God’s Image Study • Commandment 4: The Sabbath
Having completed our Sabbath study under Genesis, we return to the wording of the fourth commandment. The connections we examined—completion, provision, release, holiness, and restoration—give us a foundation for reading it carefully.
Remember—with a purpose
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
— Exodus 20:8, LSB
The instruction joins remembrance with a response: keeping the day holy. The following verses explain how that remembrance affects work and the household.
The seventh day belongs to YHWH (יהוה). Its holiness is grounded in His action: He blessed it and made it holy. The people are instructed to honor what God has established. Read Exodus 20:8–11.
Remember what God completed
Genesis 2:1–3 brings together completed work, rest, blessing, and holiness. That is why our examination began there.
God’s rest follows the completion of His work. The day is distinguished by what He has done. Read Genesis 2:1–3.
As we carry our earlier comparisons forward, we should keep asking: What has God provided? What has He completed? What does it mean to receive His provision faithfully?
The instruction reaches beyond oneself
Exodus includes children, male and female slaves, cattle, and the sojourner within the gates. The person addressed cannot keep the rest solely for himself while requiring everyone under his authority to continue working. Read Exodus 20:10.
That makes our treatment of others part of the examination.
Remember deliverance, too
Deuteronomy’s account begins with observing the Sabbath and keeping it holy. It explicitly states that the male and female slave are to rest as the person addressed does.
It then directs Israel to remember slavery in Egypt and God’s deliverance. Their experience of bondage is to inform their obedience. Read Deuteronomy 5:12–15.
Place the two accounts alongside one another:
Exodus recalls creation and God’s rest.
Deuteronomy recalls bondage and God’s deliverance.
Both connect remembrance with how people live.
What are we remembering?
Our study has already followed the invitation to enter God’s rest. Here, we examine the command’s wording before developing its further application.
We can begin with personal questions:
Do I remember God’s provision when I feel compelled to control everything myself?
Does my treatment of others reflect the mercy I seek from God?
Am I willing to let His instruction correct my habits and expectations?
Remembering becomes meaningful when it shapes our response. The next step is to examine more closely what Scripture says about keeping holy what belongs to God.
Threads to Follow
Keeping holy: Compare Exodus 20:8 with God’s words about sanctifying His people in Exodus 31:13.
Rest within the household: Examine the responsibility carried by those who direct others’ work.
A sign and a relationship: Follow the Sabbath language in Exodus 31:12–17.
The books were opened…
🌿 By Maria Emilia
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