untitled
Rest
God’s Sabbath Rest
Over the years in the church some of the Brethren have
been confused as to how to keep the Sabbaths of God, the
weekly Sabbath as well as the High day Sabbaths. What kind of
work is allowed, can we prepare food on those days or should
food be prepared before the Sabbath begins? Let us delve into
the scriptures and see if we can clear up this confusion for
God’s Word doesn’t leave us without instructions on how to keep His Sabbaths holy.
“Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God
ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.
Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had
created and made” (Genesis 2:1-2).
“Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, six days you shall do all your work, but the seventh day is
the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: …For in six days the LORD made the heavens
and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day…” (Exodus 20: 8-11).
“Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You
shall do no work on it” (Leviticus 23:3).
The primary instruction for the weekly Sabbath is resting from our six days of labor. We are to follow
Gods example as He rested from his six days of labor.
We are not only to rest from our physical labor but also are to turn our minds away from doing our own
things and toward God and His ways in spiritual rejuvenation. The instructions in Isaiah 58:13 tells us how we
are to behave; “If you keep your feet from trampling the Sabbath, from pursuing your own interests on My Holy
Day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD's holy day honorable; and if you honor it by not going your
own ways and seeking your own pleasure or speaking merely idle words,…” (International Standard Version).
The weekly Sabbath as well as each of the High day Sabbaths have their differing purposes. The weekly
Sabbath day God gives us for rest from our labor and for spiritual rejuvenation. It also points us to the realization
of who our Creator is in thanks and praise to Him. God tells us on this weekly Sabbath we are not to do any work.
There is only one Holy High day Sabbath that these instructions are given and that is a day of fasting when no
food is eaten and that day is the Day of Atonement. No work is to be done, on the weekly Sabbaths or on
Atonement.
But in further study we will find the High Day Sabbaths do not have resting from our labors as a primary
reason for keeping them holy, not that we aren’t to turn away from our daily activities, and stop our everyday
work but the “rest” is not the main reason for keeping the days. The primary reason for keeping Gods High Day
Sabbaths are for spiritual rejuvenation and contemplating the purpose and meaning of the day we are keeping in
holy convocations yes, but resting from our labors is not the main reason or even mentioned in the instructions
for these holy days.
Now you may say, But I see in the instructions in Leviticus; Trumpets, the first day of Tabernacles and
the Great last day is called Sabbath - rest.” If you will notice, the “rests” are in italics and are not there in the
original text.
We can now notice where God gives instructions for His Sabbaths in Leviticus chapter 23 after each High
Day Sabbath the instructions are somewhat different than on the weekly Sabbath. Instead of “You shall do no
work”, the instructions are, (NKJ “Do no customary work.”) (NIV “Do no regular work”.) (NLT “On the first day
of the festival, all the people must stop their ordinary work and observe an official day for holy assembly.)”
“On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done
on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you” (Exodus 12:16). (English
Standard Version)
The Bible Commentaries all seem to understand what this scripture is implying; Barnes’ Notes says on
this scripture and subject; “Save that ... - In this the observance of the festival differed from the Sabbath, when
the preparation of food was prohibited. The same word for "work" is used here and in the fourth commandment:
it is very general, and includes all laborious occupation.”
Gill’s Exposition says; “no manner of work shall be done in them; save that which every man must eat, that only
may be done of you; so that kindling fire and preparing food might be done on those days, which might not be
done on Sabbath days; and the prohibition of work was not so strict on those days as on that.”
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary gives this explanation; Ex.12:16, “There shall be an holy
convocation—literally, calling of the people, which was done by sound of trumpets” (Nu 10:2). A sacred
assembly—for these days were to be regarded as Sabbaths—excepting only that meat might be cooked on them”
(Ex 16:23).” “He said to them, "This is what the LORD commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day of Sabbath rest,
a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is
left and keep it until morning.” (New International Version)
Matthew Poole’s Commentary; “No manner of work, i.e. of servile work, Save that which every man must eat:
herein, as many think, these days were inferior to the Sabbath, in which that was forbidden.” (Leviticus 23:7).
The Jews Hebrew Calendar postpones Gods Sabbaths to prohibit back to back Sabbaths; their reasoning
being, it was too much of a burden to prepare food for two Sabbath days in a row with no preparation day in
between. But what is not understood by those who keep the Jews calendar, God has provided for His people a
way to take care of that problem. When back to back Sabbaths occur, God allows the preparation of food on the
High Day Sabbath. ☜
Carlos & Louise McGuire