The Sabbath serves as the covenant sign between Israel and God, so should Christians who join themselves to the Jewish people by giving their allegiance to the Jewish King Jesus still honor the Sabbath? We believe the answer is yes and will explain why below. We do not keep God’s commandments to be saved, we keep them to understand and know God, and because we are saved. 1 John 2:3 says we know God when we keep His commandments. There are 613 ways to know God (commandments in the Torah), and the Sabbath is one of them. It takes years to learn the commandments of God, and many times we learn them one at a time. Sabbath is a wonderful commandment to learn, and it helps bring a family closer together by observing it. The Jewish people are required to be more observant in keeping the Sabbath and have different traditions, but we believe Christians who join themselves to Jesus should at least honor the Sabbath and remember it in a simple form to know God better through the Sabbath. It is recorded many times that the disciples kept the Sabbath in the book of Acts, and there was never a question if they should stop keeping it. The questions is why did Christians stop keeping the Sabbath, and if you would like to dig into the answer and want more information on this subject here is a very good book called From Sabbath to Sabbath by Daniel Lancaster. The Sabbath is a day created for blessings. Exodus 20:8 says, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.“ To keep it holy means to keep it separated or distinguished from the rest. If you believe in keeping the 10 commandments, the Sabbath is commandment number four. Every Friday night at sunset is an opportunity to partake and receive a double portion by honoring the Shabbat.
In Exodus 16:23 God commanded the people, “Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord.” This command was given to the children of Israel and the Gentiles that came out of Egypt with them. The Sabbath was recognized well before God gave Moses the 10 Commandments. Many Christians honor the Sabbath day when the sun goes down on Friday night by lighting a candle and taking communion. We understand there may be questions about when the Sabbath day begins; besides the biblical references we have, and the Jewish traditions for the day, many countries call the actual day of Saturday the “Sabbath”. Starting in Genesis 1:5 it tells us God’s beginning of the day starts when the sun goes down as it says, “There was evening and there was morning.” Evening came first. Just as God used the Jewish people to give the world the Bible, they also understand how to keep the appointed feasts and when to celebrate them. Leviticus 23:1-3 says Shabbat is the first appointed festival. We believe the best way to understand the Sabbath is by learning from the Jewish people who honor it every Friday night. Below are a few good video resources that we have found that have been very helpful.
Here is a direct reference in the Bible to Gentiles who keep the Sabbath. In Isaiah 56:6-7 it says, “And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant— these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
If you want to honor the Sabbath, below is a simple instruction for Christians
1st – Candle Lighting: 18 minutes before sunset
Light two candles, then cover your eyes from seeing the light with your hands and say the following blessing. After reciting the blessing, look briefly at the lights. The lights represent the “Light of Messiah”.
When Lighting Candles (Say blessing with eyes covered with your hand)
Blessed are you, O LORD our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with his commandments. May it be your will that our holy Master’s light would shine throughout all worlds.
Open your eyes and say a blessing for you family. Below is an example that you can use
May it be your will, O LORD, my God and God of my fathers, that you be gracious to me (my husband, my sons, my daughters, my father, my mother,) and all my extended family. Give to us and to all Israel a good, long life. Remember us by bringing goodness and blessing. Take note of us by bringing salvation and compassion. Bless us with great blessings and make our homes complete. Let your Dwelling Presence abide in our midst. Permit me the honor of raising wise children and grandchildren who love the LORD, who fear God, who are people of truth, holy offspring, who cling to the LORD and illuminate the world with Torah and good deeds and through all their labor in service of the Creator. Please hear my request at this time in the merit of our mothers Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah, and make our lamps burn so brightly that they will never be extinguished. Make your face shine, and we will be saved. Amen.
Note: There are special prayers that the men will say before the sun goes down. This is called “Erev
Shabbat” which means the day before the Sabbath or a.k.a. Sabbath Eve. Contact us for information if
you want these prayers.
We have songs that we play before we do Kiddush (the Blessing for Juice/Wine), such as Joshua Aaron’s Shabbat Shalom song below, and FFOZ also has a traditional song called Shalom Aleichem
(welcoming the angels who take notice of each individual who honors shabbat) here: The Shuk – Shalom Aleichem (Peace Be Upon You)
2nd – Kiddush: The Blessing over wine (or juice)
Quietly hold the cup of wine/juice
And there was evening and there was morning. The sixth day. Heaven and earth were completed and their entire legion. On the seventh day, God finished his work that he had done, and on the seventh day he ceased from all his work that he had done. God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because on it he ceased from all his work that God created to make.
With your permission – We thank you our Father, the holy vine of your servant David that you made known to us through your servant Yeshua. Yours is the glory forever. Blessed are you O LORD, our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine. O LORD of Legions, God of Israel, you created the world by your word, and you separated a Sabbath as a memorial; for on it you ceased from your work in order to meditate on the words of your Torah. For the Sabbath is a rest from creation, a completion of the world, a seeking of words of Torah, an expression of praise to God, to thank him for what he has given to mankind. Blessed are you, O LORD who sanctifies
the Sabbath.
Then drink the wine/juice.
3rd – Blessing for Bread: Lift the loaves of bread
We thank you, our Father, for the life and for the knowledge that you made known to us
through your servant Yeshua. Yours is the glory forever.
Just as this piece of bread was scattered over the mountains and gathered together, so
may your assembly be gathered from the ends of the earth into your kingdom. For yours
is the glory and the power through Yeshua forever.
Blessed are you, O LORD our God, King of the universe, who brings bread of the earth.
Sprinkle salt over the bread. (Share and eat the bread).
4th – Enjoy Dinner with Friends and Family
Enjoy a wonderful meal with friends and family and talk about what you learned this week in Torah! Here is a list of the Torah portions, and some great weekly videos on each one.