◄ Exodus 31:17 ►
It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.'"
Study Bible
It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever;
This phrase emphasizes the covenantal relationship between God and the Israelites. The "sign" refers to the Sabbath, which serves as a perpetual reminder of God's creation and His special relationship with Israel. The concept of a sign is significant in biblical covenants, as seen with the rainbow in Genesis 9:12-17, marking God's promise to Noah. The Sabbath as a sign underscores the distinct identity of Israel as God's chosen people, setting them apart from other nations. This perpetual sign is a testament to the enduring nature of God's promises and His faithfulness to His covenant people.

for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth,
This phrase affirms the biblical account of creation as described in Genesis 1. It underscores the belief in a literal six-day creation period, which is foundational to understanding the Sabbath. The reference to creation highlights God's sovereignty and power as the Creator of all things. It also establishes a pattern for human work and rest, reflecting God's own work in creation. The six-day creation is a cornerstone of biblical theology, affirming the intentional and purposeful act of God in bringing the universe into existence.

but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’”
The seventh day, the Sabbath, is a day of rest, mirroring God's rest after creation. This rest is not due to fatigue but signifies completion and satisfaction in His work. The concept of rest is deeply rooted in the Hebrew word "Shabbat," meaning to cease or desist. The idea of God being "refreshed" is anthropomorphic, conveying the completeness and perfection of creation. This rest serves as a model for humanity, emphasizing the importance of rest and worship. The Sabbath rest also foreshadows the ultimate rest found in Jesus Christ, as described in Hebrews 4:9-10, where believers enter into God's rest through faith in Christ's finished work.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal existence and His role as the Creator.

2. Heavens and the Earth
Refers to the entirety of creation, highlighting God's sovereignty and power in creating all things.

3. Six Days of Creation
The period during which God created the universe, as described in Genesis 1.

4. The Seventh Day
The day God rested, establishing the pattern for the Sabbath.

5. Sabbath Rest
A day of rest instituted by God, serving as a sign of the covenant between Him and His people.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Rest
God Himself rested, setting an example for us to follow. Rest is not just a physical necessity but a spiritual discipline.

The Sabbath as a Sign
The Sabbath serves as a sign of the covenant between God and His people, reminding us of His creation and redemption.

Creation's Order and Purpose
The six days of creation followed by a day of rest reflect God's order and purpose, encouraging us to live with intentionality and balance.

Spiritual Refreshment
Just as God was "refreshed," we too are called to find spiritual renewal in our rest, focusing on our relationship with God.

Observing the Sabbath Today
While the specific observance of the Sabbath may vary, the principle of setting aside time for rest and worship remains vital for our spiritual health.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the Sabbath as a sign of the covenant influence your view of rest and worship?

2. In what ways can you incorporate a rhythm of rest into your weekly routine, following the example set by God?

3. How does the concept of Sabbath rest connect to the spiritual rest mentioned in Hebrews 4:9-10?

4. What are some practical ways to ensure that your time of rest is spiritually refreshing and not just a break from work?

5. How can the principle of the Sabbath inform your understanding of work-life balance and priorities in today's fast-paced world?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 2:2-3
This passage describes God's rest on the seventh day, establishing the Sabbath as a day of rest and sanctification.

Deuteronomy 5:12-15
The command to observe the Sabbath is reiterated, linking it to God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt.

Hebrews 4:9-10
Discusses the concept of a spiritual rest for God's people, drawing a parallel to God's rest on the seventh day.

Mark 2:27-28
Jesus teaches that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, emphasizing its purpose for human benefit.
Sermons
The SabbathJ. Orr Exodus 31:12-18
People
Aaron, Ahisamach, Aholiab, Bezaleel, Dan, Hur, Israelites, Moses, Uri
Places
Mount Sinai
Topics
Abstained, Age, Ceased, Forever, Heaven, Heavens, Israelites, Labor, Pleasure, Refreshed, Rest, Rested, Seventh, Sign, Six, Sons
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 31:17

     4203   earth, the
     7429   Sabbath, in OT

Exodus 31:12-17

     1450   signs, kinds of

Exodus 31:13-17

     5338   holiday

Exodus 31:15-17

     1653   numbers, 6-10

Exodus 31:16-17

     5773   abstinence, discipline

Library
The Flood-Tide of Power.
God's Highest Ideal. A flood-tide is a rising tide. It flows in and fills up and spreads out. Wherever it goes it cleanses and fertilizes and beautifies. For untold centuries Egypt has depended for its very life upon the yearly flood-tide of the Nile. The rich bottom lands of the Connecticut Valley are refertilized every spring by that river's flood-tide. The green beauty and rich fruitage of some parts of the Sacramento Valley, whose soil is flooded by the artificial irrigation-rivers, are in sharp …
S.D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on Power

The True Manner of Keeping Holy the Lord's Day.
Now the sanctifying of the Sabbath consists in two things--First, In resting from all servile and common business pertaining to our natural life; Secondly, In consecrating that rest wholly to the service of God, and the use of those holy means which belong to our spiritual life. For the First. 1. The servile and common works from which we are to cease are, generally, all civil works, from the least to the greatest (Exod. xxxi. 12, 13, 15, &c.) More particularly-- First, From all the works of our …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Appendix viii. Rabbinic Traditions About Elijah, the Forerunner of the Messiah
To complete the evidence, presented in the text, as to the essential difference between the teaching of the ancient Synagogue about the Forerunner of the Messiah' and the history and mission of John the Baptist, as described in the New Testaments, we subjoin a full, though condensed, account of the earlier Rabbinic traditions about Elijah. Opinions differ as to the descent and birthplace of Elijah. According to some, he was from the land of Gilead (Bemid. R. 14), and of the tribe of Gad (Tanch. on …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Gifts and Talents.
"And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him."--Judges iii. 10. We now consider the Holy Spirit's work in bestowing gifts, talents, and abilities upon artisans and professional men. Scripture declares that the special animation and qualification of persons for work assigned to them by God proceed from the Holy Spirit. The construction of the tabernacle required capable workmen, skilful carpenters, goldsmiths, and silversmiths, and masters in the arts of weaving and embroidering. Who will furnish Moses …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Thy Name: My Name
'I have called thee by thy name.'--ISAIAH xliii. 1. 'Every one that is called by My name.'--ISAIAH xliii. 7. Great stress is laid on names in Scripture. These two parallel and antithetic clauses bring out striking complementary relations between God and the collective Israel. But they are as applicable to each individual member of the true Israel of God. I. What does God's calling a man by his name imply? 1. Intimate knowledge. Adam naming the creatures. Christ naming His disciples. 2. Loving friendship. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prophets and Apostles.
The work of the Holy Spirit in apostles and prophets is an entirely distinctive work. He imparts to apostles and prophets an especial gift for an especial purpose. We read in 1 Cor. xii. 4, 8-11, 28, 29, R. V., "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.... For to one is given through the Spirit wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; and to another workings …
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

Hiram, the Inspired Artificer
BY REV. W. J. TOWNSEND, D.D. The Temple of Solomon was the crown of art in the old world. There were temples on a larger scale, and of more massive construction, but the enormous masses of masonry of the oldest nations were not comparable with the artistic grace, the luxurious adornments, and the harmonious proportions of this glorious House of God. David had laid up money and material for the great work, but he was not permitted to carry it out. He was a man of war, and blood-stained hands were …
George Milligan—Men of the Bible; Some Lesser-Known

That Whereas the City of Jerusalem had Been Five Times Taken Formerly, this was the Second Time of Its Desolation. A Brief Account of Its History.
1. And thus was Jerusalem taken, in the second year of the reign of Vespasian, on the eighth day of the month Gorpeius [Elul]. It had been taken five [34] times before, though this was the second time of its desolation; for Shishak, the king of Egypt, and after him Antiochus, and after him Pompey, and after them Sosius and Herod, took the city, but still preserved it; but before all these, the king of Babylon conquered it, and made it desolate, one thousand four hundred and sixty-eight years and …
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Development of the Earlier Old Testament Laws
[Sidenote: First the principle, and then the detailed laws] If the canon of the New Testament had remained open as long as did that of the Old, there is little doubt that it also would have contained many laws, legal precedents, and ecclesiastical histories. From the writings of the Church Fathers and the records of the Catholic Church it is possible to conjecture what these in general would have been. The early history of Christianity illustrates the universal fact that the broad principles are …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

The Preface to the Commandments
And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God,' &c. Exod 20: 1, 2. What is the preface to the Ten Commandments? The preface to the Ten Commandments is, I am the Lord thy God.' The preface to the preface is, God spake all these words, saying,' &c. This is like the sounding of a trumpet before a solemn proclamation. Other parts of the Bible are said to be uttered by the mouth of the holy prophets (Luke 1: 70), but here God spake in his own person. How are we to understand that, God spake, …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Exposition of the Moral Law.
1. The Law was committed to writing, in order that it might teach more fully and perfectly that knowledge, both of God and of ourselves, which the law of nature teaches meagrely and obscurely. Proof of this, from an enumeration of the principal parts of the Moral Law; and also from the dictate of natural law, written on the hearts of all, and, in a manner, effaced by sin. 2. Certain general maxims. 1. From the knowledge of God, furnished by the Law, we learn that God is our Father and Ruler. Righteousness …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath Day and Defends his Act.
(at Feast-Time at Jerusalem, Probably the Passover.) ^D John V. 1-47. ^d 1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. [Though every feast in the Jewish calendar has found some one to advocate its claim to be this unnamed feast, yet the vast majority of commentators choose either the feast of Purim, which came in March, or the Passover, which came in April. Older commentators pretty unanimously regarded it as the Passover, while the later school favor the feast …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Blasphemous Accusations of the Jews.
(Galilee.) ^A Matt. XII. 22-37; ^B Mark III. 19-30; ^C Luke XI. 14-23. ^b 19 And he cometh into a house. [Whose house is not stated.] 20 And the multitude cometh together again [as on a previous occasion--Mark ii. 1], so that they could not so much as eat bread. [They could not sit down to a regular meal. A wonderful picture of the intense importunity of people and the corresponding eagerness of Jesus, who was as willing to do as they were to have done.] 21 And when his friends heard it, they went …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Of the Trinity and a Christian, and of the Law and a Christian.
EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. These two short treatises were found among Mr. Bunyan's papers after his decease. They probably were intended for publication, like his 'Prison Meditations' and his 'Map of Salvation,' on a single page each, in the form of a broadside, or handbill. This was the popular mode in which tracts were distributed; and when posted against a wall, or framed and hung up in a room, they excited notice, and were extensively read. They might also have afforded some trifling profit to aid …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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