Keeping the Sabbath

God created the Sabbath as a special day set apart for His children to commune with their Creator and focus on spiritual things. On the seventh day of the week, Christians rest from their physical labor and take time to assemble and worship God.

Of all the Ten Commandments, God gives the Fourth Commandment about the Sabbath greater detail, utilizing more words and space in the King James Version than any of the other commandments. The Second Commandment, which forbids idolatry, is almost as detailed. These two commandments are the ones popular Christianity most blatantly violates. The Roman Catholics have claimed the authority to change the Sabbath from the seventh day of the week to the first day, while sanctioning idolatry in many forms. The Protestants have blindly followed their lead on both of these issues. Countless other denominations observe Sunday instead of God’s commanded day of rest, Saturday.

Jesus Christ kept the Sabbath, as did the original apostles and the Church of God through the centuries. The weekly seventh-day Sabbath was commanded to be kept forever and will be kept by all humanity in the coming Kingdom of God.

We will examine the clear biblical proofs of the Sabbath day, and why it is so important for God’s people to faithfully observe.

A Day of Commanded Rest

(1) How was the Fourth Commandment introduced? Exodus 20:8. Take special note of the first word in this verse for emphasis.

The command to “remember” shows that the Sabbath had been known by the patriarchs of Israel before the time the Ten Commandments were given. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jacob’s sons had already known about and observed the Sabbath before this knowledge was lost by following generations while enslaved in Egypt.

(2) If the Sabbath commandment was in force before the time of Moses, when was it first given? Genesis 2:1-3.

We find that at the end of the Creation week, God blessed the seventh and final day of the week and sanctified it—set it apart for holy use. This was the day God rested from His labors and He commanded mankind to do the same. Of course, He did not need to rest because He was tired. God did this to set a pattern for us.

(3) What else do we find recorded pertaining to the Fourth Commandment? Exodus 20:9.

God expects man to work the first six days of the week and be productive at his endeavors. Man is to provide for himself and his family as best he can and manage his resources in accordance with God’s laws. Many verses, such as John 5:17 and 36 show that God the Father and Jesus Christ are diligent to work. Once man has accomplished his labor for six days, he is in need of rest, refreshment and reflection as to the purpose of his labors and to commune with God.

(4) What are the central instructions contained in the Fourth Commandment? Exodus 20:10-11.

Here we find recorded that the seventh day is the Sabbath and that neither man, nor his family, are to labor on this day. Further, Exodus 20:11 clearly shows that God rested on this day at the end of the Creation week and blessed and hallowed it. To hallow means “to make holy or set apart as holy.” God brought the Sabbath day into existence at this point in time and did so for the benefit of mankind.

(5) Did the patriarch Abraham keep God’s commandments and laws long before the time of the Law being given at Mount Sinai? Genesis 26:5.

Abraham kept all of God’s laws, statutes and commandments and this certainly included the Sabbath, as established immediately at the end of the Creation week.

(6) Did Jesus explain that the Sabbath was made for the benefit of mankind? Mark 2:27; 3:1-4.

Some philosophers and theologians in the first century expressed their contempt for God’s Law, while proclaiming that the Sabbath commandment applied only to Jews and not to the rest of humanity. This is false. From the beginning, God set apart the Sabbath as holy time for all mankind. The Jews—who were descendants of Judah, the son of Jacob—were not born until over 2,000 years later.

A Sign

(1) After delivering Israel from Egyptian bondage, did God provide a special sign to Israel setting them apart as His own people? Exodus 31:13.

Israel’s exodus from Egypt was marked with numerous miracles from God. In the wake of this deliverance, God presented the Sabbath (already a commandment for all mankind) as a special sign between Him and this nation, whom He would set apart and bless with His presence and guidance.

(2) Was God serious about Israel’s obedience to the Sabbath command? Exodus 31:14-15.

The penalty for willful disobedience was death. This was not a harsh decree from a harsh God whose rule over the people created abject fear. Rather, obedience to this and all other commandments yielded great benefits and blessings, whereas rebellion would spread to the national level and spell chaos and ruin. God had to mandate happiness and fulfillment in order to guard ancient Israel from self-destruction. This meant that the ultimate penalty for sin and rebellion had to be demonstrated on a personal level.

(3) Were the terms of the Sabbath sign between God and Israel part of a separate Sabbath covenant? Exodus 31:16.

All other nations of that time were cut off from the knowledge and truth of God because they never kept His true seventh-day Sabbath. Only Israel had this contact with the true God, which was possible by fearing Him and keeping His laws—especially the Sabbath command, which identified them as His people by a special covenant.

(4) How long was this covenant intended to last? Exodus 31:17.

This sign between God and Israel was to continue forever. Also, verse 16 shows that the Sabbath covenant was to be a perpetual covenant. The terms “forever” and “perpetual” do not imply a temporary span of time but rather lasting for eternity.

(5) Ancient Israel was carnal and ultimately did not continue in obedience to God’s Law. What was Israel’s track record regarding keeping the Sabbath? Ezekiel 20:11-13.

The term “Sabbaths” in Ezekiel 20 refers to not only the weekly Sabbath but annual Sabbaths as well—God’s annual Holy Days.

Israel rebelled in the wilderness, in the Promised Land during the time of the judges, and especially during and after the time of King Solomon’s rule. Amazingly, the book of Ezekiel was written after Judah was taken into Babylonian captivity about 585 B.C., but was addressed to Israel, which had already been taken into captivity over 140 years prior to the writing of this prophecy. The prophecy of Ezekiel was clearly intended for modern Israel—a people far removed from the laws of God and knowledge of the true Sabbath.

Sabbath Command Applies Even Today

(1) Does God expect us in this modern age to keep the Sabbath? Hebrews 3:8-11.

(2) Was ancient Israel’s failure to believe God and their disobedience to His Sabbath command the reason they never entered into the “rest” offered to them? Hebrews 4:1-2.

Ancient Israel’s unbelief and faithlessness rendered the admonition given to them as unprofitable, since they rejected the instructions given to them through Moses.

(3) Did the apostle Paul admonish the Hebrews to take measures not to fall into the same state as ancient Israel and their unbelief? Hebrews 3:12, 15; 4:3.

(4) Exactly what is the direct connection between the “rest” discussed in Hebrews 3 and 4 with the Sabbath command still being in effect today? Hebrews 4:4, 9.

Verse 4 is a clear connection to God resting on the Sabbath at the end of the Creation week. It mentions the seventh day twice in connection with the Sabbath. Verse 9 says, “There remains therefore a rest to the people of God.” The word “rest” here is crucial. The margin of the Oxford edition of the King James Version gives its correct meaning. Translated from the Greek word sabbatismos, it means “a keeping of a (the) Sabbath.” This verse, in its given context, should read, “There remains therefore a keeping of the Sabbath for the people of God.” Rather than being done away with, we find that the Sabbath still “remains.”

(5) Does the “rest” of the Sabbath typify the “rest” of the coming Kingdom of God? Hebrews 4:10-11.

Verse 10 clearly shows that when one enters his rest, he ceases from his works or labors, just as God rested on the original Sabbath at the end of Creation week. Then verse 11 admonishes all to labor in order to enter into “that rest,” referring to the coming Kingdom, which is the true gospel.

Jesus Kept the Sabbath

(1) Did Jesus create all things alongside the Father? John 1:3; Colossians 1:16.

This same member of the God Family, who was the Spokesman or Word, created the Sabbath and set it apart as holy. For this very reason, Jesus refers to Himself as “Lord of the Sabbath” in Mark 2:28 and Luke 6:5.

(2) Did Christ divest Himself of His glory for a time in order to become a fleshly human being? Hebrews 2:9.

Jesus came as a human being for a number of reasons, including preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God and teaching and commissioning His apostles as Christ established the New Testament Church (Matt. 16:18). He also came for the suffering of death and the offering of His life for the sins of the world after having set an example of perfect obedience for those called later to follow, including when and how to observe the Sabbath.

(3) Are we specifically told through Scripture to follow Christ’s example? Matthew 28:20; I Corinthians 11:1; I Peter 2:21; I John 2:6.

(4) Was it Jesus’ custom to observe the Sabbath and to assemble with others on the Sabbath? Luke 4:16, 31.

Christ obeyed the laws of God perfectly and had established keeping the Sabbath as a way of life.

The Apostles and the New Testament Church Kept It

(1) Did Jesus’ disciples observe the Sabbath commandment after He was crucified? Luke 23:56; 24:1.

After having rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment, those disciples were laboring on the first day of the week, a regular work day.

(2) Did Paul always observe the Sabbath? Acts 17:1-2; I Corinthians 11:1.

As a zealous Jew, Paul had always observed the Sabbath—the same day Jesus kept. He continued to keep it with greater purpose after receiving God’s Spirit.

(3) During the time he was in Antioch in Asia Minor, did Paul preach to the Jews, as well as Gentiles who met with them, at the synagogue each Sabbath? Acts 13:14-15, 42-43.

When speaking almost exclusively to the Gentiles, Paul made no mention that the Sabbath was no longer binding or had been changed to Sunday. Rather, they continued to meet on the Sabbath (vs. 44).

(4) Being a tentmaker by profession, did Paul suspend his work in order to observe the Sabbath? Acts 18:1-4, 9, 11.

(5) Did Jesus indicate that the Church in the end-time would be a Sabbath-keeping Church? Matthew 24:20.

Christ’s admonition for His people in the end-time to pray that their flight not take place on the Sabbath was a sure sign that the true Church would still be keeping the Sabbath.

Final Points to Consider

(1) After the Babylonian captivity, did the Jews come to understand from God’s servants that Sabbath-breaking was a major reason for their captivity? Nehemiah 13:17-18.

As referenced earlier, the Jews have been very diligent to keep the Sabbath for this reason. Read Ezra’s words to this effect in Nehemiah 9:13-14, 33, 36.

(2) Does God promise special blessings upon those who keep His Sabbath with diligence, so as not to profane or pollute it? Isaiah 56:2. Does this also apply to the people of other nations besides Israel? Read verse 6.

(3) Does God expect those who keep the Sabbath to do so in a way that is oriented toward pleasing God instead of pursuing their own pleasures? Isaiah 58:13. The proper approach to keeping the Sabbath is to seek to do what is pleasing to God.

(4) What are the blessings associated with proper observance of the Sabbath? Isaiah 58:14. This is not an empty promise. God can and will reward those who do His will.

(5) Will the Sabbath be kept during the soon-coming Kingdom of God? Isaiah 66:23; Ezekiel 46:1. In God’s Kingdom, the Sabbath will be universally observed by all mankind.

For additional detailed information about the Sabbath, review Mr. Pack’s extensive book Saturday or Sunday – Which Is the Sabbath?