Sabbath: a day of rest and worship

Sabbath is a weekly day of rest and worship. It was instituted at creation when God hallowed the 7^th day and rested after his creative labors (Genesis 1:1-2:3). There is no distinct mention of the Sabbath in Genesis and no mention of the Sabbath until Exodus 16:21-30 when the Israelites were in the Desert of Sin before reaching Mount Sinai. God gave them a double supply of manna on the 6^th day of the week in order that the 7^th day may be a rest from labor (Exodus 16:23). Jewish tradition holds the Sabbath on Saturday (beginning at sundown on Friday) and Christians hold the Sabbath on Sunday. What exact does the Sabbath entail? What is the history behind it?

Observing the Sabbath became a requirement after Moses was given the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17, 34:1-5). The 4^th Commandment states that the 7^th day would be observed as a holy day. A day when everyone, including strangers, would be required to rest from any work and labor. The reason given for this day of rest is that the Lord rested on the 7^th day, having blessed it and hallowed it. God intended the Sabbath to be a blessing of both physical and spiritual. The sanctity of the Sabbath was to include the sacrifice of two lambs including a regular burnt offering (Numbers 28:9-10) and 12 loaves of showbread (Leviticus 24:5-9, 1 Chronicles 9:32). The Sabbath required extra offerings because it was a special day of rest and worship, commemorating creation and deliverance of Egypt. Numbers 15:32-36 dictated that a willful Sabbath breaker was to be put to death. When the Jews returned from their exile, Nehemiah made several reforms in order to reestablish their traditions including observance of the Sabbath. Trade was forbidden on the Sabbath because the lure of money interfered with the need of rest (Nehemiah 10:31) and traders were sent home and the city’s gates shut as the Sabbath hours approached (Nehemiah 13:19).

There have been attempts by Old Testament critics to find a Babylonian origin for the Jewish Sabbath. There is evidence that among the Babylonians, certain things were to be avoided on the 7^th, 14^th, 19^th, 21^st, and 28^th days of the months. However, the 19^th day breaks the sequence of 7s and there is no question the Hebrew Sabbath is older than the Babylonian observance. The Sabbath was associated with the idea of worship, rest, and divine favor rather than certain taboos and avoidance. Over the centuries, many Jewish religious leaders added rule after rules to God’s law which guaranteed that everyone who be in violation. Jesus healed people on the Sabbath to show that while the Sabbath was holy, it was created for man’s benefit and people’s needs must take precedence over the law (Matthew 12:1-14, Mark 2:23-36, Luke 6:1-11, and John 5:1-18).  The best time to reach out to someone is when he or she needs help and it is right to care for others’ needs even if it involves on a day of rest (Matthew 12:10, John 9:14-16). Seven times he performed miracles on the Sabbath. Why? Jesus empathized the intent of the law while the Pharisees focused on the letter of the law (Matthew 12:5).

Early Christians, most of whom were Jewish, kept the 7^th day as a Sabbath. Since Jesus’ resurrection occurred at the beginning of the week, they began to meet for worship on the 1^st day of the week which they designated as the Lord’s Day. As the split between Jews and Christians widened, Christians gradually began to meet for worship on the Lord’s Day and eventually it became the Sabbath and they gave up the 7^th day observance. Through the centuries, the Lord’s Day (or Sunday as we know it today) became known as the 7^th day. Unfortunately, there are Christians today who develop the attitudes of the Pharisees and forget the true nature of the Sabbath and look down on other Christians who are not in church every Sunday. And in this day of companies being open 7 days a week, it would be hard for many Christians to take every Sunday off. So, when someone a day off in the middle of the week, that day could be there Sabbath. A day to rest and worship God and study His Word. Bill Sunday (1862-1935) once said, “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.” There’s more to be a follower of Christ than church every Sunday.

In conclusion, it is easy to let responsibilities of work, family, and community to crowd our schedules that we don’t take the time to worship. Taking a day of rest, any day, is important to reenergize and focus on God and his Word. I think too many people get hung up on semantics when they argue whether the Sabbath is Saturday or Sunday. The Sabbath is simply a day of rest and worship. So, whether you rest and worship on Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday, et cetera, you are keeping the Sabbath. While the Sabbath is an important day, it does not allow us to be lazy bumps on a log. If you see someone who needs help, it is good for you to help, just as Jesus did.

The festivals of Leviticus

Leviticus is the third book of the Bible which has the purpose as a handbook for the priests. An outline for their duties for worship, offerings, festivals and a guidebook of holy living for all Hebrews. While the majority of Leviticus are rules and their consequences, I want to write about the festivals, the reasons for their celebration and its importance. The book of Leviticus establishes the holy days of the Hebrew calendar. The festivals are held from spring to fall. I’ve grouped the six festivals into three categories of celebration for: deliverance, God’s providence, and restored fellowship and commitment.

The festivals celebrated as remembrance of God’s deliverance are Passover and The Feast of Unleavened Bread. Passover is commemoration of the final plague against Egypt (Exodus 11-12). Passover, or Pasach, is a reminder of God’s deliverance of his people from slavery in Egypt. Leviticus 23:5 says that the Feast of Passover will begin “at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.” The first month of the Hebrew calendar is Nisan and on the fifteenth day of Nisan, the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6-8) which the Hebrews were required to eat unleavened bread for seven days. The unleavened bread is a reminder of the hurried exodus from Egypt. The people did not have time to allow the bread to rise and they had eat the unrisen bread. The festival serves as a reminder of leaving behind the old ways and entering a new life. Today, the Feast of Unleavened Bread is lumped together with Passover as a weeklong observance in the spring.

The festivals celebrated as a celebration for God’s providence are the Feast of Firstfruits, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Trumpets. The Feast of Firstfruits is a celebration as reminders that God provides. Leviticus 23:9-14 specifies that on this day, the day following the first day of Unleavened Bread, a sheaf of barley was waved before the Lord to hard the start of the harvest season and leading to Shavuot. The Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot, is a celebration of joy and thanksgiving over a bountiful harvest. This feast is observed on the sixth day of Sivan (May-June) which occurs exactly seven weeks after Passover. Leviticus 23:15-22 details the Hebrews instructions for this feast. In verse 22, they are instructed to keep the edges of their fields unharvested so that the poor and the alien (the stranger) can be provided for as well. The Feast of Trumpets, Yom Teruah, is the expressing of joy and thanksgiving to God. It is a “day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts” (Leviticus 23:24). On the first day of the seventh month, Tishrei, the Hebrews were required to do no regular work and present an offering to the Lord (Leviticus 23:25). This day is also known as Rosh Hashanah, The Days of Awe (Leviticus 23:23-32). 

The festivals celebrated as restored fellowship with God and commitment to His covenant are Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles. Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, is celebrated as the removal of sin from the people and the nation. It is s celebration of restored fellowship with God. Day of Atonement is the holiest day of year for the Hebrews. On the tenth day of Tishrei, the Hebrews were required to “hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the Lord by fire” (Leviticus 23:27). The Feast of Tabernacles, Sukkot, is celebrated for God’s protection and guidance in the desert and renews the people’s commitment to God, His covenant and trust in His further guidance and protection (Leviticus 23:33-43). The fifteenth day of Tishrei begins the Feast of Tabernacles with a day of sacred assembly followed by seven days of offerings to the Lord made by fire and on the eighth day, a sacred assembly to close out the feast (Leviticus 23:35-36). The Hebrews were required to do no regular work.

I’ve written about these festivals very simply and I wanted to focus on why they are celebrated and not just how or when they are celebrated. The Hebrews were given these festivals, days to commemorate what God has done for them. He delivered them from Egypt, from slavery. He provided food on their journey through the desert. He restored fellowship and commitment to His chosen people. He accepted atonements for their sins and guided them to live a holy life. Even through the manner of these festivals have changed, what has not changed is that they are still being celebrated. The God of the Hebrews is the God of today. He is still here, delivering us, providing for us, and guiding us.