1. The shadowy Sabbath was the observance of every
seventh day. "The seventh day is the Sabbath" (Exod.
20:10). The new covenant Sabbath is not the observance of
this particular day. "One man [the Jew] esteemeth one
day above another: another [the Gentile Christian]
esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind.... He that regardeth not the
day, to the Lord he cloth not regard it" (Rom. 14:5,
6). "Ye observe days.... I am afraid of you"
(Gal. 4:10, 11). "Let no man therefore judge you in
respect . . . of the sabbath days" (Col. 2:16)).
These texts refer particularly to law days.
2. The old was a rest of the body
but one day in seven. The new is a rest of our souls every
day. "For he that is entered into his rest, he also
hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his"
(Heb. 4:10). After God finished creation's work, he rested
the seventh day. But his rest did not stop there. He
rested the eighth, ninth, tenth. eleventh, twelfth day,
and he has been resting from creation's work ever since.
So we who have entered his rest cease from our
works—self efforts—and enjoy a perpetual soul rest.
3. The old was a bodily rest, a
temporal rest. The new is a spiritual rest that we enter
by faith (Matt. 11:28, 29; Heb. 4:1-11), and is eternal.
4. The old was enjoined in the law,
and was binding upon Israel as a nation (Exod. 16:29;
31:13). The new is found in Christ under the new covenant
and is to be enjoyed by all nations.
5. Under the law but one day in
seven was kept holy (Exod. 20:8, 10). Under the gospel we
keep every day holy (Luke 1:74, 75).
6. Total abstinence from manual
labor constituted a holy day—Sabbath—to the Jews
(Deut. 5:14). Abstinence from manual work does not make a
day holy or unholy to us under the gospel (Rom. 14:5, 6;
Gal. 4:10, 11; Col. 2: 16). By totally abstaining, ceasing
from our self works, and living a righteous life, we keep
every day holy (Heb. 4:10; Luke 1:74, 75). In the former
the people totally abstained from manual work; while in
the latter we cease from self strivings, and enter the
glorious rest of a perfect salvation.
7. By performing the least amount
of manual work on the seventh day, the Jews broke their
Sabbath, and were stoned to death (Num. 15:32-36). By
indulging in the least amount of sin, we now lose our
sweet Sabbath rest, and spiritual death is the result (1
John 3:8; Jas. 1:15).
8. The old was a "shadow"
or type of the new (Col. 2:14-16; Heb. 4:1-11).
