Topical Bible: The Sabbath: Called: God's Holy Day

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Sabbath, a day of rest and worship, holds a significant place in Judeo-Christian tradition as a divinely instituted observance. It is rooted in the creation narrative and is a central element of the covenant between God and His people. The Sabbath is often referred to as "God's Holy Day," underscoring its sacred nature and the divine command to keep it holy.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of the Sabbath originates in the creation account found in Genesis. After six days of creation, God rested on the seventh day, setting a precedent for the Sabbath. Genesis 2:2-3 states, "By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished."

The Sabbath is further codified in the Ten Commandments, where it is explicitly commanded as a day of rest. Exodus 20:8-11 instructs, "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the foreigner within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy."

Purpose and Observance

The Sabbath serves multiple purposes: it is a day of rest, a sign of the covenant, and a time for spiritual reflection and worship. It provides an opportunity for individuals to cease from their labors and focus on their relationship with God. The Sabbath is a reminder of God's creation and His deliverance, as seen in Deuteronomy 5:15 : "Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day."

Prophetic and Messianic Significance

The Sabbath also holds prophetic significance, pointing to a future rest for the people of God. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is seen as the fulfillment of the Sabbath rest. Hebrews 4:9-10 states, "So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His."

Controversies and Interpretations

Throughout history, the observance of the Sabbath has been a topic of debate and interpretation. In the Gospels, Jesus often challenged the Pharisaic interpretations of the Sabbath, emphasizing mercy and the spirit of the law over legalistic observance. Mark 2:27-28 records Jesus saying, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

Contemporary Observance

In contemporary Christian practice, the Sabbath is observed in various ways. Some denominations maintain a strict observance of Saturday as the Sabbath, while others celebrate Sunday, the day of Christ's resurrection, as the Lord's Day. Regardless of the day, the principle of rest and worship remains central to its observance, reflecting its enduring significance as God's Holy Day.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 58:13
If you turn away your foot from the sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honorable; and shall honor him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Thou Shalt Sanctify the Holy Day. [Remember the Sabbath Day to ...
... cease working], or heiligen Abend geben [sanctify the Sabbath]. ... whole life and being
according to God's Word ... kept; otherwise it shall not be called a Christians ...
/.../luther/the large catechism/thou shalt sanctify the holy.htm

Ten Reasons Demonstrating the Commandment of the Sabbath to be ...
... and teacheth men so, he should be called the least in ... of being driven to fly on the
Sabbath-day, and therefore wisheth his followers to pray to God to prevent. ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/ten reasons demonstrating the commandment.htm

Meditations of the True Manner of Practising Piety on the Sabbath ...
... he mightily declared himself to be the Son of God (Romans 1:4), deserve a sabbath,
for the ... to the honour of Christ, and therefore worthily called the Lord's ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/meditations of the true manner.htm

Letter viii. Public and Social Worship, and Sabbath Employments.
... business was to conduct the public worship of God. ... captivity, social meetings, held
every Sabbath, for public ... They were called synagogues.[I] Although we have ...
/.../letter viii public and social.htm

A Work of Reform.
... of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer ... pleasure on My holy day;
and call the Sabbath a delight ... breach was made in the law of God when the ...
/.../white/the great controversy between christ and satan /26 a work of reform.htm

A Work of Reform
... of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer ... pleasure on My holy day;
and call the Sabbath a delight ... breach was made in the law of God when the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the great controversy/chapter 26 a work of.htm

God's Commands to the People
... So Moses called together the leaders of the people and ... Therefore Jehovah blessed
the Sabbath day and made it holy. ... on the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/gods commands to the people.htm

God's Law Immutable.
... In Revelation 14, men are called upon to worship the ... One of these commandments points
directly to God as the ... declares: "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the ...
/.../white/the great controversy between christ and satan /25 gods law immutable.htm

God's Law Immutable
... In Revelation 14, men are called upon to worship the ... One of these commandments points
directly to God as the ... declares: "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 25 gods law immutable.htm

The Two Sabbath-Controversies - the Plucking of the Ears of Corn ...
... [3581] Similarly, medical aid might be called in, if a ... that it must be lawful to
do good on the Sabbath? ... Could this be the proper observance of God's holy day? ...
/.../chapter xxxv the two sabbath-controversies.htm