What Does It Mean to Keep the Sabbath Day Holy
"Remember the Sabbath day, to go on it holy" (Exodus 20:8).
Those words begin the 4th of God's 10 Commandments. Only what does information technology mean to keep the Sabbath day holy? What exactly is God telling us to do (and non do) on the Sabbath day?
Before we respond these questions, we must get dorsum to the origin of the Sabbath twenty-four hour period in Genesis ii. We read that after the creation calendar week, "God concluded His piece of work which He had washed, and He rested on the 7th day from all His piece of work which He had washed" (verse 2). We next read: "Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it" (verse iii).
The seventh day was blessed and sanctified. That means that God set up it apart from the other vi days of the week for a special purpose.
Considering of this unique blessing and sanctification, the seventh 24-hour interval of the week is very special to God. Simply He didn't just rest and bless it for His ain use. He did this as an example and a souvenir for people. When God gave the x Commandments to Moses, He included the seventh-24-hour interval Sabbath every bit the Fourth Commandment (Exodus 20:8-xi).
God did non create the Sabbath to exist a temporary or burdensome police. Jesus said the Sabbath was "fabricated for human being" (Mark 2:27). It was a souvenir God made for us. That's why Jesus, the apostles and the New Testament Church continued observing the Sabbath.
Once a Christian accepts that the 7th-day Sabbath is holy and a law of God, the question arises—how does a person keep the Sabbath holy?
The Bible doesn't give a long list of dos and don'ts for how to keep the Sabbath, only it does provide u.s.a. many solid principles to help u.s.a. empathise how to go on the Sabbath day holy.
Five principles almost how to keep the Sabbath holy
1. Keep the Sabbath holy past not working.
The Fourth Commandment specifically states: "The seventh 24-hour interval is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work" (Exodus 20:10). In the next verse, the command connects this with God resting on the seventh mean solar day (poesy 11).
In Genesis 2 God stopped working and rested from His labors on the seventh day. He didn't balance because He was tired. God is Spirit and cannot get tired or worn out. The reason He rested was to set an example for us. He wanted to prove us that we demand one twenty-four hours out of the week for rest and concrete and spiritual rejuvenation. God didn't leave it up to united states of america to choose which solar day we want to rest on. He was very specific that He "blessed" and "hallowed" the seventh day, the Sabbath (verse xi).
The Sabbath is a day when nosotros interruption from our normal piece of work and activities and balance for 24 hours on the seventh day of the week (from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday as the Bible counts time).
Those who are new to Sabbath-keeping can notice it challenging to change their work schedule to adjust the Sabbath. And, unfortunately, sometimes employers can resist giving an employee every Saturday off.
Here are some tips for approaching your employer most this:
- Pray for God's help and blessing in making your request.
- Develop a good work ethic on the other days of the week to go a more than valuable employee. The more valuable you are to your employer, the more probable he or she is to accommodate your convictions about non working on the Sabbath.
- Express a willingness to take on actress hours to make up for that fourth dimension (or be willing to work at less desirable times).
- Arroyo your employer with a spirit of humility and respect when explaining your convictions about the Sabbath.
- Appeal to laws and legal protections for religious organized religion when necessary.
Abstaining from work every Sabbath has tremendous physical and spiritual blessings for God's people. To larn more than about why y'all need a weekly rest, read "Do You Need a Rest?"
2. Keep the Sabbath holy past not employing others to piece of work on the Sabbath.
The 4th Commandment has specific implications for those who employ others to work for them (due east.g. business owners). It reads: "In it you shall exercise no piece of work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female person servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates" (verse 10).
The Fourth Commandment is presented in an agricultural context (since ancient Israel was a farming gild). A farmer's whole household would labor on the family land. In that context, God said the entire functioning was to rest on the Sabbath—children, servants and livestock. The point was that the head of the family wasn't to forcefulness those under him or her to work.
Most people don't work on farms today, merely the principle still applies. The core principle is that Sabbath-keepers are not merely to abjure from piece of work themselves, merely also to refrain from having their employees work on the Sabbath.
In that location are many Sabbath-keeping business owners effectually the globe who practice this every week. Before sunset comes on Friday evening, they shut their business organization, and they don't reopen it until after the Sabbath ends.
3. Go on the Sabbath holy past attending Sabbath services.
Resting on the Sabbath doesn't mean we stay home in bed all twenty-four hour period.
In Leviticus 23 the Sabbath is referred to as one of God's "holy convocations" (verses 2-3). In order to bring His people together for fellowship and collective instruction and worship, God designed the seventh day as a day of assembly.
Throughout His life on earth, Jesus Christ assembled with others on the Sabbath. God's people are specifically warned to not neglect "the assembling of ourselves together".
A convocation is a public meeting, or gathering, for the purpose of learning, worship and fellowship. Throughout His life on earth, Jesus Christ assembled with others on the Sabbath (Luke 4:sixteen). It was His custom—His weekly practice. God's people are specifically warned non to neglect "the assembling of ourselves together" (Hebrews 10:25).
Every Sabbath, the Church of God, a Worldwide Clan, holds Sabbath services in cities around the earth where members regularly get together to hear biblically based sermons, sing hymns of worship to God, and fellowship with brethren of similar heed. If you lot are interested in visiting ane of our services, reach out to us in the "Ask a Question" link below.
For insight into why you lot should await for a Church building that keeps the Sabbath, read "Why Wait for a Sabbath-Keeping Church building?"
4. Keep the Sabbath holy with spiritually enriching activities.
On the Sabbath, we are to pause from our normal routines—our work, shopping, errands, chores, activities, sports, television, etc.—and spend the twenty-four hours doing things that are spiritually enriching. God created the Sabbath to exist a refreshing and enjoyable experience for His people. Jesus Christ proclaimed that "the Sabbath was made for man" (Marker 2:27). Jesus, equally "Lord of the Sabbath" (verse 28), reveals that the Sabbath was created for our benefit.
Most Sabbath-keepers eagerly anticipate the Sabbath every week. They view it as a souvenir, not a burden. God wants us to dedicate the Sabbath to doing the things that strengthen our relationship with Him. God wants u.s.a. to "call the Sabbath a please" (Isaiah 58:xiii).
Here are some things we can do on the Sabbath to brand it "a delight":
- Attend Sabbath services.
- Spend extra fourth dimension in prayer and meditation.
- Spend more fourth dimension than usual reading the Bible.
- Spend quality time with family.
- Spend time fellowshipping with other Christians.
- Visit the sick or elderly.
- Savour some relaxing time in God'due south creation.
- Heed to music that is peaceful, relaxing and uplifting.
- Enjoy special meals.
These are but a few examples of appropriate things Christians tin practice to take a spiritually fulfilling Sabbath.
To learn more nearly the benefits the Sabbath can bring your family, read "The Sabbath: A Approving for Families."
5. Keep the Sabbath holy past preparing for it.
Many Sabbath-keepers apply Friday, the 6th day of the week, to prepare for the Sabbath. It'south often chosen the training mean solar day. This is based on a principle found in Exodus 16 when God gave the wandering Israelites manna from heaven.
He instructed them: "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for yous. And the people shall go out and assemble a certain quota every twenty-four hour period, that I may examination them, whether they volition walk in My law or non. And information technology shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily" (verses 4-5).
On Friday God gave double the manna that He gave on the other days. The reason is explained later on in the affiliate:
"Then it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, 2 omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. Then he said to them, 'This is what the LORD has said: "Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what yous will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morn."'
"And so they laid information technology up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there whatsoever worms in information technology. Then Moses said, 'Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not observe it in the field. 6 days you lot shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, at that place volition be none'" (verses 22-26).
Through this example, God taught them the importance of preparing to proceed the Sabbath. They did actress piece of work on Fri so they could rest and not take to gather food on the Sabbath.
God doesn't give united states of america physical manna today, merely we tin can yet apply the principle of preparing in advance. Here are some ways Sabbath-keepers can set up for the Sabbath solar day before it comes:
- Clean the house and then it'south tidy for the Sabbath.
- Practise normal chores and errands on another 24-hour interval so they're done earlier the Sabbath.
- Plan and fix a special meal.
- Gas upwards the car so you don't have to worry near fuel on the Sabbath.
- Have your clothes for Sabbath services washed and ready to exist worn on the Sabbath.
The Gospels evidence that the day before a Sabbath was called "the Preparation 24-hour interval" (Marker 15:42, in reference to an annual Sabbath).
The best manner to learn how to keep the Sabbath
We hope you lot found these five principles helpful. Ultimately, the all-time manner to learn how to keep the Sabbath holy is to beginning observing information technology. Every bit you lot begin to experience the joys of keeping God'southward Sabbath, you volition discover unique ways y'all can brand information technology more than special, enjoyable and rejuvenating.
For more on the Sabbath, read the articles in the section: "The Fourth Commandment: Remember the Sabbath Twenty-four hours."
Well-nigh the Author
Erik Jones
Erik Jones is a total-time writer and editor at the Life, Promise & Truth offices in McKinney, Texas.
Read More
Source: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/10-commandments/sabbath/how-to-keep-the-sabbath/
0 Response to "What Does It Mean to Keep the Sabbath Day Holy"
Post a Comment