Other Sabbaths 

Memory Verse: "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days" (Colossians 2:16).

Scripture Reading: Leviticus 16.

Introduction: The fact that there are Sabbaths other than the weekly Sabbath, is not known to some Christian people because they have been taught that a study of the Old Scriptures is unimportant. There are several good reasons for studying them in connection with a general study of "the" Sabbath.
  Among reasons which might be listed are: to illustrate the fact that a person could not understand part of the New Scriptures without knowing that there were other Sabbaths; to help to interpret correctly, Scriptures which refer to the resurrection of Christ; to help interpret certain New Scriptures which indicate a termination of Sabbaths; and to understand certain prophecies of the Old Scriptures.
  One of the obvious facts regarding the other Sabbaths is that they are not correlated with the weekly cycle, but rather with the yearly cycle. One was the yearly Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29-31). This is the atonement that Paul referred to in Hebrews 9:24-10:3.
  It was in regard to these other Sabbaths that Paul wrote these words: "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days; which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ" (Colossians 2:16,17).
  One must not confuse these shadows which reach to Christ with the one which reaches beyond Christ. There is a Sabbath which finds its fulfillment in the rest achieved by entering the eternal, literal kingdom of God, a completeness not achieved until God the Father, dwells with his children, as outlined in Revelation 20:21,22.
 

Lesson Questions:

1. What was the significance of the Sabbaths which were associated with the yearly Day of Atonement? Leviticus 16:30,31.

2. Discuss "atonement," "afflict your souls," and "holy convocation." (See also Leviticus 23:26-32.)

3. How many Sabbaths were connected with the Passover Feast of Unleavened Bread? Exodus 12:16,17. What was the theme of these "holy convocations," along with that of the other days of the Feast? Exodus 13:6-8.

4. What was the purpose of the Feast of Pentecost? Leviticus 23:9-22.

5. What was the main "order of the day" and of the services conducted throughout the Feasts and Sabbaths? Numbers 28 and 29.

6. When Hosea was told, by the Lord, that the Lord would cause the Sabbaths of the Children of Israel to cease (Hosea 2:11), did the Lord have reference to destroying His law or to Israel's being in captivity? Hosea 3:4; Amos 8:10-12; Isaiah 1:11-15; Leviticus 26:34,35,43.

7. What Sabbaths were included in those referred to in Colossians 2:14-17?

8. On the basis of Paul's statement of fact (Hebrews 14:5), some contend that it is not necessary to esteem one day above another. Was he referring to the annual Sabbaths or the days of the week including the weekly Sabbath?

9. Discuss: "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind" (Hebrews 14:5). By what should one be persuaded? Isaiah 8:20; John 16:13. Did Paul say that not to "esteem one day above another" was right? (See also Verse 6).