Does God provide for those who choose to cease their daily labor in order to keep his Sabbath holy?
(Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 16:11-31; 20:8-11; Mark 2:27-28) Blog July 14-20, 2019
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: When human beings were created they were given responsibilities. When sin entered, that plan was not altered but the responsibilities were made more difficult. Since then no fruit is produced, either of the womb or of the soil, without diligent human effort and the resistance of nature. God has made ample provision for all our needs so that out of our abundance we may supply the needs of others. When calling his people out of Egyptian slavery he provided their needs and gave them his commandments as instructions on how to love others and himself. He also gave them “judgments” that protected the unfortunate and provided for their needs.
Inaugurated in Eden (Genesis 2:1-3; Mark 2:27-28)
1. When was the seventh-day Sabbath inaugurated? The weekly Sabbath was inaugurated in Eden when God finished his six days of creation.
2. How did God set the Sabbath day apart as a special day? He rested from all his work on that day, he blessed that day, & he sanctified it (set it apart for holy use).
3. Did God make the Sabbath as a blessing for himself? No, Jesus said both he and his Father work on that day of the week.
4. If the Sabbath was not made for God, for whom then was it made? The Sabbath was made for us humans.
Demonstrated in the Wilderness (Exodus 16:11-31; )
5. What evidence does Moses give that the weekly Sabbath was part of God’s commandment before the children of Israel came to Mount Sinai? He recorded God as saying that it was part of his commandments in Exodus 16:28?
6. What illustration did God give the children of Israel of the sacredness of the seventh-day Sabbath prior to Sinai? He gave them manna six days a week with a double portion on Friday & none on Saturday?
7. How long did the weekly manna cycle continue for the children of Israel? For forty years until they reached the promised land?
8. What should we learn from God’s provision of the manna for his people? That God always provides for his own people & he means for them to share with their neighbors so that none lacks.
Legislated at Sinai (Exodus 20:8-11; Deut. 5:12-15; Rom. 5:12-14; Heb. 4:4)
9. We learned last week that Jesus summarized the Ten Commandments as “Love for God and love for our fellow men” so was the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai a new expression of God’s will? No it was not, for Adam, Eve, Cain, & Able and their descendants all knew what sin was & that knowledge comes only through the Law (Rom. 3:20) which God would have made clear to them.
10. How is it that a weekly Sabbath rest expresses true worship and love towards God? It provides a rest from labor as a reminder of who is our Creator that rested on that day which is why we worship him – spending time together is an expression of love & the Sabbath is God’s love-gift to us in which he comes to us with special blessings – in it we have time to observe his creation & contemplate his Word of love to us & to express our love to him. All of these constitute true worship.
11. How does the Sabbath Commandment show God’s care and concern for the underprivileged and lower classes? It does this by including children, servants, strangers, & even work animals.
12. When the Ten Commandments are repeated in Deuteronomy chapter five what other reason besides creation is given for celebrating the seventh-day Sabbath? The salvation that God has wrought for his people, demonstrated also in Christ’s rest in the tomb over the Sabbath hours.
Exemplified in the Life of Jesus (Matt. 12:9-13; Mark 1:21-26; 2:23-28; 3:1-6; John 9:1-38)
13. In Matthew 12 what did Jesus try to teach the people attending church? That the Sabbath was made for humanity’s benefit as a day for releasing heavy burdens & setting people free.
14. In Mark 1 what did Jesus try to teach the people attending church? That the Sabbath is when God especially works to deliver people from Satan’s control.
15. In Mark 2 (& Matt. 12:1-8) what did Jesus try to teach the Pharisees? That the Sabbath was not made to deprive humans of their needs but rather a day to shew mercy to others.
16. In Mark 3 what did Jesus try to teach the people attending church? That the Sabbath was a salvation day & not a day restricting doing good for others.
17. In John 9 how did Jesus reveal the purpose of the Sabbath? He showed that the Sabbath hours are given to us when free from weekly work we may have our vision of heavenly things improved so that our faith may grow & we may worship God.
18. Into what had the Pharisees turned the weekly Sabbath? Into a day of heavy burdens & accusations of the needy rather than into a day of rejoicing in God’s goodness, creation, & merciful salvation.
Projected into years (Leviticus 25:1-7; Deut. 5:12-15; Rom. 5:12-14; Heb. 4:4)
19. Following the pattern of a weekly Sabbath what kind of Sabbath did God introduce for the land? A yearly Sabbath so that every seventh year the land could rest.
20. What should we learn from God’s repeated interest in rest? That rest is a gift from God, a ceasing from seeking our physical needs while providing for our spiritual needs & for the needs of others.
21. Does God provide for those who choose to cease their daily labor in order to keep his Sabbath holy? He most certainly does.