The Ten Commandments Part 5

Exo 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Deu 5:12-15 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

This commandment is slightly different in wording though not in substance in the two portions of Scripture where it is found. What differs more is the reason given for it which follows. We are given two reasons to keep this commandment. First, is God’s creation of the world in six days and His then resting. Second, is a remembrance of His deliverance of Israel from Egypt.

It is interesting that the seven day week is a common occurrence throughout widely divergent cultures. However unlike the 28 day lunar cycle or 365 day solar cycle it has no astronomical base. It in itself testifies to the Creator. For this reason the French tried to eliminate it when they set up their cult of reason in the French revolution (Like the Antichrist who is to come they tried to change times and seasons). They were introducing all their metric measurements at that time and tried to introduce a ten day week. This proved unworkable as people and even the animals needed a day of rest on the seventh not tenth day.

The early church began to meet on the first day of the week (Sunday) rather than on the sixth day at a very early time (1 Cor. 16:1-2). This was done in honor of Christ’s resurrection (Matt. 28:1).
The Sabbath we are to keep is a holy day. It is not just a day of rest, which is essential, which God has given us, but also a day to remember Him and think of His goodness. The bare minimum of this commandment is regular church attendance. We are not to neglect the assembling together of believers (Heb. 10:25). It’s greater purpose is to lead us to an entering into rest and a cessation from our own works in every area of our life (Heb. 4:10). If we are insistent on doing our own thing on a Sunday, how will we ever learn to do His will in the day to day details?

I think if we truly consider this commandment we must admit that the church at large violates it. The worst example I have heard of occurred when a church chose to show the Superbowl on Superbowl Sunday. Blasphemous profanation! Is that why Christ died so that He can have a people who can’t set their minds on Him as long as they aren’t sure of the current score? Before the game does the pastor preach on 1 John 2:15?

On the other hand, I would certainly not advocate the way that in the old days, this commandment was taken to an extreme. In some houses they actually would cover all the paintings they had lest someone should actually derive some pleasure from seeing it on the Sabbath! What you choose to do is between you and God. I would suggest that you consider this command and ask God how He would like you to keep it. After all, He gave the law so He knows what He has in mind!