Five Essential Bible Truths – Part 4
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What Happened to the Lord’s Day?

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Principle 2

The law says, “You shall not do any work on the seventh day…” This principle raises several questions. Primarily, what is meant by “work?” Work is defined as something we do for gain, something we do for survival, or something that we have to do. Does this “no work” commandment mean that we should stay in bed on the Lord’s Day? No. Instead, the fourth commandment means we should no do any work on the Sabbath that we normally do during the week.

How can a dairy farmer observe this commandment without causing injury to the cattle? How can a nurse keep the Lord’s Day when patients need his or her service in a hospital? How can a police officer keep the Lord’s Day when criminals (lawbreakers) are at work every day of the week? How can a mechanic, responsible for generators that provide electricity to thousands of homes, take the Lord’s Day off? How can a cook in a nursing home observe the Lord’s Day when the elderly need food seven days a week? When God gave the fourth commandment, didn’t He anticipate the problems we would face in the twentieth century? Yes, of course. So, how can these situations be reconciled?

For a balanced perspective regarding this aspect of the fourth commandment, we need to look at how Jesus regarded the Lord’s Day. This is the first of three important texts: “At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread – which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple descrete the day and yet are innocent? I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:1-8)

In this text, Jesus makes four points. First, gathering food to eat “on the way” is not necessarily a defiant violation of the Sabbath. In other words, there are some instances when one cannot prepare food for the Lord’s Day of rest. (Exodus 16:23,24 for the basis of the Pharisee’s complaint.) Second, motive appears to be an important issue. Jesus illustrated this point by sharing how David and his men ate the “holy” bread that was in the tabernacle without offending God (I Samuel 21: 1-6). Third, certain tasks may be performed on the Sabbath. Jesus used the work the temple priests did on the Sabbath (which desecrated the day) as an example. Even though the Sabbath was a busy workday for them, they were not guilty of contempt for God’s law. (Note: The priests rotated assignments to that no priest was continuously desecrating the Sabbath – see Luke 1:8.) Last, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because as Lord of Sabbath, He –not they – was in a position to interpret how man should observe the Sabbath.

The next text brings more understanding to the subject of Sabbath observance: “Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how thy might kill Jesus. Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick, warning them not to tell who he was.” (Matthew 12:9-16)

From this text, we glean two important points: First, Jesus did good for others on the Sabbath. He did not sleep the Sabbath away and pass the Lord’s Day in a hangover from having overworked on the previous six days. No, He used the Sabbath to minister to others. Second, Jesus affirmed again that there are certain matters that do not violate the intent of the Sabbath. If rescuing an animal is not a violation of the intent of the law, then rescuing a human being certainly is not offensive to God and the proper behavior in light of the fourth commandment.

The last text reveals two key issues dealing with the observance of the Lord’s Day. The setting is the rebuilding of Jerusalem under the leadership of Nehemiah. He writes, “In those days I saw men in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. Men from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah. I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing – desecrating the Sabbath day? Didn’t your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity upon us and upon this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.” When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day. Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, O my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.” (Nehemiah 13”15-22)

These verses illustrate that conducting business on the Lord’s Day is offensive to God – whether it is for food or merchandise is immaterial. Like the Levites of old, we should “guard” the gates of our house in order to keep the Sabbath Day holy. Did you notice that Nehemiah clearly associates the wrath of God (Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of Jerusalem) with the desecration of the Sabbath? Just as in Nehemiah’s day, I believe the basis of God’s coming wrath upon the world is due, in part, to the lack of respect for His holy day. When the Great Tribulation begins worldwide, then God’s authority will be placed in its proper perspective.

We honor God by resting during the Sabbath hours from our work. If we honor God, He will bless us. The Lord told Isaiah, “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not ding as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” The mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 58:13,14)


Observing the Lord’s Day

So, how do we solve the problems represented by the dairy farmer, the nurse, the cook, the police officer, ect? What principles do we apply to these types of situations? Here is my view on the matter. The Lord’s Day is the Lord’s Day – all day long – from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. (Genesis 1; Leviticus 23:32) The Sabbath was made for man. It was to be a day of rest and renewal each week, both physically and spiritually. Preparation for the observance of the Lord’s Day, as far as possible, will help us recognize God’s intended blessing. The weekly Sabbath is not for God’s benefit, but ours!

The Bible reveals that preparation for the Lord’s Day is important. In ancient times, the Jews did not have names for the days of the week. Instead, they used numbers, such as “the first”, or  “the third day of the week.” After the Babylonian captivity, the sixth day of the week became known as “The Preparation” as it summarized the urgent importance of being prepared for the Lord’s Day. (Matthew 27:62; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54)

Therefore, the second principle mentioned in the fourth commandment is that any activity bringing the blessing of Sabbath to others is permissible on Sabbath. Sharing the blessing of Sabbath can be a good meal for a patient or helping victims from a tornado. Yes, the dairy farmer has to milk cows and the doctor must respond to an emergency. The nurse may render care and the preacher may work harder on the Lord’s Day than any other. However, the primary issue each of us has to consider when trying to resolve this matter for themselves is this: How can I best honor the Lord on His holy day? Yes, the dairy farmer should milk the cows, but should the barn be cleaned on the Lord’s Day? Yes, the doctor should rush to the hospital to care for a patient in an emergency situation, but should usual and customary services be provided on the Lord’s Day? The nurse can provide care for patients, but must he or she serve others on every Lord’s Day? The preacher has to serve people on the Lord’s Day, but does he have to preach every week? As the general statement, there are two basic principles for rendering service on the Lord’s Day: First, do not ruin God’s purpose for the Lord’s day with continual desecration. It is permissible to serve as emergencies warrant, but do not make it a customary process. Second, neither charge nor receive compensation for the services rendered on the Lord’s Day. When financial gain is taken out of the picture, “work” scheduling becomes quite clear. If by law, you must be paid for services rendered on the Lord’s day, donate it to the Lord’s work since you used His day to earn that income. Third, Nehemiah’s actions clearly indicate that commerce on the Lord’s Day is offensive to God. As far as possible, do not buy or sell on the Lord’s Day. Conduct business at other times. Look at the big picture, we have six days – God has one. Live accordingly.

Therefore, spend the Lord’s Day in activities that are physically, mentally and spiritually renewing. Worshiping God on His holy day is an invigorating and spiritually renewing exercise. We can make the Sabbath a delight for others by visiting those in prison, sharing music with nursing home residents, holding Bible studies in our home, or reading a Bible or character building story to a child. A hike in the woods or a drive to a scenic overlook can enhance emotional, physical and spiritual renewal. Each of these activities can promote re-creation in all three dimensions: physical, mental and spiritual. In His wisdom, the Lord does not mandate how His holy day is to be spent except to say that one must not work. Your relationship with the Lord will determine, largely, how you spend His day and the benefit you will receive.

Principle 3

The fourth commandment says “Do not work others under your dominion whether man or animal on the seventh day.” This concept raises some interesting questions. For instance, would it be fair of God to require His dominion (you and me) to work on the Lord’s Day while He rested? No, of course not. Instead, God’s Kingdom works this way: If God, the ruler of all the Universe, gives rest to His servants each week, then it is altogether fitting that you, His Earthy servants, give your dominion rest as well.

Perhaps the most often asked question regarding this element of the fourth commandment is the question of “eating out” on the Lord’s Day. Does “eating out” violate the intent of the fourth commandment? Yes, if you allow yourself to become too busy and neglect to prepare for the Sabbath. No, if circumstances (such as travel or emergency) prohibit you from preparing food for the Sabbath. The underlying principle is this: God has one day we have six. Live accordingly.

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