Sabbath is from the Hebrew shabbath meaning day of rest.
The rest, though important, is incidental to the true keeping of the Sabbath. The important thing to remember is the Sabbath is a Holy Day. A day for the sons and daughters of God to turn to the Lord through church attendance, prayer, scripture study and serving others. It is a time for building close family relations and strengthening our personal spiritually.
The Sabbath day was changed to Sunday after the resurrection of Jesus Christ
From the days of the early Apostles until today, the Sabbath has been the first day of the week in commemoration that Jesus Christ was resurrected and came forth out of the grave on Sunday, the first day of the week.
“And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight…” (Acts 20: 7 in the Bible)
The Sabbath is also referred to as The Lord’s Day
The apostle John received the revelation contained in the Book of Revelation on the Lord’s day. “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book,…” (Revelation 1: 10-11 in the Bible)
Keep the Sabbath holy
The Savior instructed us to keep the Sabbath holy.
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” (Exodus 20: 8 in the Bible) “And he commanded them that they should observe the sabbath day, and keep it holy, and also every day they should give thanks to the Lord their God.” (Mosiah 18: 23 p. 182 in the Book of Mormon)
The Savior Jesus Christ adds to our understanding of the blessings of keeping the Sabbath holy and keeping His commandments.
“And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day; For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;…But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High…” (Doctrine & Covenants 59: 9-12 p. 109)
Covenant with God
“Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.” (Exodus 31: 16 in the Bible)
What the Lord covenants to do if we keep the Sabbath holy
“If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth,…for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” (Isaiah 58: 13-14 in the Bible)
The meaning of “to ride upon the high places of the earth” is receiving the abundance of life and spiritual help from the Lord in our lives.
The Lord has decreed the Sabbath day a holy day, therefore it should be reserved for worthy and holy activities. We find peace in our love for The Lord, and in His love for us.
Dallas Jones, Local Leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints For a more detailed composition on The Sabbath Day, a Holy Day call (231) 383-8359 or send an email [email protected]