Excuse XV
It Lightens Our Burden
Question:
Why would God prohibit His people from engaging in an activity that actually reduces their own burden on the Sabbath?
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Virtually every COG leader who defends Sabbath dining claims to base his position on God’s word. One such leader even titled his position paper, “Dining Out on the Sabbath—What Does the Bible Teach?” However, when presenting his case, this man seemed content on parading an endless stream of arguments that actually contradict the scriptures. He even asserted that going to restaurants on the Sabbath served an important purpose because it relieved women in the Church of the burden of Sabbath labor. Under the sub-title: Should Women Never Get a Break?, this man had the audacity of accusing those who reject Sabbath dining of being inconsiderate “chauvinists.” Here is how he advanced this argument.
These modern critics seek to make the Sabbath a burden, especially upon the women. They fail to recognize that their misguided zeal in not adding to the burdens of restaurant employees on the Sabbath automatically transfers over to their wives, mothers and daughters—who labor in cooking, re-heating, setting up tableware, etc. Like chauvinists, these critics do not take into consideration the fact that their wives, mothers and daughters would appreciate an opportunity to occasionally have their burdens lightened on the Sabbath. Ironically, the critics give this consideration to the restaurant employees—unbelievers who have no regard for, or understanding of, this holy time!
Distorted Logic
This might actually be a new record in distorted logic. According to this leader, the issue here is who should bear the burden of laboring on the Sabbath. His wisdom suggests the burden should go to the unbeliever, because they don’t know about the Sabbath anyway. This “scriptural fact” is offered up by a man who just acknowledged that God's people may burden their women with exhausting labor on the majority of Sabbaths. After all, he only believes it is appropriate to dine out in moderation.
The folly of this man's argument is that it is he who has made the Sabbath a burden and his own words bear this out. The Bible, on the other hand, declares that the fine women he mentions should NEVER be burdened with meal preparation on God’s Sabbath, occasionally or otherwise!
He is Not Alone
The real tragedy is that this COG leader is not alone in his defense of paying Sabbath-breakers to prepare his meals on holy time. Other prominent groups have advanced similar arguments when justifying their defiance of God’s law. One of the largest COG associations rationalized their behavior this way,
It is actually less work for many to eat in a restaurant and pay for the meal than it is to have a group of people in your home to eat on the Sabbath.
Ignoring the Preparation Day
Although these leaders draw consolation from their arguments, it is clear that God Almighty isn’t the slightest bit impressed. The scriptures indicate that God was so opposed to His people engaging in profane labor on the Sabbath that He actually designated the sixth day as a period to prepare for this holy time. Even the Great Creator prepared for His Sabbath. Notice what He did.
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 expressd 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.
Contrary to what many Sabbath diners believe, God never intended for His people to be engaging in the Sabbath labor described by this COG leader. The point this man apparently fails to grasp is that the Sabbath is to be treated differently. It was, and is HOLY TIME. Furthermore, the scriptures he claims to base his teaching on, declare that the Almighty would personally make sure His people had a way to keep it HOLY—and His remedy did not involve soliciting the labor of unbelievers.
So important is the Sabbath to God that He even leveled a blistering indictment against the children of Israel for failing to properly prepare for it. He did this when they attempted to acquire their food on holy time. Consider the emotion of God’s words.
How long refuse you to keep my commandments and my laws? See, for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath, therefore He giveth you the sixth day the bread of two days; abide you every man in his place. Let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. (Ex. 16:28)
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.
- Food was not to be acquired on the Sabbath
- Food was not to be prepared on the Sabbath
- Food was not to be prepared on the Sabbath
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 on the Sabbath. Tragically, many Church leaders teach that every one of these practices is now acceptable with God because it lightens their burden..
