Dear Neighbor,
Question 62: What are the reasons annexed to the Fourth Commandment?
Answer: The reasons annexed to the Fourth Commandment are, God's allowing us six days of the week for our own employments, His challenging a special propriety in the seventh, His own example, and His blessing the Sabbath-day.
All of the proof text for this answer come from the Old Testament, and are, therefore, proof text for the Old Covenant.
Exodus 31:15-16
For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death. So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.’
Leviticus 23:3
‘For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to the LORD in all your dwellings.
Exodus 31:17
It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.”
Genesis 2:3
Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
The covenant sign between God and Abraham was circumcision, (cf. Gen. 17:9-14) and the covenant sign between God and the sons of Israel is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. (Ex. 31:17) I love much that the Westminster Puritans wrote, because they understood much about the word of God, and brought much to the church of Jesus Christ, but in their zeal to purify the Christian church, they changed circumcision to baptism, and the sabbath to the Christian assembly on the first day of the week in order to apply the old covenant law to the lives of Christians. (cf. Gal. 4:21-31)
The Christian is not held under the covenant law given through Moses, and the Christian is not without the law of God, but is under the law of Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 9:19-21) Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Michael Peek
Your Servant for Jesus’ Sake
