is proof that Sunday is the Lord’s Day!
Your argument seems to be, the seventh day was marked out as important by God in Genesis 1, therefore, IT MUST HAVE BEEN that humankind maintained knowledge and memory of it. For, any honoring of the 7th day that inadvertently was not
(actual day of creation) + 7 x N
where N is the number of weeks to a particular sabbath celebration, would be not an honoring, but a profanation of the day. Did I capture your argument correctly?
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Whether mankind maintained knowledge of it from Creation to Mt.Sinai is immaterial. At Sinai, actually before, God made sure Israel was on HIS timetable, and the Jews have kept the Sabbath in an unbroken chain ever since. God said manna would fall for six days and not fall on the seventh, and for forty years He maintained the pattern. The Jews have maintained it since (3500+ years) with not even a sniff of change, confusion, debate, etc.
It is Christendom’s penchant for defining themselves against anything Hebraic that we have theological contortionism to avoid the elephant in the room. The self-same contortionists will stand in pulpits and proclaim Sunday the first day of the week while denying that Saturday is the seventh. Sounds like a Seinfeld episode once put in perspective.
Yeshua said it best, “ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
https://natsab.com/2013/01/28/the-sabbath-scripturally-speaking/
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Your claim still assumes, without proof, that the exact modulo-7 since Creation was important enough to God to ensure that Moses either continued what was already or got it back on track. But this is one of the ways your conclusion subtly creeps into your premises. This is the burden of my cross-examination to this point: not to argue that the 7th day was something else, but that you can’t prove these assertions by the standards you have established for your opponents in this little contest.
As to tradition — no one outdoes the jews at tradition-mongering, so you are on shaky grounds here wagging your finger at Christians.
But more to the point: what about the argument for the shift at the first moment it was observed. At that moment, it was not a tradition, so your stricture would not apply. Now, deal with the argument at that first moment.
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This is not rocket science. GOD controls the manna, thus demonstrating by its presence or absence which day is the seventh. He further offers a warning on day six by proving and providing with a double portion in the preparation pot.
Then, the ‘tradition-mongering Jews,’ whom you have demonstrated an antipathy for on this blog before, protected this commandment (not ‘tradition’).
YES! It is modulo-7 since Creation and it is very important to God. How important we do or don’t think it is irrelevant. Me and my house? We walk in His ways because that is what He commands and He promises to bless that obedience.
My conviction is that there is zero evidence of a change of day and that the evidence is abundant enough that we are all accountable for it.
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Sure, because a sharp distinction must be made between the modern antichrists and the people of the Old Covenant. That’s why I refer to the latter as Hebrews to distinguish them from the modern tribe of blaspheming pornographers.
Anyhow, your citations are still question-begging — they assume that there is something magic about one day versus another. I think I’ve made my point.
And now, will you address the actual arguments used by the church for switching to the First Day. Before it was tradition. It can’t be “zero evidence” — the very universality of the practice is greater than zero evidence. When do you believe the change took place?
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Based on Tim’s flagrant display of anti-Semitism, he has been blocked from this blog.
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Reblogged this on The Lamb's Servant and commented:
Since our first and foremost duty and privilege as servants of the Most High is to do as HE commands, without adding to or diminishing from those commands, this really is no joke, but a matter of great concern….
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On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. Acts 20v7
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Shalom.
Unfortunately, that verse in no way answers any of the points that must be addressed.
I wrote a more detailed summary of that passage here: https://natsab.com/2014/01/30/first-day-of-the-week-acts-207/
When God says ‘forever’ with regard to the Sabbath commandments, I’m pretty sure that’s what He meant… Particularly since it was Yeshua who gave the commands…
https://natsab.com/2013/12/04/was-jesus-on-mt-sinai-does-it-matter/
Please enjoy studying this one out.
Blessings.
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Pete, related to Tim H’s comment of Jan 26 @ 5:39 p.m., do you see what I mean?
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Yeppers. I think so.
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Pete, based on his comment of 8:48 p.m. you might want to consider cutting this guy loose. He’s obviously got a serious ax to grind against the Jewish people and nothing productive will come from debating an individual such as him. Some people don’t argue for a reason. They simply argue.
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Ding, ding, ding. Indulged him long enough.
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Still, from the perspective of a new Hebraic roots believer (just over a year now), it was awesome to see your arguments presented in such a beautiful, coherent and scriptural outflow. Made this guy’s chain of posts seem to deteriorate incrementally into blather, by comparison. Agreed – some people just want to argue for the sake of arguing and are blinded by something in the spiritual realm – something that won’t allow them to see the truth, even if it came up and bit them on the nose! I still was blessed by the exchange!
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Thank you. Was fun to see the tie-in to this week’s Parsha, as well.
Still processing this as you’ll see in my next post.
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