Re-view
On June 21, I posted a TW about the Sabbath. Dan made some great comments in the following few days, eventually prompting me to ask if Bob Gorelik would add his thoughts. Since I was very late posting Bob’s reply, most of the community had long forgotten the thread from that discussion. So, I sent Bob’s reply directly to Dan and others who commented. I received a very nice email from Dan about the discussion, expressing his concern that at times I seem to dismiss or ignore the work of other notable believers. I apologize to you all. That is never my intent. I want to grapple with the truth and be open to all points of view until we can find our way through them. And if we can’t, unity in the Spirit and love for each other still comes FIRST!
So, here’s my response to Dan, posted for the community as a way of saying, “Please accept my apology if I seemed too curt.” All dialogue given in love is good dialogue.
Skip
Dear Dan,
Thanks for the sharing the personal background. It helps me understand your concern.
As you know, Bob was a student of Flusser and knows Bilzzard. I have read them all and very much appreciate their work. By the way, Flusser never became a believer in Yeshua as the Messiah, but that does not diminish his insights in my opinion.
My comments about breaking the Sabbath are simply reflections of the Scriptural consequences. Since the Sabbath is God’s sanctification of time, established by God, part of Torah, etc. it is pretty serious. And the biblical statements about ignoring it are also pretty serious – being cut off, death, etc.
However, Bob and I have ahd several conversations about what do we do now, in this culture. While we both agree that honoring the Sabbath is the goal, he and I both travel when required on the Sabbath. As Bob said to me, “If God has equipped you to teach, and you fulfill His will by teaching, then you need to get on the plane on Friday.” The Sabbath was made for Man, right? So, I am quite sure that God allows those who are following His purposes to fulfill them regardless of the day. That is not the same as saying that any day can be the Sabbath or that the Sabbath doesn’t really count anymore. All I know is that God intends His creation to rest in Him on a regular cycle for the benefit of all.
Flusser, Young and Bilzzard may certainly hold different views. And they are respected scholars for sure. But I doubt that any of them would dismiss the importance of Sabbath or the intent of Sabbath. Certainly not Flusser, who was orthodox. I don’t want to dismiss or ignore Sabbath either, but I will tell you straight up that I struggle with keeping it, especially with my work and travel schedule. But God is gracious. He knows I struggle.
The last thing I would ever want is for a member of the community to think that I am entrenched, myopic and without compassion for the struggles of others. Far be it from me! I am a sinner, man! I am in the fight too. My wife reminds me that I have a hard time living what I write. Unity is more important than theological bickering, so I apologize if I seemed to cut you off. That was not the intention at all. I want dialogue that leads to truth, but I know that rabbis have argued over some Scriptures of centuries without consensus and they are quite at home with the tension.
Love,
SkipBy the way, you would probably enjoy Mark Buchanan’s The Rest of God.
Shabbat Shalom Skip … it is a rare Shabbat TW review for me … but this day I am home and not with my community and I was inclined to add to my morning by looking in! 🙂 How ironic that I see this posting regarding Shabbat!
“All I know is that God intends His creation to rest in Him on a regular cycle for the benefit of all.”
We know the Shabbat is the foundation of the broader Mo’adim which is really a life cycle for believers …. well at least it should be! Shabbat and the Mo’adim are absolutely critical to our well being and our relationship as His people set apart … agreed?
Yes it is difficult … so many attacks to keep us from our Shabbat! And what is our Shabbat … what is our rest? It is of course Yeshua.
Over the course of years I too struggled to break through the shroud of deceit and ignorance to regain this inheritance as one now free in Him! Was it costly …. oh yea! Has it permanently changed my household, my personal relationships, my life …. oh yea! And I learned that there is much temporal pain in choosing Him that comes along with Shalom. Yes I know that seems to be contradictory but it is true all the same.
And as you point out Skip … there are still struggles … because powers and principalities exert pressure whenever possible to break apart our relationship with Him. But in the end a discussion of Shabbat should not really be about “exceptions” that we face (such as traveling to spread The Gospel message) but rather the discussion should be about Shabbat in the context of being in relationship with ELOHIM.
We have been commanded (for our own benefit) to meet with the G_D of Wonders on a weekly basis … on the 7th day; from Friday evening until Saturday evening. Certainly there is tremendous importance here!
The question for us is not “what about the exceptions” …. it is about Who and What do we choose. Do we try to maintain convenience and a semblance of order to the schema of this world or do we “go off the charts” and choose Him and His ways for us?
In light of the broader Mo’adim I suppose Shabbat is the stepping stone. It would be pretty difficult to get onto Adonai’s planned life cycle for us if we can’t get on the weekly cycle!
Skip … you point out that He is merciful and knows the struggles; I agree completely. I also know that I also will struggle in the future to keep Shabbat as I know in Spirit it should be kept. But I will never deceive myself and refute the awesome glory of HaShabbat.
Despite “notable believers” that have varying views on a host of issues … including Shabbat for instance, I will pray that you brother Skip continue spreading the Good News without negotiating the truth and utilize source materials as Ruach HaKodesh leads you.
Greetings Mishpocha,
Obviously in my commentary above I let emotions get the better of me a bit … well perhaps a lot.
In the closing paragraph I implied that notable believers who disagree with Skip regarding the Shabbat, (obviously I am in agreement with Skip), are negotiating the truth and essentially should not be utilized as source materials or listened to.
The issue for me personally in this matter is not my understanding of Shabbat … (it is not going to change), but rather my comments regarding those that do not share the same beliefs. In this respect my last paragraph was pretty harsh, lacking compassion and admittedly un-brotherly. As such I apologize to Dan in particular and for any one else at Today’s Word that does not share my understanding of Shabbat and might have been offended.
Ultimately I am pretty inflexible when it comes to core beliefs … like the meaning and role of Shabbat …. at the same time there is no call for delivery of commentary that belittles other believers.
So sometimes we must eat crow, ask for forgiveness and move on in a better walk. For me this is one of those “sometimes”!
Shalom
Then perhaps I should be a Rabbi it it allows me to be comfortable with tention. My heart is just to please the lover of my soul. That should not be contentious.
Thanks for letting us know you struggle. I struggle with the Sabbath each week and have for 20 years(since I learned it was not away with) . God knows my heart. I love to read more on how to handle this struggle.
And thanks for recommending Mark Buchanan’s The Rest of God. I just ordered the Kindle sample.
I have been learning to keep Shabbat this past year. I live alone, in an area where there is no Messianic fellowship. The TW is my fellowship, the Torah is my companion.
On Sept 8th I am going to be volunteering in Israel at Sabra House for a year, God willing. http://www.sabra.ru/sabrarussia/sabraisrael/
I have a Uhaul trailer rented for the weekend of the 29th of August, and my son is coming with his truck to move everything to the house they will be moving into as newly weds. They live 6 hrs away from me, so I thought I had Shabbat all figured out.
I was getting a friend to park the UHaul trailer in my parking space on on Friday after work at 4pm. My son would drive here on Saturday, as he has not yet had the Shabbat revelation. We could load the trailer Saturday night and Sunday morning, and then drive to his house. But last week he told me he is coming Friday (taking the day off work) so we can be there and settled in by Saturday Night! I will be dishonoring the Shabbat, but I can’t change his plans.
But I have decided I am going to be a “minimalist” after Israel, so I won’t have to deal with “all my things” anymore, before following where the Lord leads me in this Journey.
I am going to add a blog to my website that will have entries about what I experience with Sabra House. Just follow the link on my name to get to my website.
I certainly hope that while the small group is in Israel, we will have time to connect with you. And I look forward to following your journey.
Skip, you are a good guy. Thank you for your tender-heart before the Lord.
Dan Jones
The struggle to “keep the Sabbath” is certainly a struggle in this modern age, I am no exception. I don’t pretend to keep the Torah and I type the “O” in God but I am pretty sure that doesn’t make me an infidel; sinner yes. Ultimately I follow hard after God and Yeshua is my guide. Through His excellent mercy I am able to provide for my family and when preaching I often have to travel on a Sunday because as a tent-maker, my business must go on come Monday morning.
When I was an operator in the military we worked seven days a week and at times, we had no choice but to work. Then, as a police officer we had to work 7 day rotating shifts and of course; that included Sundays.
I’ve arrested murderers and rapists on Sundays. I’ve been the last human being good and bad people have seen before they departed this world, on Sundays. I’ve delivered babies and I’ve been out in the cold rain in the field on Sundays. As a Pastor I have stood at the bedside of dying saints and those whose destiny was an eternity in Hell, say it with me, on Sundays.
I can’t claim to have any of this figured out but I know this, God loves me and I love Him and I will be perfected in His presence one day. Cheap grace isn’t my claim, nor am I saying I don’t trust God to provide for my family if I never work on a Sunday… What I am saying is, although I make a best effort to not work on Sunday along with the other many failings my mortal soul represents.
One other thing I know, Today’s Word is a blessing to me every day… I worry about Dr. Moen wearing himself out though… Seriously, I am concerned that you not only don’t get enough Sunday rest, but many other days as well. Well, back to Bible Mastery 501… Oy vey!
Hi Shawn,
I enjoyed your comments, but had to chuckle. Sabbath is not Sunday, so travel, work, arrest, and do all those other things on Sunday and don’t think a thing about it. 🙂