NIV 365 / The Lords' Day

The NIV 365-Day Devotional Reading Plan

Day 151 of 365 The Lords' Day A Time for Rest and Worship The Sabbath-which means "rest"-is the seventh day of the Hebrew week (Ge 2:2-3). The Israelites were commanded to keep this day as a holy day of rest, reflection and recreation in honor of the Lord (Ex 20:8-11). The Sabbath served to remind the Israelites of their identity as God's covenant people and of their deliverance from Egypt (Ex 31:12-17; Dt 5:15; Isa 58:13-14). It was a day that offered refreshment from work, both spiritually and physically (Ex 23:10-12). Traditionally, Jews spend three days each week in eager anticipation of the Sabbath, then after it has passed, three days reflecting on its joy. The Old Testament has very sharp reminders to keep the Sabbath day (Isa 56:2; Jer 17:19-27; Eze 44:24), as well as harsh punishment for a person who broke the Sabbath (Nu 15:32-36). The Lord's Day, by comparison, was considered to be the "first day" of the week. A sign of the new beginning marked by the resurrection of Jesus from the tomb, the Lord's Day quickly became the day on which the early church met for weekly worship (Ac 20:7; 1Co 16:2). Yet rest remains an important part of the Lord's Day. The Lord's Day is not to be filled with legalism, for that is what Christ frequently rebuked in his day. It should be the joyful focal point of the week, a day eagerly anticipated by the believer. We should approach it physically rested and attitudinally ready for the Lord to reveal himself to us (Ps 118:24). Taken from The Woman's Study Bible Exodus 20:8-11 Exodus 20:8-11 KJV 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.