◄ Exodus 31:15 ►
For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death.
Study Bible
For six days work may be done
This phrase establishes the divine pattern of work and rest, rooted in the creation narrative where God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. The Hebrew word for "work" here is "melachah," which refers to occupational or creative work. This commandment underscores the value of diligent labor, reflecting God's own creative activity. Historically, this six-day workweek was a radical departure from the practices of surrounding cultures, emphasizing a rhythm of life that balances productivity with rest.

but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest
The "seventh day" is set apart as a "Sabbath," derived from the Hebrew word "Shabbat," meaning to cease or rest. This day is not merely a cessation of labor but a "complete rest," indicating a holistic pause from the regular activities of life. The Sabbath serves as a sign of the covenant between God and His people, a day dedicated to spiritual renewal and reflection. In the historical context of ancient Israel, this commandment distinguished the Israelites from other nations, marking them as a people devoted to the worship of Yahweh.

holy to the LORD
The term "holy" comes from the Hebrew word "qadosh," meaning set apart or sacred. The Sabbath is not just a day of rest but is consecrated "to the LORD," signifying its purpose for worship and devotion. This holiness is a reminder of God's sanctity and the call for His people to live in a manner that reflects His character. The Sabbath is a gift from God, a time to realign one's life with His will and to remember His provision and sovereignty.

Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death
This severe consequence underscores the seriousness with which God views the observance of the Sabbath. The phrase "must surely be put to death" reflects the covenantal nature of the law, where obedience brings life and blessing, while disobedience leads to death. In the ancient Near Eastern context, this commandment served as a deterrent against neglecting the sacredness of the Sabbath. It highlights the importance of obedience to God's commands and the need for His people to trust in His provision, even when refraining from work. This commandment points to the ultimate rest found in Christ, who fulfills the law and offers eternal rest to those who believe in Him.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, through whom God delivered the law, including the commandment about the Sabbath.

2. The Israelites
The chosen people of God, who were given the law to follow as part of their covenant with Him.

3. Mount Sinai
The place where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and other laws, including the Sabbath commandment.

4. The Sabbath
A day of rest instituted by God, signifying His creation rest and a covenant sign between Him and Israel.

5. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who established the Sabbath as a holy day.
Teaching Points
The Principle of Rest
God designed the Sabbath as a day of rest, reflecting His own rest after creation. This principle encourages us to prioritize rest and renewal in our lives.

Holiness and Dedication
The Sabbath is described as "holy to the LORD," reminding us to dedicate time specifically for worship and reflection on God's goodness.

Obedience and Consequences
The severe consequence for breaking the Sabbath law in the Old Testament underscores the seriousness of obedience to God's commands.

Sabbath as a Covenant Sign
The Sabbath serves as a sign of the covenant between God and Israel, pointing to the importance of setting apart time to remember and honor our relationship with God.

Christ as Our Sabbath Rest
In the New Testament, Jesus fulfills the Sabbath, offering us spiritual rest. We are invited to find our ultimate rest in Him, beyond the physical observance.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the concept of Sabbath rest in Exodus 31:15 relate to the creation account in Genesis 2:2-3?

2. In what ways can we apply the principle of Sabbath rest in our modern, fast-paced lives?

3. How does Jesus' teaching in Mark 2:27-28 expand our understanding of the Sabbath's purpose?

4. What are some practical ways to make time for rest and worship in our weekly routines?

5. How does the idea of Christ as our ultimate Sabbath rest, as discussed in Hebrews 4:9-10, influence our daily walk with God?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 2:2-3
The origin of the Sabbath is rooted in God's rest after creation, establishing a pattern for humanity.

Exodus 20:8-11
The Ten Commandments include the Sabbath command, emphasizing its importance and divine origin.

Leviticus 23:3
Reinforces the Sabbath as a day of rest and a holy convocation, underscoring its communal and worship aspects.

Mark 2:27-28
Jesus teaches about the purpose of the Sabbath, highlighting its intent for human benefit and His lordship over it.

Hebrews 4:9-10
Discusses the Sabbath rest as a foreshadowing of the ultimate rest found in Christ, pointing to spiritual rest.
Sermons
The SabbathJ. Orr Exodus 31:12-18
People
Aaron, Ahisamach, Aholiab, Bezaleel, Dan, Hur, Israelites, Moses, Uri
Places
Mount Sinai
Topics
Certainly, Complete, Death, Holy, Rest, Sabbath, Sabbath-day, Seventh, Six, Solemn, Surely
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 31:15

     5057   rest, physical
     8242   ethics, personal

Exodus 31:12-17

     1450   signs, kinds of

Exodus 31:13-17

     5338   holiday

Exodus 31:14-15

     7346   death penalty
     8269   holiness, separation from worldly

Exodus 31:15-17

     1653   numbers, 6-10

Library
The Flood-Tide of Power.
God's Highest Ideal. A flood-tide is a rising tide. It flows in and fills up and spreads out. Wherever it goes it cleanses and fertilizes and beautifies. For untold centuries Egypt has depended for its very life upon the yearly flood-tide of the Nile. The rich bottom lands of the Connecticut Valley are refertilized every spring by that river's flood-tide. The green beauty and rich fruitage of some parts of the Sacramento Valley, whose soil is flooded by the artificial irrigation-rivers, are in sharp …
S.D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on Power

The True Manner of Keeping Holy the Lord's Day.
Now the sanctifying of the Sabbath consists in two things--First, In resting from all servile and common business pertaining to our natural life; Secondly, In consecrating that rest wholly to the service of God, and the use of those holy means which belong to our spiritual life. For the First. 1. The servile and common works from which we are to cease are, generally, all civil works, from the least to the greatest (Exod. xxxi. 12, 13, 15, &c.) More particularly-- First, From all the works of our …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Appendix viii. Rabbinic Traditions About Elijah, the Forerunner of the Messiah
To complete the evidence, presented in the text, as to the essential difference between the teaching of the ancient Synagogue about the Forerunner of the Messiah' and the history and mission of John the Baptist, as described in the New Testaments, we subjoin a full, though condensed, account of the earlier Rabbinic traditions about Elijah. Opinions differ as to the descent and birthplace of Elijah. According to some, he was from the land of Gilead (Bemid. R. 14), and of the tribe of Gad (Tanch. on …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Gifts and Talents.
"And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him."--Judges iii. 10. We now consider the Holy Spirit's work in bestowing gifts, talents, and abilities upon artisans and professional men. Scripture declares that the special animation and qualification of persons for work assigned to them by God proceed from the Holy Spirit. The construction of the tabernacle required capable workmen, skilful carpenters, goldsmiths, and silversmiths, and masters in the arts of weaving and embroidering. Who will furnish Moses …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Thy Name: My Name
'I have called thee by thy name.'--ISAIAH xliii. 1. 'Every one that is called by My name.'--ISAIAH xliii. 7. Great stress is laid on names in Scripture. These two parallel and antithetic clauses bring out striking complementary relations between God and the collective Israel. But they are as applicable to each individual member of the true Israel of God. I. What does God's calling a man by his name imply? 1. Intimate knowledge. Adam naming the creatures. Christ naming His disciples. 2. Loving friendship. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prophets and Apostles.
The work of the Holy Spirit in apostles and prophets is an entirely distinctive work. He imparts to apostles and prophets an especial gift for an especial purpose. We read in 1 Cor. xii. 4, 8-11, 28, 29, R. V., "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.... For to one is given through the Spirit wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; and to another workings …
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

Hiram, the Inspired Artificer
BY REV. W. J. TOWNSEND, D.D. The Temple of Solomon was the crown of art in the old world. There were temples on a larger scale, and of more massive construction, but the enormous masses of masonry of the oldest nations were not comparable with the artistic grace, the luxurious adornments, and the harmonious proportions of this glorious House of God. David had laid up money and material for the great work, but he was not permitted to carry it out. He was a man of war, and blood-stained hands were …
George Milligan—Men of the Bible; Some Lesser-Known

That Whereas the City of Jerusalem had Been Five Times Taken Formerly, this was the Second Time of Its Desolation. A Brief Account of Its History.
1. And thus was Jerusalem taken, in the second year of the reign of Vespasian, on the eighth day of the month Gorpeius [Elul]. It had been taken five [34] times before, though this was the second time of its desolation; for Shishak, the king of Egypt, and after him Antiochus, and after him Pompey, and after them Sosius and Herod, took the city, but still preserved it; but before all these, the king of Babylon conquered it, and made it desolate, one thousand four hundred and sixty-eight years and …
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Development of the Earlier Old Testament Laws
[Sidenote: First the principle, and then the detailed laws] If the canon of the New Testament had remained open as long as did that of the Old, there is little doubt that it also would have contained many laws, legal precedents, and ecclesiastical histories. From the writings of the Church Fathers and the records of the Catholic Church it is possible to conjecture what these in general would have been. The early history of Christianity illustrates the universal fact that the broad principles are …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

The Preface to the Commandments
And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God,' &c. Exod 20: 1, 2. What is the preface to the Ten Commandments? The preface to the Ten Commandments is, I am the Lord thy God.' The preface to the preface is, God spake all these words, saying,' &c. This is like the sounding of a trumpet before a solemn proclamation. Other parts of the Bible are said to be uttered by the mouth of the holy prophets (Luke 1: 70), but here God spake in his own person. How are we to understand that, God spake, …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Exposition of the Moral Law.
1. The Law was committed to writing, in order that it might teach more fully and perfectly that knowledge, both of God and of ourselves, which the law of nature teaches meagrely and obscurely. Proof of this, from an enumeration of the principal parts of the Moral Law; and also from the dictate of natural law, written on the hearts of all, and, in a manner, effaced by sin. 2. Certain general maxims. 1. From the knowledge of God, furnished by the Law, we learn that God is our Father and Ruler. Righteousness …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath Day and Defends his Act.
(at Feast-Time at Jerusalem, Probably the Passover.) ^D John V. 1-47. ^d 1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. [Though every feast in the Jewish calendar has found some one to advocate its claim to be this unnamed feast, yet the vast majority of commentators choose either the feast of Purim, which came in March, or the Passover, which came in April. Older commentators pretty unanimously regarded it as the Passover, while the later school favor the feast …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Blasphemous Accusations of the Jews.
(Galilee.) ^A Matt. XII. 22-37; ^B Mark III. 19-30; ^C Luke XI. 14-23. ^b 19 And he cometh into a house. [Whose house is not stated.] 20 And the multitude cometh together again [as on a previous occasion--Mark ii. 1], so that they could not so much as eat bread. [They could not sit down to a regular meal. A wonderful picture of the intense importunity of people and the corresponding eagerness of Jesus, who was as willing to do as they were to have done.] 21 And when his friends heard it, they went …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Of the Trinity and a Christian, and of the Law and a Christian.
EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. These two short treatises were found among Mr. Bunyan's papers after his decease. They probably were intended for publication, like his 'Prison Meditations' and his 'Map of Salvation,' on a single page each, in the form of a broadside, or handbill. This was the popular mode in which tracts were distributed; and when posted against a wall, or framed and hung up in a room, they excited notice, and were extensively read. They might also have afforded some trifling profit to aid …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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