~ Profaning the Sabbath ~

In Nehemiah 13 we find that Nehemiah was very diligent about ‘cleaning up�?the newly restored people of Jerusalem and getting them to do right in the sight of God. He caused them to bring the tithes into the house of God and not to forsake the house of God.

He was very diligent about seeing that they observed the Sabbath Day according to the things commanded by Moses. He knew this was one of the reasons God’s wrath had come upon them and that city had gone into captivity and destruction. He told them if they continued to do things forbidden on this day God would again bring his wrath upon them.

Neh. 13: 15. In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.

16. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

17. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day?

18. Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? Yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath.

19. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabbath day.

20. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.

21. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? If ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath.

22. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

Now here is a good lesson on Sabbath Keeping, according to the O.T. This man Nehemiah was working to see that the people quit profaning this Sabbath Day. How did they profane it? Read the passage.

Verse 15 shows they were bringing burdens into Jerusalem and selling them on this day. Buying and selling profanes the Sabbath.

V 16 again shows the selling to be profaning the Sabbath. V 17 he calls it evil. V18 declares this is the very reason God brought evil upon this city. “Yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath.

V 19 he set some of his servants at the gates to see that no burdens were brought in on the Sabbath day. The merchants tried to keep coming even then, but Nehemiah told them if they came again he would lay hands on them.

Now when you go back and try to keep the law of the O.T. you are bringing in ‘burdens�?which are forbidden to be brought into the New City, the New Sabbath.

V22 he commands the Levites to cleanse themselves and come and keep the gates to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God and spare me according to you great mercy because of my doing this.

Now here is a great lesson for us. See how important keeping the O.T. weekly Sabbath according to Moses�?commandments was then. Profaning this day brought God’s wrath upon them. You who still feel you must keep this day had better get it right according to what Moses said, or you will bring the wrath of God upon yourselves. You cannot turn this day into a ‘fun�?day, doing your own pleasure and ways. This will get you into serious trouble with God.

But now I want to show you what God told me this morning as he gave me this message. You know that the Word of God shows in Isaiah 28 that there was coming a new rest to the people of God. A rest to the soul. A Sabbath which Jesus would GIVE us. This Sabbath is accompanied by stammering lips and another tongue. This is the Baptism of the Holy Ghost which first came on the people on the Day of Pentecost - the beginning of the N.T.

This day is typed in the Sabbaths of the O.T. by the jubile year. This is the 50 days they kept. It said on this day they were to offer to God a New Meat offering. This typed the New Wine of the New Covenant which came on the Day of Pentecost. Once this New Sabbath is here, we are no longer to go by the Sabbaths of the O.T. If we do so, we are PROFANING the true Sabbath, the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.

If you refuse the stammering lips and the new tongue you fall backward and will be snared and taken and fall. Read it in Isaiah 28.

Now God showed me he has placed us his true servants of the N.T. Covenant at the ‘gates�?of the true Jerusalem the New Church, to see that this New Sabbath is no longer profaned. Yes the gates are the Apostles Doctrine. They were the gates into this new City, or new move of God.

The New Sabbath was given to the disciples on the Day of Pentecost by Jesus. He baptized them with the great Holy Ghost here with the evidence Isaiah said would accompany this outpouring of God’s Spirit, speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.

Now all of you who mock this, say ‘he he�?and call it names, such as charismatic are profaning this true Sabbath, which the O.T. Sabbath only typed.

All of you who reject this great move of God, who feel too proud for it, will not humble yourselves and let God have his way with you, are profaning the true Sabbath which Jesus gives to us.

The Apostles all taught to be baptized in water in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and then receive the Baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of stammering lips, speaking in another tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. They are teaching that this is the true rest, the rest to the soul. This is the N.T Sabbath or rest.

God has placed us here as he did Nehemiah then, to clean up this evil of mocking and profaning this Sabbath. We ‘sit�?at the gates, Acts 2: 38 and Acts 10 and tell you that you had better quit mocking and profaning this true Sabbath. When you reject this and go back to the O.T. Sabbath you are profaning the real Sabbath.

God will bring his wrath upon you because of this evil. I am warning you just as Nehemiah warned them then. The buying and selling of Holy things, or things concerning worship is again profaning this Sabbath. It is the mark of the Beast. If you pay a preacher, or he receives pay to preach it is profaning this Sabbath. The things of God are free. Freely you have received freely give. This is the true Church.

Any buying and selling connected with worship and things of God is evil. It profanes the Sabbath. God has sent me to warn you. He told me to tell you his wrath is headed your way. He said for all of you to repent and receive this true rest or be destroyed forever. If you continue to ‘mock�?this Sabbath Jesus gives, God’s wrath is headed your way.

Peter, Paul and the other Apostles are the gates into the true City. You must come in by their message. . They taught the Baptism of the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues. You cannot go back and let Moses by your ‘gate�?into the Holy City. If you refuse this, if you mock this, the wrath of God is headed your way. Be warned!

Jo Smith--- March 29, 2003