1401. The Fourth Commandment

The Fourth Commandment

"Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy" (Exo_20:8).

We now consider the commandment about the Sabbath. It was a Jewish memorial, given exclusively to the children of Israel in commemoration of the fact that God had given them rest from their enemies in leading them out of Egypt. It was also a day anticipating the rest which was to be achieved in Christ when He died upon the Cross. This Jewish day of rest was commanded to be kept with strictest integrity.

Our illustration is taken from Numbers 15

While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath Day (see Num_15:32-36).

They that found him, brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. And the Lord said unto Moses, "The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses."

If the penalty of death that God meted upon the man who gathered sticks upon the Sabbath Day, seems unduly severe, it must be remembered that the Sabbath Day set forth the fact that rest which we have in Christ, in our salvation, is of grace and wholly apart from works. Therefore, when the man gathered sticks, he spoiled God's picture of rest in Christ, and died. Sin slew him because he rejected the substitute. Had he kept the type by refraining from work, he would have lived, but his penalty of death would have fallen on Christ.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR