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period of several days, without any interruption every 7th day. The Bible
clearly attributes the origin of the Sabbath to the Divine example.
The fourth commandment enjoins observance of the Sabbath. In Genesis
there is no mention of the Sabbath apart from the creation account. There
is, however, mention of periods of 7 days.
(Gn. 7:4, 10; 8:10, 12; 29:27)
We may also
note in the narrative in Job, that the seven sons celebrated a feast each on
his day, and this was followed by the prayers and sacrifices by Job, for the
benefit of his children
. (Jb. 1:4–5)
This was not a single round, but was
regularly practiced. It may be that here is an intimation of worship on the
1st day of the cycle. At least the principle that one day in 7 is holy to the
Lord appears to be recognized.
Explicit mention is made of the Sabbath in connection with the giving of
manna.
(Ex. 16:21–30)
The Sabbath is here represented as a gift of God, to be
for the rest and benefit of the people. It was not necessary to work on the
Sabbath [
i.e
. to gather manna], for a double portion had been provided on
the 6th day.
The Sabbath was therefore known to Israel, and the injunction to
remember it was one that would be understood. It is a day that he has
blessed and that he has set apart for observance. This is not contradicted;
people are commanded to keep the Sabbath in the manner in which the
Lord has already commanded them, and the fact that the Sabbath belongs
to the Lord. An additional reason, however, is given for the observance of
the command. This reason is merely additional; it does not conflict with
those already given. Israel is commanded to observe the Sabbath day, in
order ‘that your manservant and your maidservant may rest as well as you’.
Here is a humanitarian emphasis; but here also is emphasis upon the fact,
that the Sabbath was made for man. Israel had been a slave in Egypt, and
had been delivered; so, Israel must show the mercy of the Sabbath towards
those in her own midst, who are slaves to evil.
For our edification Paul the Apostle stated this accurately; “Now we who
have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, ‘So I declared on oath in
my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ And yet his work has been
finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken
about the seventh day in these words: ‘And on the seventh day God rested
from all his work.’ And again in the passage above he says; ‘they shall never
enter my rest.’ It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who
formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in because of their
