Answer: So, the question is this: “Does the Sabbath refer to our rest in the Lord 7 days a week, or does it refer to a limited rest only 1 day a week?” Or in other words, which statement is true: “The Lord is the Sabbath,” or “The seventh day is the Sabbath.”
First, let us see how God Himself defines the Sabbath:
Exodus 20:10, “But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD”
Leviticus 23:3, “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.”
Deuteronomy 5:14, “But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD.”
Scripture does not say that the Lord is the Sabbath, but that the seventh day of the week is the Sabbath. It also says that the Lord gives us rest:
Psalms 37:7, “Rest in the LORD,”
Joshua 1:13, “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest,”
Joshua 22:4, “And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as He promised them:”
1 Kings 5:4, “But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side,”
1 Kings 8:56, “Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto His people”
1 Chronicles 23:25, “For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath given rest unto His people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever:”
2 Chronicles 14:11, “…O LORD our God; for we rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against Thee.”
Isaiah 63:14, “…the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so didst Thou lead Thy people, to make Thyself a glorious name.”
Jeremiah 6:16, “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.”
So yes, the Lord is our rest; both in the Old Testament and New Testament. In the Old Testament, this did not make it unnecessary for a Sabbath day of rest. This does not mean the Lord is our Sabbath. Yes, Scripture says He is Lord of the Sabbath, but it does not say the Lord is the Sabbath.
Exodus 16:23, “And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD:”
Exodus 31:15, “Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.”
Exodus 35:2, “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.”
Leviticus 23:3, “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.”
Deuteronomy 5:14, “But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God:”
Notice Scripture does not say the Sabbath is the Lord, it says the Sabbath of the Lord. Scripture does not say the Lord is our Sabbath, it says the Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a specific day of the week. Yes, we are to rest in the Lord every day. But every day is not a Sabbath. These are two completely different “rests.”
Now let’s see if it has the same meaning in the New Testament.
Matthew 12:8, “For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.”
Mark 2:28, “Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.”
Luke 6:5, “And He said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.”
Christ Jesus also taught that He was Lord of the Sabbath, not that the Lord is the Sabbath. And also, like the Old Testament, Jesus says He gives us rest:
Matthew 11:28, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Greek word #373).”
Christ gives us rest. “Rest” is something that Christ gives us, it is not something He is. If Jesus said, “come unto Me and I will give you sleep,” does that mean Jesus is sleep? No, it does not; even though Jesus described “sleep” as a “rest” (Greek word #373) in Matthew 26:45 and Mark 14:41. We do not say Christ is our sleep, do we? In addition, this word for “rest” (Greek word #373) is never associated with the Sabbath; never.
To say “Christ is our rest” is fine. But to say “Because of this (which Scripture does not say), it replaces the 4th Commandment (which Scripture does say).” We cannot replace something God told us, with something God never told us.
The fact that the Lord gave us rest in the Old Testament did not change the law of keeping the seventh day as the Sabbath. Likewise, the fact that the Lord gives us rest in the New Testament does not change the law of keeping the seventh day as the Sabbath. Just because we rest in the Lord seven days a week, it does not do away or change the seventh day Sabbath rest.
KEEP THE SABBATH TO FULFILL OBEDIENCE TO THE GOSPEL
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