The Sabbath Question of Work

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.

Whether one believes it is still commanded or not, it is still best for head of household and family to take at least one day a week for special purposeful focused worship and rest even if only in your own household (all your dwellings).

It is all about faith that God will provide if we don’t chase money and material seven days a week and don’t make our employees do so (Exodus 16:1-2, 23; 20:8-11).

Matthew 6:31-33

(31) Therefore take no thought [don’t worry about], saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

(32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

(33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

According to historical writings on the Synod of Laodicea, Christian church leaders at least as early as the 4th century AD believed what we know as Saturday aligns with that Sabbath spoken of in the Bible. Therefore, I hold that Saturday is that Sabbath spoken of in scripture.

However, it is controversial as to whether Christians are free to choose another day such as has been done for most of latter day Christian history.

I hold that a person should choose at least one day out of the seven days, preferably Saturday or Sunday, as a day of family and community worship and rest.

But I hold that whether one chooses Saturday or Sunday for one’s day of family and community worship and rest is a personal choice per Colossians 2:14-17 to be agreed to by family and the local community of faith to which one belongs/associates.

Thus, some choose Saturday and some choose Sunday.

More importantly, one should not judge another or allow oneself to be judged by others concerning such a matter.

Let each be fully persuaded in his or her own mind to the satisfaction of God by sincere faith.

Saturday as the Sabbath raises difficulty as to businesses and employment when one considers most in America consider Sunday as the day of special worship and rest to the extent they do worship and rest.

I suggest each person seek God as to how the scriptures listed below apply to their life when facing question of when to work and rest and even the type of activities one engages in that some may or may not consider work.

In the final analysis it is your life.

Nobody knows the totality of your responsibilities, commitment, and obstacles better than God and YOU.

1 Timothy 1:5

1 Timothy 5:8

Mark 2:23-28

Colossians 2:14-17

Romans 14:5

In the Bible there is various statement about what constitutes work on the Sabbath.

For example in Numbers 15:32-36 a man was caught gathering sticks on the Sabbath and God told them to stone the person to death. Now there is uncertainty as to what gathering sticks meant in that day. ern

There are books outside of the core 66 in the KJV that also speak to what constitutes work on the Sabbath.

For example, the book of Jubilees and that Document of Damascus both of which are classified as about the Dead Sea Scrolls deal with work on the Sabbath. These documents are said to have been written somewhere around the 1st and 2nd Century BC.

The Book of Jubilees is said to be an account of the history of the world from beginning to Moses. In chapter 50 it discusses what may not be done on the Sabbath.  It says any person who has sex with their spouse on the Sabbath shall be put to death. In that same chapter it says if a person goes on a journey or draws water from a well or is on a fast or makes war on a Sabbath shall be put to death.

The Damascus Document says that if a person falls into a body of water or cistern on the Sabbath no one is to help him out of it.

It also says if an animal falls into the ditch no one can help that animal out on the Sabbath.  Jesus rebukes such a law in Matthew 12:11-12.





References:

Book of Jubilees Online

The_Damascus_Document PDF

Categories
Salvation and Law Christianity Basic Christian Doctrine Christian Sabbath/Holidays

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