Topical Bible: The Sabbath: A Sign of the Covenant

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The Sabbath, observed on the seventh day of the week, holds a significant place within the Judeo-Christian tradition as a divinely instituted day of rest and worship. It is deeply rooted in the biblical narrative as a sign of the covenant between God and His people, serving as a perpetual reminder of His creation, deliverance, and sanctification.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of the Sabbath is first introduced in the creation account in Genesis. After six days of creation, God rested on the seventh day, blessing and sanctifying it (Genesis 2:2-3). This divine rest established a pattern for humanity, underscoring the importance of rest and reflection.

The Sabbath is explicitly commanded in the Ten Commandments, where it is described as a day set apart for rest and holiness. Exodus 20:8-11 states, "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work... For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy."

A Sign of the Covenant

The Sabbath is more than a day of rest; it is a sign of the covenant between God and Israel. In Exodus 31:13 , God instructs Moses, "You must observe My Sabbaths, for this will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you." This covenantal aspect emphasizes the relationship between God and His chosen people, marking them as distinct and set apart for His purposes.

The Sabbath also serves as a reminder of God's deliverance. Deuteronomy 5:15 connects the observance of the Sabbath with Israel's liberation from Egypt: "Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day." This connection highlights the Sabbath as a symbol of freedom and divine intervention.

Sabbath Observance in Israel

In ancient Israel, the Sabbath was a day of cessation from labor, allowing individuals to focus on worship, family, and community. It was a time for spiritual renewal and reflection on God's provision and faithfulness. The observance of the Sabbath was a communal act, reinforcing the identity and unity of the Israelite people.

The prophets often called the people back to proper Sabbath observance, linking it to social justice and righteousness. Isaiah 58:13-14 emphasizes the blessings associated with honoring the Sabbath: "If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD’s holy day honorable... then you will find your joy in the LORD."

The Sabbath in the New Testament

In the New Testament, Jesus' teachings and actions regarding the Sabbath reveal its intended purpose. While He observed the Sabbath, He also challenged the legalistic interpretations that had developed over time. In Mark 2:27-28 , Jesus declares, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." This statement underscores the Sabbath's role as a gift for human benefit, rather than a burdensome obligation.

The early Christian community grappled with the observance of the Sabbath, especially as Gentile believers joined the faith. The Apostle Paul addressed this issue, emphasizing the freedom believers have in Christ. In Colossians 2:16-17 , he writes, "Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ."

Theological Significance

The Sabbath remains a profound symbol of God's covenantal relationship with His people. It points to the rest and restoration found in Christ, who fulfills the law and offers eternal rest to those who believe in Him. The Sabbath invites believers to pause, reflect, and realign their lives with God's purposes, celebrating His creation, redemption, and sanctification.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 31:13,17
Speak you also to the children of Israel, saying, Truly my sabbaths you shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am the LORD that does sanctify you.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Covenanting Enforced by the Grant of Covenant Signs and Seals.
... When the sabbath is not kept, the ordinary duties of religion are not performed.
The sign of God's covenant being dishonoured, no blessing of his covenant can ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter xi covenanting enforced by.htm

Exodus
... xxx.), the names and divine equipment of the overseers of the work of constructing
the tabernacle, the sanctity of the Sabbath as a sign of the covenant (xxxi ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/exodus.htm

"In the Spirit and Power of Elias"
... Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath
throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 14 in the spirit.htm

What Covenant of God the New-Born Babe Breaks. What was the Value ...
... day (which coming after the seventh or Sabbath day, was ... of God, which was at that
time the sign of the ... small and great"not the old covenant, "which gendereth ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 24 xi what covenant of.htm

Covenanting Provided for in the Everlasting Covenant.
... righteousness: "And he received the sign of circumcision ... with him, learn concerning
that Covenant; and that ... By keeping the Sabbath, by receiving circumcision, by ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter vi covenanting provided for.htm

Perfect Righteousness was Conferred Neither by Circumcision nor by ...
... [3990] Moreover, the Sabbath of God ... things, therefore, which were given for bondage,
and for a sign to them, He cancelled by the new covenant of liberty. ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xvi perfect righteousness was conferred.htm

Reformation
... was a disregard of the Sabbath, the sign distinguishing the ... came they no more on
the Sabbath." He also ... have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 57 reformation.htm

Covenanting According to the Purposes of God.
... them. His Sabbath, the sign of his covenant, he gave them, that they might
know this.[562] This they will continue to experience. ...
/.../the ordinance of covenanting/chapter viii covenanting according to.htm

The Prophet Nehemiah
... the family. Then he made them sign a covenant that they would keep the Sabbath,
that they would not buy upon the Sabbath. Think of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/men of the bible/iv the prophet nehemiah.htm

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day ...
... delivered from Egypt] my Sabbaths to be a sign between me ... 13:22; Ezekiel 46:4). The
Jewish Sabbath was 'a ... The covenant of Moses was written on stone"the new ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/questions about the nature and.htm