Sabbath

Sabbath is a sacred day of rest and worship, following the biblical commandment in Exodus 20:8-11. Days, according to the Bible, start with the sunset and end with the sunset - so the Sabbath is kept from Friday evening to Saturday evening. Let’s take a moment to explore what God tell’s us about the Sabbath through the scripture:

References

“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
"Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy. ... It is a sign between me and the Israelites forever,for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed”
“There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.“
“Then he said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.“
“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read,“
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.“

Why we keep Sabbath?

Sabbath serves as a memorial to God's creation, emphasizing the belief in a six-day creation and a day of rest on the seventh. God has commanded us to observe Sabbath as it is guiding us closer to him, spending time together in his presence. It is a great opportunity to turn-off the world for one day a week and take time to observe this magnificent creation that God has gifted us. As humans we are getting busy with the noise around us so much that we tend to forget who created this world and why. One of the terms of salvation is to obey God’s commands, the fourth of which is "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8). This commandment is given not for the jews, nor for the christians, but for the human kind in general.

Saturday or Sunday?

How come many christian denominations are keeping Sundays instead of Saturdays as the “seventh” day of the week? The answer is very simple: this Holy Comandment has been changed via the self-proclaimed power of the Catholic Church. Many years ago (336 A.D.) the fourth commandment was re-written by the Catholic Church counsil in Laodicea to better suit the people of the church. The day we start listening to people and not God is the day we fail (it has been not the first time and not the last time the scripture was changed by people in power). So God warns us through the scripture once again “Remember the Sabbath day“ - the only true seventh day of the Biblical week is Saturday (or “the Sabbath”).

“The Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (A. D. 336), transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday”

— The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine

How should we spend Sabbath?

The Sabbath provides a designated time for spiritual reflection, worship, and community fellowship for many people. It is a time for the physical and spiritual rest, so it’s better to refrain from “worldly” problems and worries, and spend time with your loved ones and God. Reflect on the Word of God, take a walk in the nature, spend the time with your community or by yourself, study the Bible, have a picnic outside and enjoy the creation of God.

“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.“ (Mark 2:27)

God invites you to spend this day with him and rest as he rested during the creation. Will you accept his invitation this Sabbath?