Sabbath Observance

September 17, 2017 Background Scripture: Genesis 2:1 – 3; Exodus 31:12 – 18; Isaiah 56:1 – 8 Lesson Passage: Exodus 31:12 – 18 It should be noted that the Jews were in Egyptian bondage for over four hundred years prior to receiving the laws God delivered to them through Moses. Many of those laws outlined how a nation of free people should live and care for themselves and each other. This was much needed instructions for a people who only knew slavery and taskmasters. It follows that they did not know much about the need for periodic physical rest to allow their bodies to heal and be revived. Before their deliverance from slavery, they worked when they were told to work and stopped when they were told to stop. Therefore, it was necessary that God command Moses to speak to the elders of Israel and inform them that He was establishing the Sabbath as a sign between Him and their generations perpetually. They could work for six days but on the seventh day, they had to cease all work and observe a day of rest. As former slaves, they would not be accustomed to this and therefore it was to be enforced by the threat of death for all who disobeyed the observance. Again, God emphasized that it was to be a sign between Him and the descendants of Israel forever. God used the creation timeline as the model. God created everything in six days and on the seventh day He rested (ceased) from His work. God later emphasized this covenant sign He made with the Jews through the prophet Isaiah by declaring that He would extend the same blessings to the eunuchs and gentiles that He extended to Israel. They were seen as joining Israel in offering sacrifices on God’s altar. The sign of the Sabbath observance was an integral part of the covenant God made with Israel and it included the eunuchs and gentiles who were previously excluded from the congregation of Israel. All who worshiped God under the covenant of Judaism were required to observe the Sabbath. All of this was encoded in the Law of Moses which governed all of the rituals of Judaism. Everyone who kept the Law as a process to achieve righteousness, or right standing before God, was indebted to keep all of the Law and not just portions of it. Under the Law of Moses, the Sabbath observance was not optional. It is still a wise thing today to periodically rest our bodies to allow ourselves to be refreshed physically, emotionally, and mentally. Our bodies were not created to work continuously without some downtime. We need refreshing. Our periodic rest should not be confused with the requirement of the Law to observe the Sabbath. The Sabbath was established as a sign between God and the descendants of Israel and it was extended to include all who accept Judaism as their religious commitment to God. Christians are not indebted to the Law and its rituals because Jesus Christ fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law for all who place their faith in him and the saving power of his blood. Paul clearly declared this to the apostles at Jerusalem to which they gave their consent. The apostles sent letters to the churches assuring them that they did not have to fulfill the rituals of the Law. Paul admonished the church at Colossae to let no one judge them based on them not observing the rituals of Judaism—and he included the Sabbath in that list of rituals. Robert C. Hudson August 9, 2017

Circumcision

September 10, 2017 Background Scripture: Genesis 17 Lesson Passage: Genesis 17:1 – 14 The sign of circumcision is the focus of today’s lesson. There are historical records of circumcision being used as a medical procedure over four thousand years ago. In fact, circumcision as a medical procedure predates Abraham by over two thousand years. Because the procedure has been noted in historical documents all over the world, circumcision is believed to have originated in Africa (the cradle of humanity) prior to the dispersion of mankind to the various regions around the globe. Although the medical procedure is clearly documented, the original purpose for circumcision is not. It appears to have been used in some cultures as a transition time from youth to adulthood for young males. It is thought that uncircumcised males had greater difficulty reproducing and they were left like that until they were mature enough to provide for a family. Some cultures also circumcised females. A number of religions adopted circumcision as a ritual over the course of time. These include Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—which all originated from the descendants of Abraham. The scriptures do not divulge the physical purpose of such a painful procedure. What the scriptures do make clear is that circumcision is an act of obedience that God required of Abraham, his male descendants, and the male servants in his household. This was a covenant sign that God established with Abraham. All families that were included in the covenant blessings were required to have all of their males circumcised. Any uncircumcised male descendant of Abraham or his servants who were not circumcised was left out of the covenant God made with Abraham to bless them. Going forward from God’s encounter with Abraham, newborn males were required to be circumcised on the eight day. At the time Abraham received this covenant from God, he was ninety-nine years old and his son, Ishmael was thirteen years old. His servants were probably of various ages with many of them identified by number as old enough to go to war. All of them were circumcised on the same day God established the covenant. However, before they were circumcised, God had a couple of other surprises (blessings) for Abraham. God gave Abram and his wife Sarai new names. This was in celebration of the blessings God was about to bestow on them. The new names signified that nations would descend from them. From that point on, they would be known as Abraham and Sarah. Sarah, who was eighty-nine at the time, would give birth to a son for Abraham who would inherit the covenant. Because of this, Sarah would become a mother of nations. Apparently this was too much for Abraham all at one time. He started laughing at the thought of being one hundred years old and fathering a child and Sarah giving birth at the age of ninety years after she had been barren all of her life. God assured Abraham that He would cause Sarah to conceive and bear a child in her advanced years. Abraham ratified the covenant by circumcising all as God commanded him. Robert C. Hudson August 23, 2017