Sunday: The Sabbath of the Lord
Daily Lesson for Sunday 21st of September 2025
However much those opposed to the seventh-day Sabbath argue, falsely, that it was for the Jews only (the seventh day was set apart and sanctified in Eden [see Genesis 2:1-3]); or they argue, falsely, that the Jews first heard about it at Sinai (the Jews were keeping the Sabbath before Sinai [see Exodus 16:22-29])—there is no question that the Sabbath was very much a part of the life of the Hebrew people from the start.
Read Exodus 35:1-3. What truth was reiterated to the people here in the context of the building of the sanctuary?
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The Sabbath and its message was, is, and always will be about God—who He is and what His mighty works are. The Sabbath reminds us of His creative and salvific acts and focuses our attention on God, who wants to dwell with His people. In this way, the Sabbath and the sanctuary point in the same direction: God’s presence in our lives.
The Sabbath of the Old Testament church conveys a manifold message. One may summarize its essence in five crucial points:
1. God is the Creator, and the Bible opens with this stunning and cornerstone proclamation (Genesis 1:1). The vivid memorial of God’s creation is the Sabbath (Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 20:8-11). From this truth—God as our Creator—all other biblical truths flow.
2. The Messiah will come, and this hope centers on God’s promise of the Seed, who would overcome the serpent (Satan) and bring victory over evil.
3. God will establish His kingdom, and the Sabbath is its foretaste.
4. Salvation comes from the Lord, and God’s people testify that God is their Savior and Redeemer and that salvation comes as a result of His grace and His grace alone.
5. God is the ultimate Judge of all people. Those who persistently defy and deny Him will have no future, but He freely gives eternal life to those who follow Him.
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The Jews have a saying: More than Israel kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath kept Israel. Though we as Adventists probably wouldn’t express it like that, what important role does the Sabbath have in the life of our church family? |
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When I was doing my PhD, a lot of my research meetings with my supervisor were held on Friday afternoon, Those meetings were often quite stressful as we argued back and forth over the issues we were trying to resolve. It was so good to drive home afterwards, and put the books away and turn off the research computers, and rest.
My supervisor asked me one day, why I kept the Sabbath. I could have given him a Bible study, a book he doesn’t believe, or I could have given him a history lesson about who changed the Sabbath. Instead I told him what I did after I left his place (We always had these meetings at his house). I told him about the special Friday night meal. I told him about neeting with my friends. I told him about Sabbath School (OK I called them spiritual seminars and workshops because he understands that sort of language). I told him about walking in nature with friends, and a camera. I explained to him that it was like a spiritual holiday taken with family and friends.
His response was, “Phew, what a … good idea. I wish I had a day like that!”
OK, there was not a lot of theology in that explanation, and it was given on the spur of the moment to a person who thought theology was a bit stupid. But, on thinking about it later on, I thought of all the Sabbath Bible studies I had heard in the past. They were so earnestly theological, it was like describing your favourite food in chemical terms. I think that if we thought about how we could share the Sabbath rather than proving from the Bible that it is “the day”, maybe we would have a better chance of convincing folk we have something good.
I have to add as a little aside. On a couple of occasions during that period of my life I would be sitting in church, listening to the sermon, when suddenly a bright idea about my research would pop into my head. I have always thought God has a sense of humour.
I like your non-religious explanation of the Sabbath. Recently one of my coworkers said he felt he needed to rest and I was thinking how to explain the Sabbath rest in a way he could relate to. Unfortunately I missed that opportunity to share what Sabbath really is. Next time I will have a better idea of what to say.
How can sinful and unholy people keep holy things holy?
The sabbath is not made holy by our human efforts, it is already sanctified by God (Genesis 2:3). Our role is to honour its holiness. Unless God sanctifies our hearts, our efforts to keep the sabbath holy will simply be an exercise in futility. As the sabbath is divine, so we need divine power from above to subdue our unholy nature for holy sabbath keeping. Holy sabbath keeping wholly lies on the spiritual condition of our hearts. Abstaining from physical work amount to no rest if our hearts are heavy laden with the cares of this life.
”Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.”(Ezekiel 20:12, NKJV).
The sabbath is indeed spiritual, our human efforts never help us to honour its holiness, except by yielding to the Holy Spirit. Through Him the Holy Spirit we become sanctified and empowered to keep the sabbath holy as its Giver. Unless we have got rest in the Lord of the sabbath (Jesus Christ), never shall we experience the rest of the sabbath. Jesus is calling us to give us true rest that is only found in Him. This is the only secrete if we want to make the sabbath a delight. Only by resting in Jesus’s righteousness will our sinful nature be tamed to honour the holiness of the sabbath.
“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls”(Matthew 11:28-29,NLT).
We naturally look for things and people to admire. We scroll through feeds, wanting to know what others are eating, wearing, dating, and doin seeking satisfaction in what often feels just out of reach. Maybe we aren’t dancing around a golden calf like in Exodus 32, but that calf hides behind new names: Money, Power, Success, Status, Followers and Good jobs. Our hearts are still tempted to worship what the world values instead of God.
God calls us to something different. In Exodus 20:8–11, He commands us to “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy,” inviting us to pause, rest, and refocus on Him. Sabbath rest is a radical act of worship: a reminder that true satisfaction comes not from accomplishments or recognition, but from God alone. In a world full of hidden golden calves, setting aside time to rest in Him is how we declare who truly deserves our admiration.
Friday evening, at the start of the Sabbath, I usually make this effort to reach out and have an easy talk with a pastor friend (very close to me, and interesting, as he makes conversations about the Bible so effortlessly accessible). He always reminds me that when studying the Bible, I should try not to look at it from the outside in, but rather connect with it and journey with the writer – feel it, become the character, sit in the text. He always insists that we should connect the immediately preceding writings (10 verses) with the passage in focus and also connect the immediately following (10 verses after). This allows the reader to deeply connect with the narrative.
We need to remember that the scripture was written in continous prose - no verses, no chapters, no indexing. In otherwords, one part connects to another.
Today's study looked somewhat incomplete and it troubled me a little wondering why it felt like that.
Bear with me as I reflect a bit. As an Adventist, I tend to feel that whenever the Sabbath is mentioned – anywhere, anyplace, anytime – I subconsciously feel entitled and can easily lose the context - finding my lips going towards either explaining the Sabbath or defending it. In today's study, the Sabbath looks suddenly brought into focus, almost like a bombshell – a unexpected mention that caught my attention. I almost felt like the author shifted focus in the Sabbath mention - being Adventist like would I do - mmh!
But.....Looking through scripture, and the verses in focus, Exodus 35:1-3, and my mind strolled away a little; the author of this week's study had actually picked this style directly from the Bible as it is. What was going on?
So, I went back to Chapter 34 and look at this! - Exodus 34:14; Exodus 34:21. It hit me!
God had just reconciled with Israel; He was restoring a relationship; and He had to renew the covenant to establish this restoration. Normally -as best practice -, we refresh , and then establish a So, where did Israel stall or trip? The stall - "foreign or strange worship" (the Hebrew words "avodah zarah"); Israel had not only brought a foreign god before God (Exodus 32:1-2), they made themselves a "curved" image (Exodus 32:3-5), they had bowed down to the image (Exodus 32:6) and used the Lord God's name in vain (Exodus 32:4) - there it is; three commandments down (broken) in one blow. This God clearly and loudly stated first (Exodus 34:14).
And, what follows? The safe space to remind and to reflect (Exodus 34:21) - a communal environment that equalizes all - the Sabbath. A hallowed day equalizing the master, slave, nature, animal, and foreigner. A day to remember A day to praise, exalt, and worship God. A day to present God's character of fairness, mercy, love, and support - to our family, friends, frenemy, enemy, slave, cattle, field, and also to our stranger at the gate.
Exodus 35:1-3 was bringing Israel back into the relation with God in the free space that children of Israel could participate in the restoration process - a day to remember and to reflect on their relationship with God - and to repent which would help them refocus.
That's an excellent reflection. I agree that in defending the Sabbath, we often miss the beauty of it. It's not that I don't believe our theological arguments, but today, especially, arguments don't really convince people. We need new approaches - both for us as Adventists who think we've heard it all and for those outside of our fellowship.
The Sabbath is a day set apart for communion with God and the Church family. It is a day of joy to rest from the weekly tight schedule. A day to bless and to be blessed! An opportunity to count the blessings of the past week and to take a break for next week's work.
LOL, just noticing that today's lesson title is unintentionally ironic... "Sunday: The Sabbath of the Lord".
There's a certain loneliness in the air when you are countercultural. Have you felt it as a Saturday Sabbath-keeper? Every Sabbath, the community of people around you is bustling while you're driving to church to worship...and trying to adopt a slower pace. In the world on Saturdays there are craft fairs and festivals, school sports games, weddings, shopping, it seems most people are busily running errands, doing home projects, stores are packed and streets are humming. Yesterday, I had to do a detour to get to church because of a large annual bike race in our town. But on Sunday, it's quiet. I'm surprised by this week to week. Even in a very secular culture such as where I am, where most people do not go to church or profess to think much about a higher power or God, Sunday is still the quietest day of the week. And somehow, this phenomenon seems to be increasing .... the world's Sundays seem quieter than ever, to me. Not much traffic on the streets. Many parking lots empty and stores closed, while many driveways are graced by their resident cars. As I walk by, I imagine families inside sleeping in or relaxing together. And yet for us, Sundays are the first day of our work week. A day to burst out of the gate recharged from a Sabbath-day's rest. Doesn't it feel kind of odd to bustle about when everyone in the community around you is low energy?
When I think about living in a community of people submitted to the Lord and dedicated to, by His grace, living out all of His commands...including the 7th-day Sabbath...I imagine how nice and heaven-like that must be. The whole community resting on Saturdays so that the peace of nature sounds and worship songs fill the air. A day when everyone around me has put aside the push for earning and gathering one's own bread-and-butter and instead uses those hours to walk with Jesus towards offering more keen attention to the marginalized and hurting....visiting a struggling neighbor and bringing Jesus' love to a hurting heart. Then, imagine Sundays in that community of God's People. The hum of activity begins to rise again but with a renewed sense of "Thy will be done" and a renewed peace in submission to letting God do His work through us.....more is accomplished with less effort and frazzle. ...there is the inner knowing that our only work that matters is directed and orchestrated by God. Contrast this with that mindset that the secular world runs on every day of the week, perhaps most especially on Saturdays.... the frantic push to get things done, things WE think need doing, and on our own efforts.
P.S. I do have frequent conversations with God about what HE envisions as Sabbath-keeping. For example, that bike race was to raise funds for the cancer care and support center in my town. Would Jesus have been there? We don't read of Jesus napping or retreating to solitary places on Sabbaths....so I'm always asking Him how He wants me to be with Him in a special way on Saturdays...
We were aware of the title issue and wondered if anyone would notice. The same thing happened several years ago and some commenters did not pick up the reason for it and wrote scathing comments about changing the Sabbath. I dont think we would have had the same issue it it had been Wednesday’s topic. 😀
In the book of Hebrews the Seventh-day-Sabbath is a symbol of entering into God`s rest by resting on that day in communion with God. (Hebrews 4:4-10) Christ himself invites us to enter into that rest with him and in him, finding rest for our struggling souls, burdened with a multitude of burdens and sins. (Matthew 11:28-30) Further, the Sabbath has an endtime dimension in not just waiting for,(Hebrews 13:14) but entering into the heavenly city, made by God, the capital of the eternal and glorious kingdom of God appearing at the second coming of Christ. (Hebrews 11,10) We have this hope.
Winfried Stolpmann
Of all the days of the week it is the sabbath day i waited the most.The sabbath brings me unexplainable joy of rest.Resting from all my labors just to think about God & his love.Thank you God for the sabbath rest you gave us
Ironically, we start on the 1st day of week 13 with the fourth commandment. Yet the Seventh day Sabbath was made for man. God rested on it as an example to us to take a day off and rest in the glory of God(the goodness of God) in worship of Him who made light and devided it into day and night, He created land amongst the waters, populating it with trees bearing fruit and herbs , and foliage, then filling the sea with fish and sky above the land with birds. Then animals, then mankind, topping the week of creation off with a day of rest to exemplify now only rest physically but rest in worship and honor to Him who loves us. Genesis 1:1-33. Genesis 2:1-3.
Isaiah 58:13-14. Mark 2:27. Hebrews 4:1-10. Yes, indeed the Seventh day Sabbath is God's created day of rest, a special day once a week to be in His rest. God bless all.
Sabbath is for God's people and a reminder that God is the creator of the entire universe
glory to God for setting apart Sabbath day which united heaven and earth with showers of blessings