Topical Bible: The Sabbath: The Wicked: May be Judicially Deprived of

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The concept of the Sabbath is deeply rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition, originating from the creation narrative in Genesis, where God rested on the seventh day after creating the heavens and the earth (Genesis 2:2-3). The Sabbath is a day set apart for rest and worship, a covenant sign between God and His people, as outlined in the Ten Commandments: "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy" (Exodus 20:8).

In the biblical narrative, the Sabbath is not only a day of rest but also a symbol of God's provision and sanctification. It serves as a reminder of God's deliverance, as seen in Deuteronomy 5:15 , where the Israelites are instructed to observe the Sabbath in remembrance of their liberation from slavery in Egypt.

However, the Scriptures also indicate that the wicked may be judicially deprived of the Sabbath. This deprivation is often a consequence of disobedience and rebellion against God's commandments. In the prophetic literature, the loss of Sabbath rest is portrayed as a form of divine judgment. For instance, in the book of Jeremiah, God warns the people of Judah that their failure to honor the Sabbath would lead to the destruction of Jerusalem: "But if you do not listen to Me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying a load while entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in its gates to consume the citadels of Jerusalem" (Jeremiah 17:27).

The deprivation of the Sabbath rest can also be understood in a broader spiritual sense. The wicked, by their persistent sin and rejection of God's law, alienate themselves from the peace and rest that the Sabbath symbolizes. Isaiah 48:22 states, "There is no peace," says the LORD, "for the wicked." This lack of peace can be seen as a forfeiture of the Sabbath's intended blessing.

Furthermore, the New Testament reinforces the idea that true Sabbath rest is found in Christ. Hebrews 4:9-11 speaks of a "Sabbath rest for the people of God," urging believers to enter this rest through faith and obedience. The wicked, by contrast, remain outside this rest due to unbelief and disobedience, as exemplified by the Israelites who fell in the wilderness (Hebrews 3:18-19).

In summary, the Sabbath is a divine gift and commandment that offers rest and spiritual renewal. However, the wicked, through their rebellion and disregard for God's law, may be judicially deprived of its blessings, both in the temporal sense and in the eternal rest found in Christ.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Lamentations 2:6
And he has violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden: he has destroyed his places of the assembly: the LORD has caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and has despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hosea 2:11
I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Life of Mr. Thomas Hog.
... have been seriously pondering where it may be most ... been taught, and shall comply
with the wicked designs now ... Upon Sabbath evening, for I stayed with him that ...
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