Since Revelation is a book for the last days, and since it centers on Jesus and His resurrection, one would expect to find some exciting comments in the book in regard to the church custom to keeping the Sunday as a holy day in honor of His resurrection.
But, strangely, the day is not even mentioned. Stranger yet, though the day is mentioned eight times in other books of the New Testament, in no case is a command given to keep it holy. Since millions of sincere and loving, Bible-believing Christians worship on Sunday, why is the Bible curiously silent on this subject?
Could it be that much more is involved, here, than appears on the surface? The answer is “yes!” One of the greatest prophecies of the book of Revelation involves the subject of Sunday worship. One of our Seminar lessons will consider this crucial topic in detail.
It would, however, be impossible to understand this important prophecy unless the topic for today becomes crystal clear. So let us examine the eight Scripture references in the New Testament, which mention the first day of the week. Obviously, if there is a command to keep Sunday holy we should find it in one of these Bible passages.
EIGHT SUNDAY TEXTS
1. Consider three New Testament texts that speak of the resurrection of Jesus: Mark 16:9 (1485), Matthew 28:1 (1450), John 20:1 (1586). Do any of these scriptures suggest that the day is to be considered holy? Acts 1:9-11 (1590).
Ans: ____________________________________________
NOTE: In the Bible, Sunday is always called the first day of the week.
2. The fourth passage is Mark 16:1-2 (1485). Does this reference imply that the day is holy?
Ans: ______________________________________________
NOTE: This New Testament passage does tell us something interesting, however. It tells us that Sunday is not the Sabbath. It says that Sabbath is already passed when Sunday comes.
3. Luke 24:1 (1542) is the fifth New Testament text that mentions the first day of the week. Does this passage say the day is holy?
Ans:______________________________________________
NOTE: The Book of Luke was written, by a Gentile Christian, 30 years after Christ’s ascension but no change in the day of worship is mentioned.
Dr. Luke, a physician (Col. 4:14 (1732)), was the author of “the gospel of Luke” and “Acts of the Apostles”. He made significant statements in his gospels regarding Jesus’ life.
4. How much did Luke include about Jesus’ activities? Acts 1:1-3 (1500)
Ans: The former treatise have I made …. of ____________ that Jesus began both to _____________ and ______________ “.
NOTE: This is a highly significant Scripture passage. Luke is here saying that in his gospel he included information regarding all that Jesus did and taught including any COMMANDMENTS given to the disciples, Acts 1:2 (1590). But the book of Luke only mentions the first day of the week one time with no hint to keep it holy.
5. The sixth New Testament passage which mentions the first day of the week is John 20:19 (1587). Some say the disciples had gathered in this meeting to inaugurate the keeping of the first day of the week as a holy day. According to this passage, why had they gathered for the meeting?
Ans: ”for ________________ of the _____________________”.
NOTE: The disciples could not have gathered to inaugurate a new holy day in honor of the resurrection, because until Jesus appeared in their midst they refused to believe He was raised, Mark 16:14 (1485).
6. The seventh reference mentioning the first day of the week is the New Testament is
1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (1689). Several questions should be asked and answered here.
Does this passage say the day is holy?
Ans: ______________________________________________.
Does this passage say. “Drop money in the collection plate when it is passed in your church on the first day”?
Ans: ______________________________________________.
It says upon the first day of the week, let everyone of you lay BY HIM in store. What is the significance of “BY HIM”?
Ans: ______________________________________________.
NOTE: The expression “BY HIM” means to do it privately in your home. Many Bible translations so record it. For example, one modern translation* says, “Each of you should at home lay aside some money he makes and save it”. Paul was gathering funds for the Jerusalem Christians who were suffering from famine, Acts 11:27-30 (1612); Romans 15:26 (1667). So, he wrote ahead to the churches he would visit, asking that each believer be putting money aside at home weekly so it would be ready when he arrived. These Christians kept Sabbath holy and usually balanced their accounts on Sunday, so it was an ideal time to plan their giving.
* New Testament in the language of today, by William F. Beck
GODS LAW, LIKE HIS CHARACTER, NEVER CHANGES.
7. The eighth and final, New Testament passage which mentions the first day of the week is Acts 20:7-12 (1620).
Does this passage say to observe Sunday as a holy day?
Ans:____________________________________________
Does it say the Sabbath was changed to Sunday?
Ans: ____________________________________________
Does it say they met every Sunday for worship?
Ans: ____________________________________________
NOTE: Paul was on a farewell trip to the churches. Acts chapters 20 and 21 (1629) mention at least five other churches that Paul visited on this same farewell trip. When he told the people, he would not see them again, they wept much, Acts 20:37-38 (1630); 21:13-14 (1631). The meeting at Troas was a special farewell meeting. That is why it lasted so long. Two other points should be made:
-
- The fact that they broke bread or celebrated communion at this service does not indicate the day was holy, because the Bible says they broke bread every day.
Acts 2:46 (1594).
- The fact that they broke bread or celebrated communion at this service does not indicate the day was holy, because the Bible says they broke bread every day.
- In the Bible, a 24-hour day is measured from even to even which means from sundown to sundown, Leviticus 23:32 (202); Mark 1:32 (1453). Also, the dark part of the day, or evening, comes first in the Bible, and then comes the light part, Genesis 1:5 (1). This meeting was called for the dark part of Sunday (the lights were on, Acts 20:8), which is what we now call Saturday night. Some Bible translations put it that way. For example, the New English Bible says, “On Saturday night”. By Bible reckoning, when the sun goes down on Saturday night the dark part of Sunday begins. So, this special farewell meeting was called for what we would now designate Saturday night. This it could not possibly be an indication of Sunday sacredness, because Sunday keepers do not begin their holy day until midnight.
THE LORDS DAY
8. Do you believe, that if Jesus or the disciples had made Sunday a holy day, Paul would have told us? Acts 20:27 (1630).
Ans: Yes – he gave us _____________________ of God’s ___________________.
NOTE: The book of Acts, in covering a period of twenty-three years beginning with Jesus’ ascension, mentions the Sabbath in eight different chapters, but never with any hint of a change.
9. Could the disciples have changed the Sabbath command even if they had wished to do so? Matthew 5:18 (1402), Deuteronomy 4:2 (295)
Ans: _______________________________________________________________
10. Often Satan’s strategy is to cause me to ignore or break just one of God’s commands. Do you know why? James 2:10-12 (1775).
Ans: “Whosoever… offend in _______________ point … is _______________ of all”.
NOTE: God’s law is like a ten-sided fortress. Only one side needs to be broken down to permit the enemy to enter.
11. In Revelation 1:10 (1800), John said he was in the spirit on the Lord’s day. According to the Bible which day is the Lord’s day? Exodus 20:10 (120): Isaiah 58:13 (1095); Mark 2:28 (1455).
Ans: __________________________________________________________
NOTE: People sometimes call Sunday, the Lord’s Day. But the Bible says the Sabbath is the Lord’s Day.
MEMORIAL OF JESUS’ RESURRECTION
12. What does the Bible call Sunday? Ezekiel 46:1 (1288)
Ans: One of the six _________________________ days.
13. Since the Bible calls Sunday, a work day and nowhere suggests that it is holy, where must the concept of Sunday sacredness have come from? Matthew 15:3-9 (1422)
Ans: From the tradition and commandments of _____________.
NOTE: Misguided men have substituted another day of worship for the Sabbath.
14. Many people observe Sunday as a holy day in honor of Jesus’ resurrection, but what did Jesus institute for us in honor of His death, burial, and resurrection? Romans 6:3-6 (1654), Colossians 2:12 (1730)
Ans: __________________________________________
15. Hasn’t the calendar been changed so we cannot know which day is the seventh day? (See note and picture of calendar before answering this question.)
Ans: __________________________________________
NOTE: The Romans, who were ruling in Jesus’ day, gave us our modern calendar. Only one change has been made. In October of 1582, ten days were removed from the calendar. However, the change did not affect the weekly cycle, because the numbering on the calendar went from THURSDAY, the 4th, to FRIDAY, the 15th. We add a day (the 29th of February) each leap year, but this does not affect the weekly cycle, either. Not all countries made this necessary calendar adjustment in 1582, but the same kind of change was eventually made everywhere. Therefore, the seventh day on our calendar today is the very same seventh day that Jesus kept.
NAILED TO THE CROSS
16. In Colossians 2:14-17 (1730), Paul tells us that certain Sabbaths are no longer binding because they ended at the cross. Which Sabbaths were these?
Ans: Those that were a “shadow of _________ to __________.
NOTE: God gave His people different kinds of instruction, through Moses. He gave them the MORAL LAW of the Ten Commandments which defines man’s duty to his God and his duty to his fellow beings. Such a Law is permanent by its very nature. He gave them RITUAL or CEREMONIAL LAWS, which regulated the sacrificial system that symbolized and foreshadowed the coming sacrificial death and priestly ministry of Christ, Hebrews 10:1 (1766). By this means he taught Israel the Gospel, Hebrews 4:1-2 (1759), or the Plan of Salvation. Through the sacrifices and the mediation of the Hebrew priesthood they saw, foreshadowed, the coming Redeemer. By their nature, it is evident that the ceremonial or ritual laws are temporary – until the coming of the Jesus which they foreshadowed. The annual or yearly sabbaths were a part of this ritual system – each foreshadowing some aspect of Christ and the Plan of Salvation. For example, the ritual Sabbath of the Passover foreshadowed Christ’s death, 1 Corinthians 5:7 (1674). All of these yearly Sabbaths came to an end at the cross.
VERY IMPORTANT: At this point, please review carefully the special Seminar Exhibit 11.1, Exhibit 11.2 and Exhibit 11.4 which compare God and His law: the Moral Law and the Ceremonial or Ritual Law, and which outline the ten commandments in the New Testament.
17. What do the churches which worship on Sunday say about this problem?
NOTE: See special Seminar Exhibit 11.3 entitled “The Churches Comment” for answer to this question.
“Only baptism by immersion represents death, burial, and resurrection”.
MY LOVE AND OBEDIENCE
18. Why, do you suppose, the book of Revelation stresses three times that God’s people will keep His commandments?
Revelation 12:17 (1813); 14:12 (1813); 22:14 (1825).
Ans: Hebrews 5:9 (1761) “He became the __________ of eternal
_________ unto __________ them that ___________ Him”.
NOTE: Jesus, in Revelation, is stressing that salvation is provided for the obedient and not for the disobedient. Matthew 7:21-23 (1407) makes it very clear that many active church members will be shocked when they are shut out of Heaven for disobedience in spite of the fact that they did many wonderful things in the Lord’s name.
19. What two crucial things is Jesus saying to all of us today in regard to this problem?
Matthew 15:3 (1422); John 14:15 (1576)
Ans: a. “Why do you ____________ the _________ of ___________
by your ________?”
Ans: b. “If ye ___________ me ________ my _____________”.
NOTE: We serve whomever we obey, Romans 6:16 (1654). Will we serve Jesus and worship on His holy day, or will we serve, and thus worship, misguided men who were led by Satan to replace God’s holy day with a substitute? Jesus said very plainly that if we love Him, we will gladly keep His commandments. This includes Sabbath-keeping, which is the fourth commandment.
20. Are YOU willing to follow where Jesus leads? Though the road may sometimes be difficult, it leads to the tree of life in the city of God.
Ans: _____________________________________________
“If you love me, keep my commandments” John 14:15.