This scripture isn't directly referencing Sabbath or SabbathS but is related to YHWH's appointed times.

The Seventh-Day rest—a call to cease—remains one of the Bible’s most disputed and divisive themes. In a world—and a assembly of believers —accustomed to constant striving, the seventh day still asks a disruptive question: What does it mean to stop because YHWH/God said to?

The Seventh Day Rest (later known as Sabbath or Shabbat), sits at the crossroads of devotion, doctrine, and dispute. For some, it is a creation-rooted rhythm meant for all humanity; for others, a covenant sign given uniquely to Israel; for many Christians, a shadow fulfilled and set aside in Christ. Pastors, theologians, rabbis, historians, and everyday believers often speak past one another, each convinced the matter is settled—yet rarely at peace about it.

This series approaches the Seventh Day Rest as a ceasefire moment: a pause not only from labor, but from inherited assumptions and theological hostilities. Rather than beginning with denominational conclusions, we begin where Scripture begins—listening carefully from Genesis to Revelation. The aim is not to win an argument, but to quiet the noise long enough to let the biblical text speak for itself, and to see whether the call to rest has always been less about identity markers and more about trusting YHWH’s word, submitting to His authority, remembering His works, and entering the rest He Himself sanctified.

Scripture: 1 Kings 12:31–33

He made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi. Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar. He did so in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made, and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made. He went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up to the altar, to burn incense.

Define:

• He - Jeroboam - from the tribe of Ephraim. Son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon’s servant, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow woman (1 Kings 11). Solomon had made him ruler over the House of Joseph (1 Kings 11). YHWH gave him ten tribes (1 Kings 11 & 12). Israel made him King over the northern tribes (House of Israel) (1 Kings 12)
• The people - House of Israel - but not from Levi
• Feast in Judah (YHWH's Feast) - none were ordained by YHWH on the eighth month on the fifteenth day. Feast of Tabernacles was set on the fifteenth day of the seventh month.

Who:

• Jeroboam
• Among the people House of Israel
  • not the sons of levi
  • made priests by Jeroboam
• Children of Israel - House of Israel

What:

• Jeroboam
  • made houses of high places
  • made priest from among the people, who were not sons of Levi (YHWH chose them as priests)
  • ordained a feast, like the feast in Judah
  • went up to the altar and made sacrifices to the calves he made
  • ordained the fifteenth day in the eighth month which he devised in his own heart
  • ordained a feast for the children of Israel
  • went up to the altar to burn incense
• Among the people House of Israel
  • not the sons of levi
  • were made priests by Jeroboam
  • placed in Bethel
• Children of Israel - House of Israel
  • Jeroboam ordained a feast for them

When:

• fifteenth day of the eighth month

Why:

• he devised in his own heart
• to burn incense
• 1 Kings 12:28 - to prevent people from going to Jerusalem/Judah.

Findings

The Sabbath is not for a "Christian":

• Christians do not exist yet.

It is a Jewish thing:

• The "Jews" (followers of Judaism) referred to in the New Testament do not exist yet.
• 1 Kings doesn't refer to anyone as a "Jew" the closest equivalent would be the House of Judah.

Jesus replaced the Sabbath:

• Not yet.

Other Notes:

• Jeroboam ordained and set everything up to be a mimic of what YHWH had ordained:
  • the house on the hill (not on the hill chosen by YHWH)
  • the priests (not from the tribe chosen by YHWH)
  • A feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month (not on the day YHWH chose)
  • Like the feast in Judah indicates his replication of YHWH's feasts
  • On an altar in Bethel (not in the place chosen by YHWH)
  • Sacrificed calves which he had made (not those mandated by YHWH)
  • Devised of his own heart echoes from Deuteronomy 12 not to do what seems right in each man's heart and not to seek what the nations do to worship their gods and then use that to worship YHWH.
• The whole scene described here is a hyperlink back to Exodus 32. They made a calve, Aaron set a feast day to YHWH, and made offerings all of which YHWH judged as an unrighteous act.

Connections

_Seventh Day Rest Scripture Survey