The Sabbath

Question: What day is the Bible Sabbath, and who made it?
The Bible says:
  • "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. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it" (Genesis 2:2, 3).
  • "The seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God" (Exodus 20:10).
The Bible Sabbath is actually the seventh day (Saturday) of the week — and not the first (Sunday), as many believe. After making the world, God “rested” on the seventh day and sanctified it for humanity to keep forever. God blessed the Sabbath, and when God blesses something, it is blessed forever (1 Chronicles 17:27) and no man can "reverse it" (Numbers 23:20).

Question: Why did God make the Sabbath; why should we keep it?
The Bible says:
  • "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. … 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" (Exodus 20:8, 11).
  • "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10).
  • "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps" (1 Peter 2:21).
God gave the Sabbath as a sign that He created the world in six 24-hour days and of His power to redeem and sanctify mankind. In Isaiah 58:13, 14, God says all who would be blessed must first get their feet off His Sabbath. Moreover, the deliberate breaking of any one of the Ten Commandments is a sin. Christians should gladly follow Christ's example of Sabbath-keeping. Jesus’ custom was to worship on Sabbath, as well as His apostles. See Luke 4:16.

Question: Does Sabbath-keeping really affect me personally?
The Bible says:
  • "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).
  • "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).
  • "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life” (Revelation 22:14).​
Yes! The Sabbath is your Sabbath. God made it for you to rest and to draw closer to Him. The Scriptures also teach that we will continue to keep the Sabbath in the new earth (Isaiah 66:23)! So why not make the decision now to receive the blessings of the Sabbath and choose to obey Him?