Post-Exile Sabbath Observance (Part Three)

Series Part One     Series Part Two

Post-Exile Sabbath Observance and the Sabbath/Lord's Day Issue

So if you had the law again after 70 years of captivity and were free to practice (obey) it again, which parts would you extract as most important?  Which parts would you be most zealous to reinstate (I am assuming they did not observe the sabbath in any form during captivity)?

Would you reinstate the sabbath?  Or would you be glad to throw off the law under the guise of legalistic oppression?  Again as reminder, does this text only apply to that time period or..... Consider Nehemiah 10: 28-33.

Two keys items were highlighted: relation to culture (v. 30) and sabbath observance (vv. 31-33).

First in relation to culture there is a clear reference for believers not to marry unbelievers.  So is the descriptive or prescriptive?  Three chapters later Nehemiah (13:23-31) this idea of intermarriage with the surrounding culture is brought up again.  Here Nehemiah actually calls it "sin" and "evil" (v. 26-27).  So even if this is only descriptive, the people still refused to obey explicit commands (prescriptive) given to Israel in Deut 25 related to intermarriage without the surrounding culture.  Is it possible that the NT would repeat this concept of not being "unequally yoked" with unbelievers?  Even if you don't believe this applies to marriage, you have to at least acknowledge there is a command to limit interaction between the two.

Second in relation to the sabbath there is a clear reference not to be entangled in unnecessary business on the sabbath.  Even if this does not apply to the Lord's day, I'm still glad Chick Fil A is closed on the Lord's Day.  I applaud any business that chooses to do so.

This issue is obviously a concern to Nehemiah.  He brings it up in 13:15-22 (same as the intermarriage issue).  Again he describes their practice of business on the sabbath as "evil" (v. 17-18).
So same question needs repeated: Is this merely descriptive or prescriptive for today?
They obviously still tried to apply it after being in captivity for 70 years.  I am convinced that even if it was commanded of us Christians would still find a way to avoid obeying it.

We could test case tithing, it still finds ways to be ignored (Abraham received them before the law was given)?

We could test case the sabbath as well (of course the connection with the Lord's day is needed), this is where we will turn our attention?

We still will need to address the passages related to not being under the law and liberty/conscience issues.

I'm afraid with the infatuation that even Christians have with sports on the Lord's day, dropping Lord's day evening attendance, and even pastoral lack of concern will never allow this issue to get the weight it once had when we still had "blue laws."  I am certain our Christian churches are not a Plymouth plantation.

Hope this helps.  More to come.
Comments encouraged.