God’s revelation to Moses on the mountain was,
Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy.
(Exodus 20:18).
This part of the covenant recalls creation;
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.
(Genesis 2:1;3)
Obedience to Sabbath observation is enjoined as a law on the Israelites from the time of Moses, its strict observance marked out the people of Israel as a Holy People, separated for God’s blessing. Sabbath observation was the sign of the Mosaic covenant, just as circumcision was the sign of the covenant with Abraham and the rainbow a sign of the covenant with Noah. Interpretation and application of this law in the time of Jesus had become very serious and strict observation was a touchstone of orthodoxy.
This fourth commandment in the Mosaic Law sits strangely with the other ten, unless we read it in its context and we note that it is a sign of the covenant between God and Moses and to break it meant death and signified apostasy.
Exodus 31:12-17 (English Standard Version)
And the LORD said to Moses, "You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, 'Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you. You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.'"
How does this law stand in the light of the cross?
To read the full article visit
www.takeleycf.org.uk/sabbath.htm
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"How does this law stand in the light of the cross?"
ReplyDeleteThe Ten Commandments are still God's law, and this includes the Sabbath.
As I point out in my blog, the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant is not a change in the law of the Ten Commandments, but better promises offered under the New Covenant. Under the New Covenant, God's law represented by the Ten Commandments is written in our hearts, not on stone. The New Covenant provides the promise of the Holy Spirit and eternal life, while the Old Covenant only promised national prosperity and protection. The New Covenant promises forgiveness of sin, which was never available under the Old Covenant. Those are the better promises.
But the law of God is the same under both covenants.
There is an incident in the gospel account where a man asked Jesus a question about the New Covenant and Jesus confirmed that the Ten Commandments are part of the New Covenant. Moreover, the apostle James writing after Jesus died and was resurrected also confirms that the Ten Commandments are still in force.
Thank you for taking the time to make this post. I have posted my answer as the rest of the article linked to above.Grace and peace to you.
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