The people rested on the seventh day because on Friday God gave twice as much manna for two days and commanded them to prepare it then and stay in place on the Sabbath when none fell. By a double miracle He set His seal on the Sabbath, withholding manna every seventh day and preserving the Friday portion through the Sabbath though manna kept over other days spoiled. The seventh day had been hallowed at creation, and this weekly provision repeated the Eden Sabbath law and sustained its binding force before it was spoken at Sinai. God had brought Israel out of Egyptian bondage where taskmasters forced Sabbath labor, that they might keep the day holy unmolested, and the continuing miracle testified to that sacred obligation which they must not profane. That deliverance to rest in obedience to the blessed and sanctified Sabbath is the pattern for the last work of calling God's people out of Babylon to keep the true Sabbath and refuse the rival sabbath of the power that exalts itself above God.
Manna Miracle and Rest
On the sixth day, Friday, God gave twice as much manna as usual, enough for two days, and directed the people to prepare it then and to remain in their places on the seventh day, when no manna fell. That weekly pattern taught that the seventh day was the Lord's holy Sabbath.
By a double miracle God set His seal on the sacredness of the Sabbath: He withheld manna every seventh day and miraculously preserved the double portion gathered on the preparation day through the Sabbath, though manna kept over other days spoiled. This weekly provision continued throughout the forty years, or nearly forty years of wandering while they ate manna, as a constant lesson and reminder of God's appointed rest day.
The provision was angels' food and bread from God, given in mercy and care and as schooling that took in all habits of life, with everything touching well-being under divine care and divine law. Even in giving food God aimed at their highest good, and the manna built up physical, mental, and moral strength, so that despite wilderness hardship there was not a feeble one in all the tribes. Yet it did not satisfy them, and God did not do everything for them, leaving moral discipline to depend on each person cooperating with Him.
Sabbath History and Obligation
The seventh day had been hallowed and sanctified by God at creation, and its standing as His holy institution was sustained by the miracle in the giving of the manna when the people rested on the seventh day. Before the law was given at Sinai the Israelites already rested on the seventh day as God's sacred Sabbath, with twice as much manna provided on the sixth day and direction to prepare it then and to remain in their places on the seventh day. No manna fell on that day, the Lord having provided enough on Friday for two days, and this weekly provision continuing throughout their forty years of eating manna in the wilderness taught them that the Sabbath was holy. That continuing miracle repeated the Sabbath law given in Eden and continually testified to the Sabbath commandment given in Eden before it was given at Sinai.
God brought Israel out of Egypt so that they might keep the Sabbath day holy and fulfill the precepts of His law. In bondage their taskmasters had tried to force Sabbath labor by increasing the weekly work, but being brought out they could observe unmolested all the precepts of Jehovah. Through nearly forty years of wandering that rest was enforced and remembered by God withholding manna every seventh day and miraculously preserving the double portion gathered on the preparation day as a constant reminder of God's appointed rest day. By this double miracle He placed His seal upon the sacredness of the Sabbath institution afterward spoken at Sinai and given to Moses on two tables of stone written with the finger of God.
The rest was the Sabbath they must keep, belonging with God's giving of manna as angels' food to eat, which did not satisfy them. The Sabbath was not to be profaned, and strangers among the Israelites who honored it could share the manna God provided. The weekly miracle of the manna reminded the people throughout their forty years in the wilderness of the Sabbath's sacred obligation and continually testified to the commandment. That reminder did not ensure obedience, for the people were lax in keeping the Sabbath, and their neglect was among the reasons the first generation was excluded from the promised land.
Faithful Keeping Then and Now
Resting on the seventh day means that work connected with food must cease on the Sabbath, and all preparation must be completed on Friday. Sabbath meals are to be simple foods cooked and wrapped on Friday, and workers themselves are to put up their own Friday lunches to carry them over the Sabbath. Regular business such as a restaurant is not to be opened on the Sabbath, so that no Sabbath labor or selling is required. Food for hungry persons may instead be placed beforehand in baskets or packages with the price marked, for them to take away and eat until work opens again.
God called Israel out of Egypt that they might keep His Sabbath by resting on the seventh day in obedience to the day He blessed and sanctified. That deliverance is the pattern for the last work, when He calls His people out of Babylon to keep the true Sabbath instead of the spurious rival sabbath. That final call requires refusing to worship the beast and his image. It requires refusing the rival sabbath set up by the power that exalts itself above God by thinking to change times and laws and by removing His memorial.
The people rested on the seventh day because on Friday God gave twice as much manna for two days and commanded them to prepare it then and stay in place on the Sabbath when none fell. By a double miracle He set His seal on the Sabbath, withholding manna every seventh day and preserving the Friday portion through the Sabbath though manna kept over other days spoiled. The seventh day had been hallowed at creation, and this weekly provision repeated the Eden Sabbath law and sustained its binding force before it was spoken at Sinai. God had brought Israel out of Egyptian bondage where taskmasters forced Sabbath labor, that they might keep the day holy unmolested, and the continuing miracle testified to that sacred obligation which they must not profane. That deliverance to rest in obedience to the blessed and sanctified Sabbath is the pattern for the last work of calling God's people out of Babylon to keep the true Sabbath and refuse the rival sabbath of the power that exalts itself above God.
Manna Miracle and Rest
On the sixth day, Friday, God gave twice as much manna as usual, enough for two days, and directed the people to prepare it then and to remain in their places on the seventh day, when no manna fell. That weekly pattern taught that the seventh day was the Lord's holy Sabbath.
By a double miracle God set His seal on the sacredness of the Sabbath: He withheld manna every seventh day and miraculously preserved the double portion gathered on the preparation day through the Sabbath, though manna kept over other days spoiled. This weekly provision continued throughout the forty years, or nearly forty years of wandering while they ate manna, as a constant lesson and reminder of God's appointed rest day.
The provision was angels' food and bread from God, given in mercy and care and as schooling that took in all habits of life, with everything touching well-being under divine care and divine law. Even in giving food God aimed at their highest good, and the manna built up physical, mental, and moral strength, so that despite wilderness hardship there was not a feeble one in all the tribes. Yet it did not satisfy them, and God did not do everything for them, leaving moral discipline to depend on each person cooperating with Him.
Sabbath History and Obligation
The seventh day had been hallowed and sanctified by God at creation, and its standing as His holy institution was sustained by the miracle in the giving of the manna when the people rested on the seventh day. Before the law was given at Sinai the Israelites already rested on the seventh day as God's sacred Sabbath, with twice as much manna provided on the sixth day and direction to prepare it then and to remain in their places on the seventh day. No manna fell on that day, the Lord having provided enough on Friday for two days, and this weekly provision continuing throughout their forty years of eating manna in the wilderness taught them that the Sabbath was holy. That continuing miracle repeated the Sabbath law given in Eden and continually testified to the Sabbath commandment given in Eden before it was given at Sinai.
God brought Israel out of Egypt so that they might keep the Sabbath day holy and fulfill the precepts of His law. In bondage their taskmasters had tried to force Sabbath labor by increasing the weekly work, but being brought out they could observe unmolested all the precepts of Jehovah. Through nearly forty years of wandering that rest was enforced and remembered by God withholding manna every seventh day and miraculously preserving the double portion gathered on the preparation day as a constant reminder of God's appointed rest day. By this double miracle He placed His seal upon the sacredness of the Sabbath institution afterward spoken at Sinai and given to Moses on two tables of stone written with the finger of God.
The rest was the Sabbath they must keep, belonging with God's giving of manna as angels' food to eat, which did not satisfy them. The Sabbath was not to be profaned, and strangers among the Israelites who honored it could share the manna God provided. The weekly miracle of the manna reminded the people throughout their forty years in the wilderness of the Sabbath's sacred obligation and continually testified to the commandment. That reminder did not ensure obedience, for the people were lax in keeping the Sabbath, and their neglect was among the reasons the first generation was excluded from the promised land.
Faithful Keeping Then and Now
Resting on the seventh day means that work connected with food must cease on the Sabbath, and all preparation must be completed on Friday. Sabbath meals are to be simple foods cooked and wrapped on Friday, and workers themselves are to put up their own Friday lunches to carry them over the Sabbath. Regular business such as a restaurant is not to be opened on the Sabbath, so that no Sabbath labor or selling is required. Food for hungry persons may instead be placed beforehand in baskets or packages with the price marked, for them to take away and eat until work opens again.
God called Israel out of Egypt that they might keep His Sabbath by resting on the seventh day in obedience to the day He blessed and sanctified. That deliverance is the pattern for the last work, when He calls His people out of Babylon to keep the true Sabbath instead of the spurious rival sabbath. That final call requires refusing to worship the beast and his image. It requires refusing the rival sabbath set up by the power that exalts itself above God by thinking to change times and laws and by removing His memorial.