THE SABBATH

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible…. 

THE SABBATH 

Deuteronomy 5:12 NKJV

¹² ‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. 

Christians differ in their understanding and application of the Sabbath.  There is nothing new in this difference.  This has caused persecution at some times and always ridicule.  The confession written in England for Reformed and Calvinistic churches had a broad explanation of it and a quite elaborate application.  But the understanding of the Sabbath has never, in general, been very complete.  A look at the Sabbath as it was instituted will help in understanding the origin of it and its use in Israel.

1. The seventh day of the week was determined for Israel by the beginning of the manna, Ex. 16:22-26, 29-30.  In Deuteronomy 5:17 and vs. 15D, the command God had given must include that in Exodus 16 as well as Exodus 20.  When the law was given in the ten words on Sinai, Israel already had the Sabbath as an institution.  The institution and origin date from the first giving of the manna.  The justification is begun in Exodus 20 and completed in Deuteronomy 5.
2.  The Sabbath was peculiarly a sign of the covenant.  In Exodus 31:12-17 it is described as “covenant” and as a sign.  This sign had a threefold significance.

A.     It was to be a sign that Israel was separated to God throughout the generations of Israel.  This was not the only sign, but it was to be an enduring one, vs. 13.

B.     It was to be in its origin and Israel’s obedience the covenant between them and God, vs. 16.

C.     It was to be for them a reminder of the creature in its entirety being the handiwork of God.  He “made heavens and earth.”  In a world of creature worship this was and is the Divine apologetic, vs. 17

3. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.  It was never intended to be taken to the silly and frivolous extent to which the Jews required, Mark 2:27.  There was always the intent that piety, necessity, and mercy was above the Sabbath requirement.
4. The Sabbath law is subservient to Christ, Mark 2:28.  Jesus determines the use of the law by Christians. This is done in the Scriptures as they are given to us in the New Testament.

The understanding of the Sabbath must ever bear in mind there are Ten Commandments not nine, that the supreme love of God demanded by Scripture includes the Fourth Commandment.  

It seems to me the Puritans in their zeal were bound to a legal understanding of the Sabbath that went further than the New Testament supports.  It also seems as if Calvin’s exposition of the Sabbath comes closer to the New Testament understanding than the Puritan view. 

The continuous stream of industry and society has placed Christians in difficult positions.  Our service and worship of God, our necessary vocations, and our personal use of our time are a continual source of  conflict.  The fact of the use of the Sabbath as sanctification in our lives requires that we understand the principle of separation and witness.  We are not of this world.  Our use of time in the worship of God must declare that to the society in which we live. 

Application:

1.  Worship of God requires time as well as possessions.
2. Commitment to your church requires a time commitment.