“The first to speak is believed to be right, until another states his case.”  Basically, that is what this series, and many other series found on this website, are about.  I am tasked with warning salvation seekers to beware of first-word assumptions.  By this I mean that because someone generations ago quoted a statement from the Holy Scriptures and ended all discussion of the subject at that point (a “headline”), that does not mean that everything needed for complete understanding of the subject has been stated.  In every instance that I am aware of, “the first to speak” (“headline speaker”) is NEVER RIGHT because there is always more  information than the “headline” provides.  But woe to the “other” man who “states his case” relative to the subject.  I am one of those “others” who obey God’s command to use His “sword of the Spirit” (Scriptures) for “reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness” in order to be “perfect, totally furnished (equipped) for all good works” (2 Tim. 3:14-17).  Because of my unwavering dedication to the Word of God as He wrote it, I am rejected by almost all who know me personally, including my family members.  All of my detractors share several characteristics.  All are religious; none believe God’s Word in its uninterpreted, unedited form; all distance themselves as far as possible from God’s “fine print” and all are saved, sanctified, sealed and rapture-ready.

The weapons with which the man of God is to be thoroughly “furnished” (vs 17), which he uses for “reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness” are the “holy Scriptures which make one wise unto salvation” (vs 15).  Notice that the Scriptures give us wisdom UNTO (leading to) salvation (if one believes and obeys them).  This is brought out again by the Apostle Paul in Romans 5:21 and 6:22 where he tells us that the END RESULT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS (obedience to God’s Word/Law) IS ETERNAL LIFE.  This is God’s Truth (Jn. 17:17) spoken and written by Paul for the church to learn, believe and obey unto (resulting in) salvation for those who remain true to Him “until the end” who “shall be saved” at that time (Mat. 10:22).  With those Biblical Truths to build on, let us move on to another falsely interpreted passage, this one found in Revelation 1:10.

Here we find the Apostle John who has been imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos for (preaching) “the testimony of Jesus Christ” (the Gospel of the Kingdom of God–Mk. 1:1,14).  The only original apostle still alive is writing to the church while operating “in (under the power of) the (Holy) Spirit” on (in) “THE LORD’S DAY.”  The words “in” and “on” are used interchangeably in the Scriptures where the context allows.  This is one of those instances.  Due to ignorance of the other 99% of the Bible (the “fine print”), billions of people have “known” that the entire Book of Revelation was shown and spoken to John on Sunday–mistakenly called “the Lord’s day,”  “the day of the Lord” and “the Sabbath.”  The revelation could have taken place on Sunday, but that is not what is meant by “the Lord’s Day” as this part of the series will prove.

Most self-professed “Bible Scholars” have preached that “the Lord’s Day” is the first day of the week–Sunday–the day sun worshipers of old paid homage to their god who, in different societies, were called different names.  The sun god Satan convinced the ancient Israelites to worship was called Tammuz.  In Ezekiel 8 God shows the prophet the form of their sun worship and the results of their idolatry.  One of their rituals had the leading males bowing toward the east early on Sunday morning as their god became visible over the horizon.  They worshiped him as he rose into the sky.  What the women were doing has culminated in what today is known as Easter Sunday in honor of the mother of Tammuz.  Today what the men were doing is known as a “sunrise service” in which church people unwittingly worship the same god as did their ancient relatives.  During my days of ignorance, I was one of them.  God promises that the ultimate result will be the same for modern sun (Sunday Sabbath) worshipers as it was for ancient Israel–military defeat, slaughter of the masses and enslavement of the survivors.  To learn God’s attitude toward His Holy Sabbath use the word itself as the key to download the series.

If John was not referring to the weekly 7th day Sabbath of the Lord (and he wasn’t), exactly what was “the Lord’s Day” he was referencing?  The Book of Revelation, along with several other references, will answer the question.  Let us look to them for a clear understanding.  But before we delve into this important subject, let me briefly remind the readers of several Bible Truths relative to God’s weekly Sabbath.  There is no such thing as the “Jewish Sabbath.”  The 7th day of each week is God’s Sabbath established during creation week for all of mankind forever, as was everything else He created during that week.  God calls the 7th day “My holy day” (Isa. 58:13) ) and “blessed it and sanctified it (Gen. 2:3).  He blessed and set aside no other day of the week.  In Exodus 35:2 God told His people that “the Sabbath is HOLY UNTO YOU ….”  In Exodus 20:10 He states that “… the seventh day is the Sabbath unto the Lord thy God ….”  He calls no other day of the week His “holy Sabbath” which He “blessed” and “sanctified” (set aside for holy use).  Only God can do any of the above.  Well, there is another god who can produce a counterfeit of His Sabbath–Satan, the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4).  Those who worship and serve him “know” that he is the Biblical God who is leading them in their sun god worship each Sunday.

Sabbaths are instituted only by God Who ONLY has the authority to declare what is holy and what is not holy.   Man cannot bless and sanctify a particular day and call it God’s day.  But he has done precisely that.  Man has taken these creative powers to themselves in blatant acts of idolatry (self0worship).  If man can eliminate and replace commandment #4, he can do the same for all of the commandments of God.  The Jews have no Sabbath.  When God created the Sabbath there were no Jews.   The first Jew (Judah) would not be born until many generations later.  Observance of the Lord’s Holy Sabbath is one of the few things the Jews continue to do correctly.  L.J.