Sabbath Keeping
Discover biblical guidance on keeping God’s seventh-day Sabbath the way He intended it.
Series: The Bible Sabbath • Part 2 of 2
What does Isaiah say about keeping the Sabbath?
Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
Our heavenly Father pronounces a blessing on everyone who chooses to keep His Sabbath holy.
Is this confirmed elsewhere?
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.
And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: and all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. … But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee.
The Sabbath was not made to be a burden, but a blessing to the human race. Those who keep it partake of that blessing on a weekly basis. In Deuteronomy 28, God pronounces additional blessings on those who keep His commandments, including the fourth.
How is the Sabbath to be kept?
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 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: 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.
The Sabbath was instituted to provide rest and refuge in and through Christ (Matthew 11:28-30). It is a special weekly blessing for everyone who chooses to rest from their works by trusting in Him. We may have a long list of things to do, but we can still set them aside in order to have time to connect with God and acknowledge His supremacy in our lives. This rest from work extends to everyone “within our gates,” meaning those under our authority.
How did Jesus keep it?
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.
Looking to Jesus as our example in all things, we learn that Sabbath keeping also involves gathering with other believers for worship, spiritual nourishment, and fellowship. The verses above also show that teaching was a vital part of the synagogue experience, meaning it was far more than a casual weekly social gathering. It was a place for studying Scripture, where worshippers could learn, share, and become grounded in the truth (2 Timothy 2:15).
Was this the case in the Old Testament too?
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.
Not only is the Sabbath a time to convene with other believers, but this convening is called holy. Corporate praise and worship of God, praying with and for one another (Acts 16:13), Bible study, and fellowship (especially when we use it to share our experiences with God) are all integral parts of making the Sabbath a delight.
When does the Sabbath start and end?
It is to be a Sabbath of complete rest for you, and you shall humble yourselves; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening, you shall keep your Sabbath.
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
In the Bible, a day does not begin and end at midnight; it starts at sunset and continues until the following sunset. In the Genesis account, each day includes the prior evening as well, so since the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, it begins at sunset on Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday.
What insight does Isaiah give?
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: 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.
The Sabbath becomes a delight when Jesus is at its center—when we put away our own pursuits and rest from the cares of life to focus on the eternal things of God. It’s a special day to reflect on, honor, and connect with Him. Simply put, it is a day to delight in Him.
The motivation behind Sabbath-keeping is crucial because it determines whether the day becomes a delight or a burden. Only when we keep it out of love for Christ—rather than duty—are we enabled to deny self and still call the Sabbath a delight. The truly born-again follower of Christ transitions from an attitude of “Don’t tell me what to do” to “What would You have me do?”
What can we learn from the experience of Nehemiah?
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. 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. 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? 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.
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. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. 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. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day.
We can clearly see that buying, selling, and conducting business to generate income are activities that profane the Sabbath day. This can pose a challenge for some professions; for example, it would not be right to abandon those in need of medical care on the Sabbath for example. However, as far as possible, we should seek to rest from secular activities in order to honor our Creator.
What activities are encouraged on the Sabbath?
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? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.
Jesus continued to heal on the Sabbath, contrary to the traditions of the religious leaders of His time. Ministry to the sick, the needy, and the discouraged—by relieving their physical, emotional, or spiritual suffering—extends the blessing and delight of the Sabbath beyond ourselves to others.
Any other activities?
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 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: 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.
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 spake unto the women which resorted thither.
Since the Sabbath is a memorial of God as Creator and Redeemer, spending time in nature contemplating His wondrous works—and the power of His word that created them—can be an incredibly inspiring Sabbath activity. The Word that took a dark, formless earth (Genesis 1:2) and brought it to life still has the same power today to recreate our broken characters in His image (John 6:63; 1 Peter 1:25). His redemptive power is available to all who turn to His Word, the Bible, and claim His promises by faith (Ezekiel 36:25-27; Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 3:22).
One more thing worth mentioning: Acts 16:13 shows us that prayer can be the perfect complement to time spent in nature. As we contemplate God’s creation, we may find ourselves naturally drawn into prayer—thanking and praising Him for what He has done, or simply sharing what is on our hearts.
For whom was the Sabbath instituted?
And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
The Pharisees added so many man-made rules in an effort to protect the Sabbath’s holiness that they turned it into a burden. But Jesus did not follow their rules—He followed His Father’s will regarding proper Sabbath-keeping. In fact, Jesus clarified that the Sabbath was made for us, not the other way around (For a more in-depth look at how to keep the Sabbath holy, see Doug Batchelor’s book How to Keep the Sabbath Holy.)
How can an unholy person keep the Sabbath holy?
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
… for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
The only way the Sabbath can be kept holy is in Christ and by faith. Without Christ living in us by faith, through His Spirit (John 14:17; Ephesians 2:22), we are completely incapable of keeping it holy. According to Paul, it is not even our own faith that enables this, but Christ’s faith working in us! No wonder Revelation speaks of a group of God’s faithful people who “keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12). Trying to keep His commandments in any way other than by faith is like asking a plant to grow without sunlight—an impossibility.
In Jeremiah 31:33, God promised to write His law in our hearts. Do we believe Him? If He said it, He will fulfill it; we just have to ask! Have we asked Him, claimed His promise by faith, and thanked Him for doing it—even before we see any results? This is faith: taking God at His Word because He cannot lie (Numbers 23:19). Of course, we always have the freedom to interfere with or disrupt this process by filling our minds with things that glamorize sin. But if we choose to cooperate with Him, He will complete the work He began in us (Hebrews 12:2; Jude 1:24-25), and we will be able to genuinely say, “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8).
Will God provide for my needs?
And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day.
Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
It may be tempting to worry about lost income on the Sabbath, but just as God miraculously provided a double portion of manna for the Israelites on Friday so they would have enough for Saturday, He will also provide for our needs today when we choose to honor Him by resting on His holy day.
What promise does Jesus give me?
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
The Pharisees turned the Sabbath into a burdensome yoke, but Jesus came to restore it as the delight it was always meant to be. If keeping the Sabbath feels like a burden, ask Him to help you experience its true joy—and He certainly will.