Righteous Invasion of Truth

Guest (Male): Two hands lifted above your head. Put them together with a joyful shout. Let’s receive our pastor, Dr. Abel Damina.

Dr. Abel Damina: Glory. Somebody excited, shout Hallelujah. Glory to God. Lift your right hands to heaven. Let’s pray this morning.

Father, we thank you for this another opportunity to come before your holy, precious, written word. Thank you that the mighty Holy Spirit lives on our inside, so revelation knowledge is our right in Christ. We take off and receive from the excellent ministry of Jesus.

Thank you, Lord, that the entrance of your word giveth light. It giveth understanding to the simple. So, whatever is not planted by God this morning is rooted out. Burdens and yokes are destroyed. Your word comes with clarity, and we rejoice that by the end of this service, we’ll be the better for it. So, we give you praise, glory, and honor for answered prayer. In Jesus' name we pray, and every believer says a powerful amen.

Glory. Lift your right hands to heaven. Let’s release our faith together as we say these words: I am born of God. I am born of the word. The word of God is my nature. I do not struggle to do the word. I do the word naturally. Therefore, today, I will understand the word of his grace. I will be built up. By the end of this service, I will never be the same. Never, ever be the same again. In Jesus' name, and every believer says a powerful amen.

Glory. Grab your pen, your notebook, your Bible. You can be seated with your sweet, smart self this morning as we get into the word of his grace. The book of 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse number 15 and 16.

Guest (Female): And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Dr. Abel Damina: You have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation. Give me verse 16, PJ.

Guest (Male): All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

Dr. Abel Damina: So, brother Paul summarized the entire framework of the scriptures to a particular destination: salvation through faith which is in Christ. The whole framework of the scriptures: salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Now, of course, you know what the scriptures will refer to. The scriptures will refer to Genesis to Malachi. Like I’ve told you before now, Jesus never taught from Ephesians. He never taught from Matthew. He never taught from Mark. Jesus never even taught from Romans. He taught from Genesis to Malachi. So, we must read the textbook they read and be able to see what they saw to arrive at where they arrived at.

So, brother Paul says the scriptures have a message, and the bias of the scriptures is salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Then he says, all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable. So, the profitability, the usefulness, or the advantage of scriptures can only be derived within these four things that he lists. Number one, doctrine. Doctrine is teaching or explanation.

Now, when the scriptures are taught, when the scriptures are explained, they will bring the second profit, which is reproof. Reproof there is the word evidence. It’s taken from the Greek as evidence. Then from evidence, you will arrive at the next benefit of the scriptures, which is correction. Of course, when you are corrected, you unlearn and relearn. You will arrive at spiritual growth, which is instruction in righteousness.

So, there can be no spiritual growth until there is teaching and explanation of the scriptures that will bring evidence, that will bring correction, and will produce spiritual growth. So, we began to look at the scriptures and we’ve been examining the character of God in the light of the holy scriptures. Because the scriptures still remain the boundary of Christian learning. All the knowledge of God communicated to man is via words.

All of God’s revelation, all of God’s knowledge, is communicated to us via words. That means, therefore, we must be able to understand the usage of words by the authors of scripture. Bearing in mind that when they communicated those thoughts, they didn’t communicate to us as in our day. They communicated to an audience that was not us, in a vocabulary that was not our vocabulary, a language that was not our language, a worldview that is not our worldview, and a culture that is not our culture.

So, we need to sit where they sat, hear what they heard, and then travel to our world today to understand what they communicated when they communicated the thoughts of scripture as at the time the scriptures were communicated. That is why brother Paul will say to Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse number 15, study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

We must be able to rightly divide. In order for us to rightly divide, we must be able to painstakingly go through the scriptures in the light in which the scriptures were communicated. Without an iota of doubt, in Bible interpretation, context is king. In Bible interpretation, context is king. This refers to not just the immediate context of a text. Because some of us, when we say context, what you have in your mind is the pretext and post-text, like five verses before the verse, five verses after.

But context goes beyond just the immediate context of a text. It also includes the historical context in the narrative of the writer. It includes the historical context in the narrative of the writer. So, when the context is known or identified, then it can be applied by the reader. When you know the context, or you are able to identify the context, then you can apply the context now in reading of scriptural text. Then you can arrive at the meaning or intent of the writer accurately. You can arrive at the meaning, the context, or the intent of the writer accurately.

History refers to a continuous systematic narrative of past events. History refers to a continuous systematic narrative of past events as relating to a particular people. That’s what history is: a continuous systematic narrative of past events as relating to a particular people, a particular country, a particular period, or a particular person. Usually, history is written as a chronological account, a chronicle. That’s the way history is written: as a chronological event, a chronicle.

Likewise, the word culture. Because historically, the context of a scripture will also bring into view the history of the people. Then the culture. Culture implies the way of life. Especially the general customs and beliefs of a particular group of people at a particular time. The way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs of a particular group of people at a particular time.

The customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial religious or social group. The customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial religious or social group. Also, the characteristic features of everyday existence, such as diversions or a way of life shared by people in a place or time. Let me repeat what I just said. The customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial religious or social group. Also, the characteristic features of everyday existence, such as diversions or a way of life shared by people in a place or time.

Now, like we’ve explained, the writers of scripture had a particular audience in mind when they communicated God’s word. They had a particular audience. When the writers of scripture were communicating, they didn’t know you would read their books. You were not in their thoughts. They were not even aware that a day will come when you will read their books. They were only communicating to an audience at that particular time. They were communicating God’s thoughts, God’s plan, God’s purpose, God’s will, and God’s intent.

That’s why Paul will say all scripture is salvation through faith. It is able to make you wise. Which means the intent for scripture was to communicate to the audience of that day God’s salvation plan. The intent of scripture was to communicate to the audience of that day God’s salvation plan. That’s why you can’t use the Bible for science. You can’t use the Bible for business. You can’t use the Bible as a reference or resource material for entrepreneurship. No, no. When the writers were communicating to the audience of their day, the intent of their communication was God’s salvation plan.

So, that’s why Paul will summarize all of scripture: given by inspiration of God and is profitable for teaching. Teaching of what? Salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Which means the scripture is not a multipurpose book. It’s not a multipurpose book. It has a bias: salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. So, the audience understood. They understood the language because they thought in a language which the audience understood. And evidently, language emanates from culture. Language emanates from culture.

So, understanding the importance of the historical and cultural context of the scriptures cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, the Bible teacher or Bible student has a duty to study diligently the historical and cultural context. A Bible student, a Bible teacher, has a duty to study the historical and cultural context of the authors of scriptures. And you study it in their own world. In their own world. In order to accurately and efficiently interpret text of scripture to his or her own audience in his or her own world. Now, to disregard the importance of the historical and cultural context of scripture will result in error. To disregard the historical and cultural context of scripture will result in error or erroneous interpretation of scriptures.

So, let's apply what we just laid as an introduction to this study this morning. Are you in the building? Good. Let's look at understanding historical and cultural context of the scriptures. If the writers of the scriptures communicated God's word to their audience in a language accompanied with literary terms that the audience of their time knew and understood, it therefore suffices to say that the culture of their day will influence their explanation to their audience.

The culture of their day will influence their explanation to their audience. Which might not necessarily be the culture of our day, or the culture of the Bible teacher, or the culture of today. In essence, the culture of the authors of scripture in the Old Testament books and the New Testament books, and their immediate audience in their respective era, will definitely have influenced how they communicated God's word.

I've told you like somebody says, "this thing is becoming too intellectual." Yes, it has to. Because the people that communicated God's thoughts were not stupid. They were not morons. They were not dummies. Imagine a Moses. He went to the best schools in Egypt. The best. He grew up in a palace. So, the economy of Egypt sponsored Moses's education. The economy of Egypt, which was the civilization of the day.

So imagine the kind of schools and the kind of exposure and the kind of circles Moses intermixed with. Coming from the king's palace. You can imagine. And God in his wisdom and in his foreknowledge, knowing that he was going to use Moses, did not allow Moses's parents to raise him up in poverty. God is a master planner. That's why some of us came from poverty but God exposed us to education. Against all odds. Against all odds. We didn't know why we were gathering all the education we were gathering, but now we understand. It was all for God's plan.

Say, "I hear you." You too went to school so you can understand what I'm saying. And even if you didn't go to school, there's a hunger in you to go to school. So, as I'm teaching, you're going to school. So, they were not dummies. They were very intelligent people. People like Moses. People like Joshua. These were very sound minds of their day. Imagine a Paul. Imagine a Paul who wrote almost the whole of the New Testament. Of course, Peter was good. He tried. But look at Paul. You can't compare.

So, the scriptures are not dumb books. The scriptures are not illiterate material. There is an intelligence to the scriptures. Say, "I hear you." Because God is a God of knowledge. God is a God of knowledge. That's why a Paul will say, "whereby, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ." People like Daniel in Babylon in the king's palace would say, "I understood by books." Look at the writers of scripture. These are very sound minds. Look at a Dr. Luke who write to Theophilus in order. He says, "what I have heard from those that were with Jesus, I have presented them to you in an orderly fashion so that you will understand all that Jesus began to do and to teach." Say, "I hear you."

So, it is inspired of the Holy Ghost, but the inspiration of the Holy Ghost will use human language. The inspiration of the Holy Ghost will use human culture. The inspiration of the Holy Ghost will use human history to communicate God's thoughts so that the audience that is being communicated to will understand. Teaching good? So that's why we're taking time to go through the scriptures in the right way to go through it. We are not cutting and joining.

So, the culture of the authors of scripture in the Old and New Testament and their immediate audience in their respective era will influence how they communicated God's word. You know, if the Holy Ghost inspires me now to prophesy and I cannot speak English, I can only speak vernacular. Do you know that my prophecy will be in vernacular? The Holy Ghost will not give me intelligence. No, he will only use what I make available. Accommodate what I make available to reach the people. He will only use what I have. If all I have is vernacular, he will use it. If what I have is a dialect and I yield myself to him, he will speak through me in the dialect. He will not say, "well, because I am God, I suspend your brain. Take my brain." No, he will use what you make available to communicate his plan.

And that is why it's critical to have this foundation. Now, culture is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior and norms found in human societies as well as the knowledge. Culture is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior and norms found in human societies as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities. Culture is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior and norms found in human societies as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.

Humans acquire culture through the learning processes of enculturation and socialization, which is shown by the diversity of cultures across societies. Humans acquire culture through the learning processes of enculturation and socialization, which is shown by the diversity of cultures across societies. A cultural norm codifies acceptable conduct in society. A cultural norm codifies acceptable conduct in society. It serves as a guidance for behavior, dress, language, in a situation which serves as a template for expectations in a social group. I go over it again. A cultural norm codifies acceptable conduct in society. It serves as a guideline for behavior, dress, language, demeanor in a situation which serves as a template for expectations in a social group.

Now, from the definition we just gave you on the term culture, it is evident that one cannot separate the audience of the culture in the era of Moses and the prophets. It is evident that one cannot separate the influence of the culture in the era of Moses and the prophets in the Old Testament books, Jesus and the apostles in the New Testament books, when they communicated God's writings in their immediate audience. When they communicated God's writings in their immediate audience. Therefore, in order for the reader in today's world to accurately interpret the scriptures, in order for the reader in today's world to accurately interpret the scriptures, he or she will have to understand the culture in their era. In their era. Back in the days of the prophets, back in the days of Moses, in the days of Jesus and the apostles. And how the writers applied the same in explaining God's promise to their immediate audience.

Let's examine a word that has been bastardized in our day and that has even formed a religion. It's been bastardized and it has formed a religion. And that is the word Sabbath. The word Sabbath. Or rest. Or Shabbat. Shabbat, S-H-A-B-B-A-T-H, Shabbat. Or Sabbath, S-A-B-B-A-T-H. Rest, Sabbath, or Shabbat. Genesis the second chapter, the first to the third verse. PJ, let's begin.

Guest (Male): Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them. Next verse. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. Next verse. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Dr. Abel Damina: Now, observe the words "the seventh day." Then observe the word "rest." The word "seventh" was translated from the Hebrew word Shebiyi. S-H-E-B-I-Y-Y. Shebiyi. Which implies ordinal seventh, like seventh time. Now, you must recall that the audience of the book of Genesis are the children of Israel who were delivered from oppression. The audience were the children of Israel who were delivered from bondage, from oppression in the land of Egypt. So, as we explained, Moses will employ terminologies that his audience were conversant with to teach them God's faithfulness.

Moses will employ terminologies that his audience were conversant with to teach them God's faithfulness, which is his promise. God's faithfulness, which is his promise, his righteousness. One of such that Moses will employ as a terminology to teach God's faithfulness and God's promises will be the phrase "seventh day." Seventh day. Now, historically, the seventh day was a reference day set aside in the Ancient Near Eastern culture to worship idols. Historically, the seventh day was a reference day set aside in the Ancient Near Eastern culture to worship idols or deities. So, it is a paganistic reference to a day of worship. It's a paganistic reference to a day of worship.

And I will give you examples in scripture. Judges chapter 14, verse 15 to 18, PJ. Judges 14:15 to 18.

Guest (Male): And it came to pass on the seventh day that they said unto Samson's wife, "Entice thy husband that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire. Have ye called us to take that we have? Is it not so?" And Samson's wife wept before him and said, "Thou dost but hate me and lovest me not. Thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people and hast not told it me." And he said unto her, "Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?" And she wept before him the seven days while their feast lasted. And it came to pass on the seventh day that he told her because she lay sore upon him, and she told the riddle to the children of her people. And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, "What is sweeter than honey, and what is stronger than a lion?" And he said unto them, "If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle."

Dr. Abel Damina: So, you can see that the seventh day was paganistic. They used it for deities and for idol worship. You also find it in Esther 1:10, where it says, "on the seventh day when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king." Then you also find the use of the word "seventh day" for deities in Jeremiah chapter 41, verse 1.

So, Moses applied the same narrative to explain the worship of God. Moses applied the same narrative to imply the worship of God. In Genesis 8:4, PJ, Genesis chapter 8, verse number 4.

Guest (Male): And the ark rested in the seventh month on the seventeenth day of the month upon the mountains of Ararat.

Dr. Abel Damina: The ark rested on the seventh month. Then Exodus 12:15. It says in Exodus 12:15, "for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off." Verse 16 says, "and in the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation to you." Then Exodus 13, verse 6. "Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the Lord." Then you can write down Exodus 16:26 to 29. You will still see the use of the word "seventh day," which is Sabbath.

Then you look at Exodus chapter 20, verse 10 to 11. Exodus 20:10 to 11. Then Exodus 21, verse 2. Exodus 21, verse 2. PJ, read for me. Exodus 21, verse 2.

Guest (Male): If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

Dr. Abel Damina: In the seventh, he shall go out free for nothing. Now, let's look at the word "rested." Rested. Rested. The word "rested" was translated from the Hebrew word Shabat. S-H-A-B-A-T. Which means to repose. To desist from exertion. And it is a verb. It's a verb form of the word Sabbath. Which was translated from the Hebrew word Shabat. Sabbath from the Hebrew word Shabat.

Genesis 8:22, "while the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease." Now, please, a critical fact to note is that the word Shabat is not seen within the conversation of the patriarchs in the book of Genesis. The word Shabat is not seen in the conversation of the patriarchs in the book of Genesis. So, which means it is a word understood by Moses and his audience. The word Shabat is a word understood by Moses and his audience, which were the children of Israel who were delivered from the oppression of Egypt.

And we look at where the word is used. Exodus chapter 5, verse 5, PJ. Exodus chapter 5, verse 5.

Guest (Male): And Pharaoh said, "Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens."

Dr. Abel Damina: You make them rest from their burdens. Shabat. It was applied to describe a cessation from work or burden. This word was also a temple worship terminology. Temple worship. In the Ancient Near Eastern culture, where men cease from their work to worship idols. It also refers to deities in the temple resting to continue their work within the temple. Used for deities in the temple resting to continue their work within the temple.

You will see the word used in Exodus 16:30. "So the people rested on the seventh day." Then you will see it again in Exodus 23:12. Exodus 23:12. "Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest." Exodus 31:17. Then you can also take these ones down. Exodus 34:21. And Exodus 26:6 and 34. Exodus 26:6 and 34. So, it suffices to say that the terms "seventh day" and "Shabat" are terminologies from the culture of their day. They were terminologies from the culture of their day employed by Moses and the prophets in their writings. They were terminologies from the culture of their day employed by Moses and the prophets in their writings.

Now, in the writings of Moses, the word Shabat occurs 37 times. The word Shabat occurs 37 times. The first mention of that word Shabat is Exodus 16:23. PJ, Exodus 16:23, 25, 26, 29. Let’s go.

Guest (Male): And he said unto them, "This is that which the Lord hath said. Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord. Bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe, and that which remaineth over, lay up for you to be kept until the morning." 25. And Moses said, "Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath unto the Lord. Today ye shall not find it in the field." 26. "Six days ye shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none." 29. "See, for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days. Abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day."

Dr. Abel Damina: Now, observe this. Number one, verse 23, "the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord." Verse 23. Verse 25, "for today is a Sabbath unto the Lord." Verse 23, "the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord." Verse 25, "for today is a Sabbath unto the Lord." Verse 29, "for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath. Let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." Please take note of those.

Now, so the phrase "holy Sabbath unto the Lord" further lends credence to the fact that this is specifically for Yahweh. Holy Sabbath unto the Lord. Specifically for Yahweh, for God, and not other Egyptian idols, as was the culture of the day. That word "Sabbath unto the Lord" distinguishes this particular Sabbath from the cultural Sabbath.

Then Moses taught similarly in Exodus chapter 20, verse 8. "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Verse 9, "six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work." I feel gonna close. "Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, or thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day. Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it."

Please listen carefully. The word "remember the Sabbath" was translated from the Hebrew word Zakar. Z-A-K-A-R. Zakar. Which means to mark. To mark, so as to be recognized. To mark, so as to be recognized. To remember by implication to mention, or make mention of, or be mindful, or recount, or record. That word "remember" by implication is to mention, to make mention of, to be mindful, to recount, or to record. The word "remember," make to be remembered, or bring, call, come, keep, put. Call, come, keep, put. Call to remembrance, come to remembrance, keep in remembrance, put in remembrance. To call, to come, to keep, to put in remembrance. It also implies to fix one's thought on an event or news. To fix one's thought on an event or news.

Now, also notice that the pretext that the context of Moses's explanation was, was concerning their worship of God. Their worship of God. If you read Exodus 20 from verse 1, "and God spake all these words saying, I am the Lord thy God which had brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage. Thou shall have no other gods before me. Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shall not bow down thyself to them nor serve them, for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. Verse 6, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. 7, thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."

So in essence, the word "remember" implies to meditate. The word "remember" implies to meditate or to recall, or to think about, or to also mention. The word "remember" implies to meditate, to recall, to think about, or to also mention. In other words, they were instructed by Moses to meditate upon God's promised righteousness. To meditate upon God's promised righteousness and to mention. To meditate upon God's promised righteousness and to mention.

The "mention" there you can put in bracket "to preach." To meditate upon God's promised righteousness and to preach, or to mention the same in the nations of the earth. To preach the same. So they were to meditate upon it for themselves and they were to preach God's promised righteousness in the nations of the earth. So Moses, I mean Joshua, who took over from Moses, would teach. Joshua 1:8, PJ. Joshua chapter 1, verse number 8.

Guest (Male): This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein. For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success.

Dr. Abel Damina: So, Joshua told them, meditate on the writings of Moses. Meditate on the writings of Moses, the explanation of the covenant. Because the writings of Moses are the explanation of the covenant that God made to Abraham. The writings of Moses are the explanation of the covenant that God made with their father Abraham. That is, God's faithfulness, which is his promised righteousness. God's faithfulness, which is his promised righteousness.

So, they were to meditate on the writings of Moses, his explanation of the covenant that God made with their father Abraham. That is, they were to meditate on God's faithfulness, which is his promised righteousness. Number one. Number two, they were to announce it. They were to preach it. They were to announce it to others in the nations of the earth. To others in the nations of the earth.

Now, observe that Moses had instructed Israel concerning the Sabbath. Exodus 16:23, 24, 25, 26, PJ. Exodus 16:23 to 26.

Guest (Male): And he said unto them, "This is that which the Lord hath said. Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord. Bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe, and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning." Next verse. And they laid it up until the morning, as Moses bade, and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. Next verse. And Moses said, "Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath unto the Lord. Today ye shall not find it in the field." Next verse. "Six days ye shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none."

Dr. Abel Damina: Six days ye shall gather it. Okay. So he tells them of the Sabbath as the seventh day when they were not to go to the fields to gather. So, the Sabbath was for them to cease from their works in order to worship God. The Sabbath was for them to cease from their works in order to worship God. Moses said the same to the children of Israel in his account on the same event. Deuteronomy 5:12, "keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee. 13, six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work. 14, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant. 15, and remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm. Therefore, the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day."

Now, in the context of these scriptures, man was to do nothing. Man was to do no work. Man was to do no work. All man was to do was to remember. That’s all. All man was to do was to remember. That is, to think about God's deliverance and redemption from bondage. That’s all man was to do. And his promised righteousness which would be fulfilled by the promised Messiah. His promised righteousness. They were just to remember that God was faithful and that God has a promised Messiah which will fulfill his righteousness. Man was not to try to fulfill God's righteousness, but man was to remember that God has a Messiah that will fulfill that righteousness.

Teaching good this morning. Now, remember the word "remember." Or recall. Recall the word "remember" so we are clear. Remember the word "remember." Recall that word "remember." Somebody said, "I'm confused." Somebody told him, "calm down. Pray in tongues and continue to listen. You will understand." Is that not true? Calm down, pray in tongues, continue, continue. You will understand. Amen. This person must be new too. Don't worry, you're safe, you're covered. We got your back. Praise God.

So, remember or recall the word "remember." Was translated from the Hebrew word Zakar. Z-A-K-A-R. Which implies to consider. To think about. To recall an event. Zakar: to consider, to think about, to recall an event. In essence, what Moses implied by "remember the Sabbath" was to recall or think about the Sabbath. Recall or think about the Sabbath. Now let’s go back. Let’s go back to Exodus chapter 20, verse 8, 9, and 10.

Guest (Male): Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Next verse. Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work. Next verse. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates.

Dr. Abel Damina: Now, take note of the word "keep it holy." Keep it holy. Keep it holy. Translated from the Greek word Quadash. Quadash. Q-A-D-A-S-H. It implies make it sacred or to sanctify. They were to treat the Sabbath day as different from other days. They were to do no work on the Sabbath. The word "work," work, work, W-O-R-K, was translated from the Hebrew word Melakah. Melakah. M-E-L-A-K-A-H. Melakah. It is a word that can be applied for a manner of work, workmanship, or labor.

Then in verse 10, he calls the seventh day "the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." The rest of the Lord thy God. Then he reminds them of the rest of God which was the plan of God in Genesis. He reminds Israel of the rest of God which was the plan of God in Genesis. And he obviously echoed the same message which he preached unto them in Genesis chapter 2. Again, before we read, listen carefully. How many of you remember I have told you that Genesis is Moses's teaching notes to an Exodus audience? Have I told you that? So, everything you read in Genesis is what Moses preached to the Exodus audience.

So, that was Moses's teaching to that generation of captives in Egypt, telling them of God's promise of deliverance to Abraham. So, Genesis is God's promise of an Exodus, telling them that even though you are in captivity, you will come out of captivity because God promised Abraham that even though your children by rebellion to me will be taken captives to Egypt, but they will only be there for 400 years and I will bring them out. So, Moses had to keep resounding that promise to keep their hope alive.

So Genesis is Moses's preaching notes. So let's see part of the sermon. Is it getting clear now? So when Moses would say, "in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth," I want you to picture in your mind standing before an audience in captivity and teaching them of God's promise of heaven on earth. Now, what they are hearing from Moses is not natural sky in the ground. The audience he's talking to understands heaven and earth. It's not your audience of heaven and earth. That audience understood that when you say heaven, this is what it means and when you say earth, in their language, in their communication, those words were commonplace. And Moses didn't think that you today would read that thing because he wasn't talking to you. So you are now reading sky and ground.

Meanwhile, what Moses was saying is that, in the beginning, God has a plan that heaven will come into earth. That divinity will move into humanity. That deity will live in a man. That there will be an amalgamation of God in a man. Okay? That that's the plan. That's how he opens the book. And now he's announcing it to an audience in captivity that, "look, you may be in captivity feeling empty, but God is going to come in. And when God comes into your heart, the captivity will be over."

That is what Moses was preaching in Genesis chapter 1. Then he used the parable of creation: sun, moon, stars, as a parable to communicate God's plan. Then he got to where he said, "in the beginning, God created man in his image." Okay? So he entered the image of God. And that's why the Old Testament people kept saying, "what is man? What is man? What is man? God created man, but what is man?" Because what we see here doesn't look like that thing we read in Genesis 1. "What is man that thou art mindful of him?" And God blessed them and God said.

So now Moses is advancing the verbiage. He comes to Genesis chapter 2, verse 2, PJ, and he is still preaching to that audience. So have that congregation in mind as we read Genesis chapter 2, verse 2 now.

Guest (Male): And on the seventh day, God ended his work which he had made, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

Dr. Abel Damina: Now, when they were hearing "seventh day, God ended his work," they were not hearing Saturday church. The audience of that day were not hearing going to church on Saturday. That's why the history, the culture, must be understood. That Moses was committing. The audience understood what Moses was saying here. All right, read on for me, PJ. Next verse.

Guest (Male): And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Dr. Abel Damina: How can God bless Saturday and people die on Saturday? How can God bless Saturday and an armed robber steal on Saturday? How can God bless a day and the day has calamities? So, God blessed the seventh day here does not mean Saturday or Sunday. The audience understood. "And sanctified it, because that in it he had rested from all his work." Saturday is not the day when God is resting.

So, instructing them to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy was to think upon, to consider God's promise of rest to Adam. Think of God's promise. Meditate on God's promise. Consider God's promise of rest to Adam. So, the essence of the Sabbath will not be the day itself, but what it represents. What does Sabbath represent? God's rest. What does Sabbath represent? God's image in all the earth. What does Sabbath represent? God's temple in all the nations of the earth. God's temple in all the nations of the earth.

So when he was talking of rest in Genesis, Moses, by these instructions in Exodus, speaking about God's promise and their response to the promise, Moses now begins to take their attention from the deliverance from Egypt to the promise of rest in Genesis. So, the Sabbath day was figurative of the fulfillment of the rest of God for all that believe. It was figurative of the fulfillment of the rest of God for all that believe in Yahweh. He simply meant Sabbath preceded man's works. Or Sabbath was available for man from the beginning.

Now, the word "rest" does not imply a holiday as it may be applied in the English language today. Rest in the Bible refers to man ceasing from his own works to worship God. Ceasing from his own works, doing God's word. So look at the way Moses explained this same truth. Exodus 20:11, "for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day. Wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it. 12, honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the earth which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 13, thou shall not kill. 14, thou shall not commit adultery. 15, thou shall not steal. 16, thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 17, thou shall not covet thy neighbor's house. Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is in thy neighbor's."

So the instructions describe the conduct of a man in the rest of God. First of all, the rest of God. Then secondly, the conduct of man in that rest of God. The conduct of man in that rest of God. Now, recall that in the entire scriptures, this is the first use of the word "sanctify," which makes it special. Now look at what Isaiah said as I round off. Are you blessed this morning? Isaiah chapter 66, verse 1. Isaiah chapter 66, verse 1, PJ.

Guest (Male): Thus saith the Lord, "The heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house that ye build unto me, and where is the place of my rest?"

Dr. Abel Damina: Wait. Power city, are you here? The heaven is my throne, the earth is my footstool. Where is the house? I thought Moses built a house. A temple where the glory even came down. I thought Solomon built a house for God where the glory came down. God took over the church; the priest could not stand and minister. Then in Isaiah, God is saying, "where is the house? Where is the house that you build for me?" Then he says, "in case you don't know what house is, I mean, where is the place of my rest?"

That is to say, since the world began till now in Isaiah, I have not yet found a place of rest. You are building things, but I don't live there. You are constructing buildings, expensive buildings. You built one for 46 years. 46 years of building a temple, and God says, "yet, it is not my place of rest. Where is the house?" Then Zerubbabel said, "okay, since God was asking for house from Isaiah, I, Zeru, I will build God a temple." God says, "Zeru, don't waste materials. The kind of house I'm looking for is not by might. It's not going to be built by power; it shall be built by my Spirit." No wonder Jesus will look at the temple and say, "destroy this temple. In three days..." Oh, I feel like I'm preaching here. If you're understanding, shout glory!

Now let me close, let me close. So God made it clear that he does not dwell in physical temples. That this physical building is not the place of God's rest. In essence, the physical temples which was first built by Moses, then Solomon, are to prefigure God's temple. They are to prefigure God's temple. So what is God's temple? Heaven and earth. God's temple is heaven and earth. God's temple is heaven and earth. And heaven and earth will be fulfilled by the promised Messiah.

Heaven and earth will be fulfilled by the promised Messiah. So in Genesis 1:1, heaven and earth is what Moses was teaching as entering the rest of God. What Moses was teaching was that God would cease from his works and rest, and that man will cease from his works. So the Sabbath or the rest of God, which in the writings of Moses is prophecy. Sabbath, rest, were prophecies. And all the prophets of God in the scripture represented God's rest. Moses explained it as faith in what God has done. Rest is faith in what God has done. Faith in what God has done.

So, it is evident that Moses employed the word "seventh day," "rest," as terminologies in his audience were conversant with. And those terminologies are Oriental terminologies used in Ancient Near Eastern culture to describe the worship of idols in the temple. Now, Moses used it to teach his audience of God's promised righteousness. Of the Spirit of God dwelling in a man. In the new creation.

So, that is they were to remember how Yahweh delivered them from bondage and serve him as a kingdom of kings and priests in all the nations of the earth. So Sabbath is not a day. Sabbath was a communication to reveal that one day God will rest in a man, and through that man announces his message to the world.

Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus is our Sabbath. And when you come to Jesus, you cease from your works. Hallelujah. You cease from your works and you enter into rest. You enter into God's rest. Hallelujah. We that have believed have entered into God's rest. And he that has entered into God's rest has ceased from his works, even as God ceased from his. So we don't observe days. It's not about observing a day. It's about God's promise. And today, know ye not that your body is the resting place of God? That rest God was looking for has been fulfilled by Jesus in the believer.

Hallelujah. So we go around the world preaching to them, "come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you what? Rest." And there remaineth therefore a rest for the people of God. How do you join the rest? We that believe, we enter into rest. And this rest is in the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God indwelling man. Man becoming the temple of God. I feel like I’m preaching good this morning. Glory to God.

Turn to your neighbor, say, "Hey neighbor, you are the temple of his glory. You are the resting place of God. He dwells in you." Tell your neighbor, "neighbor, the Sabbath is not a Saturday." Okay, stand on your feet. Let’s say that one while standing. In case somebody is trying to look for our trouble, can answer him back. Tell your neighbor, "neighbor, the Sabbath is not a Saturday. Saturday was culture and a parable used to prefigure the finished work of Christ." Say, "neighbor, as I'm standing by you right now, as I'm standing right now, because you were standing by me and sitting by me, I understood this message. I'm not confused."

Glory to God. Are you blessed this morning? Is somebody blessed to be the house of God, the temple of God, the dwelling house of the Holy Ghost? If you are, can I have a powerful amen? Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. So, as I'm rounding up, because I know a lot of Sabbatarians are watching this service. A lot of Sabbatarians. So as I'm about to close. So one day Jesus, hold on, hold on, you Sabbatarian, wait, wait, wait. On the Sabbath day, Jesus took his disciples and they entered the farm. And the disciples were plucking corn, removing pawpaw, pineapple, they were removing pear and eating. The Pharisees and the Sadducees said to Jesus, "why did you take your disciples out on the Sabbath day? You are breaking the law of Moses."

Jesus said, "man is not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath is made for man. And I am the Lord. I am Sabbath in a person." So when you come to Jesus, you have come to Sabbath. In Christ, every day is Sabbath. In Christ, every hour is Sabbath. I feel like I'm preaching here. Then Jesus said, "is it not also written that David, that David who was not a priest, took his boys and they entered the temple and ate the showbread that was meant for high priests? Look at it, look at it. But he said unto them, have you not read what David did when he was an hungered and they that were with him?" Next verse. "How he entered into the house of God and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests." Next verse. "Or have you not read in the law how that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are blameless? But I say unto you, that in this place is one greater than the temple and greater than the Sabbath." Next verse. "But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless." Next verse. "For the son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day."

Glory to God. If Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath and he lives in you, then you don't observe a Sabbath, you are a moving Sabbath. You are a mobile Sabbath. Anywhere you enter, Sabbath has just entered. Glory to God.

Father, thank you that your word is growing mightily in our hearts. Light is shining in our minds, the eyes of our understanding continually are being enlightened. And we declare this morning that your people are built up, edified, and Jesus is glorified. Veils are falling off, clarity upon clarity, and together we not only remember, but we announce the rest of God to the nations of the earth. And we thank you for answered prayer. In Jesus' name we pray, and every believer says that amen on a note of celebration. Now go ahead and celebrate that word you just heard this morning.

Glory. I said glory. Before I take your honor offerings or while you are getting your honor offerings together, let me announce my new book that comes out this week. My new book that comes out this week is called The Minister's Companion. The Minister's Companion. And it deals with things like full-time ministry, administration, ministry and finance, the minister and his family, personal appearance, prayer and study habits of a minister, ministry and the health of a minister, ministry and legal demands, ministry and relationships, temptations and conflicts in ministry, women in ministry, the traveling minister, ministry etiquette, officiating ceremonies, ministry and the media. Then the place of things to mind in ministry. Like, what is my responsibility? What is discipleship? What are other categories of people and basic things? Then finally, hosting a conference. Then the last chapter, questions and answers in a growing minister's life. This one is the companion of the minister. This is one book you carry with you everywhere because it covers every area. The book will be ready within the week, so everybody online, on television, in the campuses, get ready for it so that you begin to chew on the book. I didn't hear a good amen. Grab your offerings this morning, let’s honor God’s word. Radio audience, you want to give an offering to support what we doing in Power City. Online, you want to give the banking details are scrolling. Television, the banking details are scrolling. If everybody in the building, lift up your offerings this morning. Let’s honor Jesus, the risen Lord.

Father, thank you for the privilege of giving. We give in faith, we give with joy. We rejoice that through our givings, the gospel continues to advance in the nations of the earth. So we thank you that our offerings are a sweet smell before you this morning, and we rejoice that as we continue to give, we do much more in the name of Jesus. Thank you for answered prayer. In Jesus' name we pray, and every believer says a powerful amen. Glory. And power voices, the baskets are before us. Hit the music, let's do it as we worship Jesus, the risen Lord this morning.

Guest (Male): Oh my goodness, the word of God is life. The Bible tells us, the entrance of God's word giveth light, and it giveth understanding to the simple. As you keep listening, the light of God's word rises out of the rightly divided word of truth, illuminates your mind, illuminates your heart, and brings you face to face with your realities in Christ Jesus.

In Ephesians chapter 3, verse 3, brother Paul speaking about the mystery, the Old Testament, he said, "whereby when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ." So there is a knowledge in the mystery of Christ. The word mystery is the word musterion in the Greek. It means that which is concealed. And then he says how that by revelation, the word revelation is the word apokalypsis. It means that which is revealed. So the revelation of the scriptures unveils the mystery. Revelation is the New Testament. Mystery is the Old Testament. But it would take reading and learning to come to a place of full understanding, precise and accurate knowledge.

Brother Daniel will say, "I understood by books." So there's a place of books in equipping you soundly with the message of Christ. Brother Paul will write to Timothy, he says to Timothy, "till I come, give attendance to reading." Jesus speaking to those Jews says, "ye do err because you know not the scriptures nor the power of God." Oftentimes, Jesus would say to the Jews, "have you not read?" is the word anaginosko in the Greek. It means, "are you reading and not paying attention?"

I want to quickly recommend for you a plethora of books I have written. They are written with an intent to bring you doctrinal clarity, answer your questions doctrinally, and bring you to a place of accurate understanding, a precise knowledge of Christ and you in Christ. I want you to order for those books today. The number and list of books available will be read to you right now. And if you call today, we'll be glad to make sure you get a copy or more copies of the books, so you can enrich your spiritual life and enrich your walk with God and build a quality relationship with Jesus Christ, where you're also able to teach others the same truths you have learned, to liberate them and bring them to the fullness of God. Glory to God.

Dr. Abel Damina has authored several insightful books that bring clarity to the foundation truths of Christianity. These include Understanding the Spirit, Soul, and Body; Winning the War; Money with a Mission; Understanding Relationships, Marriage, and Family Life; Prayer that Works; Higher Life: Redeemed to Reign in Life; and The Priesthood of Jesus. To order, please call 240-367-6201 or email pciusregion@gmail.com.

We trust you’ve been blessed by today’s message. And for prayers, counseling, or to obtain the complete teachings and books, please call 404-789-7207, or 404-670-2085, or 404-453-5562, or 240-367-6201. We look forward to having you with us again tomorrow. Remain in his grace and be blessed.