And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field.
On the seventh day the people were to eat the manna kept over from the sixth day, for that day was a Sabbath unto the Lord as a day of rest when none would be found in the field. Each sixth day God gave twice as much, kept it sweet and pure overnight unlike manna kept on other days, and let none fall or be found on the seventh. By that weekly provision He recalled the Sabbath established at creation in Eden and placed His seal upon it as sacred, holy and binding. Therefore Sabbath food is to be prepared the day before, so that nothing is gathered, cooked, sold or served on the Sabbath and the day is kept for rest and worship rather than indulgence. The seventh-day Sabbath remains God's memorial, in contrast to a spurious first-day sabbath, and as He brought Israel out of Egypt to keep it holy so He calls His people out of Babylon to keep it and reject the rival day.
Wilderness Provision Described
On the seventh day Israel was to eat what had been laid up and kept from the sixth day, for that day was a Sabbath unto the Lord, a day of rest on which no manna would be found in the field. What had been gathered on the sixth day was to be eaten on the Sabbath, when none could be found by going out to gather, bake, boil, or seek it in the field. The double portion, its preservation overnight, and its absence on the seventh day together impressed the sacredness of the day and showed God's care in providing for His people.
Each week God gave twice as much manna on the sixth day, sustained it by miracle overnight, and let none fall or be found on the seventh day. The portion preserved for the Sabbath remained sweet and pure through the Sabbath, unlike manna kept over on other days, which would spoil. This weekly miracle of the double portion gathered beforehand, miraculously preserved, with manna withheld every seventh day, constantly reminded Israel of the appointed rest day.
This was in the wilderness wandering after deliverance from Egyptian taskmasters who had tried to force labor on the Sabbath by making the weekly work harder and more exacting, bringing Israel to a place where all the precepts could be observed unmolested. It was before the law was spoken at Sinai and before Israel came to Sinai, yet already teaching that the Sabbath was sacred and binding. The provision continued for forty years, for nearly forty years preserving the Sabbath law by the extra manna on the sixth day and the absence of manna on the seventh.
The manna was given by a miracle of God as bread for Israel in the wilderness. Even in providing food God sought Israel's highest good, educating them in habits of life and well-being under divine care and law for their highest physical, mental, and moral good. He fed them with food of a nature to promote strength, so that notwithstanding the hardships of wilderness life there was not a feeble one in all their tribes. At the same time moral discipline depended on each person doing his part and cooperating with the instruction given, and strangers among them who respected the Sabbath and did not gather on that day could share in the heavenly provision.
Sabbath Truth Confirmed
The weekly giving of manna recalled the Sabbath law established at creation in Eden, teaching Israel each week that the seventh day was the Lord's sacred, holy and binding Sabbath. On the sixth day the Lord provided enough for two days, so that Israel was to eat on the seventh day what had already been gathered, for no manna fell or could be found in the field on that day because it was a Sabbath unto the Lord. That portion kept through the Sabbath remained sweet and pure, whereas manna kept over on other days spoiled, and this standing weekly miracle of the double portion, its overnight preservation, and its absence on the seventh day impressed the people with the sacredness of the Sabbath and showed God's care in providing for them. Even before they came to Sinai the provision taught that the Sabbath was sacred and binding and reminded them of the sacred obligation to keep it.
By the double miracle of twice as much manna on the sixth day and its sustainment overnight, with none to be gathered on the seventh, God sustained the validity of the holy institution hallowed and sanctified at creation and placed His seal upon it. This provision continued for forty years before the law was given at Sinai, using the weekly miracle to teach Israel that the Sabbath was sacred. The extra manna given on the sixth day testified to the Sabbath commandment, which had been given in Eden before it was spoken at Sinai, and the manna continually testified to that commandment.
God brought Israel out of Egypt in order that they might keep holy the Sabbath day and fulfill the precepts of His law. Their taskmasters in Egypt had tried to force them to labor on the Sabbath by making the weekly work harder and more exacting, and He delivered them to a place where they could observe all His precepts unmolested. For nearly forty years of wandering He constantly reminded them of His appointed rest day by withholding manna every seventh day and by miraculously preserving the double portion that fell on the preparation day, leading up to the speaking of the law at Sinai. Yet even this repeated reminder did not ensure obedience, for the people were lax in observing the fourth commandment, and Sabbath neglect was among the reasons the first generation was excluded from the promised land.
The seventh-day Sabbath so established remains God's day and memorial, in contrast to a spurious first-day sabbath discarded in its place and presented to the world as a rival day. That rival sabbath was exalted by the man of sin who thought to change times and laws. As God called the children of Israel out of Egypt that they might keep His Sabbath, so in the last work He calls His people out of Babylon to keep His Sabbath, to refuse worship of the beast and his image, and to reject the spurious rival sabbath.
Sabbath Observance Required
Sabbath food is to be made ready the day before, so that nothing is gathered, baked, boiled, cooked, sold, or served on the Sabbath itself. Unnecessary work is to be avoided on the seventh day, and provision made beforehand so that needs over the Sabbath are met without gathering that day. On that day what was kept from the sixth day is to be eaten, because none will be found in the field, for the day is holy. Caring for the sick and suffering on the Sabbath is a work of mercy, not a breaking of the day's sacred rest.
Preparation beforehand and restraint in eating guard the day for rest, sacred meditation, and worship rather than indulgence. Not baking and boiling on the Sabbath is a solemn requirement of the fourth commandment. Restaurants are therefore to close on the Sabbath and do all Sabbath food work on Friday. Simple foods such as bread and crackers are to be wrapped in packages with the price marked, for customers to take to their apartments to eat until the restaurant opens again, and lunches are to be put up on Friday for the helpers themselves to carry them over the Sabbath.
At camp meeting the same principle applies by preparing Sabbath meals beforehand. Simple food may be warmed, while further cooking is treated as a violation of the Sabbath.
On the seventh day the people were to eat the manna kept over from the sixth day, for that day was a Sabbath unto the Lord as a day of rest when none would be found in the field. Each sixth day God gave twice as much, kept it sweet and pure overnight unlike manna kept on other days, and let none fall or be found on the seventh. By that weekly provision He recalled the Sabbath established at creation in Eden and placed His seal upon it as sacred, holy and binding. Therefore Sabbath food is to be prepared the day before, so that nothing is gathered, cooked, sold or served on the Sabbath and the day is kept for rest and worship rather than indulgence. The seventh-day Sabbath remains God's memorial, in contrast to a spurious first-day sabbath, and as He brought Israel out of Egypt to keep it holy so He calls His people out of Babylon to keep it and reject the rival day.
Wilderness Provision Described
On the seventh day Israel was to eat what had been laid up and kept from the sixth day, for that day was a Sabbath unto the Lord, a day of rest on which no manna would be found in the field. What had been gathered on the sixth day was to be eaten on the Sabbath, when none could be found by going out to gather, bake, boil, or seek it in the field. The double portion, its preservation overnight, and its absence on the seventh day together impressed the sacredness of the day and showed God's care in providing for His people.
Each week God gave twice as much manna on the sixth day, sustained it by miracle overnight, and let none fall or be found on the seventh day. The portion preserved for the Sabbath remained sweet and pure through the Sabbath, unlike manna kept over on other days, which would spoil. This weekly miracle of the double portion gathered beforehand, miraculously preserved, with manna withheld every seventh day, constantly reminded Israel of the appointed rest day.
This was in the wilderness wandering after deliverance from Egyptian taskmasters who had tried to force labor on the Sabbath by making the weekly work harder and more exacting, bringing Israel to a place where all the precepts could be observed unmolested. It was before the law was spoken at Sinai and before Israel came to Sinai, yet already teaching that the Sabbath was sacred and binding. The provision continued for forty years, for nearly forty years preserving the Sabbath law by the extra manna on the sixth day and the absence of manna on the seventh.
The manna was given by a miracle of God as bread for Israel in the wilderness. Even in providing food God sought Israel's highest good, educating them in habits of life and well-being under divine care and law for their highest physical, mental, and moral good. He fed them with food of a nature to promote strength, so that notwithstanding the hardships of wilderness life there was not a feeble one in all their tribes. At the same time moral discipline depended on each person doing his part and cooperating with the instruction given, and strangers among them who respected the Sabbath and did not gather on that day could share in the heavenly provision.
Sabbath Truth Confirmed
The weekly giving of manna recalled the Sabbath law established at creation in Eden, teaching Israel each week that the seventh day was the Lord's sacred, holy and binding Sabbath. On the sixth day the Lord provided enough for two days, so that Israel was to eat on the seventh day what had already been gathered, for no manna fell or could be found in the field on that day because it was a Sabbath unto the Lord. That portion kept through the Sabbath remained sweet and pure, whereas manna kept over on other days spoiled, and this standing weekly miracle of the double portion, its overnight preservation, and its absence on the seventh day impressed the people with the sacredness of the Sabbath and showed God's care in providing for them. Even before they came to Sinai the provision taught that the Sabbath was sacred and binding and reminded them of the sacred obligation to keep it.
By the double miracle of twice as much manna on the sixth day and its sustainment overnight, with none to be gathered on the seventh, God sustained the validity of the holy institution hallowed and sanctified at creation and placed His seal upon it. This provision continued for forty years before the law was given at Sinai, using the weekly miracle to teach Israel that the Sabbath was sacred. The extra manna given on the sixth day testified to the Sabbath commandment, which had been given in Eden before it was spoken at Sinai, and the manna continually testified to that commandment.
God brought Israel out of Egypt in order that they might keep holy the Sabbath day and fulfill the precepts of His law. Their taskmasters in Egypt had tried to force them to labor on the Sabbath by making the weekly work harder and more exacting, and He delivered them to a place where they could observe all His precepts unmolested. For nearly forty years of wandering He constantly reminded them of His appointed rest day by withholding manna every seventh day and by miraculously preserving the double portion that fell on the preparation day, leading up to the speaking of the law at Sinai. Yet even this repeated reminder did not ensure obedience, for the people were lax in observing the fourth commandment, and Sabbath neglect was among the reasons the first generation was excluded from the promised land.
The seventh-day Sabbath so established remains God's day and memorial, in contrast to a spurious first-day sabbath discarded in its place and presented to the world as a rival day. That rival sabbath was exalted by the man of sin who thought to change times and laws. As God called the children of Israel out of Egypt that they might keep His Sabbath, so in the last work He calls His people out of Babylon to keep His Sabbath, to refuse worship of the beast and his image, and to reject the spurious rival sabbath.
Sabbath Observance Required
Sabbath food is to be made ready the day before, so that nothing is gathered, baked, boiled, cooked, sold, or served on the Sabbath itself. Unnecessary work is to be avoided on the seventh day, and provision made beforehand so that needs over the Sabbath are met without gathering that day. On that day what was kept from the sixth day is to be eaten, because none will be found in the field, for the day is holy. Caring for the sick and suffering on the Sabbath is a work of mercy, not a breaking of the day's sacred rest.
Preparation beforehand and restraint in eating guard the day for rest, sacred meditation, and worship rather than indulgence. Not baking and boiling on the Sabbath is a solemn requirement of the fourth commandment. Restaurants are therefore to close on the Sabbath and do all Sabbath food work on Friday. Simple foods such as bread and crackers are to be wrapped in packages with the price marked, for customers to take to their apartments to eat until the restaurant opens again, and lunches are to be put up on Friday for the helpers themselves to carry them over the Sabbath.
At camp meeting the same principle applies by preparing Sabbath meals beforehand. Simple food may be warmed, while further cooking is treated as a violation of the Sabbath.