We don’t live under the Old Law anymore; everything that governs how Christians live comes from the New Testament. That includes all the Old Law observances, such as the Passover, the Temple procedures, and yes, even the Sabbath.
But just because the Sabbath has been done away with doesn’t mean that it’s a useless concept. We’re not bound to keep it anymore, but remember what the Sabbath was to represent: A day of rest and devotion to God and family.
When God dropped the manna and quail from Heaven, He told them to gather on Friday as much as they would need for two days. There won’t be any manna on Saturday, and in contrast to the other days of the week, whatever they kept Friday would still be good on Saturday. It wouldn’t melt or spoil.
Some didn’t believe God. Instead, they decided to gather their usual amount on Friday and head out Saturday morning to do the same. There wasn’t any this time around, and God and Moses were furious at them for trying.
The Sabbath was designed as a gift for the people. In the New Testament, when the Pharisees tried to over-regulate it, Jesus responded with “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). We weren’t created to serve a day, the day was created to serve us. It’s there for us to help us and to give us peace.
We live in a world that is full of nonstop action. There is always something to do, people to see, work to get done, and hobbies to indulge. Then, when we come home, we’re surrounded by a 24-hour news cycle and social media that tells us all the events of the day that we wouldn’t have known otherwise. We feel a responsibility to catch up on them.
We may not be bound to keep the Sabbath, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea. It doesn’t even have to be Saturday; designate a time where you intentionally slow down, unplug, spend time with your family and friends, and meditate on God’s Word. Don’t forget to take a breath and enjoy what is truly most important in life.
