What is the Sabbath rest

Hobie

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Now some people say "Christ is the Sabbath rest for all those in covenant with God in Christ", but what does that mean. '
Well lets start with what it tells us, "Remember the Sabbath day," in the Ten Commandments and it continues. "For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy" (Exodus 20:8, 11). So here the Law given to Moses sends us back to the creation of the world. The Sabbath goes back to what God did at creation.

John 1:1-3."In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

Then further at verse 10 we have "He [Jesus] was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not." (John 1:10)

We find in Colossians,: "For by Him [Jesus] all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. (Col. 1:16)

Thus Jesus Christ is our Creator. The One who created the world, made the animals and birds and sea creators and Adam and Eve and rested. So we see He is our Creator there at the beginning and He declares that the Sabbath was created or made at Creation for man.

Now keep in mind merely refraining from work is not God's idea of Sabbath-keeping. It may be Sunday-keeping or Friday-keeping or Monday-keeping; but it is not Sabbath-keeping. It is not Sabbath-keeping, because the idea of Sabbath is spiritual rest. And the Creator set aside one day of the week for spiritual rest and He wants us to come to Him for rest.

The reason why we cease from our labor on the seventh day, the Sabbath of our Lord Jesus Christ, is that we may be free to contemplate God as manifested to us in Jesus Christ. Christ our Creator wants to commune with us, He made and gave us the gift of the Sabbath so we have a time to rest not only from our work and daily labor but to have spiritual rest in Christ on the day He made for us.

Now at the burning bush we have the identification of who gave Moses the Law.
"13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you" (Exodus 3:13-14)

Now compare John 8:56-59: "56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by."(John 8:56-59)

The New Testament also is clear that Jesus created all things, He was there at the beginning. So now we begin to understand who Jesus is and what John 1:1-3 means, and we see more in Colossians 1:13-17.

"13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." (Colossians 1:13-17)

"27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath."( Mark 2:27-28) So we see that Jehovah, the great I AM, our Redeemer and Saviour, " Who is the image of the invisible God", "the Angel in whom was the name of Jehovah," the Lord of the Sabbath Who made it, He is the One who gave us the Sabbath, the day of rest and put it in the Ten Commandments written with His own fingers.
 
Now some people say "Christ is the Sabbath rest for all those in covenant with God in Christ", but what does that mean. '

Well lets start with what it tells us, "Remember the Sabbath day," in the Ten Commandments and it continues. "For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy" (Exodus 20:8, 11). So here the Law given to Moses sends us back to the creation of the world. The Sabbath goes back to what God did at creation.

Now keep in mind merely refraining from work is not God's idea of Sabbath-keeping. It may be Sunday-keeping or Friday-keeping or Monday-keeping; but it is not Sabbath-keeping. It is not Sabbath-keeping, because the idea of Sabbath is spiritual rest. And the Creator set aside one day of the week for spiritual rest and He wants us to come to Him for rest.

Good morning, Hobie;
I'd like to start off with my personal thoughts.

We had this discussion last year at BTF, Is Sabbath-Keeping Required for Christians? Though it was written May 19 2025 the posts opened up again in April 2026.


I read your thread and it opens up some additional teaching. We can never be taught God's Word just once. I am always open to reminders because we have to be reminded. Jesus repeated core messages throughout the Gospels.

I agree the Sabbath was created by God to be regarded first and foremost as "holy and spiritual rest."

I also believe God permits us to approach the Sabbath as a day of rest after 6 days of work. He knows we need that time to get refreshed before we return to our labor the next day.

In the meantime, the Church down the street keeps their Sabbath on Saturdays. I find the Christian community critiques this particular Church for this reason.

The Bible doesn't provide a modern calendar such as the Gregorian calendar (named after Pope Gregory X111 in October 1582.) It consistently points to the seventh day as the Sabbath (Genesis 2:2-3, Exodus 20:10) but Sabbath keeping doesn't specify which day of the week in Scripture.

Other's thoughts?

God bless you, Hobie, and thank you for sharing What is the Sabbath rest.

Bob
 

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