Bible Study Lesson 1 — The Bible Alone — Walking With The Lord.com

I believe that the way to study the Bible is to let it speak for itself. I have given you the Greek and Hebrew words where I think it will help in understanding the translation and text itself. Having written this, I also believe that the entire Bible is about God and Jesus — and not about humanity. Notice Jesus' words in John 5:39–40.

Part 1 — The Purpose of Scripture

John 5:39–40

"You search the Scriptures because you yourselves think that in them you have eternal life; but they are they which testify (martureo) about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you might have life."

martureo — to be a witness; to testify (literally or figuratively); charge, give evidence, bear record, give testimony, obtain witness

Here Jesus is pointing out that the Jews were looking into the Bible (Old Testament) to see what they had to do to live eternally — making the Word of God man-centered. Jesus tells them that the Bible is about Him; He is the way to eternal life. It is God-centered. So we study the Bible to see God, as it is a revelation of Him. With this in mind, I would like to show what the Sabbath and marriage in Genesis, as well as Exodus and Deuteronomy, tell us about God.

Part 2 — The Sabbath: Resting in God's Completed Work

Genesis 2:1–4

"Thus the heavens and the earth were completed and all their hosts. And on the seventh day (bayom) God (Elohim) completed (kalah) His work which He had done (asah), and He rested on the seventh (Shabbat) day from all His work which He had done. Then Elohim blessed the seventh (Shabbat) day and sanctified (qadash) it, because in it He rested from all His work which Elohim had created and made. This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that Yahweh Eloheinu made the heavens and the earth."

kalah — a primitive root; to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be finished, perish) or transitive (to complete, prepare, consume): accomplish, cease, consume, done, expire asah — a primitive root; to do or make in the broadest sense and widest application qadash — a primitive root; to be (causatively, make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally): appoint, consecrate, dedicate, hallow, keep holy, purify, sanctified

We should take away two points from the Sabbath day about God:

He rested — that is, He ceased His work and rested in the accomplished work of creation.
He blessed and sanctified the day. Sanctifying or calling something holy is God's sovereign decree. His creatorship makes Him the sovereign ruler of the universe. This concept follows through with the furnishings of the Sanctuary, the calling of His people as holy (saints), and the sanctifying of His people — all are God's sovereign choice. In essence, we are holy because God said so — not because we do holy things.

Excursus

I will leave the Sabbath day here while we support a second teaching from Genesis — marriage and what it reveals about God — then we will continue on the Sabbath day.

Part 3 — Marriage: A Revelation of the Godhead

Genesis 1:1

"In the beginning God (Elohim) created (bara) the heavens and the earth."

bara — He created (singular verb) Elohim — God (plural noun)

A simple but profound verse. In the Hebrew text, the verb bara is before the noun Elohim. The verb is in the singular — "He created" — and the noun Elohim is plural, literally "Gods." So the words have to be translated "God created." In Genesis 2:22–25, we learn how more than one can be one.

Genesis 2:22–25

"Yahweh Eloheinu fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man (haadam), and brought her to the man. The man said, 'This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman (ishah), because she was taken out of Man (iysh).' For this reason a man (iysh) shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife (ishah); and they shall become one (echad) flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed."

haadam — the man ishah — Woman iysh — Man echad — one; a unity (the two become one)

Echad — one, a unity. The two — man and woman — become one: a unity. God is also one. Here you can see a clear testimony of what the New Testament shows: that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — one God, three Divine Persons. Every day the Jewish man confirms this when he recites the Shema:

Shema Israel Yahweh Eloheinu Yahweh echad
"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is a unity!"

John 10:30–31

"I and the Father are one (hen)." The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him.

hen — one; the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew echad

Stoning was the penalty for blasphemy. The Jews understood exactly what Jesus was claiming — equality with God the Father — and reacted accordingly. This is a direct claim to deity.

Part 4 — Remember & Observe: The Two Sabbath Commandments

We will look at the two Sabbath commandments in Exodus and Deuteronomy, and contrary to what we have heard, the Torah tells us to Remember and Observe the Sabbath:

Exodus 20:8–11

"Remember (Zakar) the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work (mela'kah), but the seventh day is a Sabbath of Yahweh Eloheinu; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed (barak) the Sabbath day and made it holy (qadash)."

Zakar — to mark properly (so as to be recognized); to remember; by implication to mention; be mindful, recount, bring into remembrance, think on mela'kah — generally, employment (never servile) or work (abstractly or concretely); also property (as the result of labor): business, occupation, manner of work barak — to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit): bless, congratulate, praise, salute

Remember the Sabbath — don't forget it — because it reminds us to rest in the completed act of God, just as He did at creation. You rest in the One who made you.

Deuteronomy 5:12–15

"Observe (shamar) the Sabbath day to keep it holy, as Yahweh Eloheinu commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of Yahweh Eloheinu; in it you shall not do any work (mela'kah), you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you, so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember (Zakar) that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh Eloheinu brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore Yahweh Eloheinu commanded (tsavah) you to observe (asah) the Sabbath day."

shamar — to guard; generally, to protect, attend to: take heed, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve tsavah — to constitute, enjoin: charge, command, send a messenger, put in order asah — see Genesis 2:2 above

Observe the Sabbath because it reminds us to remember God's act in redeeming Israel. You rest in the One who redeemed you.

Part 5 — The Sabbath Rest in Hebrews 4

Hebrews 4:2–11

"2 For the Gospel was preached to us, as well as to them; but the word they heard did not benefit (Opheleo) them, because it was not united (sugkerannumi) with faith (pistis) in those who heard.

3 For we who have believed enter that rest (katapausis), just as He has said, 'As I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter into My rest' — although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He spoke in a certain place concerning the seventh day: 'And God did rest on the seventh day from all His works.' 5 And again in this place, 'They shall not enter into My rest.'

6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those to whom it was preached did not enter in because of unbelief (apeitheia), 7 He again limits a certain day, 'Today,' saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, 'Today if you will hear His voice, and not harden your hearts.'

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken afterwards of another day. 9 Therefore there remains a Sabbath rest (sabbatismos) for the people of God.

10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his own works, as God did from His. 11 Therefore let us diligently enter that rest (katapausis), so that no one will fall (pipto), through following the same pattern (hupodeigma) of unbelief (apeitheia)."

Opheleo — to be useful; to benefit: advantage, better, prevail, profit sugkerannumi — to commingle; (figuratively) to combine or assimilate: mix with, temper together pistis — persuasion; moral conviction; especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; assurance, belief, faith, fidelity katapausis — rest; a resting place; cessation from labor apeitheia — disbelief (obstinate and rebellious): disobedience, unbelief (vv. 6, 11) sabbatismos — a Sabbath rest; a keeping of the Sabbath pipto — fail, fall (down), light on hupodeigma — an exhibit for imitation or warning (figuratively, specimen): example, pattern

The Sabbath day is a reminder of God's creative act, God's redeeming act, and Eternity — it was there before sin and it will be there after sin. According to Isaiah 66:23: "And it shall be from new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath. All mankind will come to bow down before Me, says YAHWEH."

In essence, the Seventh-day Sabbath is the Gospel message: Salvation is God's call, and God's alone. When we remember and observe the Sabbath, we are resting in His accomplished work in Christ — which is the Gospel.

So from the two institutions that existed before sin entered the world, we find the nature of God — the Godhead — revealed in marriage, and the Gospel revealed in the seventh-day Sabbath. Both are constantly under attack, as is the book of Genesis itself. Who would imagine that the very day that defines the Gospel would become the day that people try to keep, and thus make it the ultimate work? So sad.

Part 6 — Ideas to Ponder

Further Questions for Study

The Investigative Judgment — the pre-Advent judgment I believe makes sense because Jesus comes to take His people home and His people have to be determined before He comes. But when we deal with the investigative judgment, the 2,300 years, October 22, 1844, etc., we place the burden of the judgment on us. Since the Bible is about God, shouldn't the judgment also be about Him? The question we need to answer is: What is the criterion of the judgment? What is God looking for? Who or what is being judged?

The Remnant Church and the Spirit of Prophecy — here are the key texts: Revelation 12:17 and 19:10. Note that the concept of a remnant church is foreign to this text. The text is talking about the remnant of the church — the final members of God's church. How does the church keep the commandments of God? Which commandments? The Ten Commandments, the 613 of the Rabbis, or the new eternal commandment — agape? How we love one another may be the answer. The Spirit of Prophecy cannot be an individual person, but represents the collective prophets throughout history. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Prophecy and He gives the gifts to whomever He chooses. It all boils down to God's choice, not ours.

Revelation 12:17 & 19:10

"12:17 — So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the remnant (loipoy) of her seed, who keep the commandments (entole) of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

19:10 — Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, 'Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.'"

loipoi — remaining ones; which remain; remnant; residue; rest entole — injunction; an authoritative prescription: commandment, precept

You will note from the text itself that the concept of a remnant church is foreign to this text. The text is talking about the remnant of the church — the final members of God's church.

How does the church keep the commandments of God? Which commandments is John talking about — is it the Ten Commandments (which ten — Exodus or Deuteronomy?), the 613 of the Rabbis, or is it the new commandment, which is the eternal commandment — agape? How we love one another, maybe?

The Spirit of Prophecy cannot be an individual person, but represents the collective prophets throughout history, including John. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Prophecy and He gives the gifts to whomever He chooses. It all boils down to God's choice, not ours.

Illustration 1 — The Gift

Wilbur Jones decides to leave $10,000,000 to a group of people as a gift. They assemble together and each has a bank statement, a checkbook, and a debit card. They look it over and begin to discuss it among themselves. One says, "It can't be true — no one gives anything for nothing," and destroys his card and shreds everything; some follow along with him. Another group decides they should use the money, but before they do they have to do something to prove they are worthy: some send 10% back to Wilbur so he won't take it all back; others give to the poor so he won't ask them to give it all away. Others just hold on to it until he tells them what to do — so they argue and make rules all day. A small group decides that since it is a free gift, they won't attach any strings to it — they'll just enjoy it and spend it freely. They were, of course, ridiculed for "cheapening the gift" by the rule-keepers.

The gift of God is eternal life. The gift giver is the one who gave the gift to us. Which group describes us? God's sovereignty versus humanity's choice is in the balance. Is the Sabbath a sign of the Gospel for the believer, or is it something to be kept — a test?

Isaiah 58:13–14

"13 If because of the Sabbath, you turn away your foot from doing your own pleasure (Chephets) on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight (Oneg), the holy day of YAHWEH honorable (kabad), and honor it, desisting from your own ways, from seeking your own pleasure and speaking your own word, 14 then you will take delight in YAHWEH, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of YAHWEH has spoken."

Chephets — pleasure; (abstractly) desire; a valuable thing; acceptable, delightsome, desire, matter, pleasant, purpose, willingly Oneg — luxury: delight, pleasant kabad — in a good sense: numerous, rich, honorable

What richness in these texts — what a message! When was the last time the Sabbath day was a delight rather than a burden? How hard is it to keep?

Illustration 2 — The 52 Sabbaths

There are 52 weeks in a year — that means 52 Sabbaths in a year, 520 Sabbaths in 10 years, and 1,040 Sabbaths in 20 years. I will stop here because I want to bring together the idea of "keeping the Sabbath," as some teach, with the judgment, as some teach.

If you could review 1,040 Seventh-day Sabbaths that you have kept, and were able to scrutinize each of them, which one would you take to present to God at the judgment? Which one would you go to God with and say, "This is the one I want You to judge me on. This is the one that I kept perfectly — the one where I was as righteous as Adam was before the fall, as Jesus was when He was on the earth, or for that matter as righteous as You keep it?" Make your choice — again, what is the criterion for the judgment?

Study Questions

Answer each question below based on what you have studied in Lesson 1. Submit your answers and we will respond with additional notes and encouragement.

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Q1. According to John 5:39–40, what was wrong with the way the Jews were reading Scripture? How does Jesus correct their approach?

Q2. In Genesis 2:1–4, God rests on the seventh day and blesses it. What two things does this reveal about the character of God?

Q3. How does the union of man and woman in marriage (Genesis 2:22–25) serve as a picture of the unity of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

Q4. Exodus 20 says "Remember" the Sabbath; Deuteronomy 5 says "Observe" it. What is the difference in emphasis between these two commands? What does each remind us of?

Q5. Hebrews 4 says those who believed "enter that rest." What did the Israelites in the wilderness fail to do, and why did their unbelief keep them from God's rest?

Q6. The lesson says the Sabbath is "the Gospel message" — resting in God's completed work rather than working for our own salvation. In your own words, how does the Sabbath picture the Gospel?

Q7. In the Wilbur Jones illustration, which group do you most identify with — and why? What does that reveal about how you view God's free gift of salvation?

Q8. Isaiah 58:13–14 says the Sabbath should be a "delight," not a burden. What would it look like in your own life to treat it that way?

Q9. The lesson ends with a question about 1,040 Sabbaths. If you could present your very best Sabbath to God at the judgment, would it be enough? What does that tell you about the role of grace versus works in salvation?

Q10. How has this lesson changed the way you see the purpose of Bible study? What will you do differently as you read Scripture going forward?

Thank You!

Your answers have been received. We will review them and respond with encouragement and further study notes. Keep pressing in — every hour in His Word draws you closer to Him.

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." — Psalm 119:105