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This is the fifth sermon in a series of messages on the Ten Commandments. This message discusses the fourth commandment regarding the Sabbath Day.
Written Excerpts:
“The Manufacturer’s Design”
Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Introduction:
There are times that I have stopped to read the directions for assembling some product or repairing something. For me, however, reading directions usually comes AFTER I have spent considerable time trying to figure it out by myself! J
I don’t know why that is. I suppose it is some hidden, genetic code in the male gender that signals weakness or ignorance when one has to “consult the manual.” Or, on the other hand, it signals some type of super intelligence or victorious conquest when one figures it out on his own.
Whatever we were trying to figure out suddenly became much clearer once we learned how it was meant to work as designed by the manufacturer.
I think that this analogy fits quite well as we introduce the fourth commandment in our series of messages on the Ten Commandments. As implied with the title I have chosen for today’s message, this commandment really relates to how we were made by our Master Designer or “Manufacturer.”
IV. Remember the Sabbath Day to Keep it Holy.
This is the first of only two commands out of ten that were given in a positive format rather than negative. So, if I were to state this command in a negative way it would be like this:
A. Negative Meaning: Do not violate the sanctity of the Sabbath.
There are a couple of words in this commandment that probably ought to be defined before we “dig into” this command.
“Sabbath” – in its various forms carries the idea of “put an end to,” or “come to an end.” As such, it also includes the concepts of “cease” or “rest.” (Theological Wordbook of the O.T., Harris, Archer & Waltke)
“holy” – includes the dual concepts of “separated or set apart for a specific purpose” and “cleansed from impurities.” It included the idea of being distinct from that which was common or profane.
With these definitions in mind, the command literally requires God’s covenant people to observe a day that was reserved for rest from labor and other mundane pursuits and the advancement of spiritual or sacred pursuits.
B. Positive Principle: Time and rest are sacred.
This commandment, like all the others, teaches us more than just the avoidance of certain activities in order to conform to a set of rules, but it promotes a principle that is intended to enhance the quality of life as designed by God. After considerable thinking and studying, I have concluded that the positive principle being promoted by this command is that “rest is sacred.” If rest is sacred and if time should be allotted specifically for rest, then it follows that a broader principle must also be included here: “time is sacred.”
In other words, God has granted every human being a gift called time. We all receive the same allotment of time for each day, but we are not all granted the same allotment of days in our lives.
Some authors (Dr. Laura Schlessinger, et.al.), have pointed out that, while man has been granted the ability to be creative and can create many things, time is something that only God can create and therefore it is sacred. This means that we must recognize our responsibility to use it wisely and that includes intentional time reserved for renewing our connection to God.
C. Exposition:
Let us take a look at some of the lessons that this principle is teaching us about God, about ourselves and about life.
1. The Bible defines appropriate observances of the Sabbath during ancient times.
When we attempt to interpret OT Scriptures and commands such as this one on the Sabbath, it is important to get a grasp of how it was understood by OT authors, as well as finding out any additional insights that are brought to light by NT authors. There are several passages that reveal to us what the biblical authors had to say about the observance of the Sabbath.
a. It was a day to abstain from all secular work such as: treading wine presses and the carrying of burdens. (See Ex. 20:9-11; 23:12; 31:15; Lev. 23:3; Num. 15:32; Deut. 5:14-15; Neh. 13:15-19; Jer. 17:21-23)
Exodus 31 passage is especially interesting as pointed out by one OT Commentary (Jamison, Fauset and Brown), because the reminder about Sabbath observance is in the context of building the Tabernacle. Evidently the Israelites were not to think that the “holy work” of building a Tabernacle for God could override the observance of the Sabbath.
This prohibition also carried over to animals and servants, which seems to use the Sabbath to promote the equality of all people. In the culture of that period masters could require servants to do their bidding every other day of the week, but on the Sabbath the servant is worthy and deserving of rest just as much as the master.
b. It was a day to abstain from seeking their own pleasures. (See Isaiah 58:13-14)
It’s not clear what all this included, but if you read this passage, there is a distinction between seeking their own delights and pleasures and delighting themselves in the Lord.
c. It was a day to abstain from merchandising. (See Neh. 13:15-21)
d. It was a day of worship, spiritual instruction and renewal. (See Num. 28:9; Ezek. 46:3; Luke 4:16; Acts 13:14)
2. The Sabbath was a reminder to the nation of Israel
a. It was a reminder that God created and then observed the Sabbath.
In the Exodus 20 passage, the reason behind the command is tied to the activity of the Creator. God created the day, He blessed the day, He sanctified the day, all as a vivid reminder that God is sovereign over time.
In all that God created He proclaimed it “good.” After the creation of man, He pronounced His creation “very good.” But, after creating the day of rest, He is described as blessing it and sanctifying it. One writer believes that this suggests that the climax of creation was not the creation of man, but the creation of the Sabbath. (V. Hamilton, Theological Wordbook of the O.T.)
b. It was a reminder that they are no longer slaves in Egypt
In Deuteronomy 5:15, as Moses is repeating the law for the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land, the reason or motivation given for the command is that they were once slaves in Egypt
Apparently God gave the commandment to honor and hallow the Sabbath as a way of reminding them that when they were slaves, they never knew what it was like to have a day of rest. Sabbath rest is a perpetual reminder of their former slavery and their current freedom. The Sabbath day was a time to celebrate freedom from slavery and the freedom to worship the Lord God. They no longer had some tyrant dictating to them what to do and when to do it and who to serve, but they had the freedom to serve the Lord.
3. The Sabbath was a sign of God’s covenant relationship. (See Ex. 31:13, 17; Ezek. 20:12, 20)
In all four of these verses the Lord is reminding the people of Israel
Yes, these verses originally were given to the nation of Israel Israel
As a sign it reminds them that they were “owned” by the Lord of heaven, not by the rulers of the secular world around them.
If I were to apply that concept to our situation today, I would think of it like this. The Sabbath day reminds us that we too are in a covenant relationship with God. He is our Lord, not anyone or anything else. We are not ruled and controlled by any tyrant, by our jobs, by our possessions, or even by our passions and desires. We belong to the Lord and the best way to demonstrate that is to honor the day that He sanctified as a day to put aside all worldly pursuits and demands and focus our attention on him.
4. The Sabbath was made for man… but Christ is Lord of the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27-28)
There are a few important points that stand out in these verses.
a. Man wasn’t made for the Sabbath.
Jesus seems to be affirming here that just conforming to a rigid rule here is not the goal nor the desire. I believe that it highlights a truth that we can say about all of God’s commandments: (which I had mentioned at the very beginning of this series) God has given us His Word, His commands and His principles for our own benefit, not for the benefit of the command. The primary message of Jesus and the whole New Testament is to get away from the rigid legalism or worship of the laws and get our hearts and minds focused on the Lawgiver and His desire for our wholeness and wellbeing – a wholeness that is based in a vital relationship with Him.
b. The Sabbath was made for man.
Jesus affirms that the intention of our heavenly Father all along was for our blessing and our benefit.
If I could go back to the analogy I started this message with – God is our creator (manufacturer) and He knows how we are designed and how we ought to be “maintained.” He knows how important it is for us to physically take a day of rest from work, pressure and demands of life in order to be renewed in spirit, soul and mind. If we neglect to follow the “instructions / directions” of the manufacturer, then we ought not be surprised when the “machines” break down from exhaustion and “running on empty.”
God gave us this principle for our own benefit. We need regular days to rest from the “rat race” and reorient our lives; to refocus our priorities; to rediscover why we are really here and where we are ultimately going; to be reminded of what’s really important.
c. Christ is Lord of the Sabbath.
Jesus is proclaiming His authority as the Lord over the Sabbath.
Yes, He is letting those Pharisees know that all the laws and their interpretations are ultimately subject only to the authority of God. He is letting them know that all the interpretations and rigid rules man had added to the original commandment didn’t have authority over Him. At the same time, He is letting them know that no man has the right to overrule or redefine God’s laws to suit his own plans and desires.
Conclusion:
I readily admit that this is one of the hardest of the commandments to interpret and apply to our current age because of the various statements of Jesus and the Apostle Paul. However, I am firmly convinced that neither of them advocated the “repeal” of the fourth commandment. They both seem to be arguing against legalism and rigid conformity to rules rather than a relationship with the Father through the Son and Holy Spirit.
We don’t want to be legalistic. That means we don’t want to get so rigid and demanding so that we “put heavy burdens on others that we are not willing to carry ourselves.” That means we don’t want to be constantly looking for “loopholes” that make it look like we are following the law, but we still get to do what we want.
Having said that, neither do we want to be irreverent and disobedient to the Lord. I truly believe that God will honor those who will honor Him by practicing the Sabbath concept even in this day and age.
It really is no surprise that the church is in such dire need of a spiritual awakening and is in moral decline. Most of the church these days doesn’t really take the time out of their schedules to really concentrate their heart and soul on spiritual pursuits.
Many feel that if they show up at a worship service they have fulfilled their obligation to God for this week and it’s on to business as usual for the rest of the day and on into the week. God didn’t design us that way. Let us purpose to give God an opportunity to slow us down enough that He can really reveal Himself to us in a new and vital relationship.
The next sermon in this series is: How Heavy Is Your Dad? (link available in blog archive on right)
The next sermon in this series is: How Heavy Is Your Dad? (link available in blog archive on right)
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