Why I Continue to Keep the Sabbath

People occasionally ask why I continue to observe the Sabbath and the appointed times of Scripture. The answer is not because I am trying to earn salvation. It is not because I believe Gentiles must become Jews. It is not because I think keeping commandments can replace faith in Messiah. I keep the Sabbath because the more I studied Yeshua and His apostles, the harder it became to find any place in Scripture where they abandoned it. In fact, I found the opposite.

The Question of Sunday

Many believers assume that the apostles transitioned from Sabbath to Sunday worship. Yet when asked to find a passage where an apostle teaches such a change, Scripture remains remarkably silent. The most commonly cited verse is Revelation 1:10:

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.”

But the text itself never defines “the Lord’s Day” as Sunday, nor does any other passage call Sunday by that title. By contrast, the Hebrew Scriptures repeatedly speak of the Day of יהוה:

• Isaiah 13:6, 9
• Joel 1:15
• Joel 2:1, 11, 31
• Amos 5:18–20
• Zephaniah 1:14–18
• Malachi 4:5

These passages describe the future day of judgment, vindication, and the establishment of יהוה’s Kingdom. For that reason, we understand John’s statement in Revelation as a prophetic experience in which the Spirit carried him into a vision of the Day of יהוה itself—the very subject of the book—not merely a statement about what day of the week he received the vision. The connection to Yom Kippur is also worth considering. In Torah, Yom Kippur is the great day of judgment, cleansing, affliction, and atonement. It foreshadows the ultimate Day of יהוה when the world is judged and Israel is restored.

Whether one agrees with that conclusion or not, it demonstrates why many believers are not convinced that Revelation 1:10 establishes Sunday observance.

What Did the Apostles Actually Do?

When we look at the book of Acts and the apostolic writings, we repeatedly find Sabbath observance continuing after Yeshua’s resurrection.

Immediately after His death, His followers: Luke 23:54–56

“…they prepared spices and ointments, and they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.”

Years later, Paul continued attending Sabbath assemblies:

• Acts 13:14–15
• Acts 13:42–44
• Acts 16:13
• Acts 17:2
• Acts 18:4

Acts 17:2 is particularly noteworthy:

“As was his custom, Paul went in to them…”

Luke presents Sabbath participation as Paul’s regular practice, not an occasional evangelistic strategy.

Acts 13:42–44 is equally significant. Gentiles asked Paul to continue teaching them, and he invited them to hear more on the next Sabbath. If a different day had replaced the Sabbath, this would have been the perfect opportunity to explain it.

Instead, nearly the whole city gathered on the next Sabbath.

Did Yeshua Expect the Sabbath to Continue?

In Matthew 24:20, speaking of future events long after His resurrection, Yeshua instructed His disciples:

“Pray that your flight be not in winter, neither on the Sabbath.”

Whatever one’s interpretation of prophecy, Yeshua clearly expected the Sabbath to remain a meaningful reality for His followers decades into the future. The prophets go even further. Isaiah describes the Messianic age:

Isaiah 66:22–23

“From one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me.”

If Sabbath worship appears in the coming Kingdom, it is difficult for me to view it as obsolete today.

What About the Appointed Times?

The same pattern appears with the biblical feasts.

Passover and Unleavened Bread

Paul wrote: 1 Corinthians 5:7–8

“Messiah our Passover has been sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast…”

Writing to a congregation that included Gentiles, Paul speaks of the feast in the present tense.

Luke also notes: Acts 20:6

“We sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread.”

The feast remains part of the rhythm of apostolic life.

Shavuot (Pentecost)

The giving of the Spirit occurred on Shavuot: Acts 2:1

“When the day of Shavuot had fully come…”

Years later Paul still arranged his travel around this feast: Acts 20:16

“…he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Shavuot.”

Yom Kippur

Luke continued to identify time by reference to Yom Kippur: Acts 27:9

“…because the Fast was already over…”

“The Fast” was the common first-century expression for Yom Kippur.

Feast Days Generally

Paul’s own words are striking:

Acts 18:21

“I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem.”

Again and again, the biblical calendar remains visible in apostolic life.

What About Torah?

A common claim is that Paul abandoned Torah and taught others to do the same. Yet Paul’s own testimony says otherwise.

Acts 24:14

“…believing all things written in the Torah and the Prophets.”

Acts 25:8

“Neither against the Torah of the Jews, nor against the Temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything.”

When rumors spread that Paul was teaching Jews to forsake Moses, the elders in Jerusalem responded by pointing out that thousands of Jewish believers were:

Acts 21:20

“…all zealous for the Torah.”

They then asked Paul to participate in Temple rites publicly to demonstrate that the accusations were false (Acts 21:20–24).

The Jerusalem Council

Perhaps the most overlooked verse in the discussion is:

Acts 15:21

“For Mosheh has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

After discussing Gentile believers, the apostles did not describe Torah as disappearing. Instead, they assumed that Moses continued to be read every Sabbath in every city.

The verse makes perfect sense if Gentile believers were learning and growing within communities where the Scriptures were regularly taught.

The Temple and the Earliest Believers

The apostles did not immediately separate themselves from Jewish worship life.

Acts 2:46

“Daily they continued with one accord in the Temple.”

Acts 3:1

“Peter and John went up together to the Temple…”

The earliest followers of Yeshua continued worshipping the God of Israel within the framework of Israel’s faith and calendar.

Why I Keep the Sabbath

Ultimately, I do not keep the Sabbath because of tradition. I keep it because I see Yeshua keeping it. I see the apostles keeping it. I see Jewish and Gentile believers gathering on it. I see Scripture anticipating it in the future Kingdom. And I cannot find a single passage where God declares the seventh-day Sabbath abolished or replaced. That does not mean everyone must agree with me. Faithful believers have reached different conclusions, and I do not question the sincerity of those who worship differently. But when people ask why I keep the Sabbath, the answer is simple:

The closer I looked at the Scriptures, the more I found myself walking in the same rhythm that Yeshua and His apostles walked.

For me, the Sabbath is not a burden. It is a gift. A weekly reminder that יהוה is Creator, Redeemer, and King—and that true rest is ultimately found in His Messiah.