Excuse III
The Pilgrimage Sabbath
Question:
Because of the extensive travel often required to attend services today, shouldn’t the Sabbath be treated more like a pilgrimage feast where meals were allowed to be prepared?
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After reading the second edition of A Sabbath Test, a long standing member of God’s Church wrote a lengthy letter to the book’s authors explaining why God now approves of His people seeking out Sabbath breakers and paying them for their labor on holy time. According to him, the Sabbath today is more like the pilgrimage feasts kept in ancient times because God’s people must travel great distances to attend services each week. Therefore, although the fourth commandment originally prohibited ALL work from being done on the weekly Sabbath, God now allows labor for the purpose of food preparation on this day just as He did for the Annual holy days so very long ago. This member never reveals where he received the authority to make this pronouncement, he simply declares it to be so. Here is how he begins his point.
Exodus 12:16 plainly and specifically provides for the work of meal preparation to eat on the Holy Days, at least during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. There's more here than meets the eye at first glance. It's the only scripture making this particular point about Holy Day meals. The KJV refers to "work that may be done in them." Why did God provide this provision? It could not possibly be because the High Holy Days are somehow "less holy" than the weekly Sabbath. The High Sabbaths, or Holy Days, are super-significant. They reveal His Plan of Salvation! That leaves us to conclude a loving God made this exception out of concern for His followers, and because meal preparation while worshiping away from home does not compromise Sabbath-keeping.
It is fair to conclude this may be a God-given principle which applies when a Sabbath is required to be kept at an inconvenient distance from people's homes, like the weekly Sabbath is today.
Blurring the Lines
Consider what this gentleman is suggesting. According to his Biblical wisdom, God considers traveling to services in a modern vehicle on paved roads, for as much as a few hours at most, to be just like what the ancients did when they gathered their families and traveled for several days, if not weeks, to honor the annual festivals. Does anyone sincerely believe the Almighty respects this argument? Sadly this member offers it. However, even then he must modify God’s law to say something it never even intimated. In truth, God only allowed His people to prepare their own meals on His annual feasts—not hire unbelievers to prepare them. Notice His instructions.
And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of YOU (Ex. 12:16).
Buying and Selling on the Sabbath
After offering his previous argument, this member presents an additional change in God’s Sabbath law. When doing so he again distorts scripture in order to make it conform to his sin. Notice how he does this.
Yes, Deut. 14:23-25 explains handling meals and second tithe on a Feast trip. If the place God chooses to convene His worshipers makes it impractical for a farmer to bring his own foodstuffs, he may convert his Festival Tithe into money and spend it eating out, away from home, at the Feast, even on the weekly Sabbath and holy days. This passage, too, shows God is concerned about the convenience of His worshipers.
Manipulating Scripture
Although this man vigorously asserts that God’s people have always been permitted to spend money on the weekly Sabbath and holy days during the pilgrimage feasts, the Bible says no such thing. The only reference to buying and selling on holy time in the scriptures categorically denounces this practice (Neh. 10:31).
Furthermore, there is not one syllable in the historical record to substantiate this man’s claim. On the contrary, history contradicts it as well. To illustrate this point consider that Jerusalem was the hub of Judaism during the time of Christ. It was there that virtually tens of thousands would go up to keep the annual festivals.
However, when doing so they never engaged in business on holy time. This is because ALL business stopped on the afternoon of the preparation day. As a matter of fact, one of the functions of the priests was to sound a trumpet announcing that the Sabbath was approaching and that all BUYING and Selling was to terminate. This fact is confirmed by the distinguished scholar, Dr. Alfred Edersheim.
The approach of the Sabbath, and then its actual commencement, were announced by threefold blasts from the priests' trumpets. When the priests for the first time sounded their trumpets, all business was to cease, and every kind of work to be stopped. The second time the priests drew a threefold blast, to indicate that the Sabbath had actually begun.
What is God Concerned About?
Furthermore, while this gentleman argues that God is "concerned about the convenience of His worshipers," we think He is more concerned about their OBEDIENCE. So important is the Sabbath to God that He actually established a separate covenant regarding this day. When doing so the great Creator declared that it was a perpetual covenant. He then laid out its terms—including the one that prohibited labor as well as the consequences for defiance. Here are the Almighty’s EXACT WORDS.
The Sabbath Covenant
Exodus 31: 12-18
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
Speak you also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily 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 that doth sanctify you.
You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defiles it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God. (Ex. 31:12-18)
Making Things Up
Despite the clear injunction in God’s Sabbath law, this COG member continues to announce that there is a new set of rules. Furthermore, he is more than willing to share what they are. After all, he made them up himself.
In Old Testament times, these situations [extensive travel] arose only on the High Holy Days. Today, they occur each week. It is true we would not spend our Festival Tithe for a meal on the weekly Sabbath; but if we are prepared to spend our own money, if that's how we've prepared for the day, does the God who was so solicitous for the convenience of the Old Covenant worshiper not care as much ... or more ... for His begotten sons? Our all-wise Creator probably inspired this timeless provision more for Sabbath-keepers in non-observant societies down through history, like ours today…
An Insult to True Believers
To suggest that the Lord of the Sabbath somehow condones what He once condemned is total nonsense. Furthermore, to suggest that God would craft His Holy day laws in such a way as to accommodate the Sabbath dining practices of this member is not only arrogant, it is an insult to the scores of true Sabbath–keepers who gave their lives because they rightly honored this day. These heroes of faith never employed “convenience” as a standard for what constitutes appropriate Sabbath behavior. Sadly, this man does just that.
To obey God's Sabbath commandment, most believers must now travel a great distance from their homes, to where God has convened His people. God Himself has changed the circumstances of the Sabbath. Today's weekly Sabbath is more like the ancient Holy Days, for which there were specific cooking and spending permissions. Earning the money during the six workdays for our Sabbath meal at the place outside our gates God commands us to assemble is preparation conforming to Christ's example and instruction, and thus a valid application of the principles.
Blaming God
The idea that “God Himself has changed the circumstances of the Sabbath,” is not only self serving, it is TOTALLY FALSE. Whether this member wants to believe it or not, this is NOT God’s world, everything in it is the product of another god. Satan himself is the one who inspires its cultures and traditions. With that said consider the following. Is it possible that a real God rejecting devil has fashioned our modern world with the specific purpose of estranging God’s people from Him. In other words, is it possible he has influenced society in such a way as to flood our lives with Sabbath breaking distractions disguised as essential components to proper worship? It would certainly seem so.
Something to Consider
For God to create the circumstances that now require His people to seek out Sabbath breakers and pay them for their profane labor He would have to reject the very law that makes it possible for His people to know Him. To do such a thing would contradict everything He is. Notice what He conveyed about this day.
Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. (Ex. 31:14)
The Rigors of Travel
Furthermore, this member’s attempt to enlist the rigors of traveling to Sabbath services as justification for dining out at carnal restaurants reflects extraordinary weakness. Imagine him explaining his plight to an ancient Israelite. To hear him describe it, the Israelite would probably wonder how this COG member could be so brave as to endure the hardship that had been forced on him every week, by God Himself, no less. WOW! The Israelites had it so easy when they traveled compared to this member.
The Lap of Luxury
The assertion made in this point is not only FALSE, it’s embarrassing. When this man travels to services every Sabbath he is in the lap of luxury compared to the children of Israel. When the Israelites traveled to the Feast they brought their food making equipment with them. Additionally, it was necessary for them to build makeshift kitchens to accommodate the needs of the family. We’re just curious, but how many times has this COG member had to set up camp when he journeyed to Sabbath services? Furthermore, for him to argue that God crafted His law regarding the pilgrimage feasts more for His people today is self centered, not to mention ludicrous. He did no such thing and to suggest otherwise is an insult to both the Lord of the Sabbath and the children of Israel.
Exposing Hypocrisy
However, if this COG member sincerely believes his "traveling a great distance" theory, what does he think about God’s people going out to Sabbath breakfast at a local diner before heading off to services? Or what about making Friday night dinner reservations at a nearby bistro where little or no distance is involved? Where does that fit into his rendering of Deuteronomy?
By making no distinction between the obvious rigors of travel faced by ancient Israel and the slight inconvenience faced by some in God’s Church today, this man claims real change is in order—and he knows exactly what that change should be. For starters, work is now permissible on the Sabbath. Additionally, professional labor may be contracted and paid for on holy time. Why? Because we have it tougher today than God’s people had it thousands of years ago when both work and buying and selling were clear breaches of God's Sabbath law.
A Contempt of Righteousness
Although this man claims to be applying the provisions God made for the pilgrimage feasts in his new Sabbath rules, he is doing no such thing. In truth he is not only brazenly trespassing God’s Sabbath law but also His law as it applies to the holy days. Consider what he advocates.
Outside Your Gates
This long standing member also contends that the distance traveled to services now requires Sabbath-keepers today to go "outside their gates." But is this true? Just what is the principle concerning “your gate” as it applies to God’s people today? To understand this, consider what takes place in the lives of God’s people every Sabbath in today’s world. Then you judge what is outside a believer’s gate.
First, as the Sabbath begins God’s people are in their homes where His law is being honored. Furthermore, His people have given God jurisdiction over what occurs in those homes. In other words He has authority over them. It is clear that such a place is within His people’s gate.
They are then in their cars where they are conveyed to a place of assembly (meeting hall). Although circumstance require some travel, God's people are not engaged in the world. In other words, they are not seeking out Sabbath breakers and purchasing their goods. Everything in their vehicle is being done in accordance with God's law and its enduring moral principle. Additionally, God’s people have authority over their vehicles. Once again we believe they are within their spiritual gate.
They then arrive at services where God‘s people are gathered and His law is being honored. Furthermore, they possess a reasonable expectation that the True God is there in spirit and presiding over the services. Clearly this is still within their "spiritual" gate. In other words, they are where they’re supposed to be.
Finally, we come to a restaurant. Here Sabbath-breakers are doing their business and selling their goods in clear violation of God’s Sabbath command. Does anyone honestly believe that God considers a commercial restaurant to be within His people's gates on the Sabbath? We have virtually no authority over what takes place there other than to refuse its sin.
A Matter of Jurisdiction
What so many in God’s Church today fail to recognize is that there is an enduring moral principle woven within God's law. God's Sabbath command to the children of Israel then and to His people now, is that they are not to go outside the place where God Almighty is the constituted authority. It is not about distance. It is about jurisdiction. God's law has jurisdiction inside our homes, inside our cars, and inside the halls where we worship. However, it has no such jurisdiction inside the restaurant so many want to patronize on the Sabbath. That place is under the jurisdiction of another god.
