The Fourth Commandment- Exodus 20:8–11

It has been my experience, and I am sure the experiences of many of you, when asking someone “How are you doing?” Their reply consistently includes the word “busy.”

We could look at various polls conducted both in the Church and within our country, and the constant theme is busyness. Many Americans, like myself, feel as if there is simply not enough hours in the day for all that we have to do.

On top of that, many of us, again both in the church and out of the church, are tired.

We are tired for many reasons: fighting sin, physical struggles, griefs from family members, struggles with the country, lists that seem to go on and on.

To you who are busy and to you who are exhausted, listen to these words from the mouth of God in Exodus 20:8–11.

The Sabbath Rest Recalls the Pattern of Creation while Pointing to the Promise of Rest in Christ.

I. Imperative Instruction - "Remember" - Ex. 20:8

We see this word occur frequently in Scripture. In fact, in the Old Testament it is used 85 times.

In many instances, it is connected with a monumental event in human or Israel’s history.

For humanity, Genesis 9:15 “I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.”

For Israel, Deuteronomy 5:15 “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.”

The act of “remembering” is recalling to mind, but it moves beyond simple head knowledge (like remember your times table).

(2 + 2 = 4) It involves recalling the emotions, the intensity of the situation, in order to feel the events. Sometimes this act of remembering can be evil (Numbers 11:5 “We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.”)

In Exodus 20:8, God is commanding Israel to remember His creation, detailed primarily in Genesis chapter 1 with an expansion of the creation of humanity in Genesis chapter 2.

The LORD’s pattern was six days of work and one day of rest. Why are they commanded to remember this pattern?

We are fallen beings, as such, everything is corrupted, including our work life and ethic. There are some who are lazy, who want to work one day and rest six. There are others who do not want to rest for even one day, always striving for productivity or money or success.

Both of these fallen views of work are in direct opposition to the Lord’s gracious pattern established in creation. This imperative instruction involves recalling the Lord’s work in creation.

This observance is also the sign of this marvelous covenant which God is making with His people Israel. If you remember, circumcision was the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant.

They were to remember the sabbath because the LORD established the work-rest balance. We work for six days. The normal expectation of a human being is to work. The human being rests on the seventh day (i.e., sabbath day).

II. Inherent Intent - To Keep it Holy - Ex. 20:8

It was not only that they should remember this pattern. Involved with that act of remembering is the attachment “to keep it holy.”

This day, above all other days, was to be set apart (the idea of “keeping it holy,” or “sanctifying it”). It was a day of rest, and as we see in the rest of Scripture, a day of worship.

All other normal, daily activities are to cease so that we may, mind, heart, and body, focus on worshiping the LORD and resting.

That, by the way, is one of the reasons we have not reinstated the Sunday evening service. We want you to be able to worship the LORD and rest. That is why we also do not have any other activities on Sundays.

We treat Sundays differently than we do the other days of the week.

Now, at this point let me say that is difference of opinion on Christians and the Sabbath. I personally am a Sabbatarian, meaning I believe that the Lord’s Day (Sunday) is the Christian Sabbath, and we should honor it as the Israelites did their Sabbath. It does not earn us favor with God, nor put more points into our “pleasing God account.”

There are others who do not hold this view, but maintain Christ has freed us from this Law. Either way you interpret it, we realize the LORD’s Day is set apart for worship (i.e., “to keep it holy”).

III. Universal Understanding - For Everyone and Everything - Ex. 20:9-11

To whom was this command given? God, in His grace, provided a rather exhaustive list specifying to whom this command applied.

Here is the list of individuals to whom this command applied:

you (individual Israelites)

your son

your daughter

your male servant

your female servant

your livestock

your sojourner in your gates

In other words, every facet of normal, daily life and work in Israel was to cease (not including the tasks that are requiring, such as milking; or works of mercy as we see delineated in the ministry of Messiah Jesus). The Pharisees would remove the blessings of this day and replace it with the burdens people were forced to bear.

The Sabbath was a day of rest for all in Israel, not just men, not just women, not just children, or servants, but even animals.

IV. Future Fulfillment - A Rest to Look Forward To.- Rev. 21–22

As with many people, places, and institutions in the Old Testament (or, Old Covenant), the Sabbath pointed to something far greater. It pointed to an “eschatological Sabbath,” an end-time rest to which the person and work of Jesus Christ points.

This theme of rest runs from Genesis chapter 1 to Revelation chapters 21 and 22. This theme appears in creation, the exodus, and in the events leading up to the conquering of the land of Canaan.

In Deuteronomy 12:9–12 “for you have not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance that the Lord your God is giving you. But when you go over the Jordan and live in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and when he gives you rest from all your enemies around, so that you live in safety, then to the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell there, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, and all your finest vow offerings that you vow to the Lord. And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male servants and your female servants, and the Levite that is within your towns, since he has no portion or inheritance with you.”

We return to our reading from Hebrews before looking at Revelation 21 and 22.

V. Solemn Warning- Heb. 4:1–2; Rev. 21–22

The command to remember the Sabbath was made specifically to the Jewish people under the Mosaic Covenant. We live, praise be to God, in the New Covenant, and our day of worship is the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:10).

However, as we discussed at the beginning of our time this morning, The Sabbath Rest Recalls the Pattern of Creation while Pointing to the Promise of Rest in Christ.

We enjoy a present rest in Christ because we are free from condemnation and the burdensome law. We await the glorious rest of eternity in the new heavens and new earth (Rev. 21–22). There is a solemn warning the author of Hebrews gives to us.

It is this: we must have faith. You can be a good person according to worldly standards. You can give tons of money to the church and charities. You can claim that you have long-time attended this church. You can claim that your family has built this church. But if you do not place your faith in Jesus and His finished work on the Cross, you will not enter this rest.

Will you remember the Sabbath by keeping it holy?

The Sabbath Rest Recalls the Pattern of Creation while Pointing to the Promise of Rest in Christ.