A world-renowned pastor and author that oversees a large Christian church in California stated in a sermon "The Sabbath is gone", "don't let anyone hold you to a Sabbath day, according to Colossians 2:16-17" "It's a part of Judaism that has been replaced by the new covenant"

Here the pastor claims that Yahovah has changed his scripture, and this is based on a man's opinion of what scripture says. So let's look at the claims he puts forth to his congregation and see if that is what scripture says.

THE CLAIMS OF THE PASTOR

1. The sabbath is gone, according to Colossians 2:16-17

2. It's a part of Judaism that has been replaced by the new covenant.

Let's look at a couple verse's that are very revealing of Yahovah's feelings about his Sabbath, and if he changes his commandments and statutes. His prophet Ezekiel relays many messages to his people Israel about the Sabbath that they profaned in Yahovah's sight, here is just one of the messages that is said to the people who did not keep his Sabbath.

Ezekiel 20:16 because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. 17 Nevertheless, my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or make a full end of them in the wilderness. 18 “And I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor keep their rules, nor defile yourselves with their idols. 19 I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and be careful to obey my rules, 20 and keep my Sabbaths holy that they may be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’ 21 But the children rebelled against me. They did not walk in my statutes and were not careful to obey my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; they profaned my Sabbaths.

Malachi 3:6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. 7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’

THE SABBATH IS GONE, DONE AWAY WITH

Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

The Lord (Yahovah) Sabbath's are not philosophy or empty deceit, they are not direction from man of this world. According to man's teachings we are told the Sabbath no longer exist and is done away with, not of Yahovah's instruction of how to live anymore, but a change in scripture. But it is an instruction set apart holy, for a sign or mark between Yahovah and his people stated by Yahovah "forever". Paul tells them in Colossians 2:16-23 see that the religious men not judge for they are of the world, doing things of the world practices that are not instructed by Yahovah and not instructed or commanded by Yeshua in scripture. A man's instruction and ways are useless and of no value.

Colossians 2:22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.

These rules are what is destine to perish and are the teachings and ways of man, but you are partaking in things of Christ, the Sabbath is an eternal commandment given by Yahovah to His people as a sign, If we read it in context there is much more that is revealed by Yahovah in his scripture, yet the pastor only uses the 2 verses and makes a opinion that makes no sense in context, plus we will practice these feast and Sabbaths for eternity with him.

Colossians 2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. 18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. 19 They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. 20 Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

The pastor is the religious judging people that desire to know Yahovah and his ways, he is judging the keeping of the Sabbath that is instructed by scripture to the people of Yahovah. The pastor is instituting instruction and rules to man that are going to perish and these statements that the Sabbath is done away with is not in scripture and since the pastors instruction is not in scripture it lacks any value and then he is teaching it to a people group as "scripture says".

We see in Micah that we learn his ways by learning his Torah for eternity for when this takes place is in the millennial reign, and the Sabbath is a sign forever.

Micah 4:1 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord (Yahovah) shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it. 2 and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord Yahovah), to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, (Torah)

Exodus 31:12 And the Lord (Yahovah) said to Moses, 13 “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord (Yahovah), sanctify you. 14 You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord (Yahovah). Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. 16 Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. 17 It is a sign forever between me (Yahovah) and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord (Yahovah) made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”

THEY ARE HIS SABBATHS FOR HIS PEOPLE ISREAL NOT THE JEWS SABBATHS

In the scripture, Yahovah is clear that and instructed Moses to say to a certain people group Israel "above all you shall keep my sabbath". This instruction is important to him, he also states "you shall keep my sabbaths" so these are Yahovah's Sabbath's unto him, but he is clear and states they are his Not the Jews.

Exodus 31:16-17 Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever 17 It is a sign forever between me (Yahovah) and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord (Yahovah) made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”

WE ARE TO KEEP IT UNTO HIM FOREVER AS A SIGN

Yahovah says to the people Israel that they shall keep them and it is a sign throughout all their generations forever. Here are some of the meanings of the Hebrew word "olam" or Forever, Strongs Hebrew definition #5769 "olam" perpetual covenant, always, continual, eternal, eternity, ever, Everlasting, forever and ever, forevermore, long, long time, permanent, permanently, perpetual.

So these words have meanings, and for the world renown pastor to speak saying it is done away with or gone is a bold statement to remove the sign between Yahovah and his people, speaking against what Yahovah says in his written scripture for direction for us to listen and obey and live right in his eye's as he has instructed. This removing of the Sabbath is the instructions from the Catholic Church in 364 A.D. at the COUNCIL OF LAODICEA IN PHRYGIA PACATIANA the man written law Canon 29

Canon 29 states, CHRISTIANS must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honouring the Lord's Day (Sunday); and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found to be judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ.

WE ARE ISRAEL AND THE COMMANDMENT TO KEEP SABBATH IS FOR US

You might say that you are not Israel and the commandment does not apply to you, "it was replaced by the New Covenant". Ephesians chapter 2 says we were once far off and now are brought near and part of the commonwealth of Israel partakers of the house or people of God. Also let's look at the new covenant stated in scripture, to whom it is stated and what he causes us to do when he puts his spirit within us.

Jeremiah 31:33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law (Torah) within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Ezekiel 36:22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came.

Ezekiel 36:26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Ephesians 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh (near) by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us (Jews and Gentiles); 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances (ordinances being Jewish Talmud or oral law separating Jew and Gentile); for to make in himself of twain one new man (Israel), so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body (Israel) by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them (Jews) that were nigh. 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; (Israel) 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

THE FUTURE WITH YAHOVAH

Isaiah 56:1 Thus says the Lord: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.” 3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” 4 For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, 5 I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. 6 “And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord (Yahovah), and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” 8 The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,“I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.”

THE PASTOR SAYS IT IS A PART OF JUDAISM THAT HAS BEEN REPLACED BY THE NEW COVENANT

No where in the bible does it say "the Sabbath is for the Jews only", or "the Sabbath is for the religion of Judaism only". It is not stated any where in the bible that "the new covenant changed Yahovah's Torah or instructions for his people Israel", nor does the bible say that "the new covenant replaces the Sabbath with Sunday as the Lord's day". The statement is made by men of the Catholic Church in the Canon 29 I quoted in the previous section above. So if we are changing the Sabbath to "the Lord's Day" to be Sunday then we are following the men and law of the Catholic Church and NOT Yahovah our God, the God of Israel's scripture and Torah (instruction) for his people.

Canon 29 "Christians must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lords Day (Sunday); and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found to be Judaizers, let them be anathema (one that is cursed by ecclesiastical authority) from Christ".

So men have changed what Yahovah has given to his people as a sign between him and Israel, they have taken the position of authority and power and have given an instruction or law to follow outside of scripture stating who is in Christ and how they remain by obeying "their law" man's law or instruction not scripture, they have added to and created their religion and rules, breaking Deuteronomy 4:1-2

Deuteronomy 4:1 “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.

It's the Jewish people (the men from Judea) who are the only one's keeping the commandment the Sabbath, BUT have added to the Sabbath and commandments (Breaking Deuteronomy 4:1-2), by making it theirs (adding to the commandment) by their Talmud Oral law, and these are not in scripture and have been added by men to the Sabbath. They have been making more rules to follow and that makes it bondage to the people of Yahovah, this is how they made it "their" SABBATH and have not kept Yahovah's Sabbath.

The people that are called Jews are men that are from the region of Judea a region known as the Kingdom of Judah but are part of the 12 tribe's of Israel. The word Jew is from the Hebrew yehudhi, originally meaning a member of the Hebrew tribe of Judah.

First time is seen in scripture the term Jew, 2 Kings 16:6 At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews (yehudhi men from Judah) from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day.

After the split of the 12 tribes, 2 tribes to Judea and 10 tribes to the Northern Kingdom Israel, the term was used and it is first found in 2 Kings 16:6, as distinct men from Israel.

SUM UP THE CLAIMS OF THE RENOWNED PASTOR

The pastor's theology is pulled out of context with an added opinionated claim that is not found in the scriptures, thus replacing instruction that is in scripture and given by the creator himself for his people.

Deuteronomy 29 “When the Lord your God cuts off before you the nations whom you go in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, 30 take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods?—that I also may do the same.’ 31 You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods. 32 “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.

Christians today follow the added man written law of the Catholic Church and men's authority of theology like shown in the blog above, breaking Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 12:29-32 and they profane Yahovah's Sabbath and change his instruction for his people. People do as men have told them to do, people do NOT "obey" the Hebrew word is "shamar" it means to guard and protect and cherish what Yahovah has instructed us to do, but we have "disobeyed" the Hebrew word is "parar" it means to trample underfoot, and this is what we are doing to his commandment to keep the Sabbath and obey his word's brought by his Son, as Yeshua states in John 7:16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.

John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.