How To Keep Sabbath Holy!

The first question we need to ask ourselves is where does the sabbath come from? Well in the creation account we learn “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made”. )Genesis 2:2-3) For humanity the sabbath comes from creation week. This is confirmed when he commanded us to Exodus 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”.

The Lord in his mercy gave us a day of rest to disconnect from the world and all our secular activity, to focus on him with our family in Christ. Let’s learn how to keep the sabbath from the word. Psalm 1:2 “But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” This meditation on the word of God and his Law does not end on the sabbath day, one would imagine that on this day it would increase. We can have a much longer and personal study with the Lord on the sabbath. These Bible studies, whether typed or verbal can be shared with our brothers and sisters in the faith. In the Old Testament it was the shewbread that represented the Word of God in the Sanctuary. Each Sabbath we found it was to be changed to bring fresh Truth to those coming to feast on His Word given via the priest on Sabbath. 1 Chronicles 9:32, "And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the shewbread, to prepare it every sabbath."

We can also visit the sick and minister the truth on the sabbath, James 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” Does this mean we join an organization to take paid work on the sabbath? No! But as a church family we can prepare to evangelize to the poor, sick and needy whilst sharing the gospel.

Furthermore, we can learn more about God’s creation by being out in nature on the day he finished it! To admire and observe what he has created. Proverbs 6:6-8 “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” We can increase our wisdom just from observing how God has set things up in his creation. This doesn’t mean we turn sabbath into documentary watching day and say to ourselves “Documentaries show nature; therefore I’ll just stay at home and watch documentaries!” Rather go outside and when you come across something in God’s creation, ask him why he created it in that way and search the scriptures to see how it relates to the gospel message. Share that lesson with brothers and sisters.

The work of healing and taking care of the sick is permitted on the sabbath day, just not for any cash. It doesn’t count as work. This is not to be confused with being a doctor and having surgery hours on the sabbath day. Then one may ask, what if I’m a surgeon and an emergency case has arisen on sabbath, deal with the case but ask for your wages that day to be donated to church treasury. All acts of good are for free that day. Matthew 12:10-12, "And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.  And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?  How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days”. In acts of extreme emergency, we do what is right to prevent suffering in the moment. Would we do heavy lifting on sabbath? No! What If something heavy fell on someone and we needed to lift it off? Yes! “it’s lawful to do well”.

Singing praises to the Lord is a good way to connect with him on his Holy day Colossians 3:16, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

The sabbath day can be a day of prayer to talk to the Lord. Acts 16:13, "And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither."

When we come together on the sabbath day, the Lord will also reveal to us new truths, that although we see through a glass darkly now, we never would have understood without his guidance and wisdom. Isaiah 1:18, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Acts 17:2, "...Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures," Acts 18:4, "And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks."

How did Jesus keep the sabbath?

One thing we notice is that Jesus was very often with his brethren on sabbath, fellowshipping and doing the gospel work. Matthew 12 “At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day”.  Just to point out, it was lawful to pluck ears of corn on sabbath, the provision was made in Deuteronomy 23:25 “When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn.” Some have tried to use Matthew 12 as an example of the disciples breaking sabbath. They don’t realise they show the same understanding about the sabbath as the Jews of old did.  It was in the law that they could do this. We also see Jesus healing on the sabbath day Luke 13:13-14 “And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.  And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day”. John 5:8-9, "Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.  And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath."

What should we not do on the sabbath?

Nehemiah 13:15, "In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals”. We cannot work on the sabbath because as God rested, we should follow his example and rest. If God who made the Earth (the planet we live on) can find one day to rest, then we who have not had a task nearly as important can also rest on His Holy Day. Nehemiah 13:16-17, "There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?" We cannot buy or sell on the sabbath day, why? Because if we are selling, we are working, and the Lord told us not to work. If we are buying, that means we are condoning the work of others. Notice also how Nehemiah went to the nobles of Judah, because they should’ve known better.

What else should we not do to keep the sabbath Holy?

Exodus 16:23,30 “And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe.”  We are to prepare our food any other day but the sabbath day. This is good for those who usually must prepare the food, as now they get a time of rest from cooking. However, because we live in modern times if you wanted to warm up food through an oven, because all you must do is flick on a switch to get the fire to warm up the already prepared food, no work is realised here. So, this act would not be a sin. But, in past times, you would have to gather sticks, prepare the firewood, then prepare a fire, to warm food even for five minutes. In modern times no sin is realised when one warms food because no work is done. Nevertheless, if one is going to prepare a whole meal from scratch work is realised in the sense of food preparation. Moreover, the days are coming where some of us will find ourselves in the woods or huts because it will be the time of the seven last plagues. We will not have a stove to warm food, making a fire would then require work again (food for thought).

Anyone in your household is not to do any work on the sabbath day, not your son, daughter, butler, housemaid, animals, or visitors. Exodus 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". To whom the household belongs is responsible for the sabbath being kept by the household.

Can I watch secular TV, or engage in secular activities on the sabbath?

Isaiah 58:13, “If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words”. Doing your own pleasure on His holy day would lower the day, this would include games, TV,  hobbies, or any other passed time which is outside things allowed on the sabbath day. Let’s say it’s a Bible game or a video about spiritual things, then it’s a different case. Furthermore, “nor speaking thine own words”. On the sabbath day we are to refrain from having mindless chatter about worldly engagements, such as “the latest news articles or videos released on the day” as it lowers the standard of the day. Whilst we can reference things we’ve read or seen. We should not be looking for new articles nor researching news articles on the sabbath. Another example would be calling a friend to talk about worldly things would constitute as speaking thine own words and therefore sin, whereas calling a friend for Bible study, relate about God, or evangelistic purposes would be in the spirit of the day.

What is the sabbath meant to be?

Exodus 31:13-15, "Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death”. The sabbath is meant to be a memorial between man and God, because in six days He made heaven (our atmosphere) and earth. It’s meant to be a memorial that we recognise His work as Lord and Creator.

How else do we keep sabbath Holy?

Exodus 19:10-11,14,15 "And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives". As we come into the presence of the Lord it’s good to make sure we have clean clothes when entering his house. If meeting the Lord on that special day on Sinai required the people not having relations with their spouse, then His day would also require we do not use it for the same actions. The Lord calls the sabbath “my Holy Day” Isaiah 58:13 He also says Psalms 89:7 "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him"

How long do we keep the sabbath in this manner?

Isaiah 66:22-23, "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD". As we know in the new earth the sabbath will still be there, it was here before us and will be here after this earth passes away. Now in the new earth the brethren will assemble one sabbath to another before God to worship him. Just to add some would say that this verse is attempting to use sabbath to sabbath to say, “week to week” and “new moon to another” to say “month to month”. This is incorrect as the phrase the scriptures would use if they wanted to say this would be “week by week” or “month by month” we have an example of that in 1 Chronicles 27:1 “Now the children of Israel after their number, to wit, the chief fathers and captains of thousands and hundreds, and their officers that served the king in any matter of the courses, which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year, of every course were twenty and four thousand.” 1 Chronicles 12:22 For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God.”

What can we expect if we keep the sabbath?

Isaiah 56:2, "Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil." We are blessed if we keep the sabbath! Isaiah 58:13 “If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: 14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Many see the “don’t do your own thing on sabbath” and miss the “I’ll cause you to ride on the high places of the earth!”

What’s a major blessing we receive for keeping the sabbath?

Acts 5:32, "And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him”. Many ask how did the apostles do so many miracles? Why did they receive the power of the Holy Ghost, but the evidence today does not compare? Is it possible that we just aren’t obeying God as we should? Did they keep the sabbath? Acts 13:42 “And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.” If the apostles kept sabbath and most people today don’t, then we shouldn’t expect the same gifts for different behaviour. Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I change not…”

Sabbath suggestions:

• Listen to sermons and messages.
• Evangelise
• Read the family bible chapters
• Go to a pond and feed the ducks
• Go witnessing door to door
• Read the bible by yourself
• Make 3X5 cards of scripture and memorize them
• Play Bible games
• Visit the sick
• Leave tracks at park tables, outhouses or parking lots.. etc
• Sing or listen to songs of praise
• Visit the elderly
• Study nature and natural health
• Type up bible studies you can email or snail mail to loved ones
• Take nature walks