JUNE 9, 2023 – SABBATH DAY

READ: Hebr. 4: 4-11

… And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. – Deut. 5: 13-15

Moses does not simply repeat the law from Ex. 20 that God gave at Horeb. We see that he, on behalf of the LORD, expands on the fourth commandment. The purpose, that the Israelites should rest, is now expanded so that your servant and your maidservant may rest as well.

An additional reason for this is to remember that you were a slave in Egypt and that the LORD brought you out from there. They were slaves not only socially, but also spiritually: they served the idols (Josh. 24:23). Thus, the fourth commandment points both to God’s creation (He rested on the seventh day) and to God’s recreation, namely His redemption (He brought you out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm).

This redemption is also mentioned in the introduction. All of God’s great deeds are proclaimed and celebrated on the Sabbath day. That is also the great task of the church: as a royal priesthood that God made His own, to praise Him on His holy day (Ex. 19:6, Acts 2:11, 1 Pet. 2:9).

As a New Testament church, we see that God’s great deeds of redemption and recreation are deepened in the resurrection of our Savior. The Sabbath rest is primarily about delighting in God’s works and honoring God with the glorious prospect of eternal Sabbath rest (Heb. 4:9-11). This will come at the completion of all God’s great works on earth with the return of Christ (HC LD 38). Let us be extremely careful in observing that day!

How do you spend Sunday outside of worship services?

Singing: Ps. 92:1,3