In establishing the Old Covenant with the ancient Israelites, God sanctified them to become a nation of priests (Exodus 19:5-6). It was a conditional offer. To prepare them for this responsibility, God entered into a separate Sabbath covenant with them (Exodus 31:13-17). Because they broke their covenant, and would not rest (Ezekiel 20:12-13), ancient Israel could not be taught by the priests how to fulfill their God-given purpose. Instead, their hearts went after their idols (verse 16). They failed to qualify to be God’s physical kingdom of priests.

It was primarily for idolatry and breaking His sabbaths that God exiled Israel and Judah into national slavery (e.g. Ezekiel 20:10-16; Jeremiah 3:6-10).

The Sabbath command and the command forbidding idolatry are test commandments that, properly obeyed, preserve a Christian’s eternal inheritance: eternal life in God’s Kingdom.

The true Christian Sabbath and the commandment forbidding idolatry are inseparable. They test our obedience, faith and loyalty, and they keep a Christian in close contact with God.

Christ is Lord (Master) of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28), and it was made for mankind’s good. It was given as a reminder that God is Creator. He also sanctified the Sabbath so His people might draw closer to Him through extra prayer and study, Christian fellowship and instruction from His chosen ministers at Sabbath services.

Sabbath services are one of the primary ways God speaks to and trains His people, through His government, to help them qualify for their role as the Bride of Christ. God’s presence is in this day, and that means we can draw closer to Him for deeper spiritual understanding.

Therefore, we are to rest from our works, including employment and hobbies (Isaiah 58:13-14), as God did from His (Genesis 2:1-3), and to focus on the spiritual purpose for our lives and for our calling into His Work today. The Sabbath is essential for a Christian’s training today. It trains us in God’s grace and knowledge, which we grow in through greater and greater obedience to Him (2 Peter 3:18). It teaches God’s government in action, His law, so we may know how to better fear, serve and obey Him. And it foreshadows our eternal rest and responsibilities in God’s Kingdom.