THE GODHEAD’S love and grace for humanity began being revealed in Genesis 1:1, progressing on through their mercy in Ge 3: 8 &15. Then revealed fully in Matthew chapter 27 and the open arms of invitation in Revelation 22:7-21. All scripture & time between properly understood reveals further the loving patient and merciful care of the Godhead for humanity. Christianity is not merely intellectually knowing, belonging, or in doing but in individually explicitly trusting God’s loving kindness faithfully expressed in His acts and shared wisdom. The Godhead’s first expressed desire was for intimate reoccurring mutually beneficial time together with His, then two, created beings Ge 2:2-3. A time made holy by His presence , blessed and continuing like the sun, fish, birds, and flora. A time, like any appointment – when & if each participant arrives at the appointed time determines the benefits gained. In any ongoing deepening relationship with Christ termed Christianity, the relational time set by God in Genesis 2:2-3 determines WHO you intimately relate with and the ultimate depth of that relationship. Allowing this foundational relational fracture is arguably the major contributor to the greater than 45,000 different Christian denominations worldwide (Center for the Study of Global Christianity – accessed 7,’2025)
The scriptures are about WHO a human ideally will hold in esteem, admiration, respect, honor & adoration due to their worthiness. Starting in Genesis chapters 1& 2 with the loving kindness of GOD, our Divine Parent Lk 3:38, being graciously revealed in & by His creation. Continuing in Ge ch. 3 with mercy for Adam & Eve after acting out their distrust; God’s merciful pleading for Cain’s wisdom of choice in his granted freedom followed by divine temporal judgement mixed with mercy in Gen ch.4. Continuing on to the symbolic sacrificial lamb in Christ’s promise of Ge 3:15, which was implicitly revealed in Abel’s sacrifice in Ge 4 and Abraham’s time with his son Issac on Mount Moriah and its knowledge explicitly refreshed at the Hebrew exodus from Egypt Ex 12:43-50, to the sacrificial Lambs reality/actuality in Mt 4:9; 27:46 with Jesus, Son of Man, Son of God on the cross, explained in 1Jn 4:16. Note the onlooking angels admiring & honoring His Creator-ship, His sustaining grace, mercy & kindness & His unbelievable freely chosen sacrifice to extinguish human’s guilt – all reinforcing the worthiness of His Kingship. These realities involve both the Father Rev 4:11 & the Son 5:12 as the angels worship.
The Why of the WHO in this worship scene is again foundationally anchored in Genesis chapters 1-2. Both GOD & LORD from Ge chap.1 & 2 imply: Maker, Creator, divine parentage, the One who exists and causes to exist. These together used well over 10,000 times in scripture, and if Jesus & Christ who came to show the Father are added the count is over 12,000 references to divinity or greater than 10 per scriptural page – sans pronouns & > 100 titles of illustration! The Bible is not primarily about the antediluvians, the universal flood, Abraham, Moses, King David, the nation of Israel – past, present or future – the apostles, Paul, nor of prophecy, but about divinity and how divinity has patiently, compassionately in deep love interacted with fallen humanity to woo them back to full trust for their salvation and desired relationship growth. “These are they that testify of Me” is how Christ refocused the Pharisees Jn 5:39!
The where and how one worships – has changed through this world’s four major post fall dispensations: 1) The time of the family/clan church with the antediluvians worship – when done – led by the family patriarch using a symbolic sacrificial lamb from Abel to the flood Genesis chapters 4,5 – with the time rounded out at ~ 1500 yrs. 2) The development of a national church post flood with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph & then several hundred yrs with expanding offspring in their Egyptian sojourn in freedom then slavery; worship done – when done – was in each individual family with a symbolic sacrificial lamb ~ 1500 yrs. 3) The initiation of that nation at their exodus from Egypt thus bringing into existence a national church – the Israelite nation with the where of their worship the Tabernacle & then the Sanctuary. A people chosen to, but miserably failing to reveal God’s loving kindness Hosea, Eze 16:44-52 to a world bent on self destruction until their house was left to them desolate Mt 32:38-39. Their time lasting ~1500 yrs. 4) The time of the worldwide “Christian” church Dt 17:6; Mt 18:16; 2 Cor 13:1. Worshiping in groups/churches &/or as individual temples now with their/our faith based on historical evidence and life changes “taste and see that the Lord is good,” lasting now at about ~ 2000 yrs. Here delineating God’s four major attempts to turn the human herd in their race toward the cliff Mt 8:32. Where & how one worships is important within each dispensation. Yet when one worships was/is consistent throughout all four dispensations because when is the major determinant of WHO one is worshiping Ex. 20: 3-11. Begun in Genesis 2:1-3 by our Creator as a rhythmic return on His designated, revolving, appointed reciprocity time, a relational time for meeting, for mutual blessings – mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically with our Creator – getting to know our Divine Parent – “our Father who art in heaven,” & He us Luke 3:38. A time that, when sincerely entered into brings mutual benefits beyond description. A time with our divine parent who divinely appointed and termed that time in Hebrew, “My Sabbaths, The LORD’S day, the day of YAHWEH, JEHOVAH’S ’s Sabbath, The LORD’s day of rest” with examples found in places such as Ex 16: 23, 25, 26; 20:10,11; 35:2; Neh 9:14; Mt 12:8; Ez 20:24; 45:24; Mk 2:27, Rev 1:10. Sabbath worship makes a specific reoccurring rhythmic time dividing human life into consistent bite sized pieces. This worship time in scripture is specifically defined greater than 125 times as Sabbath, Sabbaths, Seventh-day, Day of rest. A time set aside by the Creator at creation in Genesis 2:2-3 by blessing it and making it Holy with His faithful reoccurring beneficial presence on His Day. His presence is that which makes it holy, desiring to be with us for mutual benefit – reciprocity – as is implied in Ge 2:2-3; made implicit in Ge 3:8 with the Creator coming to earth to be with His created beings in the cool of the day – the evening beginning of the blessed time being faithfully made holy by His faithful presence. This invitation was then biblically made explicit in Ex 16: 4, 14-31 & 20: 9-11 – “Remember..to keep it…” The blessings of Gen 2:2-3 to be found are further revealed and delineated in Isaiah 58:8-14. No other day has been recorded in scripture as being blessed and made holy with His presence. The scriptures continually emphasize worshiping relationships, wise and unwise, and end by speaking of worship 24 times in the Bible’s last book, the book of the Revelation of Jesus as the Son of God, written by John about his vision on “the LORD’S day,” the Day unchanged throughout biblical history which He reminds us of again in Rev 22:14 with: “those who do (carry out, fulfill) His commandments” including – the Creator’s, the Maker’s day of Genesis 2:1-3; Ex 16:5,23-30.
The devil, the serpent, the adversary, king of Tyre, dragon, father of lies, the tempter revealed in places such as Ge ch.3, Job ch.1,2; Isa, 14:14 Ez 28, Mt 4:9, Rev 12:9 is worshiped knowingly or via deceit unknowingly. He often conceals his worship with his place taken by divinely created objects represented by various stand-ins thus termed idols Ex 20:14. Objects such as the bull calf at the foot of Mt Sinai which was one of the representation of Ra the ancient sun god of Egypt. Later at the threshold of Christianity like as at the threshold of the Israelites nation at the foot of Mt Sinai, the Roman Sol Invictus’ common day of rest, worship & community gatherings (dies solis) along with the Roman’s hating of the Jews, led Emperor Hadrian to ban all 7th day worship ~ AD135 leading ancient Christian church fathers such as Jerome to write of Sunday: “If it is called the day of the sun by pagans we most willingly acknowledge it as such, since it is on this day that the Light of the World appeared and on this day the Sun of Justice has risen” Wikipedia 6/11/2025 clandestinely fusing Christianity with astrology and paganism (Fiveable Library) . And again like the stiff-necked Ex 32:9 Jews at the foot of Mt Sinai, they too began worshiping that which took the place of their Creator. Later Pope Sylvester AD 314-335 commanded Christians to transform the joyful feasting on each Sabbath to fasting to denigrate the day. Here we see a non-sola scriptura shell game being played with God’s appointed day of meeting for worship. A worship which continues by ignoring the Bible”s repeated caution against sun worship Dt 4:19; 17:3; Job 31:26; 2 Cor 33:3; 2 Ki 23:5,11; Eze 8:16; ch. 27; 28:16; Acts 7:42; Rom 1:25. This leading eventually to the dragon through the beast being worshiped and in the end times joined by the “image of the beast” as noted in Rev 20:4. On the opposite side, Revelation speaks of those who are not worshiping the beast directly or indirectly but who worship the Creator God, their Divine Parent, their Originator, their nascency, the One Jn 1:1-4 who expiated by His perfect life and atoning death Mt 27 the guilt of our sins as in Rev 5:14; 19:4; 12:17; 14:7 along with many other references. This rhythmic meeting time for worship of & with the WHO – our Creator God – continues on through eternity as noted in Isaiah 66:23 & Hebrews 4:1-10. Whom do you pay private and public acknowledgement of allegiance to? Is it your Maker, your Divine Parent, the expiator of the guilt of your sins whom we alone should hold in esteem, admiration, trust, respect & honor by meeting with Him in growth and mutual blessings on His day? The deceiver wants you to step out of trust in your Creator’s loving wisdom and worship Isa 14:12-14 as he powerfully desired but failed with the Son of Man in the wilderness of temptation Mt 4:1-10!
Getting humans to miss their Creator’s visit is commonly knowingly or unknowingly, deceitfully promoted by misinterpretation of Bible verses such as: Acts 20:7 – which actually was our Saturday night: or 1 Cor 16:2 – which merely encourages the setting aside of God’s money while they were completing their prior weeks business books on the first day on the week: or Mt 28:1; Mk 16:12; Jn 20:11 – recording that Mary & Mary went to see the tomb after both Christ and they enjoyed the rest of the Sabbath: or Jn 20:19 – when terrified disciples simply had shut themselves in, hiding in fear of the Jewish leaders: or Romans chs. 7 & 8 – referring to the reality law of sin – that sin: distrust leading to harm – unforgiven – results in death as warned of originally in Genesis 2:17. And yet not we, but only He is to judge humans, is the related message of Romans chs. 14 & Col 2:16. We are to love our fellow humans & love alone.
We are to judge what’s good or harmful as shared in scriptures but not other humans. That is God’s knowledgeable, merciful, gracious business alone. Human judgement is based on divinely revealed realities about what is beneficial or harmful and early on is given by such examples as in Ge 2:17 with Eve & then Adam choosing the harmful, in Gen 4 with Abel choosing right and Cain choosing the harmful with his own form of worship expression, then with God’s merciful gentle, disapproval – both revealing human prior knowledge of harmful behaviors (sin) or sin would not be sin. Later God Himself, in grace cautioned Cain not to be angry Gen 4 and Cain’s actions reveal that anger does lead to death. The reality is that God alone judges the human – “Judge not that ye be not judged” Mt 7:1-5. Yet in mercy He stayed & still stays the immediate and full results of the reality of the law of sin and death Ge 2:17 – “perish” Jn 3:16. Another misinterpretation concerns the sabbaths of Col 2:16 which actually are defined by reading on to the next verse, vs.17 revealing them as the precursor feast shadows of Christ, Lev 23:38, WHO came, lived, died and rose again. Not the preceding/antedated memorial of His creation Sabbath of Ge 2:1-3 – the day of Yahweh of which He is LORD as Jesus affirmed in Mk 2:28; Mt 12:8; Lk 6:5 – & affirmed/confirmed here by triple written repetitions. A day on which the post resurrection apostle, Paul to the Gentiles, continued – post atonement – his customary creational Sabbath worship as recorded in Acts 16:13; 17:2, and continued to worship on this revolving Sabbath of Creation week for 18 months in Corinth & for a further 3 months post resurrection in Ephesus. The true Biblical memorial of Christ’s death, burial & resurrection was also defined by Paul in Rom 6:3-5 & Col 2:12 as full immersion baptism – a mirroring of Christ’s discussion with Nicodemus in Jn 3.
A similarly & related misinterpretation is that God’s requirements, commandments, decrees, & laws were only for the Israelite nation given at Sinai – yet in revealed reality, they predated the Israelite nation @ Sinai see Ex 16. Note again they were predated by >450 years in Gen 29:21 with Jacob & Rachel remaining sexually pure for 7 years. And before that Gen 26:5 reveals that Abraham “kept God’s commandments, statutes, and laws” ESV. Further back it was noted in Ge ch.6 that humans did morally harmful (unrighteous) behavior before the biblically recorded universal flood. And further back still God spoke to Cain in Gen 4:7 saying, “sin is crouching at your door.” And sin to be sin “is the transgression of the law” 1Jn 3:4. These realities cast deep doubt on the dubious interpretations that the law of God was only for the Israelite nation and/or was done away with. The Kingdom of Heaven is like all kingdoms, nations, states, counties, cities, sports, clubs & even dens of thieves that exist only with written &/or unwritten laws, requirements, commandments. No Christian should verbally or literally support or embrace Lucifer, Satan, the serpent, the deceiver, the Devil who is “the man of lawlessness,” – chaos – 2 Thes 2:1-12. The difference Christ brought to the divine law, the law defining selfless love that does no harm but “is perfect…trustworthy…radiant…sure…pure…enduring forever…righteous altogether.” Ps 19:7-9 the law of love Ro 13:8-14; Jm 2:8, was not in the letter, nor in it’s “abolishment” Mt 5:17-20, but in “its establishment” Ro 3:31 – so God will have some “who do His commandments” (Hebrew “entole”) in the end time so as to “have the right to enter the gates” of the New Jerusalem “and to eat of the tree of life,” Rev 22:14! Yes, He fulfilled the law – like a student physician fulfills the requirements to become a doctor while not eliminating them! The difference Christ brought was the source of motivation Jer 24:7; Jer 31:33; 1Jn 1:7-10 & capability Col 1:27. Proving faithful to God through His life thus proving that a member of the human race – Son of Man – can remain in the image of God – His character. Then He expiated human guilt by His death & provided & gifted through the Holy Spirit His life so that through Him humans can fulfill the laws’ foundation and full structure of selfless other centered love. As Jesus put it in Jn 14:15 “If you love Me you will be keeping (the Hebrew verb is past, present & future ) My commandments,” – equally interpreted as instructions, prescriptions. Why? Because they steer you away from harm -as the command in Ge 2:17 – and to the good of selfless love – see Romans 13:8-10; Gal:5:14, Jms 1:25; 1 Jn 2:7. Not just one, three or nine but all ten James 2:10.
Some will look at texts such as Gal 3:23-25; 4:4 & 5:18 as implying that God’s laws are not now binding. It’s beneficial to note word meanings, to read further and to consider the realities of why. To begin with the word ‘under’ in these texts has two meanings: One – “short of some quality,” – here perfection via sinning, thus under the law’s condemnation. Two – “protected” – such as covered/protected by being under such as an awning or roof (Merriam Webster Dictionary). At our creation we humans were covered/protected by being created ‘under’ His image – His character within Ge 1:26-27; Ex 33:18-19; 34:5-6. We humans distrusted the word of, thus God Ge 3, choosing to turn from Him and thus came out from under the protection of His character and under the condemnation – the natural reality – of the law via our guilt. Christ through His Incarnation, sinless life, death & resurrection – promised in Ge 3:15, then accomplished as recorded in Mt, Mk, Lk & Jn – expiated – removed – not the law but the guilt – of each one’s transgressions, opening the way, if we so choose, to come out from under the condemnation of the law and to be again under the cover of the law via it’s – truely His character of love – re-written in our hearts and minds Ro 13:8-14; Gal 5:14; Mt 22:34-40; 1 Jn 4:8,16; Heb 8:10 as promised in Ps 51:6. Thus we can be divinely released from the condemnation of the law individually by His application of His Atoning sacrifice via Christ’s present High Priestly ministry as illustrated in the OT sanctuary and Zech ch. 3, & given reality in the NT book of Hebrews. The law which Paul describes in Ro 7:12 as “holy” (thus God’s presence) “righteous” (acting in accordance with God”s standards S) “and good” ( moral quality S). So Paul could boldly tell Timothy “to keep the (Heb “entole”) commandments” in Tim 6:14 – not by his might nor by his power but by His spirit Zech 4:6 with in Gal 5:22; Col 1:27. For “it is Christ who works in us both to will and to do His good pleasure” Phip 2:13. Verifying Jesus Christ’s words of My 5:17-20 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law: I have not come to abolish them…”
Why? It is helpful to note the not uncommonly counted 57 Hebrew words comprising the chiasticly structured 10 Instructions/Prescriptions/Commandments of Exodus 20:2-17 – the Instructions/Prescriptions/Commandments which the apostle Paul describes – as scripturally is Christ – “holy,” “righteous,” and “good” Ro 7:12. At the very center, the apex of this chiastic structure are the words, “the Seventh day Sabbath.” Why? To meet in reciprocity with our faithful Divine Parent – Creator Ex 20:11! Worship. Worship of & with WHO is of, yes, central import. The great deceiver has tricked many, in part with a sleight of hand shell game isolating Rev. 1:10 from the mass of scriptural evidence beginning in Genesis 2:1-3 and placing an appointment with the sun in God’s place Rom 1:25. Jesus’ invitation as our Creator is still, “Come unto Me” Mt 11:28; Jn 7:37; Isa 55:1-9; Rev 22:17.
Further note that the Sabbath is – “the sign” – that you know and relate with the One who makes you holy through His Atonement Ex 31:13, and sanctifies by the fruits of the Spirit – even as one of the non-Abrahamic Gal 3: 7,29 descendants of the “Israel (over-comers Ge 32:28) of God,” by God Gal 6:16, Rom 11:25; 9:6,24; 1 Co 10:18; Jer 12:14-16. Thus one is recognizing and meeting with, getting to know in mutual benefit the One promised in Gen 3:15, the Lamb slain from the foundation of this world Rev 13:8; 1 Pe 1:19,20; Rev 5:6; Eph 1:4; Titus 1:22 Tim 1:8,9….who atoned for – expiated the guilt of – everyone’s sin Mk ch.15; Ro 5:11 taking us out of the slavery Isa 42:7; 61:1; Ro 6:6 of sin Ex 20:2; Dt 5:15 by placing the Law/Instructions/Prescriptions/Commandments of liberty Jms 1:25 via the infusion of His selfless love into our hearts Gal 5:22; Prov. 3:1; Eze 16:59-63; 1Jn 2:7; 4:7-19, James 2:12. The ignoring or intentionally breaking of any or all of these prescriptions/proscriptions – without accepting His forgiveness then power to do right – leads to/ends in death as noted in the law of sin & death of Genesis 2:17; & Ex 31:14 & Rev ch.19 & 20. Yes, Genesis 2:1-3 is organically linked with Exodus 20:8-11 & Revelation 9:4; 12:17 & Revelation 14:7 & 22:14.
It is asked: Does a person have to worship on the only day of the week given a name – Sabbath – in scriptures – this 7th day – it’s meaning in well over 100 major languages including the most ancient Babylonian tongue – to be truely sola scriptura?
The instruction/prescription/invitation to join in the seventh-day Sabbath relational rest with our Creator, our nascency, our originator was first instituted as the last of the seven days of creation Ge 2:2,3. That is where we get the final day of our current seven day week. Delineated again for us in the Ten Commandments cautioning us to avoid harm as in Ge 2:17b via eightproscriptions (1-3 & 6-10) and to enjoy the delights of, like Ge 2:17a, of 2 prescriptions (4&5). A uniform standard applies to all ten. Thus we may reframe the question, Does a person have to refrain from murder, adultery, theft, and the worshiping other so called gods to be a true Christian? A person who knowingly and willingly disregards any of these instructions could hardly be called a follower of God via Christ or joyfully live forever in the selfless other-centered harmonic love of heaven Jn 3:16. While God requires us to keep His laws/instructions for our own good Dt 10:13 we must remember Christ Jesus came into this world, in the love of God to save sinners not in but from sin 1 Tim 1:15, Mt 1:21 for our own good . It is only through His transforming power via the Spirit Gal 5:22 that we can be changed from law breakers to reason [Isa 1:18 ] and love 1 Cor 13 – thus law (instruction, proscription, prescription) keepers go from chaos to harmony. And it is God who will work in you, in us (with our invitation) to both will and to act to fulfill His good purposes Phil 2:13. As Christ said, “if you love Me you will be keeping (the continuous form of the Greek verb) My commandments” Jn 14:15.
All ten instructions are illustrated in Revelation ch.13 &14 being described in Rev 15: 4 as His righteousness, [righteous acts, commandments (S)].
To whit: illustrating the first three proscriptions:
1 14:4 – They follow the LAMB = NO other GODS
2 13:14-15 – They set up and worship the image = No graven image
3 13:5 – proud, blasphemous, slander His name = Not take His name in vain
The two prescriptions:
4 14:7 – worship Him who made Genesis 1: 26,27= divine originators – meanings of GOD & LORD
5 14:7 – (honor those) who made Genesis 1: 28 = temporal originators
The final five proscriptions:
6 13:15- be killed = thou shalt not kill
7 14:4 – not defiled by women = thou shalt not commit adultery
8 13:6 – steal reputation/honor = thou shalt not steal
9 14:5 – no lie found in mouth = thou shalt not lie
10 13:15 – caused all such as refused to worship the image to be killed
= thou shalt not covet- here worship see Ge 3:5, Mt 4:9.
If one thinks about it again, it is obvious that the short list of instructions/commandments/directions/prescriptions/proscriptions/laws of God were known by: 1) our first human forerunners Adam & Eve and the subsequent antediluvians Gen chap. 3 and 6:5; 2) by the post flood humans as noted by Moses, Jacob and Rachel”s behaviors Ge 17:1; 26:5; 29:21; 3) recorded being given as a reminder at the beginning of the Israelite nation leaving Egypt in Ex chs.16 & 20; 4) reminded of again at the beginning of the Christian church with: love the Lord with all your heart & your neighbor as yourself & If you love me you will be keeping My commandments & they are not burdensome Mt 22:37-39; Jn 14:15; 1 Jn 5:3; 5) the people at the end of this world’s history keeping God’s commandments twice mentioned Rev 12:17 & 14:12 with all the instructions illustrated as noted in Rev chapters 13 & 14; 6) only those keeping “all” Jms 2:10 in love 1 Cor 13 by His presence and power are recorded as welcomed into the harmony of eternal life Rev 22:7,14; and 7) worshiping & rejoicing on the 7th day Sabbath together with our Creator and divine parent on the 7th day of each week throughout eternity Isa 66:23.
Yes, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” Ps 119:105. His commandments, laws, instructions, precepts etc. are mentioned 145 times in Ps 119 after the central chapter of scriptures Ps 118 which raises praise to God, our originator, for His everlasting mercy from “Him In whom there is no shadow of turning” Jms 1:17,18 – keeping us from the chaos of darkness.
In what is considered the most accurate Old Testament translation from original Hebrew was done by Helen Spurrell, with God speaking of the Creation Sabbath to the Israelites – as an echo of the warning to the newly minted human beings in their dietary warning/test of trust Ge 2:17, “Of every tree of the garden eating thou doest eat and of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou doest not eat of it , for in the day of thine eating of it – dying thou doest die” YLT – Helen Spurrell translates Exodus 31:14: “everyone defying it, in dying must die, everyone who works on it shall be cut off (“excommunicated”, MSG) from His people”. The caution then to the new nation of Israel continues now to “the Israel” [ victors, over-comers] “of God,” Ge 4:7; 32:28b; Isa 41:8; Mal 4:4; Gal 3:28-29; 6:14-16; 3:29; Ro 9:6,8; 1 Cor 10:18; Col 3:11; 1Jn 1:12; and Rev chapters. 2 & 3 seven times & to the final reality of overcoming Rev 21:7 “he who overcomes – the temptations – will inherit all this.” The Holy Scriptures begin and end the OT & NT with overcoming. The OT- beginning with Ge 4:7 God encouraging Cain “overcome” (GNT, & overcome is the #1 synonym (Word Hippo) for the common translation “rule over it,”) and ending with Mal 4:4 “all Israel”- Israel meaning per God’s words in Ge 38:32 over-comers NIV -victors. The NT begins with “He will save His people from their sins” Mt 1:21 – ie. overcome, not just forgiving but enabling (sanctification); then ending with Rev 21:7 “he that overcomes will have the right to eat from the tree of life.” [“overcoming “in the same way that I overcame” Rev 3:21 NIRV, NCV, by “I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you” Jn 14:20. Yet, like Cain of Genesis chapter 4, or the thief on his cross, God’s grace & mercy still stays with each, inviting till our temporal end. And He speaks of the earthly end of time, meaning final judgement where in dying as sinners – if we did not in this life chose to die to self with Christ – we die [“perish” Jn 3:16], Dan 8:17,19; Mt 18: 30-40, Rev 1:3; 22:10. No individual nor nation – if the scriptures are rightly divided – are being given a third chance, nor being judged by a different standard, thus making it unfair to those who went before! Jeremiah 18 & Eze 18, along with many biblically recorded historic scenarios (Jonah & Nineveh) , make it plain that all of God’s promises ( that which He would like to do) and threatenings (that which He would hope us not to) are alike conditional on our trusting or trust-less intellectual & behavioral choices.
The question hangs: How recurrently can we jilt/reject an appointment with or stand up a dearly desired friend/parent before it affects permanently the reciprocity to be found in full connection with the ROCK of our salvation? 1Cor 13, Gal 5:6, Isa 44:8, Ex 16:28, Dan 2:34,44-45, Dt 8:15; 32:31, 1 Sam 2:2, 2 Sam 22 x5, Ps 18:2,31; 1 Cor 10:14 our Creator. Yes, there is only ONE ROCK Isa 44:8 with the apostle Peter being termed but a pebble (see the discussion Christ was answering in Mt 16: 1,6,13 to understand a proper translation & His parable in Mt 7:24-27).
It would be wise to take to heart for our own benefit Christ’s words in His inaugural address to the citizens of this world as He set forth the conditions of citizenship in the realm of heaven. His recorded words in Mathew 5:19 speak to this issue at hand:
“Whosoever therefore shall trivialize/relax/disobey/set aside/ignore/consider unimportant (MSG/ESV/GNT/ NIV/ NLT/GW), even the smallest/least important (MSG/GNT) of these instructions/prescriptions/commands/laws (S) and shall teach men so (RSV), will be the least esteemed/shall count for little/will only have trivialized yourself (TCNT/RIEU/MSG) in the realm of heaven (MOF)”.
You will not succeed by your own strength or by your own power, but by My Spirit “says the LORD All-Powerful,” Zechariah 4:6 NCV.
“The sign” (mark/symbol of origin/indication of ownership) “between Me and the people of – the victor/overcomer” of Ex 31:13,17 & Ezekiel 20:12 is “the seal” (“authentication – without which the certificate in useless” Dict.com) of Ge 2:1-3 & Rev 7:2 & 9:4. “GOD – CREATED – HEAVEN & EARTH” (officially comprised of Name, Authority, Domain) Ex 20:11 – the WHO. Again tying scripture together from Ge 1 to Rev 22 & beyond Heb 4:9; Isa 66:23.
The Seal/The Sign to be placed on the foreheads Dt 6:8; 11:18; Ez 10:6; Mt 23:5 symbolizes that they have chosen to internalize the instructions/commands/proscriptions/prescriptions (S) ie. the character of God as noted in Ps 37:31; 40:8; Prov 3:1. “To whom He said this is the resting place” Ge 2:2-3; Ex 16:23,25,26; Ex 20:9-11 “let the weary rest…this is the place of repose” Gen 2:2-3; Isa 28:12 “but they would not listen” Isa 28:12 NIV. “They stagger… they stumble,…who is He trying to teach…to whom is He to make understand His message” ASV “to children?…yet over this simple straight forward message,” Tay “they will go, fall backward and be broken, snared and taken” MSG Isa 28: 7-13. “This people draw near me with their mouth and honor me with their lips while …their reverence for me is a routine observance of the precepts (traditions) of men” NEB. “You turn things upside down – shall the potter be regarded as the clay – the thing made say of it’s maker – he did not make me or the thing formed say of him who formed it – he has no understanding” Isa 29:13 &16.
It is the WHO we have the privilege of worshiping in mutual relational benefits – To worship in glad adoration – as we are called/encouraged temporally again to meet with our originator, our nascency, our CREATOR in this time of the end that ends in the end of time – “Worship Him WHO made….Rev 14:7!”
note: most quotations are from the New International Version NIV, the English Standard Version ESV, or the King James KJV. Others: Good News Translation GNT, New Century Version NCV, Young’s Literal Translation YLT, New International Readers Version NIRV, Strong’s Concordance & Dictionary S, Message MSG, New Living Translation NLT, God’s Word GW, Moffat Mof, Revised Standard Version RSV, The Four Gospels Rieu, Taylor Tay, American Standard Version ASV, Bible in Basic English Bas. AI artificial Intelligence
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APPENDIX 1 BRIEFS A. B. C. D. E.
A: When is the LORD’S DAY?
Ge 2:2-3
Ex 16:25
Ex 20:10-11
Lev 23:38
Neh 9:14
Isa 58:13
Mt 12:1-8; Mk 2:22-28; Lk 6:1-5
Rev 1:10
B: The battle for WORSHIP: a condensed primer
Ge 3:6-8
Ex 20:3, 8-9
Dt 6:4 “The Lord our God, the Lord alone.” (marginal reading NIV ESV …see Ex 20:3). Both Lord and God strongly imply Creator.
Isa 14:12-14
Eze 28:2
Idols – Dt 32:18,21
Ez 6:13
2 Cor 23:17-18; 28:2
Isa 2:8
Jer 2:11
Eze 5:9; 11:21
Hosea 4:17
Mt 4:1-11 Christ in the wilderness of temptation
Rom 1:25 “although they knew God they did not honor Him as God” (“God always implies Creator” AI 7-’25)
Rev 14:7 “worship Him who made”
C. The unused prophecy of Exodus 7 – 12.
The final conflicts/tests/actions and results concerning the WHO of worship were prefigured in ancient times by Moses’/God’s interactions with the Egyptian Pharaoh, like Ramses II, and his people in Ex 7:8-10:29 which included sun worship. The conflict was not with Pharaoh nor his people but, “on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD” Ex 12:12 ESV. This was affirmed in Num 33:4 with “on their gods the LORD executed judgements” ESV. Why? Ezekiel reveals God’s desire, His purpose, His hope for Egypt ( as He has for all nations Isa 19: 23-25, Jer 18:5-12, and people 2 Pe 3:9 ) that, “then they will know that I am the LORD” Ez 29:21. Yet final reality is determined by our choices Jer 18: 5-12; Ez 18:19-24; Jonah & Nineveh. God first revealed His power over their sacred snake god (a symbol of the one found in Ge 3:1 & Rev 12:9) who would, in false belief, protect and guide the Pharaoh to his afterlife, as in front of Pharaoh the Rod of God swallowed up all the wise counselor’s rods turned snakes. God then revealed His full power over 8 to 21 of their major gods ( they venerated more than 1500 gods & goddesses). Lastly God demonstrated that neither their principle sun god Ra nor it’s shadow the moon god was able to give light as a 3 day period of total darkness settled over Egypt prior to the final judgement of death. (This time only to the first born of those adhering to these non-gods – behind each who are demons Dt 32:17; Rev 9:20) All – just prior to the deliverance of His people who were inspired/spurred on by their new appellation ‘Israel’ meaning overcomer/victor Ge 32:28, Gal 6:16, Rev 3:21. All these foreshadowing the final scenes of the conflict regarding the WHO of worship. The Egyptian plagues of Exodus 7-12 prefigure the future preparatory trumpet warnings of Rev 8:2 through 11:18 and both reflecting the future reality of the 7 last plagues of Rev 16. The ensuing deliverance of the Israelite people from Egyptian slavery revealing the reality of Rev 17 – 22:21’s final deliverance of His over- coming ( though “Not by might nor by power but by My Spirit” Zec 4:6; Gal 5:22 via “Christ in us the hope of glory” Col 1:27) people. Worship the One who in verity is the embodiment of total selfless love – our CREATOR.
D: A reciprocity of relationships seems to be a #1 priority with our Creator as He set aside one day out of seven beginning with our first full day of life Ge 2:2-3 and a short time later He was recorded dropping by on an anniversary of that day in Ge 3:8 when He encouraged His newly minted witnesses out of Egypt to remember the appointment day in Ex 16:22-30 even before Ex 20: 8. Then in Rev 2:4-5 “One like the Son of Man” 1:13 noted that the first major falling away in the Christian era was the creating of a relational void beginning ~ 100 years after His Atonement – thus a relational time & love loss. A time much like a birthday, the Sabbath is a time of joyous relational celebration with our Originator. He then requested us to “remember your “first activity”(S) – the rest of Ge 2:2-3. Again in Rev 14:7, a messenger from heaven gives a call for the appointed relationship time with our Creator/Originator to be reconsidered & returned to.
E: Human’s historical days for/of relationship/worship. Worship – the revealing of our reverence/respect/adoration of our nascency/originator/benefactor who loves us – or fear of a fear-monger.
1: Ante-diluvians and post-diluvians – the ideal given in Ge 2:2-3 of the 7th day but humans drifted into the fear of fear-mongering paganism.
2: Paganism/Hinduism with their myriad (330 million Hindi) different deities (gods/ idols/ Baals/ ancestors ) each one linked to different weekdays for worship (Hindi holy writings).
3: Judaism – the Seventh day “Remember the Sabbath day..” Ex 20:8; of Ge 2:2-3
4: Greek/Roman/Norse weekly calendar of nature deities and our Anglo-Saxonized secular week days:
dies Solis – day of the sun Sunday
dies Lunae Monday
dies Martis (Norse tia) Tuesday – god of war
dies Mercurii (Norse wodin – odin) Wednesday – Norse chief god
dies Lovis -Jupiter (Norse thor) Thursday – Norse god of lighting/thunder – King of gods
dies Veneris (Norse frigg) Friday – Venus, god of love & fertility
dies Saturni Saturday – saturnalia – the end and the beginning of the year – and the world in Gk and Ro mythology. Saturn = sater = one who lies in wait to ambush. The original word for this day was Sabbath originating (per Wikipedia), at the world’s creation and the continued meaning of the 7th day in 130 modern languages. While Portuguese, Vietnamese, like Judaism use the ordinal phrases, “the first day/the second day/the third day….the seventh day .
5: Christianity – Christ – the 7th day
Apostles – the 7th day –
Then beginning ~ 100 years after Christ’s death, the day for worship with the one Creator God began – due to ostensible secular/social and political pressures, thus based in fears – drifting over to the first day – dies Solis. Then over an ensuing 300 year span it came to be “officially” made by western Roman Catholicism “a Christian tradition” – see Gal 1:14 – to worship on dies Solis – meaning Sol, the sun god in Latin, Surya (Hindu), Ra/Aten (Egyptian), Helios/Apollo (Greek), Sol (Roman), Shamash (Mesopotamian), Amaterasu (Japanese), Inti (Incan), Tonatiuh (Astec) …. with only a minority in number [although over 500 denominations (depending on how one defines denominations) world wide today AI 7-’25]. Sun god worship can be traced back through polytheistic cultures to 3500 BC with sun gods being in the top four cultural gods, yet all through history their were and are still those meeting & worshiping their loving nascency/benefactor on His 7th day of Genesis 2:2-3 & Rev 14:7. Does it matter?
The day’s relational reciprocity gains it’s true import not from the ‘which’ but from the ‘WHO’. And, viewed from one facet, seems to be a faith test – much akin to the faith test of Ge 2:17. A simple test looking for those inspired & motivated by a deep mutual desire for relationship, respect, adoration, appreciation coming from and revealing our full trust in our Nascency’s/Creator’s/Benefactor’s unending, everlasting, undeniable fullness of omniscient, selfless, other-centered, actively interested ongoing LOVE.
Should we as individuals stand truly/totally sola Scriptura? It would have been best for our race if Eve and Adam had considered that the pre-incarnate WORD, in sharing His word in Genesis 2:17, was as demonstrated to them through Creation, –lovingly omniscient to & interestedin each & all of His Creation– & in considering, humbled themselves, thanked Him, and followed. And we?
E. One sign of God is revealed in Ex 13:9 as the Passover in the hand (behavior/action) and between the eyes (forehead/mind/choice). The passover was an active (perfect lamb, unleavened bread and blood over the door posts – now of our hearts) reminder, a celebration of the predictions of Ge 3:15 & Dan 9:20-27 with its reality revealed in Mt 27 – making people holy as He had made the Day holy in Ge 2:2-3. Now by cleansing (forgiving after expunging their guilt, then by purifying – the meaning of sanctification (Oxford).
One seal of God Ex 39:30 was “Holy to the Lord” worn on the forehead of the High Priest. Predating the seal of Rev 7:2-3 on the foreheads of His people to whom only those without the seal of God could be harmed 9:4 (forehead indicating an active choice). Then there is the seal of the Beast Rev 13:16 & 14:9. Noted again on the foreheador the hand meaning an active choice &/or passive action for what/he which/who is not God (Creator AI) To paraphrase the first three ‘commandments’: 1) Don’t replace Me with another god, 2) Don’t exemplify Me, 3) Don’t call yourself by My name in hypocrisy. The Seal, the Sign as the 7th day is referred to in 200 Biblical verses & is in reality but a simple warning/test. A test not unlike the Eden warning/test of Ge 2:17 ( given once), in which the problem was not in the type of fruit the tree grew ( “everything was very good” Ge 1: 31), but in the danger lurking there. God was like a human parent telling their child not to play with their lego’s on the center line – the roads fine, the center lines fine – its the danger lurking there. So the 7th day engagement/appointment time is a protection and a test since spiritual danger lurks on the other six days. See Ex 16:4,23-30 on this Seal/Sign used as a test. God’s testings are referred to greater than 50 times in scriptures, such as Ex 20:20; Dt 8:2,16; Jdg 2:22; 3:1-4; 1 Chr 29:17; 2 Chr 32:31; Ps 26:2; Ecc 2:1; Jer 6:27; Zech 13:9; Jas 1:12; Ge 22:1; 42:15; Dt 13:3… while Proverbs 17:3; Dt 13:3; 1 Th 2:4; Ex 16:4 reveals what the Lord is testing – the Lord is testing “the heart”. The question is, will we like Jacob at the Jabbok wrestling with the “angel” Ge 32:28 “overcome” (Bas) – and like Job in 23:10 “come forth as gold” from our testings?
In consideration of day’s, the which gains it’s import with the intimacy Ge 2:2-3 of the WHO – & My instructions “are not hard” 1 Jn 5:3 Bas.
LIFE EXCOGITATIONS 