The Sabbath—Its Origin and Purpose
1. What is the record of the institution of the Sabbath? “On the seventh day [of creation] God finished His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made.” Gen. 2: 2. 2. By what means did God set apart this day? “God BLESSED the seventh day, and HALLOWED it; because that in it He had RESTED from all His work which God had created and made.” Verse 3. 3. While the Sabbath “was made FOR man,” WHOSE day is it? “A holy Sabbath unto Jehovah,” “My holy day,” “the holy of Jehovah,” “Thy holy Sabbath.” 4. In what way was the Sabbath “made for man”? “This is that which Jehovah hath spoken, To-morrow is a SOLEMN REST, a holy Sabbath unto Jehovah.” Ex. 16: 23. 5. For how many was the Sabbath designed? “Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest; that thine OX and thine ASS may have rest, and the SON of thy HANDMAID, and the SOJOURNER, may be refreshed.” Ex. 23:12. 6. What is the standard of true Sabbath-keeping? “TURN AWAY THY FOOT FROM THE SABBATH, from DOING THY PLEASURE on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a DELIGHT, and the holy of the Lord HONORABLE, and shalt HONOR it, NOT DOING THINE OWN WAYS, nor FINDING THINE OWN PLEASURE, nor SPEAKING THINE OWN WORDS.” Isa. 58:13. 7. What will be the reward of such obedience? “Then shalt thou delight thyself in Jehovah; and I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth; and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.” Verse 14. “Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that holdeth it fast; that keepeth the Sabbath from profaning it.” Isa. 56: 2. NOTE.—“The Lord of the Sabbath” thus makes clear the object of His Sabbath, and man’s duty regarding it. Not for a special nation, not for a particular age, not for a certain dispensation,—“the Sabbath was made for MAN;” not A Sabbath, but THE Sabbath. 8. Of what is the seventh-day Sabbath ever a reminder? “It is a SIGN between Me and the children of Israel FOREVER: for in SIX DAYS JEHOVAH MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed.” Ex. 31:17. 9. Of whom does Sabbath-keeping ever remind God’s people? “Verily ye shall keep My Sabbaths; for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT I AM JEHOVAH WHO SANCTIFIETH YOU.” Verse 13. NOTE.—From these scriptures it will be seen that the Sabbath was ever to be a sign to the world of the true God and His creative power; every Sabbath should recall the Creation and Creation’s God. Only the seventh-day Sabbath could do this.