Right from the beginning of time, the Lord ordained a day of rest, a day to cease from work. In the creation, the Lord worked 6 days and rested on the seventh. We are told the He "blessed the sabbath day and made it holy." This was a deliberate plan that God Himself set into motion, for His purposes.
This had already been introduced to the nation of Israel in the gathering of manna. They gathered 6 days and on the 6th they gathered enough for the 7th day too. This was a practice that tested them to see if they would obey. Now it is given as a Law.
Yet it is also Grace! The Sabbath is actually a gift to man. Jesus tells us, " The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." ( Mark 2:27) It is a day of rest for everyone. Every man, woman, and child; every worker; and even every animal. It is also to be kept "holy". Pure, clean, consecrated.
This command was a struggle for the Israelites... and also seems to be a struggle for modern mankind too.
Ex. 31:12-18 - the observance of the Sabbath is a sign between God and the Israelites. It is a covenant. It is forever. The consequence of profaning the Sabbath was death.
Jeremiah, at the time of Israel's impending exile, spoke, "Thus says the Lord, 'Take heed for yourselves and do not carry any load on the sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem. And you shall not bring a load out of your houses on the sabbath day nor do any work, but keep the sabbath day holy, as I commanded your forefathers.' Yet they did not listen or incline their ears but stiffened their necks in order not to listen or take correction."( Jer. 17:21-23) The Lord goes on to say that if the would listen and obey this one commandment - He would give them kings and princes and Jerusalem would be free! But if not, He would "kindle a fire in its gates, and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem and not be quenched." ( v27) Which is what happened, for they didn't obey any more than their forefathers had.
Israel failed to obey this command, as well as the command to have no other gods, and were sent into captivity to Babylon. Ezekiel spoke about this, " And also I gave them My sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. But the house of Israel rebelled against Me ... and My sabbaths they greatly profaned. "
( Neh.13:15) Nehemiah went as far as to lock the gates on the Sabbath so the merchants would not come to sell their goods. He reprimanded the Levites, commanding them to purify themselves and sanctify the sabbath.
The Israelites couldn't even keep this one commandment, let alone all the others. But then, after the return from captivity and after Nehemiah's time, things changed. Instead of not keeping the Sabbath, the priests and Levites became authorities over the sabbath. They were legalistic. They were cruel. They hammered people over the head with their rules and restrictions. The sabbath was observed, but not enjoyed. It was no longer a day of rest, but a day of fear.
Jesus had a lot to say about that.
When the Pharisees questioned Jesus about the disciples picking heads of grain and eating on the sabbath day, Jesus reminded them of how David had eaten consecrated food and how priests in the temple do their work on the sabbath. "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." ( Matthew 12:8) He tells them that God desires compassion more than sacrifice. They wanted to accuse Him and questioned Him, " Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" Jesus confounded them and angered them by His answer and actions. " And He said to them,' What man shall there be among you, who shall have one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it, and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." He then healed the man with a withered hand, and all the rest who followed Him. Over and over again they tested Him on this. Sometimes deliberately placing a sick or disabled person in front of Him, on the Sabbath, to see what He would do. And over and over again He spoke the same thing - wouldn't you help one of your animals? Why wouldn't you help your fellow man? They had no compassion, and they just couldn't let go of their rules, or their pride.
They just got more and more angry with Him.
So where does that leave us? There are some who still observe the Sabbath. Some who observe "The Lord's Day". Few who actually take a day of rest. Paul wrote, "Therefore let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day - things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ."
(Colossians 2:16-17) It's all about Jesus! Set your mind on Him, Paul reminds us. Follow Him!
The writer of Hebrews also helps us understand this a little more. " There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience." ( Hebrews 4:9-11) "For we who have believed enter that rest..." ( v3). To believe in Jesus Christ is to enter into His rest - His Sabbath. We fail to enter when we disobey by unbelief. ( 3:19)
Father in Heaven, Thank You for the Grace of Your rest, given to all who will believe in Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath. The work is finished... by His sacrifice on the cross. Rest has come as we enter into obedient belief. Keep us in Your Word and fill us with Your Spirit, walking in the Truth . Teach us to keep following Jesus and leave all else behind. Lead us in Your way of righteousness we pray. In the Name of our Savior, Jesus Christ we pray. Amen
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