Exodus 31:16–17 – If the Sabbath was meant as a permanent covenant sign “forever,” why do so many believers worship on Sunday instead?

Exodus 31:16–17 Text

“‘The Israelites must keep the Sabbath, celebrating it as a permanent covenant for the generations to come. It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’”

Overview

Many readers note that Exodus 31:16–17 describes the Sabbath as a “permanent covenant” to be observed “forever.” This raises the question of why most Christians worship on Sunday rather than on the traditional Jewish Sabbath (Saturday). Below is a thorough examination of the scriptural, historical, and theological considerations surrounding this topic.

1. Covenant Context in the Hebrew Scriptures

The command in Exodus 31 was given within the broader context of Israel’s covenant relationship with God. The Sabbath served as a distinctive sign to set Israel apart from other nations (Exodus 31:13). It was linked directly to creation: “in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested…” (Exodus 31:17). For Israel, Sabbath observance functioned as a ritual and visible marker of that covenant.

Notably, the Hebrew word often translated “forever” (עוֹלָם, olam) can sometimes mean “age-during” or “throughout your generations,” emphasizing a long-lasting obligation for a particular covenant people. Similar language is used for other regulations that do not universally apply in the same manner under the New Covenant (e.g., the priesthood in Exodus 29:9, which foreshadowed Christ’s eternal priesthood according to Hebrews 7). The term often denotes a binding permanence within the covenant in which it is given.

2. Transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant

Scripture describes a transition from the covenant made at Sinai to the New Covenant established through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ (Hebrews 8:7–13). The New Testament presents Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law (Matthew 5:17). He has authority over the Sabbath (Mark 2:27–28), indicating that the Sabbath points to a deeper rest found in Him (Hebrews 4:9–10).

Colossians 2:16–17 instructs believers not to let anyone judge them regarding Sabbaths because those practices served as “a shadow of the things to come,” but the substance is “of Christ.” This New Covenant perspective explains why the earliest Christian communities, composed primarily of Jewish believers, gradually shifted their primary day of communal worship from the seventh day to the first day of the week.

3. The Significance of the First Day (“The Lord’s Day”)

In the New Testament, the first day of the week carries particular weight:

• Jesus rose from the dead on the first day (John 20:1).

• Disciples gathered on the first day (John 20:19).

• Early believers met to break bread on the first day (Acts 20:7).

• Believers were instructed to set aside offerings on the first day (1 Corinthians 16:2).

By the time we reach Revelation 1:10, the apostle John refers to “the Lord’s Day,” which early Christian writings (e.g., the Didache, written late first or early second century) and later writers (such as Justin Martyr in his First Apology, c. A.D. 150) recognize as Sunday. These documents illuminate the historical practice of gathering on Sunday, the day of resurrection.

4. Early Historical and Archaeological Corroboration

Outside of Scripture, early Christian sources confirm a pattern of Sunday worship. Justin Martyr wrote that believers assembled “on the day called Sunday” to read the Gospels or the writings of the prophets, pray, and celebrate the Lord’s Supper (First Apology 67). This confirms that the apostolic-era practice of meeting on the first day had become the norm.

Archaeological discoveries of first-century and second-century house churches (for instance, the archaeological site in Dura-Europos) show inscriptions and gatherings that coincided with Sunday assemblies. Though scholars continue to debate specific details, the consistent testimony of ancient worship patterns shows a marked shift from the Old Covenant sign of Sabbath to the New Covenant focus on the day of resurrection as a weekly celebration.

5. Interpreting “Forever” in the Light of Fulfillment

The Hebrew Scriptures often use “forever” to describe ordinances connected to the Sinai covenant. While the Sabbath remains a profound model of rest and reverence, the New Testament reorients God’s people to the risen Christ.

Romans 14:5 affirms believer freedom in esteeming one day above another or in regarding all days alike, so long as it is done “to the Lord.” The underlying principle of rest, worship, and gratitude to God continues, yet the strict seventh-day observance takes on a fulfilled dimension in Christ’s resurrection—leading believers to rest ultimately in Him and to gather in corporate worship, typically on Sunday.

6. Ongoing Significance of the Principle of Rest

Although many Christians worship primarily on Sunday, the principle behind the Sabbath—regular rest and dedication of time to God—remains vital. Hebrews 4 underscores that there is still a “Sabbath rest” for the people of God, a spiritual rest fulfilled in Christ but also experienced weekly as believers gather together.

Individual Christians may still choose to observe a seventh-day Sabbath out of personal conviction or cultural heritage. Yet the majority of believers worldwide embrace Sunday as the Lord’s Day, grounding that practice in the resurrection’s centrality to salvation and worship.

7. Practical Lessons and Continuity

• The Sabbath as a permanent covenant sign for Israel uniquely identified them in redemptive history.

• Under the New Covenant, the finished work of Jesus Christ redefines how believers approach and keep a day of worship and rest.

• Sunday worship highlights resurrection hope, a crucial core of the faith (1 Corinthians 15:14).

• The underlying Sabbath principle—time set apart for worship and trust in God’s provision—continues as a pattern of life and devotion.

Conclusion

Exodus 31:16–17 remains crucial for understanding the nature of the covenant God made with Israel. In acknowledging that “forever” sign of rest, believers also observe the overarching theme that Christ’s resurrection ushered in a New Covenant, transforming the way the faithful practice corporate worship.

While the Sabbath was indeed given as a perpetual sign for Israel, it pointed forward to the ultimate rest found in Jesus. Early Christians unanimously cherished Christ’s resurrection so deeply that they gathered on Sunday to celebrate the new creation life He brought. Thus, the focus on Sunday is not a dismissal of the Sabbath’s significance but a recognition that the day of Christ’s rising is central to the New Covenant faith—fulfilling the purpose to which the Sabbath ultimately pointed.