Shabbat - Heart of Wisdom

Family Sanctuary$17Thisprovocativelookatthemodernhomeoffersclearanswersforfamiliesincrisisandforthosewhowanttorestoretheirfamiliestobiblicalfoundations.TheHebraicrootsofChristianfaithestablishthehomeasasmallsanctuary.TheChristianfamilywasalwaysdesignedbyGodtobethecenterforspiritualgrowthandmaturity,aplaceofsanctityandsecurity,atempleinminiature.Thehomehasathree-foldspiritualandsocialfunction:fellowshipandpersonalinteraction,studyandlearning,andprayerandworship.You,too,can makeyourhomeafamilysanctuaryandyourfamilyacenterforspiritualdevelopment.Order FromHebraic Christian Global CommunityP. O. Box 421218 Atlanta, GA 30342of Hillel, which before the time of Jesus assertedthat God could be worshipped on any day ofthe week in addition to the Sabbath (in contradistinctionto the School of Shammai which contendedthat God could be worshipped only onShabbat). Of course, this flexibility and the allegorizingof the Sabbaths in Colossians 2 havebeen distorted into a pansabbatism in whichevery day is equally a Sabbath with the consequencethat there is no Sabbath, that every dayis equally profane, and that all biblical holy daysare disregarded with cavalier disdain.What one should do with regard to the Sabbathis also answered simply in Paul’s Romans 14discourse: “Let every man be fully persuaded inhis own mind.” The Holy Spirit is the convictingagent who leads men into truth. When one followshis leading, the result is perfect freedom inthe instruction of God. To do otherwise is to livein sin on the one hand or be brought into someoneelse’s legalism on the other.THE SABBATH THAT REMAINSOne of the greatest features of Shabbat is thefact that it ever pointsto the coming Sabbath,the Messianic Age. Eachof the return of the Messiah. The same Person inwhom they have found rest for their souls willbring eternal Shabbat with the resurrection that willaccompany his return.A PROPHETIC CALL TO RESTORATIONWhile the new covenant has enfranchised believersin the grace of liberty, it has not been alicense for spiritual hedonism in which eternal preceptsdesigned by God himself for the well beingof mankind are ignored. Perhaps foreseeingthe church’s trend toward abandoning the pricelesstreasures of scriptural truth in favor of thebaubles of human tradition, the Prophet Isaiahpredicted a time when even Gentiles would embracethe God of the Jews: “. . . the sons of thestranger . . . that keepeth the Sabbath from pollutingit, and taketh hold of my covenant; eventhem will I bring to my holy mountain, and makethem joyful in my house of prayer . . .” (Isaiah56:6-7). As a part of the restoration of all thingsthat is to accompany the return of the Messiah(Acts 3:20-21), God will enlighten those Gentileswho have become naturalized citizens of the commonwealthof Israel and will bring them to ahumble, considerate recognition of his Sabbath.What Christian would not want to profit fromthe biblical celebration of the Sabbath as Godoutlined it for his chosen people? Far from beinga bondage of legalism, it is a liberating exerciseof the perfect law of liberty that brings blessingand wholesome living into the lives of those wholay hold on its promise (James 1:25). Far frombeing a burden of working hard to keep the day,it represents the releasing of the captive spiritsfrom the bondage of self-fulfillment into the libertyof absolute trust in God as the source ofeverything for health and happiness.It is time that believers everywhere reconsiderthe historical reasons for the church’s divorce fromits Jewish heritage and purpose to restore theHebraic foundations of their faith in Jesus. It’stime to recover what has been lost for individualand community health. May the entire church embracethe Shabbat, the time that God has set apartfor fellowship of his children with their God andwith their families.Dr. John D. Garr, president of theHebraic Christian GlobalCommunity, has pioneered research,writing, and teaching onthe Hebraic foundations of theChristian faith for more than fortyyears, helping believers understandthe theological emergenceof Christianity from the matrix ofbiblical Judaism. John’s wife Patandtheir sons, John, Timothy,andStephen, share in promoting thewidespread work of HebraicChristian Global Community.weekly family andThe same Person in whomcommunity celebrationthey have found rest for their of Sabbath is but asouls will bring eternal foretaste, a sample ofShabbat with the quickening the unspeakable joy ofof the resurrection that will the world to come. Forthe Jew it is the expectationof the coming ofaccompany his return.Messiah; for the Christianit is the assurance10 RESTORE!