sabbathcol216

Colossians 2:16, 17 "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ."

This passage is one of the most misunderstood passages in the Bible. One key principle of Bible interpretation is that you do not allow what may be somewhat unclear to keep you from doing what you already understand. The Bible is plain and clear on the issue of the seventh day Sabbath.
      It was made Holy at Creation (Genesis 2:1-3).
      Jesus kept it Holy (Luke 4:16).
      Paul kept it Holy and taught others to do so by example (Acts 13:42-44)
      It will be observed as Holy in heaven (Isaiah 66:22, 23).

The Bible mentions two kinds of sabbaths:
      The seventh-day Sabbath and:
      The yearly sabbaths.

The seventh-day Sabbath was set aside and made Holy at Creation, it is part of the Ten Commandment law, and a weekly reminder of the loving, all-powerful Creator.

The yearly sabbath relates specifically to the history of Israel.

Colossians 2:16, 17 specifically states "Let no man judge you regarding sabbath days... [Greek, word sabbatone - "of sabbaths"] which are a shadow of things to come." The seventh-day Sabbath is a memorial of Creation and in no way can be a shadow of something to come.

Hebrews 10:1 directly connects the law of shadows with animal sacrifice.

Ezekiel 45:17 uses the exact same expressions in the exact same order as Colossians 2:16, 17, and connects it all with the ceremonial systems of feasts and sacrifices (meat offerings, drink offerings, feasts, new moons, and sabbaths to make reconciliation for the house of Israel). By letting the Scriptures interpret the Scriptures we find perfect harmony.

Leviticus 23:3 discusses the seventh-day Sabbath.

Leviticus 23:5-32 discusses the ceremonial sabbaths:
      Passover, verse 5;
      Unleavened bread, verse 6;
      Wave sheaf, verse 10;
      First fruits, verse 17;
      Trumpets, verse. 24;
      Day of Atonement, verses 27-32;
      Tabernacles, verses 34-36

Both the feast of trumpets (verse 24) and the Day of Atonement (verse 32) are specifically called sabbaths. These annual sabbaths were intimately connected to events foreshadowing Christ's death and His Second Coming. They were designed by God to be shadows, to point us, to the coming Messiah.

Leviticus 23:37 uses the language of Colossians 2:16, 17 to describe these ceremonial sabbaths.

Leviticus 23:38 distinguishes the ceremonial sabbaths from the seventh-day Sabbaths by using the expression "Besides the sabbaths of the Lord."

Since Christ has come, the shadowy sabbaths of the ceremonial law have found their fulfillment in Him. On the other hand the seventh-day Sabbath continues to lead us back to the Creator God who made us. God's command to his people to keep the Seventh Day Sabbath was designed to be a distinguishing sign of their relationship to Him (Revelation 14:12; Ezekiel 20: 12, 20).

Many of you may have never known that there were more than the Seventh Day Sabbath, but the Scriptures are clear in the difference between it and the yearly ceremonial sabbaths and festivals.

Back to Sabbath Index Page

Back to Navigation Page