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Commentary on "Rest"
Day 5: Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Introduction
What principles can we take away from Isaiah 58:12-14 about Sabbath-keeping that help us better experience the blessings God has for us if we remember the Sabbath properly? Many Adventists don’t truly enjoy the Sabbath. A lot of things regarding Sabbath behavior are rooted in culture and tradition rather than biblical principles. Ellen G. White says it shouldn’t be a period of “useless inactivity” but to sacred rest, to worship and to holy deeds. The Sabbath should be viewed as positive rather than associated with prohibitions and restrictions. What was Jesus’ example regarding Sabbath-keeping in the New Testament? What would be the perfect Sabbath? What would be available to you then that wouldn’t be throughout the rest of the week?
Problems
The title implies that it’s about how it looks to the world, rather than being primarily concerned with proper Sabbath-keeping according to God’s mandates. While the focus of “thinking positive” is good, the fact that discussion about “useless activity vs. worship/holy deeds” is in the context of a day misses the whole point. This should be the difference in our lifestyle as a Christian, seven days a week! It all comes down to why we’re doing it. If we’re internally motivated by the Holy Spirit, then the day doesn’t matter; it’s a way of life. If we’re doing it because it’s what we think God wants us to do and it’s our duty, then it’s a problem with the condition of our heart. God doesn’t want or need our pathetic attempt, one day in seven, to “keep” Sabbath. He wants a “seven out of seven” passion for Him manifested in all we do. This is why the focus needs to be on Christ, rather than a day. When the day becomes a bigger “god” than Christ Himself, something is wrong. In Adventist theology, Sabbath-keeping is a “deal breaker”. You can’t be a dedicated Adventist and ignore the overwhelming importance of the Sabbath, no matter how much you try to downplay it as “just a commemoration of creation and freedom from slavery”.
The passages in Mark and Luke intended to model for us how Christ “kept” the Sabbath (doing good works)are really an illustration of how He wasn’t tied down or bound by Old Covenant Jewish laws—He is Lord over them and above their jurisdiction. While He was Jewish and often was in the synagogue on the Jewish Sabbath (that’s where the people were…they were Jewish!), He purposefully broke traditional Sabbath laws, showing His superiority over them.
What would the perfect Sabbath look like? If you’re still under the Old Covenant, then you’d better be keeping the Sabbath in accordance to the Jewish laws. It’s not a subjective issue. Otherwise, you’re just deluding yourself that you’re truly keeping the Sabbath according to God’s righteous standards.
Summary
- It’s not about how Seventh-day Adventists model “Sabbath rest” to the world. The world doesn’t care about what day they worship or “separate from the world” on—it’s about WHO we need to be modeling to the world. The Great Commission is to go out into the world and share the gospel of Christ, not to lead people to “Sabbath-keeping” (Matt. 28:18-20). Nowhere is that mentioned in the Bible.
- Modeling “proper” Sabbath-keeping, based on Christ’s examples in the New Testament, is to illustrate disobedience to the Jewish Old Covenant laws. As mentioned before, these laws were never mandated for the Church.
- Our focus needs to be on Christ and His finished work that brings us true rest, not what activities are appropriate for an Old Covenant holy day.
Copyright 2009 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised May 11, 2009. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.
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