Bible Readings for the Home

Chapter 87

Manner of Observing
the Sabbath

How are all commanded to keep the Sabbath?
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." Exodus 20:8.

What constitutes a day?
"And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." Genesis 1:5.
"And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day." Genesis 1:8.
"And the evening and the morning were the third day." Genesis 1:13.

When does the evening begin?
"But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt." Deuteronomy 16:6.

How does the New Testament state this point?
"And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils." Mark 1:32.

When did the tenth day of the seventh month begin?
"Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath." Leviticus 23:27-32.
NOTE. - It is plain that if the tenth day of the seventh month began on the evening of the ninth day, at the going down of the sun, then the seventh day of the week, or the Sabbath, always began on the evening of the sixth day, at the going down of the sun.

What kind of labor is permitted through the week?
"Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work." Exodus 20:9.
NOTE. - That is, whatever secular yet lawful work presents itself to be performed, may be done on any or all of the six working days. Such is called "thy work."

Is any kind of labor lawful on the Sabbath?
"How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days." Matthew 12:12.

What example did the Saviour give to show the meaning of His words?
"Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other." Matthew 12:13.
NOTE. - Disinterested works of mercy toward man or beast are always in place. From reading the entire chapter, it will be seen that the Saviour also classed the work of the priests in the temple, though very arduous, as necessary, because it was the Lord's work, and was therefore not a violation of the Sabbath law.

What is the day before the Sabbath called?
"And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on." Luke 23:54.

On which day did the Israelites receive their Sabbath supply of manna?
"And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses." Exodus 16:22.

What instruction did they receive regarding this double supply of food?
"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." Exodus 16:23.

Was there any day in which the manna did not fall?
"Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none." Exodus 16:26.
NOTE. - God's dealing with His people in the wilderness shows that elaborate preparation of food on the Sabbath is a violation of the Sabbath precept.

What were God's ancient people to do on the Sabbath?
"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 23:3.

What example did the Saviour set in this matter?
"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read." Luke 4:16.

How sacredly should the Sabbath be observed?
"If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words." Isaiah 58:13.