This post is Day 6 in a series of studies about “Commandments”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Commandments – Day 6

It is interesting that God added the last phrase in this command. Not just believers, and members of the Israelite families were not to work, but neither were their animals or servants who might be foreigners! There were to be no excuses, and there was no way round this commandment.

Exodus 20:8-10

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.

The Thought

I am old enough to remember the nation-wide discussion that went on in Great Britain around the subject of Sunday opening for shops and restaurants. It is hard to imagine today a town centre or shopping area with EVERYTHING closed, but in the 1950s Sunday was a quiet day! No factories were working, and no shops or markets opened. Whole families went to church, then home for Sunday lunch because there were no restaurants open either!! It began to change at the beginning of the 1950s, but not until 1994 was “Sunday opening” made legal. At the same time sports events were allowed, and theatre and cinemas were permitted to open.

Until then Sunday had been a church and family day!

It is interesting that God added the last phrase in this command. Not just believers, and members of the Israelite families were not to work, but neither were their animals or servants who might be foreigners! There were to be no excuses, and there was no way round this commandment.

It has been more or less forgotten in our day, with many shops having round the clock 24/7 opening, and shift work in factories running machinery that never stops!

Action

Ask yourself today what The Lord thinks about all of that. Thank Him that He still loves mankind even though we and our ancestors have been so disobedient!

Consider what you, and those around you do for a “Sabbath”. How different is it to other days of the week?

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