Following Christ-Rediscovering the Jewish Faith of JesusSample

Day 15: Gentiles and the Sabbath

Some have the idea that practicing the seventh-day Sabbath is exclusively for Jews and doesn’t apply to non-Jews. They get this idea from passages like Exodus 31, where God says, “‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy…The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed’” (Exodus 31:13, 16-17).

So, the Sabbath was established at creation—long before there was any Israel. “Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done” (Genesis 2:3). It certainly is an important command for Jews, but Jews were not the only ones present at Mount Sinai when God gave the command. Additionally, all believers in Jesus have an identity with Israel, not as Jews, but as partners with them in the promises God made to them.

The issue of Sabbath for Gentiles is specifically addressed in Isaiah 56. “Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the Lord say, 'The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.'... And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to serve him, to love the name of the Lord, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant-- these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. The Sovereign Lord declares—he who gathers the exiles of Israel: ‘I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered’” (Isaiah 56:3, 6-8).

Clearly, God includes keeping the Sabbath with worshiping and serving Him—foreigners included. God is pleased when non-Israelites keep the Sabbath. This anticipates Jesus’ words: “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:16).

If we ever doubt whether it’s appropriate for all believers to keep the seventh-day Sabbath, we’ve got passages like these that strongly affirm it. The command to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy should hold a special place in the hearts of all those who love God and keep His commands.

Reflection

“Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done” (Genesis 2:3). God rested. What does your day of rest look like?

Do you ever spend time with God without any distractions from that pursuit? If you do or have, describe that experience. If you never have, make a plan to do that for even a few hours.