Author: shermancox

I heard a Sabbathkeeper argue for a “deeper” understanding of the Sabbath. This is fine and I have argued for the same thing, however a growing number of people are saying that public worship was not a part of Sabbath observance. They argue that the Sabbath was primarily meant to be a one on one “date” between the individual and God and that there was no worship or communal component to the Sabbath.

The idea is that the Sabbath was a day for “individual rest” and not one of “corporate worship.” One individual told me in an email, “Adventists took the Sabbath which was meant for individual communion with God and rest and made it a day of corporate worship.” Then the person sought to defend this assertion by saying that “the fourth commandment says nothing about worship.”

Independent Celebration

While it is true that the fourth commandment does not say anything about worship, one must recognize first of all that the commandment does not imply that it is a totally independent endeavor. The Sabbath commandment speaks of a rest that includes ones workers and others. It includes a manservent, maidservent, and even cattle. All of these are to be participants in the benefits of the Sabbath rest. In addition, the commandment was meant to “do good” to others rather than in an independent “me and God” experience.

Sabbath Include Worship?

Just as the Sabbath was not meant as an individualistic endeavor, it also includes a worship. The Bible says, in Leviticus 23:3, that the Sabbath was meant to be a Holy Convocation. A convocation is a gathering. The Sabbath was to include a holy religious gathering.

Thus the Sabbath was not meant to be a individualistic “rest” from others, but a corporate “rest” with others as we do good to others and we worship the Creator God.

The other day I was talking to a friend about the joy that the Sabbath brings. I do not have to work on that day. I can set aside cares and responsibilities that living in our contemporary world brings. I can take a nap in the middle of the day, I can reunite with members of my faith community, I can call friends, I can take a walk with my family.

I can do some missionary work. The Sabbath is a day that I can set aside worldly cares and be unencumbered in my kingdom living, however with a young child, I am beginning to wonder how to talk of and pass on the love for the Sabbath.

Many of us as children longed for the sun to go down on Sabbath because we didn’t have the cares of the week. We didn’t have the responsibililties waiting around the corner. We didn’t have the daily grind seeking to call us back. And so we don’t see that aspect of the Sabbath as welcome relief.

In addition, many middle class American children are shielded from the great pain and heartache arond the world. The Sabbath as a pointed to the coming kingdom is not as important when your present kingdom doesn’t seem so bad.

But these things perhaps pushes me to realize that undestanding the Sabbath is my point. It is on me to pass on this important ideal. I pray that God will give me the patience and love to pass on this blessing. as children, we are shielded from the blessing that the Sabbath points to. There are