Jehoshua is on the throne of David in New Jerusalem and He is the King of a New Israel
Colossians 2:16-17
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day:17 which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Messiah`s. Does this passage above prove that the Sabbath was done away with? Many Christians believe this to be the case, however nowhere in this text does it say the Sabbath and the feast days are done away with. All Paul says is to let no one judge us in them. In fact, he says that the holy days, food and drink are "a shadow" i.e present tense things. Apparently there were some outsiders possibly Jewish Gnostics and/or ascetics that were judging the Colossian believers in food, drink and the holy days. Identifying the ones who were judging the Colossians is key in understanding the above verses in terms of whether the Sabbath is being done away with. We see Paul mention in Romans 14 and 1 Timothy the issue of foods being made a controversy notably the idea of vegetarianism (Romans 14). Those judging the Colossians may have been vegetarians and non-wine drinkers. They may have also been trying to enforce stringent Sabbath rules that were not part of the law similar to what the Pharisees were doing when they accused Jehoshua of breaking the Sabbath. Paul says the Sabbath day, new moons and feast days are shadows (present tense) of things to come. This is a very telling statement by Paul. This shows that the Sabbath, new moons and feast days will be part of the things to come as a shadow points to a reality and that reality is more fuller representation of the shadow. The Sabbath, new moons and feast days are a shadow of the things to come because we will be keeping those days in the age to come. Isaiah 66:22-23 22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith Jehovah, so shall your seed and your name remain.23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith Jehovah. Zechariah 14:16 "And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, Jehovah of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacle" As you can see the Sabbath, new moons and feast days will be kept in the new heavens and new earth so it wouldn't make sense to say they are done away with now. Paul says these holy days are a shadow (present tense) of things to come which is the eternal Kingdom in which these days will be celebrated in their absolute Kingdom fulness. Jehovah's holy days here in this age are a foretaste of the age to come. For example the Sabbath represents the eternal rest we will have in heavenly Caanan (Hebrews 4). Some will point to verse 14 of Colossians as proof that the Sabbath was done away with: "having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out that way, nailing it to the cross" "Bond written in ordinances" literally "handwritten record of debts". So the ordinances written against us wasn't God's commandments which the bible teaches as perfect and a law of liberty but rather verse 13 explains what was written against us: "And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses" In verse 14 it says Jehoshua took away the written ordinances that was against us and in verse 13 it says that God through Jehoshua has quickened us forgiving all our trespasses. If our trespasses were forgiven (blotted out-taken away-removed) through Jehoshua and in verse 14 it says Jehoshua took away the hand written record of ordinances, then we have our simple answer as to what the ordinances were. They were our trespasses. Also, the people judging the Colossians were not judging them in terms of breaking God's commandments but rather they were judging them according to the traditions of man: 20 If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances,21 Handle not, nor taste, nor touch22 (all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men? Paul isn't telling the Colossians to not keep the commandments of God (Sabbath) but rather telling them not let people judge them in how they keep in terms of adding man made doctrines. Jehoshua rebuked the pharisees for this very thing: Matthew 15:19 "But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men" Jehoshua even had to rebuke the pharisees a couple of times for their mishandling of the Sabbath commandment. When Paul told the Colossians in verse 17 "but the body is of Messiah" it is literally "but the body of Messiah" he is stating that only the Church (body of Messiah) has a right to judge how the holy days are kept. This is in contrast to the ones who are judging them who are not in the body of Messiah as Paul describes exactly what these judgers are all about in the rest of the chapter. Verse 18 of Colossians 2: "Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind" These false teachers who were judging the Colossians were bringing the worshipping of angels into assembly (church). They were intruding into their worship false visions and/or dreams. It was their own voluntary worship and not what God required. They apparently were bringing into the holy days man made traditions not too mention the worshipping of angels which is idolatry. This is why Paul emphasizes the headship of Messiah over the principalities and powers (angelic authority structures) to the Colossians in chapter 1 and also verse 10 of Colossians 2. Verse 19 of Colossians 2: "And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God" These false teachers were not holding Messiah as the head but rather they were exalting angels. Colossians 2:20-22 20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21 Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Paul says we are dead from the principles (rudiments) of this world. What does Paul mean by this? It surely cannot be the Sabbath which is not a principle of the world but rather a commandment of God which He sanctified at the seventh day of creation (Genesis 2:1-3). Paul gives us the answer in verses 21 and 22 what he means by "are ye subject to ordinances". These ordinances that the false teachers are bringing to the Colossians are not the commandments of God but rather the doctrines and commandments of men. Certainly the holy days are not commandments of men but rather they are of Jehovah God: Leviticus 23:1-2 1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, The set feasts of Jehovah, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my set feasts. The feast days are Jehovah's they are not man's. This clearly refutes the idea that Paul has the Sabbath in mind when he is referring to the rudiments of the world and man made doctrines. Verse 23 of Colossians 2: "Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh" It is the doctrines and commandments of men that have a shew of wisdom but are really "will worship" meaning not divinely approved worship. The Sabbath and the feast days are Jehovah's divinely approved worship days. If we stay rooted in the overall testimony of scripture that the law was given for our good and that it is perfect we will avoid twisting Paul's writings to promote a lawless gospel. Peter warned against this very thing (2 Peter 3:15-18).
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