The Creation Origin of the Sabbath

(Ted Noel, Friday, August 18, 2000)

Introduction:

This essay is the beginning of an exploration of the Biblical testimony regarding Sabbath observance. The discussants are Ted Noel MD, of Maitland, Florida, and Richard Bacon Ph.D., pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Rowlett, Texas. Both discussants are in agreement regarding the fundamental premise that the Sabbath has its origin in Creation week. However, since many proponents of Sunday observance deny this premise, the opening part of the discussion will deal with the Biblical evidence for the Creation origin of the Sabbath.

Similarly, both discussants are in agreement on the premise that Sabbath observance remains enjoined on all Christians. It is not, however, agreed that the Sabbath to be observed is the seventh day of the week or the first. As the discussion progresses, this issue will be addressed from various perspectives.

It should be noted that the truth requires no defense. We will be exploring the testimony of the scriptures regarding the truth, with both of us attempting to be careful, courteous, and in accord with the truth.

The Creation Origin of the Sabbath:

The account of Creation week ends with this statement:

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2 And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done.
3 So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation. Gen 2:1-3 RSV

The RSV is chosen because it reflects the idea that the Sabbath day was the final act of Creation, rather than a rest after Creation. This perspective drawn from the Hebrew is lost in most English translations. But "every fact is to be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses" (2 Cor 13:1, cf. Deut 19:15), so we will consider other scriptural evidence. Jesus speaks to this issue directly.

27 And He was saying to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.
28 "Consequently, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." Mark 2:27-28 NASB

It would be possible to take the English "made" in verse 27 as a simple statement without further impact, but this would lose the content of the original Greek. The word used there is "egeneto" from "ginomai," meaning "to create." That is, Jesus is saying that the Sabbath was created for man, implying its origin at Creation week. Had this not been the intent, Greek has other words available which can be translated "made." But we must not stop in verse 27. Jesus' statement in verse 28 confirms what we have just discovered. He is "Lord" of the Sabbath as a result of having created it. Since Jesus is the Creator (John 1:3, 14), he has power and authority over the Sabbath. If the Sabbath did not originate at Creation, Jesus could not make this claim in this way.

Our next witness is the writer of Hebrews. In chapter 4 we find the discussion of the "Sabbath rest." Verse 4 quotes Gen 2:2 as the origin of the Sabbath rest, leaving us with no question whatever that the Sabbath has its origin as the final act of Creation.

An objection is raised that this cannot be true, since the word Sabbath does not appear in the book of Genesis. While this is true at first glance, the conclusion must be questioned for a series of reasons unrelated to the discussion above. First, when we examine the OT, we find that the word Sabbath does not appear in the books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Kings, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, Ezra, Esther, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Daniel, Joel, Obadiah, Nahum, Habbakuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. If the objection were true on this basis, then the Sabbath did not exist in the times of those books, either.

But we need not be so dismissive of Genesis. In Gen 2:2-3, the word "rest" is "shabat," the root for "shabbat," or Sabbath. In fact, in the original Hebrew writing, the two words are spelled exactly the same: shin-bet-tav. Since the original Hebrew had no vowels, the two words are identical in the Hebrew Bible. So the word does actually exist in Genesis. Further, the book of Exodus fills in the Creation link by identifying the Sabbath in the Creation account.

11 "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the 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. Ex 20:11 NASB

This statement is a virtual quote of Gen 2:1-3. In this language, we find that the Sabbath day was what was made holy at Creation. Three objections are answered in this language. First, there are some who suggest that Creation week was actually seven long periods of time, and thus the Sabbath is to be interpreted in a figurative fashion. Without dealing with that issue in detail, we find that the preceding verses in the Sabbath commandment require six days of work exactly identical in nature with the six days of work of Creation. If the "long periods" approach were true, we would be required individually to work for six eons prior to our Shabbat.

The second objection is that the Sabbath was somehow not in force until Sinai. Here we find God instructing the Israelites that the Sabbath was made holy at Creation. This, of course, echoes Gen 2:3, but is placed in a body of scripture which gives us an understanding of the meaning of "making holy." The Pentateuch gives us a number of examples (cf. Ex 30, Lev 9, Num 7, etc.) of persons and articles which were made "holy to the Lord." This expression refers to the act of consecrating for holy service. All persons or articles so consecrated were immediately placed in service. None were ever held back for an extended time. If the Sabbath were so consecrated and then held back for two millennia, it would stand alone as a consecrated article which was set aside for service, then withheld from service. Such a unique situation requires specific scriptural explanation, and none exists. On the contrary, good evidence exists that just the opposite is true.

Finally, the Sabbath commandment (Ex 20:8) begins with "remember." The Hebrew word used here implies that the command is to bring to memory something which pre-dates the command. That is, the Sabbath command is not new, but is already in force. This places its beginning earlier, and as we have already found, that date is Creation week. But "remember" requires a second witness. This brings us to Ex 16:4.

4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. Ex 16:4 KJV

The KJV is quoted here because the word "law" is used for the Hebrew "torah." The NASB uses "instruction," which loses some of the impact of the word. Clearly, before the Israelites received the ten commandments at Sinai, they were subject to the law of God. Again we seek another witness to confirm this understanding of "torah."

5 because Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws. Gen 26:5 NASB

Here we find a repetitive list which makes it very clear that, even though the laws are not enumerated, Abraham knew and observed them. But beyond that, he "kept" them. This comes from the Hebrew "shamar," which means to protect. Thus Abraham not only observed the laws, he protected them. This meant that he taught them to Isaac, who would have passed them on. The Israelites knew the laws of God before the Exodus, and the Sabbath was part of those laws, as seen in the example of the manna. It is interesting to note that Abraham knew more than the bare ten commandments. He observed the "commandments." The word used here is "mitzvot," which is used later by the Jews to describe the 613 specific rules of behavior defined in the Torah.

Our first consideration on the immediacy of sacred use for the Sabbath comes from the time of its institution. The Sabbath was sanctified before the fall, while man was still sinless. Its very nature is then different from an institution which reflected the need for a remedy for sin such as the sacrificial system. It was first a rest for God from his works of Creation, but it was also a rest for man from keeping the garden (Gen 2:15). And since the very first Sabbath occurred before Adam and Eve had had even a full day to perform their task of keeping the garden, its sacred use becomes clear. It was a time to meet with God. In their "newborn" state, they had not had the time to get to know God and his love for them. So before they had to do any work, they were given a sacred rest in which they got to know and celebrate the goodness of God. After the Sabbath, they were then able to proceed with their daily duties.

This tells us much about the future of the Sabbath. Since it was created for man in a sinless world, we may expect that God wanted it to be present forever. The nature of our relationship with God requires a periodic refreshment. This is more acute in this sinful world. We cry out for God, but are unable to meet him face to face. In the kingdom, we will not suffer from the pains of sin, but, like Adam and Eve, will want and need our weekly vacation with God.

Conclusion:

Objections to sabbatarianism which rest on an origin of the Sabbath later than Creation week fail when examined against God's word. Based on the testimony of scripture brought forward here, we may unequivocally state that the Sabbath originated in Eden. It was the crowning act of Creation. All else of Creation was "very good," but the Sabbath surpassed all, and was sanctified. It was placed in holy service immediately, and man and God walked together as friends. It was a holy day of rest in a perfect world. Its continuing presence in our sinful world stands as a gift from God for fellowship with him.

Ted Noel