Topical Bible: The Sabbath: Honoring of Moses

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The Sabbath, a day of rest and worship, holds a significant place in the Judeo-Christian tradition, rooted deeply in the creation narrative and the Mosaic Law. The observance of the Sabbath is first introduced in the Book of Genesis, where God sanctifies the seventh day as a day of rest after the creation of the world: "And 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" (Genesis 2:2-3).

The formal institution of the Sabbath as a commandment is found in the Mosaic Law, given to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. The Fourth Commandment, as recorded in the Book of Exodus, emphasizes the importance of keeping the Sabbath holy: "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" (Exodus 20:8-10).

Moses, as the leader and lawgiver of Israel, played a crucial role in the establishment and observance of the Sabbath. His leadership was instrumental in guiding the Israelites to understand the significance of the Sabbath as a covenantal sign between God and His people. The Sabbath was not merely a day of physical rest but a symbol of spiritual rest and reliance on God's provision. In Exodus 31:16-17, the Sabbath is described as a perpetual covenant: "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" .

The honoring of Moses in the context of the Sabbath is evident in his role as the mediator of God's commandments. Moses' faithfulness in delivering God's laws and his intercessory role for the people of Israel underscore the importance of the Sabbath as a divine ordinance. The Sabbath served as a reminder of God's creation, His deliverance of Israel from Egypt, and His ongoing relationship with His chosen people.

Throughout the wilderness journey, Moses emphasized the observance of the Sabbath as a test of obedience and faith. In Exodus 16, the provision of manna was closely tied to the Sabbath, as God instructed the Israelites to gather twice as much on the sixth day to prepare for the day of rest: "This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake, and boil what you want to boil. Then set aside whatever remains and keep it until morning’" (Exodus 16:23).

The Sabbath also served as a time for communal worship and reflection on God's laws. Moses' role in teaching and interpreting the law was vital in ensuring that the Sabbath was observed in accordance with God's will. The Sabbath was a day set apart for the reading of the Torah, prayer, and the offering of sacrifices, fostering a sense of community and devotion among the Israelites.

In summary, the Sabbath, as instituted by God and delivered through Moses, is a cornerstone of biblical teaching, emphasizing rest, worship, and the covenantal relationship between God and His people. Moses' leadership in establishing the Sabbath highlights its enduring significance as a day of spiritual renewal and obedience to God's commandments.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Numbers 15:32-34
And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks on the sabbath day.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

John Chapter vii. 19-24
... because I made a man whole on the Sabbath-day you ... a true judgment; do not condemn
him by honoring me, but ... them in another place: "If ye believed Moses ye would ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate xxx john chapter vii.htm

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath Day and Defends his Act.
... it was Jesus who made him whole, so honoring Christ ... on these lofty planes, concurrent
use of the sabbath was a ... in the next breath did that of Moses, as prophetic ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xxxvii jesus heals on the.htm

Fourth Commandment
... its strict observance; and later, when Moses was conveying ... On the other hand, honoring
the fourth commandment brings ... away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/weighed and wanting/fourth commandment.htm

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
... commends and rewards them, as does the Law of Moses. ... is authority and the Law of
the Sabbath is void ... bread, had he blindly insisted on honoring the prohibitions ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol ii/fourth sunday after epiphany.htm

The Danger of Deviating from Divine Institutions.
... Up make us Gods" for this Moses"we wot ... Why are not these ways of honoring God and
exciting devotion ... all thy work, but the seventh day is the sabbath of the ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon xxviii the danger of.htm

Acts XIII
... When Moses went into Egypt he found it necessary to ... but much to encourage us in honoring
a brother ... and entering into the synagogue on the Sabbath-day, they sat ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xiii.htm

General Index
... 130 Honoring the saints . . . . . ... 281 Moses . . . . . ...
302. S. Sabbath of the Jews . . . . . ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kinkead/baltimore catechism no 4/general index.htm

The Treatise
... unclean beasts, which do not divide the hoof, as the Law of Moses decrees; who ... cross
of God or the pictures of His saints: this we call honoring and worshiping ...
//christianbookshelf.org/luther/a treatise on good works/the treatise.htm

Galatians Chapter I.
... 6:6, 7.) Wherefore if to transgress the sabbath, and to ... to send Lazarus, he replied,
"They have Moses and the ... for the sake of beholding and honoring Peter by ...
/.../galatians chapter i.htm

Book Twelve the Mode of Creation and the Truth of Scripture. ...
... to say to me through its words, just as it said what it wished to Moses. ... of all creation
and the promised rest and blessedness of the eternal Sabbath, on which ...
/.../augustine/confessions and enchiridion/book twelve the mode of.htm