Have you ever thought about what Jesus said about the sabbath day the very last time He mentions that holy day? His very last mention of the sabbath day is found in what is commonly called the Olivet Prophecy. This lengthy prophecy is found in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. (John does not include the Olivet Prophecy in his gospel account).
Here is what Jesus said: “But pray ye that your flight (from the Roman armies as they destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D.) be not in the winter, NEITHER ON THE SABBATH DAY!” (See Matthew 24:20). Now why would Jesus say they should be concerned about not having to flee on the sabbath day? Did He not know that the sabbath day was going to be abolished in less than a week when He died on the cross? No, He did not know that and the reason He did not know it is because the sabbath was never abolished and never will be abolished. Not only was the sabbath to remain a holy day in 70 A.D., but, through His prophet Isaiah, God declares that the sabbath day will remain holy after the creation of the new heavens and new earth: “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another (month in and month out), and from one sabbath to another, shall ALL FLESH (Jew, Gentile, Old Covenant redeemed and New Covenant redeemed) come to worship before me, says the Lord!” (See Isaiah 66:22-23).
There’s your authority, “says the Lord!” These are not the clever arguments of men. They are God’s clearly stated truths. Some might be insulted by what they have just read. If so, God Himself has insulted them, not Donald Wiley. And God have mercy on you if you are insulted, because if God’s Word insults you then you are utterly estranged from your Lord.
The prophet Jeremiah said it well when he said, “Our fathers have inherited lies!” (See Jeremiah 16:19). Any truly anointed teacher of God’s word in the year 2024 can say, and ought to say, the same thing. Christian ministers have inherited lies from those who preceded them, and one of the greatest lies they have inherited is that God’s holy eternal sabbath day has been replaced by Sunday observance. As a youth, I bought into that lie, but decades ago our Lord opened my eyes to the truth about His sacred sabbath and I assure you I will be striving diligently to honor that holy day until the day my eyes close in death. God have mercy on you if you do not do the same.
Jesus warned us that we will fall into great and grievous error if we remain ignorant of the Hebrew scriptures and that we worship Him in vain if we lay aside one of the Ten Commandments in order to hold to the tradition of men. (See Mark 12:24-27 and Mark 7:5-13).
From time to time I have Sunday observers urge me to lay aside my sabbath keeping and join them in honoring Sunday as a holy day. They, of course, are certain their profound knowledge of the scriptures eclipses my shallow understanding of God’s Word. It is pointless trying to reason with such minds. The Lord’s counsel was and is “Let them alone,” for spiritual truth and enlightenment cannot be force fed. The Lord will address all such issues at His judgment seat someday.
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley