Topical Bible: The Sabbath: Divine Worship to be Celebrated On

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Sabbath, a day of rest and worship, holds a significant place in Judeo-Christian tradition as a divinely ordained time for ceasing from labor and focusing on spiritual matters. Rooted in the creation narrative and reiterated throughout Scripture, the Sabbath is a testament to God's sovereignty and a gift to humanity for physical rest and spiritual renewal.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of the Sabbath is first introduced in the creation account in Genesis. After six days of creation, God rested on the seventh day, setting a precedent for the Sabbath. 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 enshrined 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 livestock, nor the 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."

Purpose and Observance

The Sabbath serves multiple purposes: it is a day of rest, a sign of the covenant between God and His people, and a time for worship and reflection. In Exodus 31:13 , God declares, "You must observe My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you."

The observance of the Sabbath is marked by cessation from work and engagement in activities that honor God. Isaiah 58:13-14 emphasizes the importance of delighting in the Sabbath: "If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD’s holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words, then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, Jesus affirms the value of the Sabbath while challenging legalistic interpretations that had developed over time. In Mark 2:27-28 , Jesus states, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." This highlights the Sabbath's intended purpose as a blessing for humanity, rather than a burdensome obligation.

The early Christian church grappled with the observance of the Sabbath, particularly as Gentile believers joined the faith. While the specific day of worship shifted for many Christians to Sunday, the principle of setting aside time for rest and worship remained integral. Hebrews 4:9-10 speaks to the spiritual rest found in Christ, "So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His."

Theological Significance

The Sabbath is a profound symbol of God's creative power, His covenantal relationship with His people, and the ultimate rest found in Christ. It serves as a weekly reminder of God's provision and a foretaste of the eternal rest promised to believers. Observing the Sabbath is an act of faith, acknowledging God's authority and expressing trust in His care.

Throughout Scripture, the Sabbath is portrayed as a time for divine worship, reflection, and community. It is a day set apart to honor God, to rest from the labors of the week, and to engage in activities that nurture the soul and strengthen the faith community.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 46:3
Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths and in the new moons.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Acts 16:13
And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spoke to the women which resorted thither.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Lord's Day --The Worship of the Apostolic Church --Its ...
... one of which was read every Sabbath in the ... It, indeed, attested its divine origin
by miracles, and it ... But in the worship of the primitive Christians there was ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/killen/the ancient church/chapter i the lords daythe.htm

Arrangement and Furniture of the Church
... He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and ... to the instruction and exhortation
which divine love sends ... for the clergy as leaders of the worship of the ...
/.../regester/the worship of the church/arrangement and furniture of the.htm

Whether Sufficient Reason Can be Assigned for the Ceremonies ...
... This was the solemnity of the "Sabbath," celebrated in memory of ... in memory of the
work of the Divine government ... the full moon, to avoid the worship of idolaters ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether sufficient reason can be.htm

Hymns of Praise and Worship.
... six days' work is done, Another Sabbath is begun ... The celebrated John Howard was his
parishoner and intimate ... organize the choral branch of divine worship, has no ...
/.../brown/the story of the hymns and tunes/chapter i hymns of praise.htm

The Life of Mr. William Guthrie.
... great concerns of their souls, to attend the public worship on the Sabbath, to dedicate ...
These years were the most particular under the divine influences of ...
/.../howie/biographia scoticana scots worthies/the life of mr william 2.htm

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath Day and Defends his Act.
... But he declares himself to be a divine being, so ... on these lofty planes, concurrent
use of the sabbath was a ... If this verse does not teach us to worship Jesus as ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xxxvii jesus heals on the.htm

Meditations of the True Manner of Practising Piety on the Sabbath ...
... as so many types that the chief worship of God ... that the Christians should keep the
holy Sabbath upon that ... day to be kept holy: therefore a divine institution. ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/meditations of the true manner.htm

Sacred Times --The Lord's Day.
... to make, no doubt in connection with divine service, their ... institution, intimately
connected with the worship of the ... to be born, or to be killed, on a Sabbath. ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 57 sacred timesthe lords.htm

Whether the Precepts of the Decalogue are Suitably Set Forth?
... the Sabbath-day observance pertained to the worship of God ... Now of all the Divine
favors to be commemorated the ... My holy day, and call the Sabbath delightful, and ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the precepts of the 2.htm

Hymns for Christian Devotion
... 78. -- Life dedicated to God. 79. -- Sabbath Evening. CLOSE OF WORSHIP. --. 80. ... 464. --
Silent Worship. 465. ... 477. -- Prayer for Divine Guidance. 478. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/adams/hymns for christian devotion/