Statements of Doctine:
The Sabbath
Statement of Beliefs
- The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week (1)
- The Sabbath has been sanctified from the time of creation (2)
- The Sabbath is a time of rest (3)
- The Sabbath observance is a commandment to be kept (4)
- The Sabbath is a sign of our sanctification (5)
- The Sabbath is a time of convocation (6)
- The Sabbath has its own set of sacrifices and offerings (7)
- The Sabbath is a time for worship (8)
List of Passages
| Covenant |
History |
Prophets |
Apocrypha |
Gospels |
Epistles |
Gen 2:1-3
Ex 20:8-11
Ex 20:8-11
Ex 31:12-17
Ex 34:21
Ex 35:1-3
Lev 23:1-3
Num 15:29-36
Num 28:9-10
Deu 5:12-15 |
Ps 92
1 Chr 9:32
2 Ki 4:22-23 |
Is 58:13-14
Jer 17:21-27
Amo 8:4-8
Lam 2:5-6
Neh 13:15-22 |
Jud 8:6
1 Mac 1:43
2 Mac 8:26-27
1 Esd 1:58 |
Mat 5:17-19
Mat 12:1-14
Mar 1:21-22
Luk 13:10-17 |
Act 13:13-16
Act 20:7-11 |
Sanctified
Gen 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. {2} 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. {3} And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Ex 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. {9} Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: {10} But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: {11} For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exo 31:12-17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, {13} Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. {14} Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. {15} Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. {16} Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. {17} It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
Deu 5:12-15 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. {13} Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: {14} But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. {15} And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
Rest
Gen 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. {2} 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. {3} And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Ex 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. {9} Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: {10} But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: {11} For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exo 31:12-17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, {13} Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. {14} Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. {15} Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. {16} Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. {17} It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
Exo 34:21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.
Exo 35:1-3 And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them. {2} Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. {3} Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.
Deu 5:12-15 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. {13} Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: {14} But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. {15} And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
Commandment
Ex 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. {9} Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: {10} But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: {11} For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exo 31:12-17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, {13} Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. {14} Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. {15} Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. {16} Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. {17} It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
Exo 34:21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.
Exo 35:1-3 And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them. {2} Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. {3} Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.
Lev 23:1-3 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, {2} Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. {3} Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.
Deu 5:12-15 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. {13} Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: {14} But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. {15} And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
Sign
Exo 31:12-17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, {13} Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. {14} Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. {15} Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. {16} Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. {17} It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
Tabernacle Instructions
Num 28:9-10 And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: {10} This is the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.
1 Chr 9:32 And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the showbread, to prepare it every sabbath.
Worship
Psa 92 A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: {2} To show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, {3} Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. {4} For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. {5} O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. {6} A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this. {7} When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever: {8} But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore. {9} For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. {10} But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil. {11} Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me. {12} The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. {13} Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. {14} They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; {15} To show that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
2 Ki 4:22-23 And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. {23} And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
Isa 58:13-14 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: {14} Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Goood Examples
Mat 12:1-8 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. {2} But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. {3} But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; {4} How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? {5} Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? {6} But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. {7} But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. {8} For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
Mat 12:9-14 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: {10} And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. {11} And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? {12} How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. {13} Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. {14} Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
Mark 1:21-22 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. {22} And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
Luke 13:10-17 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. {11} And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. {12} And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. {13} And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. {14} And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. {15} The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? {16} And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? {17} And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
Acts 13:13-16 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. {14} But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. {15} And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. {16} Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.
Bad Examples
Exo 16:15-26 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. {16} This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. {17} And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. {18} And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. {19} And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. {20} Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them. {21} And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. {22} And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. {23} And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. {24} And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. {25} And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. {26} Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
Num 15:29-36 Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. {30} But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. {31} Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him. {32} And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. {33} And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. {34} And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. {35} And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. {36} And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Jer 17:21-27 Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; {22} Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. {23} But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction. {24} And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein; {25} Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever. {26} And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the LORD. {27} But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
Amos 8:4-8 Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, {5} Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? {6} That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? {7} The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works. {8} Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.
Lam 2:5-6 The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation. {6} And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden: he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the LORD hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.
Neh 13:15-22 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. {16} There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. {17} Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? {18} Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. {19} And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. {20} So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. {21} Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. {22} And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.
Christian
Acts 20:7-11 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. {8} And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. {9} And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. {10} And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. {11} When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
Apocryphal Passages
Judith 8:6 (NRSV) She fasted all the days of her widowhood, except the day before the sabbath and the sabbath itself, the day before the new moon and the day of the new moon, and the festivals and days of rejoicing of the house of Israel.
1 Macc. 1:43 (NRSV) All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath.
2 Macc. 8:26-27 (NRSV) It was the day before the sabbath, and for that reason they did not continue their pursuit. [27] When they had collected the arms of the enemy and stripped them of their spoils, they kept the sabbath, giving great praise and thanks to the Lord, who had preserved them for that day and allotted it to them as the beginning of mercy.
1 Esdras 1:58 (NRSV) saying, "Until the land has enjoyed its sabbaths, it shall keep sabbath all the time of its desolation until the completion of seventy years."
Todd Elder is a believer in the Messiah who wants to help people understand Scripture and know the message of Salvation. For more
topics from the Statements of Doctrine series, please visit my website at http://www.exploringsalvation.info and look under 'Resources'.
Additional Information
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