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No it isn't. The Savior did not come to abolish his Father's law, but to fulfill it. (Matt 5:17-20) The word 'fulfil' means to 'carry out,' to 'do,' to 'perform' and 'obey'. Had the Messiah abolished the law, he would have contradicted his own words when he said that the 'law would outlast the universe;' and it is evident that the heavens and the earth are still here, so the law must still exist. The Bible classifies all men as sinners. This means that YaHuWaH 's law must still exist, for to be a 'sinner' one must have transgressed an existing law. We could hardly be called 'sinners' if there were no law to transgress; for "sin" by the Bible definition is "the transgression of the law:" (1 John 3:4) In short, the presence of sin and sinners in the world is proof positive that the Almighty's law still exists.

The Bible tells us that at the end of this present age and in the ages to come, true believers will be keeping the commandments of YaHuWaH. How could this be possible if the commandments were abolished at Calvary?

Incidentally, laws are not abolished by obedience or disobedience. Consult any solicitor or member of parliament if you have any doubts about this legal fundamental. Christians who speak and write against the law of the Most High are unwittingly furthering the cause of Satan the Lawless One. They are adding to the enormous catalog of sin of which the world and the church is already guilty: for when they teach that YaHuWaH 's law is done away with, they encourage the spiritually blind to persist in their sins. For further information about YaHuWaH 's commandments, see the Divine Law Page.

The commandment at its basic level is "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." The second part about "resting from ones labor" is added in order that the first part "Remember the Shabbat day to keep it holy." can be met. The original Hebrew word translated "holy" in our English Bibles is kadosh or qodesh. Besides meaning "sacred" this word means to "separate" to "set apart."

The Shabbat day in other words is a day that YaHuWaH set apart for sacred use. He wants us to remember that fact and to keep the day holy - set apart - for sacred use. How is it done? What is involved? What does one do or not do on the Shabbat?

Without attempting to pontificate on so deep a matter, and certainly with no intention of judging another believer's performance, we offer these brief guidelines about Shabbat observance with a prayer to the Almighty that He will use them to fulfill in every reader the spiritual potential latent in him or her.

1. The Sabbath is a day of rest from Labor.
   The Hebrew word translated "labor" in Exodus 20:9 is abad. It means "to do", "to serve". Who are we allowed to serve, what are we allowed to do on the first six days of the week?
   The answer is "Six days shalt thou labor (serve) and do thy work." In other words you may serve your own interests for six days each week; but on the seventh day - the Sabbath - you must stop serving your own interests and devote that day to the service of the Almighty. Why? Because that is His holy (qodesh) day; it has been set apart for His service, His work.


2. What is YaHuWaH 's work and how may we become engaged in it?
   We find our answer in the Scriptures.
   • It is lawful to do good on the Shabbat day (Mark 3:4)
   • It is lawful to heal on the Sabbath day (Matthew 12:10)
   • It is lawful to rescue someone on the Shabbat day (Matthew 12:11)
   • It is lawful to engage in spiritual activities on the Shabbat, such as: attending church meetings, preaching, teaching, Bible study, prayer, visiting the sick and aged, walking in the countryside etc. (Luke 4:31, 6:1-2)
   
   All these activities are permissible on the Shabbat day. Indeed these are the very things the Messiah did when He walked on this Earth.
   Sad to say the Pharisees did not agree with the Savior on some of these points. They incorrectly supposed that he was breaking the Shabbat when he healed people. They misunderstood the fact that the Shabbat - YaHuWaH 's kadosh day - had been set apart for that very purpose, for doing good, for doing the Almighty's work. The Savior, however, knew what he was doing. Had he not as the Creator made the Shabbat in the first place? He was not only aware of which day was the Shabbat, but he also knew how to keep it. The reader will not go astray if he/she endeavors to do likewise.

    

3. Activities to Refrain from Doing
   
   There are of course, certain things which though permissible on ordinary days should not normally be done on the Shabbat, for example:
   • Buying, selling, and engaging in business deals.
   • Doing laborious field work.
   • Persuing self interests.
   
   (See Nehemiah 10:31 and 13:13-21, Isaiah chapter 56, also chapter 58; but especially verses 13-14)

   If you remember the Shabbat is YaHuWaH 's set apart day (the portion of time that He set apart for His work) and if you rest from your own labors and interests and devote yourself to His service, then you will be on the glorious path of Shabbat observance. And what's more, you will be blessed in this world and the next in direct fulfillment of this amazing promise:

Isaiah 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of YaHuWaH, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in YaHuWaH ; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of YaHuWaH hath spoken it.

The Shabbat is a day for holy convocations

The Hebrew word translated "convocation" in Leviticus 23:2 is migra. It means "a calling together" an "assembly". In other words wherever possible a believer should attend a religious meeting on the Shabbat. Religious "convocations" or assemblies were called for in order that the church may grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Most High. The seventh day of the week has been set aside for YaHuWaH 's service, and it is at these commanded assemblies that His Spirit is most active. So attend a Shabbat meeting if one is held in your area. If there is no Shabbat meeting, see How to organize a Shabbat meeting in your area.

Without allowing a Feast to deteriorate into a show of gluttony, try to ensure that an extra special meal is served on the Feast day. In this way you will declare your faith in YaHuWaH 's breathtaking Program of Salvation which He has made possible through His Son, and prove your desire to partake of the real spiritual banquets that He has prepared for those who serve Him.

YaHuWaH has made many promises to the believer who is willing to observe His Feasts. Space does not allow us to print them all, but we will end this article with this beautiful millennial picture of multitudes of true believers keeping the Feasts of the Almighty in a Jerusalem purged of sin.

Ezekiel 36:33 "Thus saith the Master YaHuWaH ; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from ALL your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.
34: And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by.
35: And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the Garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.
36: Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I YaHuWaH have spoken it, and I will do it.
37: Thus saith the Master YaHuWaH ; I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.
38: As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am YaHuWaH."