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Topical Encyclopedia

The Sabbath Day is a divinely instituted day of rest and worship, observed on the seventh day of the week, as commanded in the Bible. Its origins and significance are deeply rooted in the creation narrative and the covenantal relationship between God and His people.

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, setting a precedent for the Sabbath: "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" (Genesis 2:2-3).

The Sabbath commandment is further articulated in the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai. It is the fourth commandment and serves as a reminder of God's creation and deliverance: "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" (Exodus 20:8-11).

Purpose and Observance

The Sabbath serves multiple purposes: it is a day of rest, a sign of the covenant between God and Israel, and a time for spiritual reflection and worship. The Sabbath is a gift from God, intended to provide physical rest and spiritual renewal. It is a day set apart for ceasing from labor and focusing on God, family, and community.

In the Old Testament, strict observance of the Sabbath was commanded, with prohibitions against work and specific instructions for rest and worship. Violations of the Sabbath were taken seriously, as seen in the account of a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath, who was put to death for his transgression (Numbers 15:32-36).

Sabbath in the New Testament

In the New Testament, Jesus' teachings and actions regarding the Sabbath provide further insight into its purpose. Jesus emphasized the spirit of the law over the letter, teaching that "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27). He performed acts of healing on the Sabbath, demonstrating that doing good and meeting human needs align with the Sabbath's intent (Matthew 12:10-12).

The early Christian church grappled with the observance of the Sabbath, especially as Gentile believers joined the faith. The Apostle Paul addressed the issue of Sabbath observance in his letters, emphasizing freedom in Christ and cautioning against legalism: "Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath" (Colossians 2:16).

Theological Significance

The Sabbath holds theological significance as a symbol of rest and redemption. It points to the ultimate rest found in Christ, who offers spiritual rest to all who come to Him (Matthew 11:28-30). The Sabbath also foreshadows the eternal rest promised to believers in the eschatological hope of the new creation (Hebrews 4:9-11).

Contemporary Observance

Today, the observance of the Sabbath varies among Christian denominations. Some continue to observe Saturday as the Sabbath, while others, influenced by the resurrection of Jesus on the first day of the week, gather for worship on Sunday, often referred to as the Lord's Day. Regardless of the day, the principles of rest, worship, and reflection remain central to the observance of the Sabbath in the Christian tradition.

Topical Bible Verses

Exodus 20:8-11
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Topicalbible.org

Mark 2:27
And he said to them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
Topicalbible.org

Hebrews 4:1-16
Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
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Luke 23:56
And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
Topicalbible.org

Luke 4:16
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.
Topicalbible.org

Greek

4521. sabbaton -- theSabbath, ie the seventhday (of the week)
... 1), week (9).Sabbath day. Of Hebrew origin (shabbath); theSabbath (ie
Shabbath), orday of weekly repose from secular avocations...

4315. prosabbaton -- theday before theSabbath
... theday before theSabbath. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: prosabbaton
Phonetic Spelling: (pros-ab'-bat-on) Short Definition: theday before the...

3904. paraskeue -- preparation, theday of preparation (for a...
... Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: paraskeue Phonetic Spelling:
(par-ask-yoo-ay') Short Definition: theday before theSabbath Definition: theday...

1207 -- second, after the first.
... deuteros and protos; second-first, ie (specially) a designation of theSabbath
immediately after the Paschal week (being the second after Passoverday, and the...

Library

A Morning Prayer for theSabbath-Day.
... are very deep: there can be no better thing, than to praise thy name, and to declare
thy loving-kindness in the morning, on thy holy and blessedSabbath day!...

Sabbath Day.
... INTRODUCTION AND CLOSE OF WORSHIP. 55. "Sabbath Day. 55. LM New York
Coll.Sabbath Day. 1 We bless thee for this sacredday...

The Law of theSabbath-Day Explained. The Eight Days' Procession...
... Chapter XXI."The Law of theSabbath-Day Explained.... Accordingly, the man who went
and gathered sticks on theSabbath-day was punished with death....

An UniversalSabbath Day Anticipated.
... ORIGINAL HYMNS HYMN CCLXVIII. An universalSabbath Day anticipated. 8.8.8.8 James
Montgomery. An universalSabbath Day anticipated. PART I. PART II....

Evening Song for theSabbath-Day.
... ORIGINAL HYMNS HYMN CXX. Evening Song for theSabbath-day. 8.8.8.8 James Montgomery.
Evening Song for theSabbath-day. Millions within Thy courts have met,....

Jesus Heals on theSabbath Day and Defends his Act.
... Part Fifth. From Second Passover Until Third.(Time: One Year.) XXXVII. Jesus
Heals on theSabbath Day and Defends His Act. (at Feast...

Thou Shalt Sanctify the HolyDay. [Remember theSabbath Day to...
... Thou shalt sanctify the holyday. [Remember theSabbath day to keep it
holy.]. The word holyday (Feiertag) is rendered from the...

Of the Man with the Withered Hand, who was Restored on theSabbath...
... Chapter XXXV."Of the Man with the Withered Hand, Who Was Restored on the
Sabbath-Day; And of the Question as to How Matthew's Narrative of This Incident...

Of the Observance of theSabbath.
... Whence it is manifestly shown, that in the number of the seven days there
intervened asabbath-day. For seven days, whencesoever...

The Reason Why a vigil is Appointed as theSabbath Day Dawns, and...
... Chapter IX. The reason why a Vigil is appointed as theSabbath day dawns, and why
a dispensation from fasting is enjoyed on theSabbath all through the East....