God's Eternal Marks Upon His Covenant People (PART ONE)

by GC LaMar

From the beginning of God’s living word ── the Holy Bible ── to the Book of Revelation, the LORD God (the Elohim, the family of God – which at this time consists of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ) has distinguished their people from all other nations through specific signs──sacred “marks” that identify them as belonging exclusively to them.

These signs transcend any religious rituals; they are divine appointments revealing a people’s wholehearted dedication to our Creator. 

Standing at the forefront of these identifying “marks” is the seventh-day Sabbath, including the seven annual Holy Days, which the LORD God established as perpetual “witnesses” between the LORD God and those people who truly belong to them. 

The Seventh-day Sabbath: An Eternal Covenant Sign

The Lord’s Sabbath represents the most emphasized identifying “mark” throughout God’s living word. God specifically designated it as a sign of His covenant relationship with His people ──

The LORD declares, speaking through the Prophet Moses ── “’ Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.’” – Exodus 31:13.

This verse alone unveils profound truths to us. The holy Sabbath functions as a sign. It “marks” the relationship between the LORD God and their people, and it extends throughout all generations without end. And, it identifies the LORD as the One who sanctifies ── which means, sets apart as holy people.

Verses 16 & 17 reinforce this truth ── “’ Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant [agreement]. 17) It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel FOREVER; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’”

The word “perpetual” in Hebrew is ‘ ôlām, which means “everlasting, forever, eternity.”

The Seventh-day Sabbath as a Divine Test

The Lord GOD employs His Sabbath observance as a measure of genuine obedience and loyalty. Notice Ezekiel 20:12 ── “’ Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.’”     

And when the house of Israel rejected His sign, the Lord GOD expressed profound grief. Verse 13 ── “’ Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they despised My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths. …’” 

Truly, the defilement of His Sabbaths is tangible evidence of spiritual rebellion and covenant rejection. Keeping the LORD God’s Sabbaths holy demonstrates spiritual obedience to the authority of the LORD God, as both Creator and Sanctifier.

The LORD God commands ── “’ hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’” – Ezekiel 20:20. 

Now, to “hallow” means that you make the day holy, you set it apart from all other days. So, by keeping the Lord’s Sabbath holy, you visibly distinguish yourself from all those people who reject keeping the Lord’s Sabbath holy. This obedience to His command becomes public testimony of your covenant relationship with the LORD our God. 

Seven Annual Holy Days: Eternal Divine Appointments 

Besides the Lord’s weekly seventh-day Sabbath, the LORD God established seven annual Holy Days──also called “the feasts of the LORD.” They are not strictly Jewish holy days, or merely Jewish traditions, but are divinely appointed feasts established by the LORD God themselves for all of mankind.

We are introduced to them in Leviticus 23:1-2 ── “And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2) ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations [holy gatherings], these are My feasts.’”   

The LORD’s emphasis demands our attention! “’ these are My feasts’” ──they belong to the Lord GOD, and not to the Jewish people. They are “holy convocations” ──which means, sacred assemblies that are commanded by the LORD God. 

Leviticus 23 details for us all seven annual Holy Days

Leviticus 23:5 ── the LORD’s Passover. “On the fourteenth day of the first month.”

Leviticus 23:6-8 ── the Feast of Unleavened Bread. “On the fifteenth day of the same month.” 

Leviticus 23:15-21 ── the day of Pentecost/Firstfruits. “Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD.” 

Leviticus 23:23-25 ── the Feast of Trumpets. ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a Sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.’

Leviticus 23:26-32 ── the Day of Atonement. “the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement.” It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall humble yourself before the LORD. 

Leviticus 23:33-36 ── the Feast of Tabernacles. “’ The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD.’” 

Leviticus 23:36, 39 ── the “Last Great Day.” “’ On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, … on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest.’”

They are eternal statutes 

The LORD God over and over emphasizes that these Holy Days continue throughout all generations forever. The stand-out phrase, “it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings,” appears multiple times throughout Leviticus 23. Notice verses 14, 21, 31, and 41.

That stand-out phrase alone identifies them as eternal statues for the LORD God’s people, not temporary shadows or ceremonial practices that were abolished upon the cross. 

Obedience to the LORD God – the Foundation of our Identity & Love 

The keeping of the Lord’s Sabbaths and Holy Days flows from our hearts transformed by the love of God.

Our Lord Jesus Christ connected love directly with obedience to the LORD God ── 

“’ If you love Me, keep My commandments.’” – John 14:15.

“’ He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.’” – John 14:21. 

“ …’ If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24) He who does not love Me DOES NOT KEEP MY WORDS; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.’” – John 14:23, 24. 

So, obedience isn’t simply legalism, but rather a natural response of one’s heart transformed by divine love. One’s obedience to the LORD God becomes a visible witness and evidence of true faith.

Obedience to the LORD God is an Identity “Mark” 

The Apostle John ── under divine inspiration ── tells us of an identity “mark” ── “Now by THIS we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4) He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” – 1 John 2:3-4. 

The Apostle John leaves no ambiguity. The keeping of the LORD God’s commandments is how we ── and is witnessed to others ── know that we know the LORD God. Our very obedience to them identifies us as belonging to Him. Those who claim they know God and have a relationship with God while not obeying His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in them ── so says the LORD Almighty! 

The Apostle John adds, “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit [that] He has given us.” – 1 John 3:24.

Also ── “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3) For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” -1 John 5:2-3. 

God’s Law Is Internal ── Not Written In Phylacteries or Mezuzahs

Our Lord Jesus Christ’s New Covenant includes God’s Commandments written in our hearts.

The Apostle Paul ── under divine inspiration ── tells us ── “’ For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’” – Hebrews 8:10. 

God’s Law ── summed up with the Ten Commandments ── is not abolished, but rather they are spiritualized from physical external commands to spiritualized desires. The LORD God’s people are “marked” by having their Laws inscribed in their hearts ── producing the fruits of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The Apostle Paul reiterates ── “’ This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them.’” – Hebrews 10:16.

A Clear Distinction Between the LORD God’s People and the Children of Darkness 

Again, from the beginning, the LORD God has distinguished their people from all other nations. And this separation is not ethnic, or even cultural, but is a spiritual distinction based upon covenant obedience.

When the Prophet Moses had went up to God, the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: “‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; … 6) And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ …” – Exodus 19:5, 6.

He reiterated this in Deuteronomy 7:6 ── “’ For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.’”              

Yet, to be a holy people and a special treasure unto the LORD God is conditioned. ‘If you will indeed obey the Lord GOD's voice and keep His covenant.’

And, those that do, the Apostle Peter tells us, “ … you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” – 1 Peter 2:9. 

Grave Consequences for Rejecting the LORD God’s Signs 

The prophets of God describe for us that the rejection of the Lord’s Sabbaths and appointed times is spiritual adultery and the breaking of His covenant. Notice here the Prophet Ezekiel ──

Ezekiel 22:8 ── “’ You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths.’”   

Ezekiel 22:26 ── “’ Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.’” 

Ezekiel 23:37-38 ── “’ For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols, and even sacrificed their sons whom they bore to Me, passing them through the fire, to devour them. 38) Moreover they have done this to Me: They have defiled My sanctuary on the same day and profaned My Sabbaths.’” 

So, when the LORD God’s people reject the Lord’s Sabbaths, they profane His very name and obscure their identity as the chosen people of God. □

to be continued...