God gave the Ten Commandments as a core guide to life, worship, and behavior. Interestingly, one of these central commandments, typically called the fourth commandment, tells us the importance of rest.
“I need a vacation.” We hear (and may say) it often. Our lives are full of striving and work, which makes us tired. We look forward to our days off.
The Lord downloads the Law to Moses and the Israelites on Mount Sinai. One of these rules instructed the Israelites to take a day of rest, what they called the Sabbath. However, this wasn’t for vacation alone. The Sabbath possesses a deeper meaning and purpose.
Do Different Bibles List the Fourth Commandment Differently?
Different Bibles and religious traditions list the fourth commandment differently, because different religious communities divide and phrase the commandments.
For example, Jewish and most Protestant traditions list “You shall not make for yourself a carved image” (Exodus 20:4) as the second commandment. The Catholic tradition treats it as part of the first commandment, leading to a subsequent shift in the numbering.
In the traditional Jewish enumeration (which many Protestant denominations also follow) the fourth commandment is often expressed as “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8).
However, the Catholic tradition (and some Lutheran and Reformed traditions) have a different approach. The emphasis on the Sabbath is incorporated within the third commandment and then proceeds to address the day’s sanctification. This method means that the prohibitions against coveting are grouped into a single commandment.
While the numbering may differ, the commandments’ content and substance remain consistent across various traditions.
So, granting that when many people talk about the fourth commandment they mean the Sabbath, what does it mean to keep the Sabbath?
How Did the Jews Practice the Fourth Commandment?
In the Old Testament, observing the Sabbath was a distinctive feature of Israel’s religious and cultural identity, with specific regulations outlined in the Mosaic Law.
A central part of Sabbath observance was ceasing labor and work. The commandment emphasized a day of rest for the Israelites and even their servants, livestock, and resident aliens (Exodus 20:10). This rest symbolically acknowledged God’s creative work in the world, and demonstrated trust in His provision.
The Sabbath was a time for communal worship and teaching. The Israelites would assemble for religious services, offering sacrifices, praying, and studying the Scriptures. Synagogues and places of worship became central to Sabbath observance, fostering a sense of community and shared faith.
Keeping the Sabbath day holy involves dedicating time to spiritual pursuits and deliberately separating from ordinary, secular activities. The Israelites were called to focus on God, reflect on His goodness, and cultivate a sense of holiness in their lives. The special rituals and ceremonies marked the day’s sacred nature.
The specific offerings presented on the Sabbath underlined these ideas. The offerings symbolized the Israelites’ commitment to God and gratitude for His provisions. The Sabbath allowed the people to express devotion through sacrificial acts.
The Law also observed special Sabbaths during holidays like Passover. There were also Sabbath years on the calendar to give the land rest.
All these activities tangibly expressed Israel’s covenant relationship with God. Every week, they remembered His sovereignty and provision and had an opportunity to renew their commitment to a life of faith and obedience.
How Have Christians Practiced the Fourth Commandment in the Past?
In Christianity’s early centuries, there were many views on Sabbath observance. Some early Christians, particularly those with Jewish backgrounds, kept observing the Sabbath on Saturday. Others, influenced by a growing Gentile membership in their churches, shifted their primary worship day to Sunday—the day of Christ’s resurrection.
The shift to Sunday worship became more pronounced in the post-apostolic period. Sabbath on Sunday eventually became a distinguishing feature of Christian worship, particularly in the Western tradition.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the fourth commandment is expressed through celebrating Sunday Mass. Sunday became a day of rest, marked by attending church services, praying, and avoiding unnecessary work. The Catholic tradition emphasized the day’s spiritual significance, aligning it with the resurrection of Christ and framing it as the Lord’s Day.
In Protestant traditions, the understanding and practice of the fourth commandment varied. While many Protestant denominations retained Sunday as a day of worship and rest, there were different degrees of strictness about Sabbath observance. Some adhered to a more rigorous approach, refraining from certain activities. Others took a more relaxed stance, viewing Sunday as a day of spiritual renewal without stringent restrictions.
Various Christian denominations and traditions have recently approached the Fourth Commandment more flexibly. They emphasize that the commandment's essence lies in dedicating time to God rather than rigidly adhering to specific rules.
There has also been a resurgence of interest in Christianity’s Jewish roots, leading some Christian communities to explore more Jewish Sabbath practices (such as Friday evening services and a heightened awareness of rest and reflection).
What Is the Principle Behind the Fourth Commandment?
The Sabbath originated from the story in Genesis when God created for six days and rested on the seventh.
For the Jewish calendar, this Sabbath Saturday was a sign of the covenant between Him and the Israelites (Exodus 31:13). Resting from their work on the Sabbath expressed their trust in God to provide instead of trusting their own abilities.
The Sabbath underscores that rest is a divine gift. God created humanity on the sixth day, and the first day Adam knew was a day of rest. The first man awoke to a garden and purpose prepared by God, and Adam could only work from a place of resting in God’s work, not his own power. The curse took this rest from Adam, leading to a constant struggle for humans to provide food. The Sabbath invited the Israelites back to their original design: continual rest and trust in God’s provision.
Practically, the Sabbath invites people to embrace a regular pattern of rest, to recognize they need physical, emotional, and spiritual rejuvenation. This requires not just setting specific times for individuals to worship, pray, and reflect, but also doing it as a spiritual community.
Ultimately, the principle behind the Fourth Commandment is to align with God’s design. The Sabbath encourages believers to recognize God is the ultimate source of their identity, purpose, and well-being.
The New Testament sheds light on the Sabbath’s spiritual dimensions and also how Christ fulfills it. The Book of Hebrews introduces the concept of a Sabbath rest that goes beyond a specific day of the week. “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.” (Hebrews 4:9-10 NIV)
In Colossians 2:16-17, Paul further guards against Sabbath legalism: “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” Paul emphasizes shifting from a legalistic focus on external observance to an emphasis on the spiritual reality found in Christ. Christians must pursue a continual, substantial rest, instead of setting aside one day of the week to rest.
How Can We Practice the Fourth Commandment Today?
As born-again believers, we know the Sabbath rest promised by God is a way of living, not a weekly observance. This rest in Christ brings us back to the Edenic original design: complete and continual trust in God’s provision and peace. However, we aren’t in the Garden. So, we live this peace and rest within a corrupt and sinful world, seeking to be examples of the Kingdom of God. Here are some key ways we do that:
- Practical Rest. Yes, the New Testament brings a broader, more eternal view of Sabbath rest. We aren’t bound to one specific day. Still, we should set aside time for physical rest and rejuvenation. This could be Sunday or any day that suits our circumstances. In our modern age, this rest might include both resting from work and from technology. Digital services are convenient, but may keep us from being still and knowing God.
- Renewing Our Mind. We must begin to think about rest differently through the New Covenant. To live in the rest of Christ, we must renew our minds. We no longer work to get rest, but like Adam in the Garden. We work from a place of completeness and rest in God. This foundation is crucial to living every moment in the Sabbath rest of Christ.
- Humility. Part of resting in the work of Christ is ceasing to rely on ourselves. Yes, we do things and work, but we can do nothing apart from Christ (John 15:5). Our responsibility is seeking the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. When we do, God takes care of all our needs (Matthew 6:33).
- Spiritual Renewal. We take time for rest, but we should also use these times to reconnect with God individually and collectively. We attend church services regularly to engage in worship, communal prayer, and the study of Scripture. In addition to corporate worship, we set aside time for personal devotions, prayer, and reflection. Private communion with God deepens our spiritual connections and aligns us with the principle of sanctifying time.
- Thankfulness. As we rest in God’s (physical and spiritual) provision, we should take time to express gratitude. Gratitude fosters contentment and helps us acknowledge God’s goodness. First, we thank God for his physical provisions. Second, and perhaps more importantly, we thank God for his forgiveness, grace, mercy, and the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Practicing the fourth commandment means we must be holistic. We must make time for rest, spiritual renewal, and gratitude. Living in God’s constant Sabbath rest not only blesses our hearts and minds. It also becomes a testimony to God’s goodness of God all around us, a living message of Good News. This way, our lives (and not just a day) are set apart and holy.
Peace.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/May_Chanikran
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