EP. 253 The Purpose of the Sabbath

SHOW NOTES

We’re continuing our series on the purpose of the Ten Commandments, and last week in episode 252 we covered the first three commandments. This week we’re turning to the fourth commandment—the command to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.

The Commandment

Exodus 20:8–11 says:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

At its core, this commandment is about acknowledging God as Creator. It’s not merely about setting aside a “day off,” but about setting aside a day to remember that all things exist because of Him, through Him, and for Him.

When Is the Sabbath?

We often think of Saturday and Sunday as “the weekend,” thanks to Henry Ford and modern work culture. But biblically speaking, the week doesn’t begin with Monday, it begins with Sunday. That means Saturday is the sixth day, and Sunday is the first day of the week. If creation began on a Monday, then God’s rest on the seventh day would align with Sunday.

This has raised an important question: is the true Sabbath Saturday or Sunday?

Historically, Jewish people have always honored the Sabbath on Saturday, the seventh day of the week. Some Christians, especially since the resurrection of Christ occurred on the first day of the week (Sunday), see Sunday as the “Christian Sabbath.” But as Tim explains, the Sabbath is not primarily about celebrating the resurrection—that’s what the Lord’s Day gatherings of the early church emphasized. Instead, the Sabbath commandment points us back to creation itself and to God as Creator.

The Story of Two Runners

Tim shares the story of two Olympic athletes whose convictions about the Sabbath shaped their lives:

• Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian, believed Sunday was the Sabbath and refused to run on that day, even when it meant giving up his best event in the Paris Olympics. Instead, he ran the 400 meters on another day and won gold, honoring God with his obedience.

• Harold Abrahams, a Jewish runner, honored Saturday as the Sabbath. His training and competition also had to adjust around his convictions.

Both men illustrate how seriously God’s people have historically taken the idea of the Sabbath—but they also highlight the different interpretations of which day is the true Sabbath.

So what’s the purpose of the Sabbath?

1. To Remember God as Creator – The Sabbath points us back to Genesis 1:1. The world is not about us—it is about God. The universe is theocentric (God-centered), not anthropocentric (man-centered). Every time we honor the Sabbath, we declare that our Creator is sovereign over all.

2. To Rest in God’s Sovereignty – We are reminded that God is all-powerful, that He loves His people, and that His purposes will come to pass. Our lives are not ultimately sustained by our work, but by His providence.

3. To Embrace Rest and Balance – God designed humans for a rhythm of work and rest. The Sabbath is a weekly reminder that we are finite, dependent creatures who need to pause, rest, and worship.

   
   

The purpose of the Sabbath is not just to stop working, it’s to acknowledge the One who created us, sustains us, and deserves all glory. Next time, we’ll continue walking through the Ten Commandments to see how each one reveals more of God’s purpose for our lives.