The common belief is the Seventh Day Rest (later known as Sabbath, or Shabbat) is not for a Christian, it is a "Jewish thing". And the Seventh Day Rest no longer needs to be observed because Jesus is a Christians Rest/Sabbath now.

Let's see what scripture says about that starting at the very beginning and then working from Genesis to Revelation.

Scripture: 2 Kings 16:16-18 2 Kings-16#v16

Urijah the priest did so, according to all that king Ahaz commanded. King Ahaz cut off the panels of the bases, and removed the basin from off them, and took down the sea from off the bronze oxen that were under it, and put it on a pavement of stone. He removed the covered way for the Sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's entry outside to Yahweh's house, because of the king of Assyria.

Define:

• covered way for the Sabbath: This structure was part of the temple complex and had a liturgical purpose tied to Sabbath observance.

Who:

• Urijah, the priest
• King Ahaz
  • Son of Jotham, grandson of Uzziah (Azariah), king of Judah
  • Father of Hezekiah, the godly reformer king
  • Reigned 16 years in Jerusalem (c. 735–715 BC).
  • Did NOT do right in the sight of the LORD (2 Kings 16:3; 2 Chronicles 28:2–3)
  • Committed idolatry, including:
    • Child sacrifice (“made his son to pass through the fire”).
    • Worship at high places, on hills, under green trees.
    • Followed the ways of Israel (Northern Kingdom) and pagan nations.

What:

• Replacing YHWH's altar and temple furnishings with Assyrian style ones.

When:

Why:

• This act is part of a broader pattern in 2 Kings 16 of Ahaz desecrating the temple to align with Assyrian power (see also vv. 17, 10–16).

Findings

The Sabbath is not for a "Christian":

• Christians do not exist yet.

It is a Jewish thing:

• Jews do not exist yet.
• The Israelites have split up. The Southern Kingdom: “Judah” (Tribe of Judah + Benjamin + Levites) are under King Ahaz. These people would have been referred to as House of Judah, men of Judah” or “children of Judah.

Jesus replaced the Sabbath:

• Not yet.

Other Notes:

• Ahaz removed or repositioned the Sabbath canopy to avoid offending the Assyrian king—likely because:
  • It symbolized Judah’s distinct Sabbath worship (a core covenant identity – Ex. 20:8–11; 31:13–17).
  • The Assyrian king, as a pagan ruler, might have seen it as a religious or political statement of independence.
  • Ahaz was subordinating Judah’s worship to Assyrian overlordship.
• God gave Judah into enemy hands because Ahaz encouraged sin (2 Chronicles 28:19).

_Seventh Day Rest Scripture Survey