The Sabbath day in the Bible is more than just a day—it’s a sacred concept, a holy rhythm of rest that God gave us to follow. It’s a weekly pause, reminding us of the rest God took on the seventh day after creating the world.
This term, which originates from the Hebrew word Shabbat, meaning “to cease”. The Bible urges us to “remember the Sabbath day” (Exodus 20:8) and to keep it holy.
The tradition has flowed from the Jews’ observance of Sabbath on the seventh day (Shabbat on Saturday) to Christians designating the first day of the week (Lord’s Day on Sunday) as a day of worship. It serves as a weekly reminder to cease our labor, relax, and redirect our focus towards God.
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Table of Contents
- The Seventh Day of the Week: A Commandment to Cease
- Verses about the Sabbath Day in the Bible
- The Sabbath Observance in the Jewish Tradition
- The Sabbath Day in the New Testament
- The Sabbath Day as a Reflection of the Lost Paradise
- Misconceptions about the Sabbath Day in the Bible
The Seventh Day of the Week: A Commandment to Cease
The Sabbath day holds various theories about its origin. Some link it to the Babylonians, where “umu sabattu” means “a day of rest for the heart”. Probably the Hebrews adopted the concept of the Sabbath from the Canaanites, who inherited it from the Babylonians. Others associate the Sabbath with the day of the full moon.
Alternatively, Sabbath was an ancient taboo day for the Kenites, a desert tribe who influenced Moses. Some theories consider it as a socioeconomic equalizer, much like the Roman market-day, giving a weekly day of rest to all people alike.
In the Bible, the origin of the weekly Sabbath is traced back to the account of creation in Genesis 2:1-3. After six days of creating the heavens and the earth, God took a day off. The Bible records, “He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.”
More than that, God didn’t just rest; He “blessed the seventh day and made it holy.” God instituted the Sabbath as something sacred, something different from the other six days of work.
Observance of the Sabbath rest is deeply rooted in the rhythm of life as prescribed in the Bible. To keep the Sabbath day, to remember it, is not just about refraining from work; it’s a holy day of rest, known as Shabbat in the Bible. On this day, all work ceases, as God Himself rested on the seventh day from all His work. This is a commandment, a mandate.
Sabbath activities, however, should not be misconstrued. It’s not about inactivity, but a shift in focus. It’s a day to remember, to honor, and to live in the rhythm of God’s commandments. This rhythm separates Saturday or Sunday, depending on Christian or Jewish observance, from the other days.
Verses about the Sabbath Day in the Bible
Bible verses about the Sabbath from the Old Testament:
- Genesis 2: 2-3
2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. - Exodus 16:23-30
23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.
25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field.
26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. 27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
28 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
30 So the people rested on the seventh day. - Exodus 20:8-11
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. - Exodus 31:13-17
13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. - Exodus 34:21
Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest. - Exodus 35:2
Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. - Leviticus 23:3
Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings - Leviticus 26:2
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. - Deuteronomy 5:12-14
12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.
13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:
14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
- Nehemiah 13:15-22
15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.
16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?
18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.
19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
20 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.
21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.
22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy. - Isaiah 1:13
Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. - Isaiah 56:2
Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. - Ezekiel 20:20
And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.
Bible verses about Sabbath from the New Testament:
- Matthew 12:8
For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. - Mark 2:27-28
27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. - Luke 6:1
And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. - Luke 13:10-16
10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? - John 5:9
And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. - Acts 18:4
And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. - Acts 20:7
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. - Romans 14:5
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Source: KJB online
The Sabbath Observance in the Jewish Tradition
In the Jewish religion, the Sabbath, or Shabbat, is often portrayed as a bride and as a queen. Shabbat is welcomed like a bride, with joy and anticipation, as it is considered a special and sacred time of connection with God. It is also seen as a queen, symbolizing the honor and respect accorded to this holy day. This day is treated as a distinguished guest, with the Kabbalat Shabbat ritual, prayers, and festive meals.
The preparation day, the sixth day, is when they bake bread for the Sabbath. In the synagogue, people gather every Sabbath to pray, reinforcing the sanctity of the day. They don’t work on that day. Instead, they rest, celebrating Shabbat as a precious gift that God has given them.
The observance of the Sabbath in Jewish tradition involves specific customs and practices, such as lighting candles, reciting blessings, like the Kiddush, attending synagogue services, and sharing a festive meal with family and friends. It is a time of rest, spiritual reflection, and communal celebration, creating a sense of sanctity and rejuvenation for the Jewish community.
The Sabbath Day in the New Testament
In the New Testament, the Sabbath’s significance evolved. When God blessed the seventh day, He made it a time for rest. But in Matthew 12:1-12, Lord Jesus redefined it. He said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” This suggested a shift in perspective. The Sabbath day is a gift, not a burden.
Every Sabbath, as mandated by the commandment to observe the Sabbath, people gathered in synagogues. Jesus, being present on these days, demonstrated his understanding and reverence for the Sabbath. On a particular Sabbath, Jesus performed a miraculous healing, which some perceived as a violation of the holy day. However, Jesus emphasized that acts of compassion and mercy align with the true spirit of the Sabbath day.
As days passed, the meaning of the Sabbath became clearer. It is a rest day, yes, but it is also a worship day, a day to remember, to honor God, to celebrate His grace. This concept evolved into the Christian Sabbath or the Lord’s Day, usually observed on the first day of the week. Despite the transition from Saturday to Sunday in Christianity, the essence of the Sabbath as the day of reflection and worship remains.
The Sabbath Day as a Reflection of the Lost Paradise
I have always thought of the Sabbath as a beautiful reminder of the idyllic state of humanity before sin entered the world. It’s like a mini paradise, where we are released from the burdens of work and toil. The commandment to “remember the Sabbath day” and to refrain from work on this holy day is like a gentle invitation to step back into that state of harmony and peace.
Throughout the other six days, we labor and exert ourselves, facing the challenges and demands of life. But on the seventh day, we have the opportunity to enter a sacred space, a day of rest, where we can experience a taste of the tranquility and contentment that existed before sin disrupted our world.
As we keep the Sabbath day holy, we enter into a realm where we can untie ourselves from the daily grind and appreciate the blessings of God’s provision. It is a special day that begins with the setting sun, a time when we can gather with loved ones, worship together, and find solace in the divine presence.
The Sabbath day is not just a commandment; it is a gift, a reminder of the paradise we once had and the hope of a future restoration when we will dwell in eternal rest.
Misconceptions about the Sabbath Day in the Bible
Various misconceptions circulate about the biblical Sabbath. Some consider it a mere rest day, sidelining its significance as a holy day.
A frequent misunderstanding is that the Sabbath is not for worship. In the Bible, Sabbath is a day of rest and worship. Every week, on the Sabbath, people gather in synagogues to honor the Lord. This practice aligns with the biblical verse that highlights the Sabbath as the Lord’s day.
Another misconception is that the Sabbath is any day that one chooses it to be. Contrarily, the Bible is specific – the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, from Friday evening to Saturday evening. While Christianity shifted the day of worship to Sunday, the first day, the original Sabbath remains Saturday.
Lastly, the new moon celebration or any other special day must not replace the Sabbath. Though these occasions are significant, they aren’t the Sabbath. The Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it special. Thus, every Sabbath, remember to rest, worship, and celebrate the divine gift you’ve been given.
The Sabbath, from its origin in Genesis to its importance in modern religions, is more than a day of rest marked on a calendar – it’s a holy day set apart. The Bible guides us to understand the deep meaning of the Sabbath day rest, which transcends monthly lunar cycles. Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, emphasized compassion over strict observance, setting the stage for early Christian traditions of fellowship.
Despite shifts like the transition from Saturday to Sunday in Christianity, the essence of the Sabbath as a day of reflection and worship remains. Each day offers a chance to embody the spirit of Sabbath, prioritizing rest, honor to God, and kindness towards others.
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