In the world of religion there is much confusion concerning what day is to be kept as a day of worship unto God. As with any Biblical issue God's word must be the deciding factor in the matter. Let us clearly understand the issue is not whether the Sabbath was ever binding -- clearly it was, but is it still binding on us today?
Sabbath belonged to the Jewish age. "And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. Then he said to them, This is what the LORD has said: 'Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning." {Exodus 16:22,23} Not yet a law, this was a foreshadowing of the Sabbath law.
What did the Law of Moses say about the Sabbath? "Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy." {Exodus 20:8} It was one of the Ten Commandments. There was also a penalty in God's law for breaking of the Sabbath, Exodus 20:9,10. It reminded them of being slaves in Egypt. "And remember you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath." {Deuteronomy 5:15}
It was a sign between God and Israel. "...Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you." {Exodus 31:13} Later in the days of Nehemiah we are again reminded that the Sabbath law was given at Mount Sinai, Nehemiah 9:13,14. This was a special law given to God's special people -- Israel. This law was part of the national law that God gave to this chosen nation of His people. Clearly it belongs in the Jewish age among the people of God. When that law ended -- so did keeping the Sabbath!
No distinction in the Law of Moses and the Law of God. Sabbatarians try to sell us on the concept that the law of Moses and the Law of God are two different laws. Are they right? According to the book these two laws are one in the same. Proof? Just read the following passages: 2 Chronicles 34:14; Ezra 7:6; Mark 7:10; Nehemiah 8:1,14; Luke 2:22-24. Men must always create new false doctrine to cover another!
Ten Commandments done away in Christ. "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah -- not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt..." {Jeremiah 31:31,32} Notice "another covenant" which would be different than the one made with their fathers!
"Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another -- to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God." {Romans 7:4} Christians are dead to the Law of Moses!
The law was nailed to the cross of Christ. "Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." {Colossians 2:14} Men now live under the New Covenant, 2 Corinthians 3:6-14; Galatians 6:2.
Sabbath keepers do not keep the Sabbath law. What about all the laws regulating conduct on the Sabbath? Do they rest?(Exodus 35:1-3) What about the penalty for breaking the Sabbath? "Now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day...The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp..."{Numbers 15:32,36}
Do they give a burnt offering? (Numbers 28:9,10) Do they restrict their travel? (Exodus 16:29) Sadly, the modern day Sabbath keepers are quite inconsistent! Can man just take out of the law what he chooses and exclude that which he does not desire to keep?
The Sabbath day served its purpose well and God took it out of the way -- period!