First of all, what does the Torah commandment for the Sabbath day say? From Exodus 20….

“8“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9“Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. 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.”

The commandment is simple, yet we make it hard because of our heart. Each person, depending upon on their personal version of the gospel, personal version of Yeshua, and personal interpretation of Scripture, define what keeping the commandment means to them. But what does Yahweh say? “You shall do any work.” What is it in the commandment that helps us to know what kind of work that Yahweh is talking about?

The commandment has two parts and must be taken as such. Most of the time we focus on the Sabbath rest portion of the Sabbath commandment without considering the six days of work portion. This, I believe, is key to understanding the commandment.

In six days, 1st day through 6th day, we are to work to provide what we need for our home and family. It’s the work portion of the week. Just as our Creator Elohim worked six days to create the earth and all that is in it, and ceased from His work, so we remember what He did, and we cease from our work on His Sabbath. The work that He did for the six days was completed. He said it was “good.” He didn’t continue to create on the Sabbath day. His good work on the Sabbath is in helping His creation. Everything that we need He already provided for, in His six days of creation. That is why we are to remember His Sabbath, and keep it holy, or literally “set apart.”

In our six days of work we are to work diligently to provide. And in the 7th day, we are to rest from that “customary work.” We should have gathered enough for the 7th day, just as the commandment concerning gathering the manna, as given to Israel.

Yeshua did good on the Sabbath, and His work on Sabbath, and what He said about doing good, should be our guide for what we do on Sabbath.

Matthew 11:8-14 – ” 8“For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

9Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. 10And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse Him. 11And He said to them, “What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? 12“How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other. 14But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.”

He said it is “lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” He said it is in connection with what we do to help someone who needs help. And the help they need is immediate. The sheep that falls into the pit needs to be taken out of the pit, right now. It can’t wait until the next day. And then Yeshua heals the man on the Sabbath. It is His heart to heal people. This is not customary work in gathering food, or in gathering money to buy food. In fact, it has nothing to do with what I want or need. It is totally others centered.

Yeshua said that all the Torah and the prophets hang these two….. You shall love Yahweh with all your heart soul and strength and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. This is the essence of Torah keeping. If we love HIM we will have a heart to keep His commandments. We won’t want to do it our way. If we love our neighbor, the Torah and the Spirit constrain us to do good to our neighbor, and help our neighbor when they need our help, just as we would want to someone to help us in need.

If my neighbor is sick. I should go do all I can to help my neighbor. If my neighbor can’t get food to eat, I should take from what I’ve stored up (gathering enough to share with others who are in need) and give him food to eat. But in my six days of work, I should have been gathering enough for my family, and more, so I have something to share.

Finally Isaiah 56 tells us, in connection with Sabbath keeping, that we should not speak our own words, go our own way, and seek our own pleasure, on His Sabbath. This means that most of all, we need to be led by the Holy Spirit of Truth in keeping His Sabbath. What is important to Him? He knows every situation far beyond our horizontal understanding. And He knows His Torah, and its application beyond our comprehension. We need to hear His Voice, and receive more grace to help us (Hebrews 4). We can’t do this in our own strength. It is not by power, nor by might, (nor mine nor your intellect) but by the Spirit of the Almighty, that we keep Sabbath, and His other Torah commandments.
Blessings and peace, as you hear His Voice.
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