Argument VII
A Day of Preparation
When defending the practice of dining out on the Sabbath, the UCG goes to great lengths in applying human reasoning to explain away the obvious. For example, they argue that those who work in restaurants are not "their" servants, therefore the command does not apply to them. What they conveniently fail to acknowledge is that when God gave Israel His law there was not one person in the entire nation that was not included in it. If you doubt this assertion, just ask any UCG minister if it was possible for anyone in the congregation in the wilderness to engage in labor on the Sabbath (with the exception of the Levites) without committing a capital crime. The answer is an emphatic NO!
Furthermore, because God had already prohibited His people from going outside "their place" on the Sabbath (Ex. 16:29), it would have been impossible for them to engage the services of neighboring tribes who worshipped false gods and kept other days. The point here is that God's Sabbath law was crafted in such a way so as to insure that His people would never engage in or solicit profane labor on the Sabbath unless they willfully rejected Him and His law.
Sadly, because the modern day descendants of Israel have rejected the true God and His commandments, and have invited the unbeliever to profane the Sabbath, and have even joined them in this sin, the UCG now argues that God’s "called out ones" may also participate in this sacrilege by purchasing their goods and services on HOLY time. These Church leaders even go so far as to argue that the fourth commandment is actually silent on this issue when in truth it thunders out God's will. The very essence of that law declares with great force that God's people are not to be a part of profane labor in any way, shape, or form.
Whether the UCG wishes to believe it or not, God's wisdom is crystal clear on this. The Sabbath is HOLY and those who labor on this day or purchase the fruit of that labor are committing sacrilege against the holy. God never intended it to be this way and deep down inside the UCG must know this.
A Lesson from the Preparation Day
Although the UCG only makes passing reference to the "Preparation Day," the lessons it contains are profound. Instead of learning those lessons, these COG leaders argue that the preparation day was designed simply to free the Israelites from having to engage in strenuous work on the Sabbath, nothing more. Notice what they write.
United Church of God:
The principle of the day of preparation.
God instructed Israel to prepare on the sixth day so that no unnecessary work would be performed on the Sabbath day. Specifically the command addresses baking and boiling. To bake food or boil food required much work. The ovens of ancient times required an extremely hot fire to produce enough heat to bake something. And the same was true of boiling. There is no problem with having a fire for heat or to warm something prior to eating. The whole concept of cooking for your family required a day of preparation in order to avoid breaking the Sabbath.
Our Response:
While the UCG contends that the preparation day was simply intended to spare the Israelites from performing "unnecessary work" on the Sabbath, God indicated that it was much more than that. The Almighty declared that this day would stand as a test of obedience. Notice what He said.
Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not. And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. (Ex. 16:4-5)
Here, God declares that he rained a double portion of manna on the sixth day with the express purpose of “proving” the Israelites. In other words, He did this to see if they were truly committed to obeying Him. If they were, they would gather enough food on Friday to satisfy their needs for both that day and the next. They would then cook all of it on the preparation day. Notice the instructions Moses gave to God’s people.
On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up till morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a Sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. (Ex. 16:22-27)
While the UCG appears almost dismissive of the preparation day, the authors of A Sabbath Test provide some extraordinary insight concerning its purpose and significance. Their comments reinforce the gravity of God's words to Moses. We at Blow the Trumpet believe that this chapter of their book presents the most compelling reason for God's people to cease the practice of seeking out unbelievers who profane the Sabbath. They begin by commenting on Exodus 16:22-27 quoted above. The balance of our response is from their book. As you read it, notice the great deference shown for God’s wisdom and His law.
A Sabbath Test
These verses (Ex. 16:22-27) reveal that God had to supernaturally intervene to provide a way for the Israelites to honor His Sabbath. In this case, He not only provided twice as much food on the preparation day, but He also miraculously preserved it so that it would not spoil.
The point to all of this is that God intended for His Sabbath to be treated differently. It was HOLY TIME. Furthermore, He would personally make sure His people had a way to keep it holy.
But what about the Israelites who failed to prepare adequately? What were they to do? Were they to go out and buy food from someone else on the Sabbath? Absolutely not! God did not give them an alternative food source when they failed to prepare on the sixth day. The scriptures state “they found none.”
Our Response:
Paying for public transportation on the Sabbath may be unavoidable under certain circumstances. Going out to a restaurant is a different thing altogether. Those who do it have a choice. They can honor God's command and prepare their food in advance as He directs them (Ex. 16:23). But the UCG argues that God's instructions don't apply to them in this modern age.
The UCG decision to dine out on the Sabbath is driven by convenience and pleasure. Obedience to God never enters into that equation. This prominent COG organization may call what it advocates "a wonderful way to spend a portion of the Sabbath," but it is not. What they do in a restaurant on the Sabbath no more honors their Savior than what millions of professing Christians do during Easter sunrise services. Their words cry out to Him but their actions reject everything He stands for.
The Significance of the Preparation Day
Is there a lesson for God’s people today in the action He took so very long ago? It would certainly seem so. Based on His clear instructions to the children of Israel, perhaps we should ask ourselves a very important question: is it right for us to go outside our spiritual camp and buy from others on the Sabbath if we fail to adequately prepare for this day?
Today almost all of God’s people understand the great significance of His Sabbath and holy days. These appointed times declare a great plan that was envisioned by Him before the world was created.
With this in mind, consider what God could be teaching His people with a preparation day. If the Sabbath pictures God’s kingdom (Heb. 4:9-10), could the sixth day reveal that His people must properly prepare themselves in order to enter into that kingdom? In other words, if we do not make ourselves ready for God’s millennial rest, will God allow us to be a part of it? Additionally, will we prepare for that kingdom by following His instructions, or do we think we can forge our own path and do it a different way? It is clear that some believe the latter because Jesus actually warned against such thinking. Notice His words:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity. (Mt. 7:21-23)
When Jesus spoke of those who worked iniquity, He was referring to people who did not keep His law. A cornerstone of that law is His Sabbath. With this in mind, is it possible that Jesus’ warning could also apply to those who refuse to honor His instructions concerning the preparation day? After all, these instructions were given to ensure that God’s people could keep the Sabbath holy as He intended. Remember, He did it to “prove “ them (Ex. 16:4-5).
Now consider a sobering thought – could people in God’s church today ultimately be crying out “Lord, Lord” to Jesus Christ when His final judgment comes because they failed to obey the fourth commandment, including the appropriate preparation for it? Furthermore, does the convenience of dining out on the Sabbath actually make the preparation day somehow less meaningful to God’s people? After all, today there is no sense of urgency with respect to preparing food for the Sabbath. This is because it is so convenient to gather brethren and head off to a popular restaurant on this day.
Furthermore, if God’s people refuse to prepare for His Sabbath, why should He think they would prepare for His Kingdom? These are serious words and should not be taken lightly. Notice what God said to Israel because of their cavalier attitude regarding His Sabbath and how they prepared for it.
Here, God is rebuking the children of Israel for their failure to honor His Sabbath. Specifically, He was condemning their lack of preparation. In essence, God was conveying to His people three critical elements concerning eating on the Sabbath. These elements were as follows.
1) Food was not to be acquired on the Sabbath
2) Food was not to be prepared on the Sabbath
3) His people were not to leave “their place” on the Sabbath .
Notice that God said, “let no man go out of his place” on the Sabbath. With these words, He did not mean that individuals could not leave their tent for any reason as evidenced by the fact that they left their tents when Moses assembled them on the Sabbath and holy days. Additionally, Jesus Himself dined at the homes of others on the Sabbath (Lk. 14:1-6).
The point God was making with these instructions was that the Israelites were not to leave the community where God’s people were camped. Furthermore, they had no need to do so. God had already provided food on the sixth day. Now consider this. If God prohibited the Israelites to go outside their camp to acquire food on the Sabbath, why would He permit that practice today? The answer is HE WOULDN’T!
In reality, those who dine out on the Sabbath are breaking every aspect of God’s command with respect to eating. Consider what they do. They acquire food on the Sabbath. They have it prepared for them on the Sabbath. And they go outside the community of faith to procure the food as well as to consume it. Tragically, many of God’s people rationalize every one of these practices. Even more tragic is the fate that awaits them if they fail to repent of this sin.
It is also important to understand that God’s instructions to Israel were given a thousand years before Nehemiah was even a twinkle in his father’s eye. Simply put, His people were not to go out into a world of unbelievers on the Sabbath. This command seems so obvious and is totally consistent with God’s character. The Sabbath is holy. This being the case, why would God’s people even want to be a part of a society that profanes this day?
Virtually every person working in a restaurant on the Sabbath is breaking God’s command. Furthermore, they trespass against this wonderful law every time they comply with orders given to them by their patrons, including God’s people. With this in mind, do you really want to give that order?
Counter Argument
United Church of God
Advisory Committee for Doctrine
The United Church of God offered no counter argument to this page