Holy-Bible-StudyThe Fourth Commandment

The Fourth Commandment as it is written,

Exodus 20:8-11 MKJV
(8) Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
(9)  Six days you shall labour and do all your work.
(10)  But the seventh day is the Sabbath of Jehovah your God. You shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger within your gates.
(11)  For in six days Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore, Jehovah blessed the Sabbath day, and sanctified it.

 A word study for Sabbath and Day

NOTE: the Sabbath can be a day, a year, or an appointment/feast day. The Sabbath can also be food, as in the produce of the Sabbath year.

H7676 – Original: שׁבּת shabbath {shab-bawth’} Strongs: intensive from H7673; TWOT – 2323b; n f/m AV – sabbath 107, another 1; 108
1) Sabbath 1a) sabbath 1b) day of atonement 1c) sabbath year 1d) week 1e) produce (in sabbath year) yowm {yome} from an unused root meaning to be hot; TWOT – 852; n m AV – day 2008, time 64, chronicles + H1697 37, daily 32, ever 17, year 14, continually 10, when 10, as 10, while 8, full 8 always 4, whole 4, always 4, misc 44; 2274
1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day’s journey
1c) days, lifetime (pl.)
1d) time, period (general)
1e) year
1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow

To Rest or Rested

Genesis 2:1-3 MKJV
And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
(2)  And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made. And He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made.
(3)  And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He had rested from all His work which God created to make.

In the verse above the word “rested” is the Hebrew word shabath (English is Sabbath). A more direct translation would be “… and He shabbated on the seventh day…”

H7673  Original: שׁבת shabath {shaw-bath’} a primitive root; TWOT – 2323, 2323c; v AV – cease 47, rest 11, away 3, fail 2, celebrate 1, misc 7; 71
1) to cease, desist, rest
1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cease 1a2) to rest, desist (from labour)
1b) (Niphal) to cease
1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to cease, put an end to 1c2) to exterminate, destroy 1c3) to cause to desist from 1c4) to remove 1c5) to cause to fail
2) (Qal) to keep or observe the Sabbath

Is the Sabbath a sign?
Is the Sabbath a token?
Is the Sabbath an oath?
Is the Sabbath a seal?
Is the Sabbath a Covenant?

Let’s check:

A Sign

Exodus 31:13 MKJV
Speak also to the sons of Israel, saying, Truly you shall keep My sabbaths. For it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, to know that I am Jehovah who sanctifies you.

The word “sign” in the above verse is the Hebrew word “owt” ‘owth {oth} probably from H225 (in the sense of appearing); TWOT – 41a; n f AV – sign(s) 60, token(s) 14, ensign(s) 2, miracles 2, mark 1; 79
1) sign, signal 1a) a distinguishing mark 1b) banner 1c) remembrance 1d) miraculous sign 1e) omen 1f) warning
2) token, ensign, standard, miracle, proof
From the word uwth {ooth} a primitive root; TWOT – 53; v AV – consent 4; 4 1) (Niphal) to consent, agree

The Sabbath is a sign.

A Covenant

Exodus 31:14 MKJV
You shall keep the Sabbath therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone that defiles it shall surely be put to death. For whoever does any work in it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

Do we realize, that when we are not keeping the Sabbath, we are cut off? This is difficult to face, isn’t it? Yet this is what Yehovah tells us and it is true.

Remember, the children of Israel were “saved and delivered” from Egypt and Pharaoh, but many still were to be cut off as they did not keep His Commandments.

The same is true for us as we heard the message of Yeshua’s passion and His death and resurrection. Our hearts were moved, we believed and obtained salvation and deliverance. But this is not the same as being grafted into the commonwealth of Israel. Being grafted into Yehovah’s family of His people requires us to live according to His Righteousness and His Government. This requires we keep the Sabbath.

Exodus 31:15-16 MKJV
Six days may work be done, but on the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to Jehovah. Whoever does any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
(16)  Therefore, the sons of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant.

So, the Sabbath is a covenant.

A Sign Forever

Exodus 31:17 MKJV
It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever. For in six days Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed.

It is no small thing, that the words of Yehovah to Moses and the children of Israel in the verses of Exodus 31:13-17 end with this:

Exodus 31:18 MKJV
And He gave to Moses, when He had made an end of speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God.

This is verse 18 and was prior to Moses coming down the mountain to find the children of Israel having a party in honour of the golden calf.

The Sabbath is a sign, forever. Not just for a certain time in history, but forever.

Sabbaths are not only Weekly

Exodus 31:13 MKJV
Speak also to the sons of Israel, saying, Truly you shall keep My sabbaths. For it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, to know that I am Jehovah who sanctifies you.

Now, notice in verse 13 that the word Sabbath is plural. Some teach that only the Sabbath day, the weekly seventh day, is the only Sabbath required for our keeping.

Yehovah plainly intends all His Sabbaths to be kept. Whenever we read in Scripture Yehovah saying “My Sabbath” this means His Sabbaths, which includes, for example, a seventh YEAR Sabbath.

We find out later, in Leviticus, that Yehovah also intends for His Holy Appointments, His Feasts, to be Sabbaths.

Leviticus 16:29-31 MKJV
And it shall be a statute forever to you: in the seventh month, on the tenth of the month, you shall afflict your souls and do no work at all, the native and the alien who is staying among you.
(30)  For on that day an atonement shall be made for you, to cleanse you, so that you may be clean from all your sins before Jehovah.
(31)  It shall be a sabbath of rest to you, and you shall afflict your souls, by a statute forever.

A Sabbath of rest reads: Shabbat Shabbathown

H7677  שׁבּתון shabbathown {shab-baw-thone’} from H7676; TWOT – 2323d; n m AV – rest 8, sabbath 3, 11
1) Sabbath observance, sabbatism 1a) of weekly sabbath 1b) day of atonement 1c) sabbatical year 1d) of Feast of Trumpets 1e) of the 1st and last days of the Feast of Tabernacles
– Strong’s: From H7676; a sabbatism or special holiday: – rest sabbath

Leviticus 23:24 MKJV
Speak to the sons of Israel saying: In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath, a memorial summons, a holy convocation.

The first and eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles are Sabbaths.

Leviticus 25:1-5 MKJV
And Jehovah spoke to Moses in Mount Sinai, saying,
(2)  Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath[shabbath] to Jehovah.
(3)  You shall sow your field six years, and you shall prune your vineyard six years, and gather in the fruit of it.
(4)  But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest[shabbathown] to the land, a sabbath[shabbathown] for Jehovah. You shall neither sow your field, nor prune your vineyard.
(5)  You shall not reap that which grows of its own accord of your harvest, neither gather the grapes of your undressed vine. It is a year of rest[shabbathown] to the land.

 

Leviticus 23:39 MKJV
Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep a feast to Jehovah seven days. On the first day shall be a sabbath [shabbathown], and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath [shabbathown].

 

Leviticus 25:1-5 MKJV
And Jehovah spoke to Moses in Mount Sinai, saying,
(2)  Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath[shabbathown] to Jehovah.
(3)  You shall sow your field six years, and you shall prune your vineyard six years, and gather in the fruit of it.
(4)  But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest[shabbathown] to the land, a sabbath[shabbathown] for Jehovah. You shall neither sow your field, nor prune your vineyard.
(5)  You shall not reap that which grows of its own accord of your harvest, neither gather the grapes of your undressed vine. It is a year of rest[shabbathown] to the land.

This particular Sabbath, the Sabbath that is a year-long and comes every seven years, is special. It is special because it appears that Yehovah actually uses this Sabbath – the Sabbath year, as a timetable of sorts.

We live our lives for six years planting, reaping, harvesting, loaning money, buying and selling, and keeping our servants. In the seventh year – all of this ceases and it is a year of release. As we live through these years, we are to be obedient to our covenant and all its instructions and rulings, but if we do not, Yehovah will use these years to bring upon us things meant to wake us up and chastise us.

He tells us that plainly throughout Leviticus chapter 26.

Notice the Sabbath cycles as you read the following verses:

Leviticus 26:1-25 MKJV
You shall make no idols to yourselves; and you shall not set up for yourselves graven images, or a memorial pillar. And you shall not set up any image of stone in your land in order to bow down to it. For I am Jehovah your God.
(2)  You shall keep My sabbaths and revere My sanctuary. I am Jehovah.
(3)  If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and do them,
(4)  then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
(5)  And your threshing shall reach to the vintage, and the vintage shall reach to the sowing time. And you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
(6)  And I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down and none shall make you afraid. And I will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.
(7)  And you shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
(8)  And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight. And your enemies shall fall by the sword in front of you.
(9)  For I will have respect to you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish My covenant with you.
(10)  And you shall eat of the old provision, and clear away the old because of the new.
(11)  And I will set My tabernacle among you. And My soul shall not abhor you.
(12)  And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be My people.
(13)  I am Jehovah your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, from being their bondmen. And I have broken the bonds of your yoke, and made you go upright.
(14)  But if you will not listen to Me, and will not do all these commandments,
(15)  and if you shall despise My statutes, or if your soul hates My judgments, so that you will not do all My commandments, so that you break My covenant;
(16)  I will also do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, consumption, and burning fever, consuming the eyes and causing sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
(17)  And I will set My face against you, and you shall be slain before your enemies. They that hate you shall reign over you. And you shall flee when none pursues you.
(18)  And if you will not yet listen to Me for all this, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
(19)  And I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heaven like iron and your earth like bronze.
(20)  And your strength shall be spent in vain. For your land shall not yield its increase, neither shall the trees of the field yield their fruits.
(21)  And if you walk contrary to Me, and will not listen to Me, I will bring seven times more plagues on you according to your sins.
(22)  I will also send wild beasts among you, who shall bereave you. And I will destroy your cattle, and make you few. And your highways shall be deserted.
(23)  And if you will not be reformed by Me by these things, but will still walk contrary to Me,
(24)  then I will walk contrary to you and will punish you seven times more for your sins.
(25)  And I will bring a sword on you that shall execute the vengeance of the covenant. And when you are gathered inside your cities, I will send the plague among you. And you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

And it continues on through the rest of Leviticus chapter 26 up to the point where there is great repentance and then a “remembering” of His Covenant and restoration.

Isn’t it interesting how we tend to turn some of these instructions into rules upon rules upon rules? We do this in order to try and get “around” obeying the commandments.

But there are some questions we could ask ourselves:

  • does the land “need” to rest? There is always crop rotation to allow a break from minerals and nutrients used up. And what about letting the land rest in just any year? Would that not be similar to keeping Sabbath on any old day of the week?
  • Why does Yehovah care about whether or not our debts are forgiven?
  • Why does He want us to release the slaves every seven years?

Certainly, it is for our own welfare and to receive the blessings He has promised us that we read above.

I never knew about the blessings of keeping the seventh day Sabbath until I kept it.

The Sabbath prepares us and keeps us through another whole week. The same is true for the Sabbath year.

He wants us to just obey Him.

Did you know there are more blessings for remembering and keeping the Sabbath?

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