SABBATH MEANS REST
Mark 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
Q: What happens when we operate a cellphone, tablet, ipod, etc. all day?
Q: What happens when we ride a horse all day?
Q: What happens when we operate an air-conditioner all day?
Q: What happens when anything operates all day?
Q: What happens when an animal is continually burdened?
Q: What happens when a field is constantly used to grow crops?
In all of these cases, something will either break down or lose its capacity to function at full efficiency.
More questions:
What will happen to someone if they work or study 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, 30 days a month, 365 days a year?
The answer is obvious:
They will either lose health, end up in the hospital, or in some other way (mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually) break down. We need to rest. Everybody and everything needs to rest. This is the nature of our fallen universe, we do not have a perpetual sustained energy source, in this universe of entropy. When constantly operated, things and people lose their effectiveness, and or energy.
Now, the opposite is true too (some people take rest to the extreme):
We were made to work (Genesis 2:15)
It is understood that we are to work (Exodus 20:9)
In the New Testament church, if a (capable) man doesn’t work, he shouldn’t eat (2Thessalonians 3:10)
“The Fourth Commandment is not limited to a mere enactment respecting one day, but prescribes the due distribution of a week, and enforces the six days' work as much as the seventh day's rest” (Smith’s Bible Dictionary).
Sabbath means REST:
Sabbath (shabbath), "a day of rest," from shabath "to cease to do to," "to rest" (Smith’s).
God commanded Israel to keep the Sabbath (Exodus 20.8-11) for what appears to be THREE reasons:
1. Frankly, it was His command, and frankly, we don’t need to ask questions. Nevertheless,
God gives explanation because He is an awesome God of love and patience who explains why.
2. It was hallowed (verse 8).
God had created everything in six days, and rested on the seventh. Thus, we are to follow God’s pattern as it is our example from God.
3. It is for our benefit Verses 9-10).
We work a period of time then rest, and start the cycle all over again.
This was a serious command and a serious offense if broken, with a serious penalty:
The penalty was death (Exodus 31:14-15)
Example in the Old Testament of a man stoned for gathering sticks to make a fire (Numbers 15:32-36)
The Israelites had strict commands regarding the Sabbath:
Exodus 35:3 – could not start a fire
Exodus 16:21-30 – had to work for two days ahead in preparation for the Sabbath (day of rest)
Exodus 16:23-35 – they had to prepare their meals ahead
Exodus 16:29 – could not leave his place (walk more than about 750 yards [Adam Clarke’s Commentary])
Thus, if someone truly wants to observe the Sabbath Day in modern times (New Testament era), that’s a tall order! One that I do not think anyone could keep, because as religious as the Jews were, they could not keep it (Acts 15:10).
The Sabbath was a covenant day related to worship (Leviticus 19:3, 30). A day to cease from worldly, work, and weekly activities: “work for worldly gain that was to be suspended; and hence the restrictive clause is prefaced with the restrictive command. ‘Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work;" for so only could the sabbatic rest be fairly earned’” (Smith’s).
The Sabbath was not just CEREMONIAL, but it was also UTILITARIAN (PRACTICAL, USEFUL) because it was also a day of refreshment:
Compare with:
Exodus 31:17 – the Lord was “refreshed;”
Deuteronomy 5:15 – the heavy labor of the Jews in Egypt).
So the Lord says in Mark 2:27, to the legalistic Pharisees who would have Jesus’s disciples not pick corn and eat it on the Sabbath:
“And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:”
So, the Sabbath was also for our own BENEFIT from a gracious God who knows our condition and need for labor (Genesis 3:17 “for thy sake …”).
Now, on the spiritual side (Smith’s Bible Dictionary):
“The prohibition of work is only subsidiary to the positive idea of joyful rest and recreation in communion with Jehovah, who himself ‘rested and was refreshed.’”
“It was to be a sacred pause in the ordinary labor which man earns his bread the curse the fall was to be suspended for one and, having spent that day in joyful remembrance of God's mercies, man had a fresh start in his course of labor.”
“Thus the spirit of the Sabbath was joy, refreshment and mercy, arising from remembrance of God's goodness as Creator and as the Deliverer from bondage.”
In other words: The Sabbath was designed to be not only a time to cease from physical labor, but also to be refreshed by the act of worship and remembering the Lord; taking their minds off of the things of this world and the cares and stresses and praising and rejoicing at the memory of God’s goodness and power.
However, for the Jews, and likely all of us, as were all of the other commandments, it was impossible for them to keep the Sabbath (Acts 15:10). The Jews in their fallen spiritual condition could not give up work and making money, could not keep their eyes off of the things of this world; in fact, even when they were in the act of Sabbath Day worship, the Lord chides them for their hearts not even being in it (Isaiah chapter 1, et. al.).
(Is it the same for us today? When you are supposed to be worshipping, what is on your mind?)
So the Lord says, in Matthew 11:28, “my yoke is easy” because the keeping of the commandments was a yoke that no one could bear. In fact, only GOD Himself in the flesh, Jesus Christ, could! Only a Holy God could keep His Holy commands. Make sense? That’s why we cannot possibly hope in ourselves to “earn” the right to enter heaven (“salvation” from the penalty of sin, God’s wrath).
Jesus Christ came to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17) and He did – perfectly:
So He said on the cross “finished” (John 19:30). So God raised Him from the dead because His sacrifice was perfect (Acts 17:31).
Jesus Christ didn’t do away with the Sabbath. He ended the Sabbath (Matthew 28:1): “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher,” and a NEW covenant was confirmed (Matthew 26:28).
Therefore, we read in Romans 10:4 “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
Jesus Christ became our REST, our Sabbath (Hebrews 4:8-10) if we will only believe – trusting HIS work on the Cross – His saving Work on the Cross.
We must remember that the SABBATH was NOT done away with (discarded) by the Lord, but it was fulfilled and replaced with the Lord’s Day, a new day, a NEW and living way (compare with 2Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:4; et.al.)
It’s interesting, that all of the commandments are mentioned in the New Testament except one – keeping the Sabbath, because Jesus Christ has become our Sabbath (our rest). There is no more need for “keeping” it.
Now, we meet on the first day of the week known as the Lord’s Day, or Sunday to celebrate Christ (reference: Acts 2:1; Acts 20:7; 1Corinthians 16:2).
We meet as a church and separate ourselves from the world for a period of time so that we can celebrate the Lord and enjoy the benefits of:
REST
RECOVERY
REFRESHMENT
REVIVAL
RESTORATION
RECHARGE
All of these can be obtained from the hand of the Lord through: song and fellowship, attending to the teaching of God’s Word and observing the Lord’s Supper. Imagine what the early disciples must have enjoyed in Acts 2:45-47!
Thus, Sunday has become for the believer a day of Christ, a day of ministry, a day of spiritual benefit. It is for our own good to be a part of church as believers:
If we are always in the world, 24-7, 30-365, what will happen to us?
If we are constantly bombarded with the world’s pleasures, philosophy, and temptations, without rest, what will happen to us?
If we always hear and see the world’s music, entertainment, conversations, while we “work” 6 days a week, we will certainly break down spiritually.
And the Lord knows that, so He gave us brethren, a church, and a day to meet each week.
Remember:
The principle is there, but NOT the LAW
The reason is there, but NOT the COMMAND
Some pastors and churches seem to forget this.
So, the Sabbath has passed – it was unbearable. Don’t try to return to that yoke of bondage.
But the Lord has brought us grace and mercy through His Son.
It just makes sense to REST on the Lord’s Day: mentally and spiritually.
