The word "Sabbath" is from the Hebrew word "Sabbat," meaning "to cease" or "desist."

WHAT is IT?

Zondervan's Encyclopedia:

"The Hebrew weekly day of rest & worship, which was observed on the seventh day of the week..."

Holman's Bible Dictionary:

"The day of rest, considered holy to God by His rest on the seventh day after creation and viewed as a sign of the covenant relation between God & His people and of the eternal rest He has promised them."

It is first mentioned in the bible when at the command of Yahweh (YHWH, look up "Tetragrammaton") Moses told the Israelites to gather and prepare twice as much manna on the 6th day as on the other days.

EXO 16:22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.

They did so, and Moses replied:

EXO 16:23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE SABBATH?

GEN 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

EXO 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

The Sabbath was made so man, beast, and land could rest from the work they normally do in order to rejuvenate themselves. If you do not plan your week around it, do you end up putting others into servitude on the Sabbath? By eating out at restaurants, buying goods at a flea market, going to the movies, or filling up with gasoline? The reality that others do, simply demonstrates their disrespect for God's fourth commandment.

Yahshua (Christ Jesus) told the Pharisees, once and for all, why the Sabbath was created:

MAR 2:23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
MAR 2:24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
MAR 2:25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
MAR 2:26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
MAR 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
MAR 2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

WHY KEEP IT?

It is interesting to note, that even in the time of Moses the Sabbath was probably not being observed by all of the people. Yahweh did not just tell Moses to "keep" the Sabbath, he instructed him to:

EXO 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Yahweh also told the Israelites that:

EXO 31:14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

It was sacred enough to Yahweh that he would have people put to death if they chose not to obey this command. We are even given an example in:

NUM 15:32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
NUM 15:33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
NUM 15:34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
NUM 15:35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
NUM 15:36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.

Why stone someone to death for the act of gathering sticks?
First, because it was a holy day and they had been told to "desist" other matters.
Secondly, because if one person polluted the Sabbath, others too would soon try to do so...pointing the finger at the first who got away with it and his/her lack of punishment for doing so.
And lastly, the man gathering sticks was probably not just doing so casually. Instead, he may have been out to try to show others they could (and/or should) disobey Yahweh's will.

Yahweh gave it to his people and he also made the Sabbath a sign:

EZE 20:12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. also in:
EXO 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.

A "sign" is often thought of as a billboard which identifies whose establishment, institution, or office is inside. However, it can also be thought of as a badge, symbol, or token of identity. The word "sign" here (in both scriptures) is 'owth in Hebrew meaning signal, beacon, or evidence.

A white flag is considered a signal of surrender, a Lighthouse is considered a beacon to warn ships, and a footprint is considered evidence. In this manner Yahweh commanded Israel:

LEV 26:2 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

Why? What is so important about a sign? If signs were outlawed tomorrow (i.e. street signs, stop signs, business signs) how easy would it be for you to find a new business? Thus if you don't keep the Sabbath, how easy will it be for his people (true Christians) to find or identify you? Yahweh commanded his people to keep the Sabbath "as a sign," so they can easily recognize each other and know who his people are.

SO SHOULD WE KEEP IT NOW?

The scriptures don't even hint at a conclusion of the observance of the Sabbath:

EXO 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

LEV 23:31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

However, we note in Paul's epistle to the Colossians he tells them that the Gentiles were not burdened by the ordinances:

COL 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Note: The word ordinances here is dogma in Greek, meaning the law.

Some consider the "ordinances" to be the rituals, sacrifices, and customs practiced under the laws of the old testament, others interpret this to mean the Gentiles are not under the law, and have nothing to gain by obeying them. But notice the wording "which was contrary to us," it does not seem the ten commandments (i.e. laws) could be "contrary" to them. However, all the rituals, sacrifices, and customs could easily have been "contrary" to them as a people, since they had never observed or practiced them.

For those that maintain they are Gentiles, and not Israelites it is worth noting:

GAL 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
GAL 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
GAL 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
GAL 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Yahshua was very clear as to what his purpose was in coming:

MAT 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
MAT 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
*MAT 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

He made it clear that "one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law," or that he is telling them not to misunderstand the purpose of his coming.(or for that matter what to comply with after he's gone) As he said in:

JOH 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Yahshua also clearly responded to the disciples question of when the temple would be destroyed in:

MAT 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Note: The word world here is aion in Greek, meaning an age.

MAT 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

The temple was destroyed in 70 A.D.. If there was no need to observe the Sabbath after his death, why would he tell them to pray their flight not come on the Sabbath day?

And lastly, we read:

COL 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
COL 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

If the Sabbath is "a shadow of things to come," then wouldn't we want to honor Yahweh by going ahead and by our free-will observe the Sabbath? Not only will it benefit us now, but it will be a natural thing to observe it when these things come about.

SO WHAT SHOULD WE DO TO OBSERVE IT? [Next installment]