Sabbath

The Sabbath is a day of rest and worship observed by the Israelites, as commanded by God in the Old Testament. It is rooted in the creation narrative, where God rested on the seventh day after creating the heavens and the earth. The Sabbath is first mentioned in Genesis 2:2-3: "And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing, so on that day He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished."

The formal institution of the Sabbath is found in the Ten Commandments, given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Exodus 20:8-11 states: "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the foreigner within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy."

The Sabbath was a sign of the covenant between God and Israel, serving as a reminder of their deliverance from Egypt and their special relationship with God. In Deuteronomy 5:15, the Sabbath is linked to the Israelites' liberation: "Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day."

In the New Testament, Jesus' relationship with the Sabbath is a subject of significant discussion. Jesus often healed on the Sabbath, challenging the Pharisees' strict interpretations of Sabbath laws. In Mark 2:27-28, Jesus declares, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." This statement emphasizes the Sabbath's purpose as a gift for humanity's benefit, rather than a burdensome legal requirement.

The early Christian church grappled with the observance of the Sabbath, especially as Gentile converts joined the faith. The Apostle Paul addresses this issue in Colossians 2:16-17: "Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ." This passage suggests that the Sabbath, along with other Jewish observances, pointed to the fulfillment found in Christ.

New Moon

The New Moon, or the beginning of the lunar month, held religious significance in ancient Israel. It was marked by special sacrifices and was a time of celebration and worship. The New Moon is mentioned in conjunction with the Sabbath and other feasts in several Old Testament passages, indicating its importance in the religious calendar.

Numbers 28:11-15 outlines the offerings to be made on the New Moon: "On the first day of each month, you are to present to the LORD a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all without blemish. With each bull there is to be a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram, a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; and with each lamb, a grain offering of one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil. This is a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD. Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine with each bull, a third of a hin with the ram, and a quarter of a hin with each lamb. This is the monthly burnt offering to be made at each New Moon throughout the year. In addition, one male goat is to be presented to the LORD as a sin offering, along with its drink offering."

The New Moon was a time for communal gathering and worship, as seen in 1 Samuel 20:5, where David speaks to Jonathan: "Behold, tomorrow is the New Moon, and I should not fail to dine with the king. But let me go so that I may hide in the field until the evening of the third day."

In the prophetic literature, the New Moon is sometimes mentioned in the context of Israel's unfaithfulness. Isaiah 1:13-14 records God's displeasure with empty ritualism: "Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. Your New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly. I hate your New Moons and your appointed feasts; they have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them."

In the New Testament, the New Moon is referenced in Colossians 2:16-17, alongside the Sabbath, as part of the ceremonial law that pointed to Christ. The early church's understanding of the New Moon, like the Sabbath, was transformed by the coming of Christ, who fulfilled the law and the prophets.