Topical Bible: Sabbath: Signifying a Period of Rest

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The concept of the Sabbath, originating from the Hebrew word "Shabbat," meaning "to cease" or "to rest," is a foundational element in Judeo-Christian theology, symbolizing a divinely instituted period of rest. The Sabbath is first introduced in the creation narrative of Genesis, where God rests on the seventh day after completing the work of creation. Genesis 2:2-3 states, "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."

The Sabbath is further codified in the Ten Commandments, where it is presented as a day of rest and worship. Exodus 20:8-11 commands, "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 animals, nor any 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 He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy."

The Sabbath serves multiple purposes: it is a day of physical rest, a time for spiritual renewal, and a reminder of God's creation and deliverance. In Deuteronomy 5:15 , the Sabbath is also linked to the Israelites' liberation from Egypt: "Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day."

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ addresses the Sabbath, emphasizing its intended purpose for human benefit rather than legalistic observance. In Mark 2:27-28 , Jesus declares, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." This statement underscores the Sabbath's role as a gift to humanity, designed to provide rest and reflection.

The early Christian church grappled with the observance of the Sabbath, particularly as Gentile converts joined the faith. The Apostle Paul addresses this in Colossians 2:16-17 , advising, "Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ." This passage suggests a shift from strict Sabbath observance to a focus on the spiritual rest found in Christ.

Throughout Christian history, the Sabbath has been observed in various ways, with some traditions maintaining Saturday as the Sabbath, while others, particularly in Western Christianity, have adopted Sunday, the day of Christ's resurrection, as the primary day of worship and rest. Regardless of the specific day, the principle of the Sabbath as a time for rest, worship, and reflection remains a significant aspect of Christian life and practice.

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Genesis 2:2,3
And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
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Leviticus 23:1
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
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Leviticus 25:1
And the LORD spoke to Moses in mount Sinai, saying,
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Leviticus 26:34,35
Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lies desolate, and you be in your enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths.
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Library

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day ...
... But the extent of that period called a day, in ... alive in the church, the Holy Ghost
surely signifying thus much ... was always the morrow after the sabbath, the old ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/questions about the nature and.htm

Psalm CL.
... the seventh day of the week, which is the Sabbath. ... forty setting forth to us the
period of temporal ... in His saints," that he carrieth out, signifying in various ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cl.htm

Period iv. The Age of the Consolidation of the Church: 200 to 324 ...
... Felix and Sabinus, our fellow-bishops, signifying that Basilides ... a few who abstain
from kneeling on the Sabbath. ... Similarly, too, the period of Pentecost, is a ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period iv the age of.htm

Letter Lv. Replies to Questions of Januarius.
... import of the 8th number, as signifying the resurrection ... week into account, waiting
until the Sabbath was past ... have the 50 days complete; which period of fifty ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter lv replies to questions.htm

Christ Lifted Up
... Delivered on Sabbath Morning, July 5, 1857, by the. ... be correct, in a modified sense,
that every period of time ... This he said, signifying what death he should die ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/christ lifted up.htm

One Argument which Has Been Much Relied Upon but not More than Its ...
... years of this Herod's life, within which period the transaction ... And (at Philippi)
on the Sabbath we went ... court or assembly, with a writing signifying the cause ...
/.../paley/evidences of christianity/chapter vi one argument which.htm

The Gospel According to St. John
... it was published at Ephesus at a late period, it cannot ... word Aenon is an Aramaic
word signifying "springs," and ... pool of Bethesda, is accused of sabbath-breaking ...
/.../pullan/the books of the new testament/chapter vi the gospel according.htm

The Life of Mr. James Renwick.
... And on Sabbath Feb.5. he regretted that now he ... in the former part of this dismal
period, spoke with ... cannot be learned, farther than their signifying how much ...
/.../howie/biographia scoticana scots worthies/the life of mr james 6.htm

The New Covenant.
... the people: the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the ... have repeated His offering whenever
the period for which ... the work of creation entered on His Sabbath rest. ...
/.../chapter viii the new covenant.htm

The Life of Mr. James Guthrie.
... they gave in a protestation; signifying, that although ... Guthrie was appointed the
next sabbath to pronounce ... suffered unto death in that period, for asserting ...
/.../howie/biographia scoticana scots worthies/the life of mr james 3.htm