What Is The Fourth Commandment

The Sabbath in the Bible

God recorded the Fourth Commandment in Exodus 20:8-11 (this is numbered as the Third Commandment by Catholics and Lutherans):

"Retrieve the Sabbath day, to keep information technology holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh solar day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you lot shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female retainer, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in vi days the LORD fabricated the heavens and the globe, the bounding main, and all that is in them, and rested the 7th day. Therefore the LORD blest the Sabbath solar day and hallowed information technology."

The Sabbath was made at creation

God made the Sabbath on the seventh day of the cosmos week, and it reminds the states of our Creator: "Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the 7th solar day God concluded His work which He had washed, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. So God blest the seventh day and sanctified it, considering in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made" (Genesis ii:1-three).

We follow God's case and command past remembering and resting on this 7th day each week.

Unless God told us, how would nosotros know how He wants to be worshipped? How would mortal human know what is holy time—unless God revealed it? Thankfully He has revealed it, though then few today "remember" the seventh-24-hour interval Sabbath.

Sabbath: Sabbatum or Sunday?

Biblical scholars, whether Jewish, Cosmic or Protestant, recognize that the seventh day of the week was and is Saturday. More precisely, using the biblical method of marking time, it is from Friday at sunset to Saturday at dusk.

So who changed the Sabbath? God didn't, and neither did the apostles or early on New Testament Church. Nowhere in the Bible was the Sabbath day inverse to Sunday. Read more than about the history of why most churches today have their services on Sun in our article "When Did the Alter From Saturday to Sunday Occur?"

Sabbath rest and freedom

The Sabbath command is repeated in Deuteronomy 5:12-15, but this time God highlighted the theme of freedom.

"Observe the Sabbath solar day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded y'all. Half-dozen days you shall labor and exercise all your work, simply the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you lot shall do no piece of work: you, nor … that your male person servant and your female servant may rest also as you.

"And call back that you lot were a slave in the state of Arab republic of egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from in that location by a mighty hand and past an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God allowable you lot to keep the Sabbath 24-hour interval."

The Israelites were given freedom from slavery under Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt. This pictured, in type, the freedom nosotros can have from Satan and sin. As the One who became Jesus Christ delivered Israel from Arab republic of egypt with a mighty mitt (1 Corinthians 10:4), Jesus is our Deliverer and Savior today.

Whose Sabbath is it? Jesus is "Lord of the Sabbath"

"The seventh mean solar day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God" (Exodus 20:10). Information technology belongs to God. Jesus said He is "Lord of the Sabbath" (Mark 2:28).

The Sabbath was fabricated for man

But Jesus tells us His purpose for the Sabbath is for our benefit: "The Sabbath was fabricated for man, and non man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27).

The Sabbath is non a selfish 24-hour interval. Nosotros are to allow our servants (employees) residuum as well (Deuteronomy 5:xiv). And Jesus clarified that it is not wrong to practice good on the Sabbath, giving examples of emergencies and setting the instance of caring for the sick and injured (Matthew 12:10-13).

The Sabbath, the day God rested, is both the precursor and the weekly reminder of the wonderful future rest, free from the bondage of sin.Why did the Pharisees and religious leaders accuse Jesus and the disciples of "doing what is not lawful to exercise on the Sabbath" (Matthew 12:2)?

Because they and their ancestors had learned the wrong lessons from State of israel's penalization for Sabbath breaking and other sins. They had added many human-devised rules and laws as a hedge around the Sabbath. God'southward commandments are non crushing (i John five:iii), simply the rules of Judaism had become a burden (Matthew 23:4).

The Sabbath at present and in the time to come

Chapters 3 and 4 of the book of Hebrews weave together the interrelated themes of the Sabbath, entering the Promised Country and entering the Kingdom of God. Each is a type of remainder, with the Promised State an imperfect picture of the future peaceful Kingdom.

The Sabbath, the day God rested, is both the forerunner and the weekly reminder of the wonderful futurity rest, costless from the chains of sin (Hebrews 4:4, 9). "There remains, then, a Sabbath-residuum for the people of God" (Hebrews 4:ix, New International Version).

In that future Kingdom, all people (Jews and gentiles) will worship earlier God on the Sabbath (Isaiah 66:23). The Sabbath was made for all of humanity, and God praises the gentiles "who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants—anybody who keeps from defiling the Sabbath" (Isaiah 56:6).

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The Sabbath control today

Nosotros are still required to work diligently for six days to run across our needs and prepare well for the Sabbath each calendar week. This teaches us diligence, planning and priorities. God mandates a mean solar day of rest not to promote idleness, but because we need information technology.

But more than slumber and doing nothing, the Sabbath is a day for doing something dissimilar: refocusing on God, worshipping and fellowshipping with Christians of like mind (Hebrews 10:24-25), praying, studying the Bible and meditating.

The Sabbath is a twenty-four hours to bail with family, appreciate the creation and practise good, perhaps visiting the widows and orphans (James 1:27). The Sabbath should exist a delight, non past doing our ain hobbies, interests and pleasures, but past honoring God and seeking to please Him and practice His will (Isaiah 58:xiii-14).

We have many resources to assistance you study what the Bible says about the Sabbath and why this blessing from God is and so often neglected today.

Our booklet The Sabbath: Neglected Gift From God is the about comprehensive resource. We also take a much shorter written report guide Facts About the Sabbath and a fascinating video series "The Sabbath: A Gift From God."

And below this article are links to 20 related manufactures on everything from "Was the Sabbath Changed to Sunday?" to "How to Keep the Sabbath as a Christian" to "Is the Sabbath a Sign of God'southward People?"

Let us know if you lot have any questions past using the "Ask a Question" link below. We wish you all the all-time every bit you lot learn most the Fourth Commandment and God's holy Sabbath.

Most the Author

Mike Bennett

Mike Bennett is editorial content manager for the Church of God, a Worldwide Clan, in the Dallas, Texas, area. He coordinates the Life, Promise & Truth website, Discern mag, the Daily Bible Verse Blog and the Life, Hope & Truth Weekly Newsletter (including World Watch Weekly). He is also function of the Personal Correspondence team of ministers who accept the privilege of answering questions sent to Life, Hope & Truth.