The Importance of Honoring the Sabbath
“But the seventh day is a day of rest to honor the LORD your God. On that day no one may do any work: not you, your son or daughter, your male or female slaves, your ox, your donkey, or any of your animals, or the foreigners living in your cities. That way your servants may rest as you do.” -Deuteronomy 5:14
The Sabbath is one day out of the week that God commands His people to keep holy and free from any kind of work. The day is meant for His people to rest and to honor Him by going to church. At church, His people honor Him through worship, singing hymns, prayer, communion, and baptism. Honoring the Sabbath is the fourth Commandment God gives to people. It is His law He made from the beginning and wants it to be honored (Genesis 2:2-3).
Today, in society and even Christians have forgotten about God’s law about keeping the Sabbath day holy and free from work because everyone has their own beliefs about honoring the Sabbath. Some do not think they need to because it was an Old Testament law that does not apply today.
In the New Testament, there is evidence that Christians began to observe the Sabbath on the first day of the week, Sunday (Acts 20:7). Later in Revelation 1:10, John talks about the Lord’s Day and he probably meant Sunday as well. The New Testament book of Hebrews 10:25, says that believers should not stay away from church meetings, as some are doing, but should meet together and encourage each other and to do this more now because the day is coming when Jesus will return.
This verse warns against apostasy because some were doing this when this letter was written. To forsake the local assembly of God means to turn one’s back against Christianity and to revert to Judaism. It is important to honor the Sabbath because believers can find comfort, strength, and joy, especially in times of persecution and hardships. There is a need to encourage one another particularly now because Jesus is coming soon. When He does, all His people will be seen to be on the winning side, but until then there is a need for us to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy.
Prayer of the day:
Dear heavenly Father,
You created one day in seven for rest and worship. You want us to honor the day by worshipping You and resting. You want no one to work including our children, animals, or our employees. It is a day that You commanded us to go to church to sing praises to You, have communion with other believers, and to celebrate in baptism. Help us to keep the Sabbath day holy even in our busy lives because is hard to do. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!
