This masterclass will cover The Sabbath Day as found in the fourth commandment. It will trace it’s history all the way from creation and then through the history of Israel into New Testament times. It will also look at the benefits for Christians today. The world has increasingly forgotten about God and His ways. How is that possible? The answer is found in a day, which is The Authentic Seal. #theSabbathDay This is the fifth episode in the AWR Masterclass series called Unlocking Bible Prophecies. You can follow the series and interact LIVE at: http://awr.org/bible Ten years ago, Cami Oetman had a real encounter with God that would change her life forever. She was a successful entrepreneur at the time, and the transition wasn’t easy. However, the truth Cami will share in this series was so compelling that she knew every human being in the world should experience the love of Jesus as she had. Within three years, she had preached 350 Bible presentations. Today, as a vice president for Adventist World Radio, Cami travels the world documenting the miracles that take place when people give their hearts to Jesus. It may seem difficult to imagine yourself understanding Bible prophecy. Cami couldn’t either. She had spent two decades in the modeling world — in front of and behind the camera. She had also used her master’s degree in social work to care for hospice patients. She then started a successful retail business. But no one can predict how they will react when they have a real experience with God! THE AUTHENTIC SEAL
Have you ever wondered why people would put a seal on a letter or document? What does it stand for? A seal bears the name, title and territory of its owner and conveys authority and ownership to the receiver of the message. In ancient times, wax seals were often used on contracts or treaties as an identifying mark of authority and authenticity. Did you know God uses a ‘seal’ to identify his followers and mark them for redemption? Surely, humans won’t receive a wax seal on their foreheads—so what is this seal? The Sabbath is a seal of commitment and relationship. By observing the Sabbath, God’s followers show they belong to Him. So, how do you observe the Sabbath and when is it? Humans are the only created beings that can discern right from wrong and the part of our brain that makes those choices is our prefrontal cortex which sits behind our foreheads. When we choose to “remember the Sabbath day” as it states in the fourth of ten commandments, we are choosing to be ‘sealed’ by God. The Sabbath exists to remind us who God is. He is Creator of Heaven and Earth. God said through the prophet Ezekiel “I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy” (Ezekiel 20:12). God wants us to remember that He is our Creator and Redeemer. God created humans on the sixth day of creation–Friday. The very next day–Sabbath; He rested, blessed it and made it holy. God wants to spend valuable time with the creation He made in His image. This means He wants to spend time with you. Did you know the Sabbath has existed since the very first week of creation and it was not intended for only a select group of people? God created the Sabbath with the intention of spending time with all people. The Sabbath existed long before God gave the commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai; Paul and the Christian Gentiles were still keeping the Sabbath holy long after Jesus died on the cross. When God created the days of the week, each 24-hour period was marked by the rotation of the earth. The night portion preceded the day portion, which means that sunset is the first part of a new day. Each day of the week begins with the evening portion at sunset. So it makes sense that the Sabbath would begin Friday evening at sunset and continue until Saturday evening at sunset. What more can God do to emphasize the permanence and importance of His holy Sabbath day? He spoke it with His voice, wrote it with His finger, and sent His own beloved Son Jesus as our example to live by. The disciples taught it and God’s believers will keep it on the New Earth throughout all of eternity. When the Creator of the universe asks you to do something, it makes sense to follow His direction. Don’t you think? Especially when His motive for spending time with us is love. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNoIqJLJxF8