Q: What does it mean to keep the sabbath day holy or observing the sabbath? Besides going to church does it mean that I cannot eat out in a restaurant on sabbath hence causing one to break the sabbath? Can I not give my dog a bath on that day? —Kit
A: To truly observe the sabbath would require you to do a lot more than just worshipping on a Saturday. For example, you are not allowed to work (Exodus 31:15, 35:2). You are to stay put in your home and not travel (Exodus 16:29) or buy and sell things (Jeremiah 17:21). At home, you’re not to prepare food, light a fire (Exodus 35:3) to cook, bake, or boil water (Exodus 16:23). It’s a “day of complete rest” (Exodus 16:23, Leviticus 23:3). For some special sabbaths, you have to “deny yourself,” usually understood to include fasting and other abstinence, for a full day! (Leviticus 16:31, 23:32). Not keeping the sabbath is a capital offense. You could be executed for carrying sticks on the sabbath!
Thankfully, sabbath-keeping was part of a covenant God made with the ancient nation of Israel. Christians today are not required to keep the sabbath as specified in the Old Testament. The Jews were in a special covenant relationship with God. And God stipulated 2 signs of that covenant: circumcision (Genesis 17:11) and the sabbath. Twice, God told the Jews “the sabbath is a sign of the covenant” (Exodus 31:13), “a permanent sign of my covenant with the people of Israel” (Exodus 31:17). Keeping the sabbath holy was the covenantal sign that the Jews were God’s redeemed people (Deuteronomy 5:15).
In its infancy, the Church was predominantly Jewish. Jewish Christians continue to meet on the sabbath in the Temple and synagogues as a matter of habit and convenience. Christianity was seen as a “continuation off-shoot” of Judaism. Concurrently and progressively, the Jewish believers began to meet on Sundays. Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday (Matthew 28:1). On that same evening, the disciples met (John 20:19). They did so again the following Sunday (John 20:26). The Bible (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2) shows that the primary day for worship in the Christian Church was the first day of the week. Meeting on Sunday in celebration and commemoration of the Lord’s resurrection was a totally new thing, not a replacement for sabbath. Soon, Sunday was known as the Lord’s Day (Revelation 1:10).
Today, some Christians choose to worship on Saturdays. This is an exercise of freedom of how they want to practice their Christian faith. But merely worshiping on a Saturday is not the same as “keeping the sabbath.” Observing the sabbath demands much more than that.
There are no commandments or exhortations in the New Testament for Christians to keep the sabbath. It’s noteworthy that the apostles at the 1st Church Council of Jerusalem (AD 49-50, Acts 15:1-3) did not require the Gentile believers to keep the sabbath (Acts 15:28-29). The apostle Paul went further: “So don’t let anyone condemn you . . . for not celebrating certain holy days . . . or sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality” (Colossians 2:16-17). The Mosaic system that was given to Israel culminated and ended at the Cross (Hebrew 8:7-13, 10:1-18).
God ordained that one day in seven be restful (Genesis 2:2; Exodus 20:11). That’s God’s provision for our well-being, for our good (Mark 2:27). There are profound spiritual, physical, and emotional benefits in setting aside a day each week to rest in order to honor God. It could be Saturday, Sunday or every day! (Acts 2:46). But Christians are not required to keep the sabbath as specified in the Old Testament.
Paul gives us the last word: “Some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike (i.e. holy). You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable.Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor Him” (Romans 14:5-6). That should be our motivation and purpose. —K.T. Sim
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mike wittmer on June 28, 2012 at 3:47 pm
This is a terrific answer, K.T. It’s difficult to thread the needle between legalism on one side and licentiousness on the other, but you did it. We should observe a Sabbath rest for our own good, but not in some legalistic, God-will-judge-us-if-we-don’t sort of way.
daisymarygoldr on July 21, 2012 at 7:15 pm
Very true; Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between God and Israel just like the wedding ring is a sign of the marriage covenant. This covenant sign patterned after God resting on the 7th day—marked Israel as a separated people from whom Messiah would come. It is through Him God’s rest would be restored through salvation from sin for all the nations of the world. Remember, Adam was expelled from Eden and forced to work all the days of his life as part of the curse. Sabbath therefore, is a picture and promise of final restoration of the blessed rest God purposed for us since the beginning of creation.
What did it mean to keep the Sabbath Day holy? The people of Israel must not do any work to profane the Sabbath Day. “Work” refers to the daily labor people get paid for or any work they do for their benefit like buying or selling, ploughing, cooking etc. Labor does not include doing volunteer works of charity or saving lives in an emergency or picking grain from the field for snacking. They were free to eat and drink and also untie the ox or donkey and lead it out to the water to drink.
In this context, Kit you can give your dog a bath on Sabbath okay… but not allowed to eat out because it is to make others do work. Why was work forbidden? Israel’s cessation of work for one day was to teach them to know God their Creator and depend on Him for everything. Why did work on the day of rest meant death? It was because of the sin of unbelief—the lack of faith in God to provide for their needs. This is why God became angry when some violated His command to gather manna on the Sabbath. And when they repeatedly refused to believe Him He promised they would not enter His rest.
Rest means to cease from our own efforts and trust God who has not only created us but also saves and sustains us. Sabbath is not the end but only a means to an end. For Israel in the OT, rest in a day was a reminder that God saved them from the weary toil and slavery of Egypt (Deuteronomy 5: 15) to give them rest in the land of Canaan. For the Church in the NT, rest in the person of Christ who gives us rest from the toil and slavery to sin (Matthew 11: 28) is a foretaste of the ultimate rest in Heaven.
daremato on August 2, 2016 at 8:32 am
great explained Daisy, but we, as Christians… should we really forgot the Old Testament..? Does God change Himself ? I mean, What was explaining Jessus in Mathew 23 1-3 ? Should we do and keep what the Pharisees teach us ? Should we let the Law of God trenspassing by us..? Can we make a difference betwen the Law of God(the 10 comendments) , the law of Moses , and “the Law and the Profets about Jessus Christ speack in the New Testament..? I think you are able to explain us verry well.
street on August 26, 2014 at 12:35 pm
For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality” (Colossians 2:16-17).
this makes sense when you understand the rest you enter into is forgiveness and salvation in Jesus.
the New Testament talks about entering this rest. it is not one day a week but a permanent rest entered into in Christ.
daremato on August 2, 2016 at 11:05 am
Thankfully this Sabath Law starts with the word : REMEMBER … and because Israel FORGOT to keep this Law, this Covenant, this Sign… God had to remember them to keep it.
I am asking myself… did God – our Creator – made and Bless this seventh day just for Israel..? Or should i ask : Was there an Israelite present in the Garden of Eden, when God Blessed the Seventh day..? Please, just read the chapter 38 : 4-7 from Job and understand that God, our Creator wish us to rejoice with Him for all He did for us in Sabath! ! I agree with Paul last word (Romans 14 : 5-6) about honoring God – our Creator in each day… I even say : we should honnor with minimum 10% from our time (2 Hours and 24 minutes exactly!) every morning, waking up before the sun and praising Him for all His gifts for us 🙂 and moore then that, researching the Bible – God love letters for us – every day is a sign of our love and great dependence for Him. But if we put out ONE SINGLE Law from God Comendments what is happening..? Hmm… Is that working just for the Earthly Israel ? Let me ask you something else: How do you know that you are not an Israelite ?! Do you know your Parents and ancesters genealogy like they do..? Do we research what was happened with the difference of Israel in nowaday..? Are they (now) in their country? Do we make the difference between Israel and Judah ? Just research and follow the Scriptures… jes, follow the History too ! Where they are now..? Are they between us, in all corners of the world..? In all countries?
I like to let here a few more questions:
Are we sure that all this Bible verses(Matthew 28:1; John 20:19: John 20:26; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Revelation 1:10…) from New Testament: are about keeping or not the Sabath ? Did them speack about the Sabath or about the circumcision ? Is there in the Acts chapter 15 speaking about the Sabath..? (Verses 1) and in the verses 28-29 what is the real subject ? Is there said something about the Sabath..? Or, let me ask another question : should be start lie, kill, covet, still, and do all other sins and transgress all other comendments from Exodus 20 just because Ap. Paul(seems to) “give us free” to commit them..? Lets research better and deeper what’s about ? Ap. Paul said : “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.” – What meaning have here “You will do well. Farewell.” is Paul speaking about their healt ?
And, please research somewhere else what is explaining Pavel about the “food offered to idols” . He explain it verry well, what idols are and why he told them (those begginers/gentiles) to stay away from that food… and more : what is happening with us if we consume blood, or the meat of strangled animals… what is about sexual immorality..? My dear brothers and sisters… why just this few “abtainings” for the Gentiles..? Are Gentiles allowed to steal, to kill, to lie, to transgress all other covenants ..? Is the Law of God finish by Cross? Did Jessus Christ abolished the Law , really..? It’s not about a goal, about a target..? Is not the Law that measure instrument showing us how much we need Jessus?
I think we are still blind ! Jessus christ DIE on that cross because we was not keeping the Law(we forgot about the Law), and because God DID NOT CHANGES ! N E V E R ! Because God is Holly, and because we cannot came allive in His pressence, Jessus has to die and to make a way for us… and in Revelation 21 is written : 26 “And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
Dear Brothers and sisters, please research the Scriptures and start getting a PERSONAL RELATION with Jessus Christ reading the Old Testament, because Jessus, our Redeemer quoted JUST from Old Testamend all His life long on Earth! John say it verry clear : He (Jessus) is The Word becoming flesh and living between us ! He is the Old Testament allive ! He is the Word of God, and He did everything to fullfill the Old Testament ! Please do not forget the Law of God. You dont need to circumcize yourself, because you are not Israel, but if you read the book of Mc MIllen :”None of Theses Diseases you will understand the differente between Israel and Gentiles.
I think, because Jessus use to say :” Go and sin no more” after he saved a life, we should sin no more. We should fight against our flesh, against our lust, against our Ego, and start Loving God (HOW???) with ALl, All, all… hmmm …how we should love our flesh(selves)? With all, all all ? NO ! With less ! Even our wifes, husbands, children, parents… that is the second great comendment Jessus left us, not the first, Right ? WoW ! Is that hate (to love our human flesh less then God)..? Is that sin against Humanism..? Did this world manipulate us with its love, and Humanism..? Are we Teists or Humanists ? Do we really put God first in our Live, are we Teists (God centered/oriented persons) ? Are we keeping His Law, do we love Him..? What make from me an American citizen..? Do i keep 4th of Jully, do i sing Americans songs, do i keep their “sabaths”(celebrations) Do we understand that Sabath from the Bible is not just the Seventh day..? Should we research what are the reall Sabaths of the Lord..? Is there Christmass in between ? Do we find Holly Celebrations in the Bible, Holly and Ethernall..? Are we citizens of His Kingdom keeping other feasts ? Should we keep the feasts from the Old Testament even if we are Gentiles..? What is writting in Zechariah 14 about the day of the Lord and His feasts..? Then, in that (sunday?) day of the Lord we will keep the Feast of Tabernacles even if we were Gentiles… i am so sure ! Should we start learning RIGHT NOW about our feasts in God Kingdom..?
My brethren, i think, we have to take God closer to our heart. To understand what means God. To try to put our brain at work and imagine that He is allmighty, He is the the Monarch of the Galaxies – yes is a King there, not a congregation, or a political power, and just a Judger – there is not such a tiny little spirit fulfilling us three of our best wishes ! We do not make Him an Agenda, and we have no plans for Him ! He is the One who created us for something ! He has a Goal with us… and we have to bo somehow and to know something about Him… to know Him . WoW !
I am sorry for my big letters and for my mistakes. I am just a simple young man, a servant.
God – Allmighty God – the Only Elohim in heavens and Earth be the One who will call you – dear reader – by your name in Lord’s Day ! Amen !
Shalom.