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The Sabbath, a Wedding Gift

The Torah gives the word Sabbath (Shabbat) the female gender. Within the Jewish community, Sabbath is called, “the Queen of Days.” It has the female gender because it symbolizes the bride of the Messiah. All the Feasts and the Sabbath are wedding gifts from Yeshua to His Bride that she can enjoy before He comes to get Her. These gifs have so many symbols and aspects that remind her of Him and things about Him. As you open up this gift of the Sabbath every week, you are thinking of Him, His love and compassion towards you and it is if He is there with you every time, and He actually is. Through His Spirit, which you cannot see, He is there with you, inside of you and you can have fellowship with Him. The Sabbath can also be seen as a wedding ring, a special symbol of the covenant relationship between the bridegroom and the bride. Its circular construction speaks of a never-ending relationship. The precious metal speaks of the vows that formed the marriage. The ring is worn as a reminder.

Feast of Creation

It is a covenant sign between Elohim and His people. It dates back to the very creation of heaven and earth. This is the day that YHVH rested from His work and this is the sign that He is the Creator.

But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, “You shall surely observe My Sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am YHWH who sanctifies you.”EXO 31:13

It is one of the Ten Commandments. The Torah calls Sabbath the commandment of remembrance. Sabbath was known to man prior to the giving of the Torah; therefore, the Torah’s instruction is; “Remember to keep the Sabbath holy.” Remember Him every Sabbath, the Sabbath is about Him and to think on His things, His Word and His ways. The observance of Sabbath serves as a stepping stone to a new awakening of Elohim. Instead of always going to Elohim’s house to visit Him; keeping Sabbath shows people how to invite Elohim to their home and He comes to visit them to celebrate an remember the He is the Creator Who created everything. This gives Him back His authority in the World that proves that He is above all and all things as stated in the New Testament also.

Set apart day of rest

Sabbath is a day of rest and refreshment. According to Elohim, the very labeling of days is based on Sabbath. There is the first day after Sabbath, the second day after, the third day after, the third day before, the second day before, the day of preparation, and finally the Sabbath. The whole week is build around the Sabbath and everything evolves around it. This day is His day where He can show Himself to you. You should not be busy with your things or pleasures that can distract you from the whole purpose of the Sabbath. ISA 58:13-14 If because of the Sabbath, you turn your foot from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of YHWH honorable, and shall honor it, desisting from your own ways, from seeking your own pleasure, and speaking your own word, then you will take delight in YHWH, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of YHWH has spoken.

JOS 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

Use this day to focus on Him, His Creation and His Word. Try to find Him in the Scriptures, search and meditate on it and then He will respond with Himself and the essence of His Being.

Keeping Sabbath Holy

In traditional observant homes, a simple ceremony called “Kiddush” (to make holy) is performed on Friday evenings at the beginning of Sabbath. Keeping the Sabbath holy is initiated by recognizing the beginning of Sabbath and blessing the name of Elohim and the Sabbath. The lady of the home prepares her home for the Sabbath and completes her preparation with the lighting of Sabbath candles. This is considered the last act of the sixth day as it is kindling a flame. She gathers in the light of the candles and offers her blessing and welcomes in the Sabbath. Her husband or leader of the home pronounces a blessing with the Kiddush cup (a special cup set apart for Sabbath and holidays). Then he breaks the Sabbath bread (two loaves of challah) and blesses Elohim for the daily bread. Traditionally, two loaves are used to remember the double portion of manna given on the sixth day. The bread loaves are usually made from three pieces of dough each braided to form a pattern of hills. Sesame or poppy seeds adorn the top to appear as manna on the hills. Kiddush is different from Christian communion. The Last Supper ceremony requires the bread of Passover B unleavened bread. Challah used with Kiddush is leavened bread. Then the father and husband blesses his wife and children as part of Sabbath. This entire ceremony, called Kiddush, is a way to remember and keep Sabbath separate (holy) from other days in the home. But is this the only way to remember to keep the Sabbath holy? Probably not. Again, judgment and discernment are required to fulfill this commandment.

Not working on the Sabbath

This is a difficuilt thing to do because we tend to think that “Saturday” is our day in the week to do the things we have no time doing during the week. In other instances we use this day to catch up on work or to make a easy buck. Is this what Sabbath was intended for?

DEU 5:14 ...but the seventh day is a Sabbath of YHWH your Elohim; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you, so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.

The observance of Sabbath for them becomes a test of faith. Will YHWH provide for me and my family if I don’t work on the Sabbath. This was the very issue for the children of Israel in the wilderness. They thought that they needed to gather manna every day. They weren’t sure that YHWH would provide enough on the sixth day for two days. Until this test was passed, until they believed YHWH would provide, it was not possible to make the Sabbath a delight, to truly rest. Most people at the first observance of Sabbath are overwhelmed by the word “cease”. The first couple weeks will be met with family complaints like, “We can’t do anything. What can we do on Sabbath?”

One of the greatest misconceptions of Sabbath is that we are not told to “cease from everything”. We are told to “cease” from laborious work. There are many “good” things to do and not be “work.” Again, judgment and discernment are required to determine exactly what that is. For me, I enjoy family time. I enjoying sleeping in, taking a nap, reading, and relaxing. I look for those things that are delightful. I also am prepared to rise and do good. It is on this point that the New Testament has much to say concerning Sabbath. Accusers of Yeshua said that He did not keep the Sabbath. He did good (healed and helped people) on Sabbath. He argued not against Sabbath but those who restricted any activity (including doing good) on Sabbath. In fact, Yeshua specifically healed certain men on Sabbath to illustrate this point. His logic was straight forward.

And He said to them, “What man shall there be among you, who shall have one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it, and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” MAT 12:11-12

Part of “ceasing” from laborious work is to be refreshed and renewed by good things. For those of you who want to keep Sabbath but are facing an employment situation which conflicts with its observance, my counsel is simple. Ask YHWH to solve that problem by giving you a new job, a different work schedule, or a promotion. Many can give their testimony of how Elohim helped in this matter. The commandment also says that we should not cause others to serve us. This even includes family members, paid servants, and animals (other living creatures).

This is especially tha cas in your household where you teach for instance, your children, to rest but you give them chores to do, this is contradicting what you are teaching and you should finish your chores before Shabbat and after Shabbat. Going to a shop, filling you car with petrol is a different story. These people are not convinced by your beliefs and do not follow Torah’s instructions regarding the Sabbath. Here the onus is on you not to engage in things, like shopping, that is not a “set apart” act that help you to focus on YHVH. I always see Shabbat as a time to spend with YHVH, your Family and fellowship with other believers. If you and your Family decide to go on a pick-nick, enjoying each other’s company and YHVH’s creation, go for it!

Sunday or Sabbath

It is because we don’t believe. We don’t believe YHWH or His instructions. Some have even gone so far as to say, “Sabbath can be any day you want. It is really the concept of resting one day in seven.” This is true for your own personal Sabbath. But the Sabbath we are speaking of is YHWH’s Sabbath. It is the day that He rested from His labors. Some say that it was changed. They say that YHWH’s day of the New Testament is Sunday. In fact, they even change the Old Testament as well. The Ten Commandments for the Catholic Bible simply changes the fourth commandment to “keeping Sunday.” The Catholics are not bashful about explaining that the “church fathers” made this change; they believe they had the authority to do so.

Protestants may think they are different from Catholics, but the fact is that they agree with and submit themselves to this same authority of the “church fathers.” Protestants are just “protesting Catholics”. But, on the matter of Sabbath, they don’t change the Bible text, but they agree with the teaching. They believe Sabbath has changed. What is it about the observance of the Sabbath ordained by Elohim that causes such a negative reaction for the traditional Christian community? I sincerely believe it has to do with misunderstandings of what Moses taught. One of the complaints against Sabbath is that it is Jewish. Actually, it isn’t; traditional Jews do observe it, but Sabbath began before there were any Hebrews or Jewish people. Sabbath is explained in Genesis chapter two. Adam kept Sabbath, as did Noah, before Abraham, the first Hebrew. But maybe the greatest misunderstanding of Sabbath seems to be the nature of the commandment itself.

Many people, coming from a church attendance mentality, think that Sabbath is a commandment of assembly. That is, they think Sabbath is a commandment of assembly on the seventh day rather than the first day of the week. The commandment of Sabbath is not “Thou shalt assemble and hold church on Saturday”. So then what is the commandment of Sabbath and how are we to observe it? Actually, there are six commandments concerning Sabbath according to Moses. If you follow the oral tradition of Judaism there are 1,583 commandments about Sabbath, but we will confine ourselves to what Moses taught. Every Sabbath day he shall set it in order before YHWH continually; it is an everlasting covenant for the sons of Israel. LEV 24:8 The Sabbath should be kept, as all people before us since Adam did, and it is a sign unto all people for all eternity.

Depth of the Sabbath

The word Sabbath is constructed of a Shin – Bet – Tav and expressed as “ shaw-bath’”, changing the voles it is then expressed as “ sheh-beth” meaning; “sitting still”, “seat” or “dwelling place”. All these ate feminine nouns and shows it is meant for the Bride and it should be the reaction of the Bride to these words. Shin means fire and is on the right or spiritual side. Bet is the object and is in the middle and means house. Tav is on the left or physical side and means cross. Their numbers are; 300, 2, 400 and it represents the work of the Messiah, as seen in His dying on the tree (cross). The Sabbath should remind us of the work He did for us so that we can enter His house, Bet, by the restoration of the relationship (2) between us and it should also remind us of His covenant (300) and that the Shabbat is a seal at the last day of judgment, Shin – fire. By doing the Shabbat we establish a good relationship with Him (2), meditating on Him and His Word, and we are also obedient to His ways, establishing His covenant in our lives so that we might also be invited into His house, as we invited Him to our houses every Shabbat.

Messiah working on the Sabbath

There are numerous examples in the New Testament where Yeshua “worked” on the Shabbat, the question is; did He break the Law concerning the Shabbat and is this an example of Him teaching us to break the law? The answer is no, He never teaches anyone to break the law and doing good deeds on the Sabbath is permitted in the Torah. To explain this concept of the work He did we have to go to John and look at one of these examples where He “broke” the Sabbath, to understand what is the misperception most people have concerning Yeshua and the Law. A Man was lying at the pool of Bethesda (pool of kindness) and there was no one to carry him into the water after it was moved. He was thirty-eight years stricken by this problem he had and asked Yeshua to help Him into the pool. Yeshua responded by instructing him to take up his bed and walk. What is interesting is that the oral law concerning “work on the Sabbath” had 39 precepts of things not to do on the Sabbath and the one Yeshua told him to do was the last one, number 39. It was the man’s 39th year of illness, see the correlation, and he broke the 39th law.

This law was compiled by listing all the work that is needed to construct the Tabernacle, very interesting, of which the 39th one was forbidding you to take something and carry it into a different place. Yeshua asked the man to carry his bed, but in the spiritual realm, Yeshua took the man’s infirmity and transferred it, and swapped it with health, see the picture. Then when the Pharisees confronted Yeshua He told them that His Father is working up to now and so is He. This was like fat on the fire and they wanted to stone Him. Did Yeshua broke the law? No, these laws was made by man but other than that, the Sabbath is the time YHVH uses to work within man. When you take off and rest, you enable YHVH and give Him the time to work in your life, this time is set apart for YHVH to do just that and that is why you must “rest” on this day so that He can do a changing work within you, taking garbage from your life in this realm and move it away from you into another realm. This process is called the exchange of life, death taken from your life and filled with new life from YHVH. The medium in which this takes place is through meditating on His Word and talking to YHVH and others concerning His Word of Truth.

Millennial Sabbath

Yeshua also says that He is YHWH of the Sabbath; He is the Bridegroom. The whole concept of the millennial kingdom is based on the Sabbath. It is the seventh 1,000 year day in the history of the earth. For with YHWH, one day is as a 1,000 years, and 1,000 years as one day. The millennial Kingdom begins with the wedding of the Lamb. Having said all this, and there is no dispute over these facts, how is that we as a believing community of YHWH do not observe such a weekly event with diligence, deep conviction, and overwhelming joy?

Ending of Sabbath

At the close of Sabbath, Saturday evening, another simple ceremony is convened to end Sabbath. It is called Havdalah (separation) of Sabbath. Twisted candles (two or more wickes) are lit forming one flame. It symbolizes while there are two different days and two different weeks at that very moment, only Elohim can distinguish and separate them. Only Elohim can separate the flame that belongs to the different candle wickes. A Kiddush cup is filled to over flowing into a saucer. Sabbath has given us over flowing joy. Or, some of the cup is simply poured out into the saucer representing a loss of joy because the Sabbath is going away. The candle is extinguished in the liquid of the saucer. The flame crackles and resists extinguishment; this represents Sabbath’s resistance to leave. Sweet spices are sniffed to keep the memory as long as possible of the sweetness of Sabbath. This ceremony, Havdalah, is the reason for Paul gathering with his brethren in Acts 20:7.

The combination of Kiddush at the beginning and Havdalah at the end are the traditional ways of remembering to keep the Sabbath holy. Many people who begin keeping Sabbath in their home wants to join in completely with the Kiddush and Havdalah ceremony. This is wonderful. A number of helps are available for you to do so. In any case, you should be confident in your observance and leading your guests. Ps 91 is read at the end of the Sabbath to remind us of YHVH’s protection for the week up ahead and it is believed that reading this Psalm aloud releases YHVH’s spiritual authority and protection over you and your home so that you may enter the week without any fear.

End Times & the Sabbath

The Bible says that Sabbath sanctifies us to Elohim and it is perpetual, permanent, continual and everlasting. What husband would tolerate another man telling the husband’s wife that her marriage covenant was only temporary and she should take off her wedding ring and never wear it again? I dare say that the husband would take issue with the man. Yet, many men today say that Elohim’s marriage covenant has ended and the sign of that covenant is no longer valid for believers of Elohim. I think they are very mistaken and should seriously rethink the very character of Elohim. I think they should consider the counsel of Isaiah as he prepares us for the second coming of Messiah Yeshua.

ISA 56:1-2 Thus says YHWH, “Preserve justice, and do righteousness, for My salvation is about to come and My righteousness to be revealed. How blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who takes hold of it; who keeps from profaning the Sabbath, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

This is a scary thought in thinking that Sabbath is still required for a sign between YHVH and man and yet so many people disregard the instruction and will of YHVH for His people. Sabbath is not salvation but Sabbath is part of learning and knowing YHVH.


Mat 7:21-23 (21) Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. (22) Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works? (23) And then I will say to them I never knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness!

Lawlessness can be defined as people doing man’s instructions and not YHVH’s instructions. Assembling on a Sunday was invented by man and not YHVH and you are the servant of the one’s who’s instructions you follow. Think about it.


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