Some of our religious friends and neighbors, especially the Seventh Day Adventists, contend for the observance of the Sabbath. They make the claim that one who follows the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ must keep the seventh day as a day of rest. We will show from the inspired word of God that Christians are not required to consecrate the Sabbath. Also, we will look at how this subject presents great difficulty to our brethren who hold the “one covenant” position.
- And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily…And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning…And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none (Ex. 16:5, 22-23, 25-26).
Prior to this time there is a total absence of any command, example, or necessary inference that man was required to observe the seventh day as a day of rest!
Later, as God gives the ten commandments he says,
- Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day (Ex. 20:8-11).
This command was given exclusively to the nation of Israel at Mt. Sinai. It was not given prior to this time, nor was it given to any other people. Proof [from the book of Jehovah]:
- And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 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 and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed (Ex. 31:12-17). Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them…I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God (Eze. 20:10-12, 19-20).Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant (Neh. 9:13-14).
These passages from the Bible show: 1. The children of Israel were commanded to keep the Sabbath. 2. The penalty for violating the Sabbath was death. 3. The Sabbath was for a sign between God and Israel. 4. God made known the Sabbath at Sinai. God did not make the seventh day a sign between himself and the Egyptians, Canaanites, or anyone else other than the Jews! God did not make known the Sabbath command prior to Sinai! Will anyone who advocates keeping the Sabbath also vigorously enforce the penalty for breaking it? If not, why not?
- For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus [Joshua] had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God (Heb. 4:4-9).
Some will try to say that the “rest” of our passage is the Sabbath rest. Is it true? When we look at the context, and related passages, we will see that the “rest” of Hebrews 4:9, is not the “Sabbath rest,” but the final “rest” promised to God’s children (cf. Rev. 14:13).
First, read Hebrews 3, and notice the following points: 1. the contrast between Moses and Christ–Christ being far superior (vv. 1-5); 2. the necessity of remaining faithful (v. 6); 3. the example of Israel in the wilderness and an admonition not to be like them (vv. 7-19). If you know the history of Israel, you will readily recognize the events to which our passage refers–the rebellion and disbelief of the ten spies and Israel, along with God’s subsequent wrath and punishment (Nub. 14). Remember, God had promised the land of Canaan to Israel, saying that when they were brought into it, they would have rest (Ex. 33:14). Therefore, when Hebrews 3:11 states that “they [Israel] shall not enter into my rest,” it is referring to the fact that the majority of Israel would not, and did not, enter Canaan–the land of promise and rest (cf. Deut. 3:18-20).
Now, at the beginning of Hebrews 4, the writer exhorts us to “fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it” (v. 1). Israel was promised rest in Canaan, but failed to enter because of unbelief and rebellion. Therefore, as the Christian has been promised spiritual Canaan, heaven, he needs to be careful that he does not disbelieve or rebel.
That the “rest” of chapter 4:9 does not refer to the Sabbath rest, is conclusive in light of Hebrews 4:3-4,
- For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
When God established the observance of the Sabbath rest, He pointed back to His rest on the seventh day of creation (Ex. 20:8-11). This Sabbath “rest” is something which the Israelites HAD received!
- And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning…So the people rested on the seventh day (Ex. 16:23, 30; cf. 23:12; 31:15; 34:21; 35:2).
In fact, Israel was commanded to put a man to death for breaking the Sabbath rest (Num. 15:32-36). This all shows that Israel had received the Sabbath rest, therefore it is not the “rest” which remained to be given (Heb. 4:6).
Well, if the Sabbath is not the “rest” under consideration, what is? Notice Hebrews 4:5-9,
- And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus [Joshua] had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God (Heb. 4:5-9).
Like chapter 3:7-11, the writer here quotes from Psalm 95:7-11. His point is that inasmuch as David warned the people of his day not to harden their hearts, lest they not enter into God’s rest, that there is another “rest” besides that of the promised land. That is, David and his contemporaries enjoyed the possession of Canaan, the land of promise and rest, yet he admonished his fellow citizens not to become hardened and thus be excluded from God’s rest–spiritual rest in heaven. Since David said this, there obviously remains a “rest” to the people of God (Heb. 4:9). This is not the Sabbath rest, nor the land of rest, but a “rest” for the soul. Hence, the Hebrew writer goes on to say,
- For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do (Heb. 4:10-13).
Christians, too, need to be diligent not to harden their hearts against God, His promises, and His commands, or we will not enter that true “rest!”
