Topical Bible: The Sabbath: Saints: Honor God in Observing

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Sabbath, a day of rest and worship, holds a significant place in the Judeo-Christian tradition. It is a day set apart to honor God, reflecting His creation and covenant with His people. The observance of the Sabbath is rooted in the biblical narrative and is a testament to the faithfulness and obedience of the saints.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of the Sabbath originates in the creation account, where God rested on the seventh day after creating the heavens and the earth. Genesis 2:2-3 states, "And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing, so on that day He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished."

The Sabbath is further enshrined in the Ten Commandments, where it is commanded as a day of rest and remembrance. Exodus 20:8-11 instructs, "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, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates. 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."

Observance by the Saints

Throughout the Old Testament, the faithful observance of the Sabbath is a mark of devotion and obedience to God. The prophets often called the people back to proper Sabbath observance as a sign of their covenant relationship with God. 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, if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words, then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ, while challenging the legalistic interpretations of the Sabbath, affirmed its purpose and significance. 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 underscores the Sabbath as a gift for humanity's benefit, intended for rest and spiritual renewal.

Theological Significance

The Sabbath serves as a symbol of God's rest and a foretaste of the eternal rest promised to believers. Hebrews 4:9-10 speaks to this eschatological hope: "So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His."

For the saints, observing the Sabbath is an act of worship and a declaration of trust in God's provision. It is a time to cease from labor, reflect on God's goodness, and engage in communal and personal worship. The Sabbath is a reminder of God's sovereignty and a call to align one's life with His divine order.

Practical Observance

In practice, the observance of the Sabbath varies among Christian denominations. Some maintain a strict adherence to Saturday as the Sabbath, while others observe Sunday, the day of Christ's resurrection, as the Lord's Day. Regardless of the specific day, the principle of setting aside time for rest and worship remains central.

The saints are encouraged to honor God by dedicating the Sabbath to spiritual pursuits, family, and acts of mercy. It is a day to withdraw from the busyness of life and focus on the eternal, fostering a deeper relationship with God and fellow believers.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 58:13
If you turn away your foot from the sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honorable; and shall honor him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

God's Law Immutable.
... unto him to make war with the saints, and to ... concerning the obligation of the true
Sabbath, then whoever ... than that of Rome, will thereby honor popery above God ...
/.../white/the great controversy between christ and satan /25 gods law immutable.htm

Limiting God
... She looks round every Sabbath morning, but John is not there. ... into the two grand
classes of saints and sinners ... put thy trust in Christ, and so honor God and he ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/limiting god.htm

God's Law Immutable
... unto him to make war with the saints, and to ... concerning the obligation of the true
Sabbath, then whoever ... than that of Rome, will thereby honor popery above God ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 25 gods law immutable.htm

Christ Glorified as the Builder of his Church
... Delivered on Sabbath Morning, May 2, 1858, by the. REV. ... the throne of God, angels
and redeemed saints extol his ... and prostitute it"you do not honor God therein ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/christ glorified as the builder.htm

The Heinous Sin of Profane Cursing and Swearing
... or if he be accustomed to profane the sabbath, he cannot do ... to be abhorred; but who
make his saints to weep ... when God will vindicate his injured honor, when he ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/the heinous sin of profane.htm

the Nature of this Oversight
... in the polishing and perfecting of the saints, that they ... We must look especially
to the honor of the ... to repeat the Catechism to him, every Sabbath evening, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/baxter/the reformed pastor/section 1 the nature 2.htm

The New Hampshire Baptist Confession. AD 1833.
... 2068] inexpressibly glorious in holiness, [2069] and worthy of all possible honor,
confidence, and ... OF THE PERSEl'ERANCE OF SAINTS. ... OF THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. ...
/.../the new hampshire baptist confession.htm

The Temple and Its Dedication
... with salvation, and let Thy saints rejoice in ... everyone that keepeth the Sabbath from
polluting it ... that attend prosperity and worldly honor, God warned Solomon ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 2 the temple and.htm

Baptists.
... in holiness; worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and ... OF THE PERSEVERANCE OF
SAINTS."That such only are ... OF THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH."That the first day ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hayward/the book of religions/baptists.htm

The Gospel Supper
... the common cursers and swearers, and Sabbath-breakers, and ... above are ready, and the
blessed saints below are ... then, my dear friends, and honor God, by taking ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/the gospel supper.htm