Excuse I
The Scriptures are Silent
Question:
Isn’t it true that because God’s Sabbath law was given when Israel was a closed society, we can’t know for certain how He would approach this issue in our modern world?
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When defending the practice of dining out on the Sabbath, the leader of one of the more prominent Church of God groups gave a sermon in which he claimed that the scriptures are silent on this issue. In other words, he believes that you can't know for sure what God's position is with respect to His people going out into the world (spiritual Egypt), where the Sabbath is being trampled on by slaves to sin (Ro. 6:16), and actually paying these slaves to labor on their behalf (Neh. 10:31). This leader contends that God permits this practice because His people now live in a different cultural setting than the one in existence during the days when the scriptures were written. Here is how he expresses this point.
Regarding this subject, there is no "Thus saith the LORD" verse one can turn to, because frankly, in the cultural setting within the Bible when it was written, no "Thus saith the LORD" was needed. But things have changed since the time that Moses began the writing of the Bible and when the apostles finished the writing of the Bible.
Justifying Sin with Semantics
When this long standing minister insists that there is no direct prohibition against dining out on the Sabbath, he is relying on semantics to prove his point. After all, nowhere in the scriptures does it even mention the term "restaurant," let alone specifically prohibiting God's people from employing their services. Therefore, he wants you to believe that you just can’t know for sure how God feels about this practice.
Tragically, his assertion is flat out WRONG. In truth, God's word speaks with great force concerning this day. Furthermore, it is definitely NOT favorable to those who think He approves of seeking out unbelievers and paying them for their Sabbath labor. To better understand this, consider the following.
A Lesson from History
When God gave the Ten Commandments to the children of Israel, He had already introduced them to His Sabbath. This was done immediately after delivering them out of bondage in Egypt. Furthermore, it was not by accident that when doing so, the Eternal presented very specific instructions regarding their Sabbath meals. In short, God prohibited His people from: 1) acquiring their meals on the Sabbath, 2) preparing their meals on the Sabbath, and 3) going outside their place on the Sabbath (see Ex. 16). Furthermore, He declared that His instructions were to stand as a test of their obedience (verse 4).
A few weeks later, when presenting these emancipated slaves with His great moral law, God reinforced His position concerning His Sabbath. This time He addressed labor on this day. Simply put, no one was to work on the seventh day (Ex. 20:8-11) with the exception of those He specifically designated (Levites in His service). To go contrary to this injunction was a capital crime (Ex.31:14). Even unbelievers ("strangers") were to be released from their work (Dt. 5:14). Furthermore, God made no provision for His people to solicit the labor of others on His Sabbath. This included those within the camp as well as those outside the camp. Those inside the camp were bound by the same law as the Israelites. Those outside the camp were already declared off limits on the Sabbath when He gave His people the manna miracle (Ex. 16:29).
Simply because these "outsiders" saturate our modern world does not mean God now permits His people to seek them out and hire them to prepare their Sabbath meals. This is NOT how He thinks. This COG leader may believe that things are different now, but when it comes to God's Sabbath, there is nothing in His word suggesting that what was once Sabbath breaking is now Sabbath keeping.
Nehemiah's Bold Stand
At this point, it is interesting to note that when Nehemiah powerfully addressed the profaning of God's Sabbath by the Jews in Jerusalem, he locked non-believers (men of Tyre) out of the city. He did so because they were selling wares and food products on the Sabbath and holy days. Nehemiah also rebuked the nobles of Judah for allowing them access to Jerusalem on the Sabbath in the first place (Neh.13:15-21). Additionally, this great servant of the Almighty made it absolutely clear that God's people were not to patronize these Sabbath-breakers on this day. He commanded them, in no uncertain terms, to not buy ANYTHING (Neh. 10:31). Furthermore, there was no limitation to this directive.
With this said, let's consider some very specific commands from God Almighty concerning His Sabbath. This is not a complete list, but it does stand as incontrovertible proof to those who honestly seek God's will, that there is definitely a “Thus saith the Lord" concerning this activity.
You shall not acquire food on the Sabbath
Exodus 16:26
God actually issued a blistering indictment to the Israelites when they attempted to engage in this practice. His exact words were, “How long refuse you to keep my commandments and my laws (Ex. 16:26-28)?" He uttered them after they went out to gather food (manna) on the Sabbath, in clear violation of His command. Tragically, some COG leaders today believe that because our current society is infested with Sabbath-breakers, God's Church may now seek out these people and acquire their food from them.
You shall not prepare food on the Sabbath
Exodus 16:23
God revealed this specific aspect of His command because the Israelites went out to obtain food on the Sabbath (Ex. 16:29). Furthermore, God was furious with this practice and He made that fact abundantly clear.
At this point, it is interesting to note that the only way God’s people today can avail themselves of a restaurant on the Sabbath is to go outside “their place.” They must literally go out into the world where God’s Sabbath is being profaned and seek out the services of unbelievers and their sin. It is even referred to as "GOING OUT to eat."
You shall not labor on the Sabbath
Exodus 20:10
God first addressed the issue of work on the Sabbath when He made the seventh day. At that time, the Great Creator of Heaven and Earth rested from His labor (Gen. 2:2-3). Later, when giving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, God made reference to this rest.
When God gave the fourth commandment, His intent was very clear: work profanes the day He consecrated – to engage in such a practice is to desecrate that which is sacred (Ex. 20:8-11). Furthermore, to pay others to do it for you is no different. Leaders of God’s Church today may try to claim that because they are powerless to prevent unbelievers from laboring on His Sabbath, they may now seek them out and purchase the fruit of their sin, but this is NOT true. Nehemiah was well aware that God's people would encounter Sabbath-breakers selling food and other things on holy time. However, that didn't prevent him from forbidding the purchase of ALL their goods (Neh. 10:31).
You shall not direct a servant to labor on the Sabbath
Exodus 20:10
God’s plan for man is that he will ultimately be free from the tyranny of sin. The Sabbath pictures that freedom. It is not by accident that when giving the fourth commandment, God reminded His people that they were once slaves in Egypt (Dt. 5:15). It is for this very reason that every Sabbath, God’s people are to be liberators. In other words, they are to declare everyone they come in contact with FREE. Nowhere in the commandment does it remotely hint that God condones the practice of His people going back into “Egypt” to avail themselves of the very sin they were once a part of (Dt. 5:14-15). The Sabbath is about liberty, not slavery.
Modern day Church of God nobles may argue all they want that because we live in an open society with unbelievers, we may now go back into spiritual Egypt and partake of their sin, but they do not have the force of scripture on their side. God's word forbids such things and actually warns of its consequences (Rev. 18:4).
You shall not direct an unbeliever to work on the Sabbath
Exodus 20:10
Contrary to what so many believe today, God's prohibition against Sabbath labor extends beyond His people. Even the unbeliever is not to be compelled to work. Although scores of God’s people think they bear no responsibility for the labor restaurant personnel perform, this is NOT true. As customers we are the ones who are soliciting and directing that labor.
You shall not buy or sell on the Sabbath
Nehemiah 10:31
Throughout history, there has been an inextricable link between money and labor. Furthermore, God is very much aware of this link. For this reason, He inspired both Nehemiah’s words (Neh. 10:31) and his actions (Neh. 13:15-21) when dealing with the issue of buying and selling on the Sabbath.
When this great instrument of the Almighty commanded the Jews to refrain from engaging in commerce on holy time, he was not introducing a new aspect to the fourth commandment. He was reminding God’s people of where this sin can lead – CAPTIVITY (Neh. 13:17-18)! That one word should carry enormous weight with God’s Church today. The Great Law Giver was not bluffing when He indicted the nations of Israel and Judah for profaning the Sabbath. History bears out this painful truth.
A Final Thought
For any minister of God to claim that there is no prohibition in the Bible concerning seeking out unbelievers and paying them for their Sabbath labor, he must rely on a disgraceful attempt to manipulate language. God's law addresses Sabbath meals in a way that leaves no room for the scriptural trickery employed by this argument.
