The Sabbath #4

Our discussion of the sabbath left off at the end of Numbers. In the next book, Deuteronomy, the sabbath is mentioned only 3 times. Remember that this book is a recapitulation of the Law. It was given to the people near the end of the life of Moses.

Deuteronomy 5 contains the only mentions of the sabbath. Here is the text for your convenience. Deuteronomy 5:12-15 Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as Jehovah thy God commanded thee. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a sabbath unto Jehovah thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore Jehovah thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. In this passage of scripture we learn three things about the sabbath.
1. Observance of the sabbath was commanded by God.
2. The sabbath was to be observed on the seventh day of the week.
3. This is to me the most interesting point. The sabbath observance was commanded for a remembrance of God's deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. Notice again verse 15: And thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore Jehovah thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

As we are now to the end of the books of the Law, the commands concerning the sabbath are finished. The remaining references to the sabbath in the Old Testament have to do with points of time, reminders of the commands, and what was actually done in keeping the sabbath.

In the next post I will draw some conclusions from this study of the sabbath. Meanwhile, what conclusions have you reached?