The commandment to observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy is one of the Ten Commandments given by God to the Israelites. Exodus 35:2 states: “Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.” This verse prescribes the death penalty for anyone who violates the Sabbath by doing work.
To understand why such a harsh punishment was commanded, we need to look at the background and purpose of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was given by God as a day of rest and worship, modeled after God’s own rest from creation (Genesis 2:2-3). It served as a weekly reminder for the Israelites of God’s deliverance of them from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15). Observing the Sabbath demonstrated love for God by obeying his commands and trusting in his provision (Exodus 16:22-30). It was a sacred day, set apart and holy.
Against this backdrop, working on the Sabbath directly violated the command of God. It showed disregard for the holiness of the day and signaled one’s refusal to rest and worship God as he required. The offender was essentially trampling on a sacred institution established at creation and incorporated into the very covenant between God and Israel. Such defiant disobedience was punishable by death.
In addition, the Sabbath was given as a benefit for people’s well-being (Exodus 23:12). Working on it undermined its purpose of providing necessary rest and restoration. Imposing the death penalty discouraged flagrant violations that would erode Sabbath observance and its life-giving benefits.
While the death penalty may seem harsh, it highlights the weighty significance God placed on Sabbath observance. As a core covenant obligation and protective blessing, its sanctity was to be upheld with the greatest seriousness. The penalty was likely meant as a deterrent, underscoring the imperative of obedience. It demonstrated the seriousness of all the commands of God.
The preservation of the Sabbath and its special standing in Israel also had important implications for maintaining right worship of God. Failing to keep the Sabbath set a precedent that could lead to disregard for other commands of God and the abandonment of exclusive allegiance to the Lord. Strict Sabbath observance served as a safeguard against idolatry and syncretism with pagan religions.
In the broader context of the Old Testament Law, the death penalty was instituted for a range of offenses in order to impress upon the Israelites the weighty demands of the covenant and deter flagrant disregard of God’s commands. Sabbath violation fell into this category as a grave offense against the covenant.
While the death penalty for Sabbath breaking is no longer applicable today, the principle remains that the Lord’s Day is set apart and holy. Jesus declared himself lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28) and the apostles recognized the first day of the week as the Christian Sabbath (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2). Believers are called to honor the Lord’s Day for worship, rest, and doing good (Isaiah 58:13-14; Hebrews 4:9-11).
In summary, Exodus 35:2 prescribed the death penalty for working on the Sabbath because it was a sacred God-given commandment tied to remembrance of Israel’s deliverance by God, love for God through obedience, the well-being of people, and the exclusivity of worship due to the Lord alone. Its sanctity as a core covenant obligation required the most serious deterrent against defiant disobedience. While no longer applicable, the principle remains that the Lord’s Day is holy and set apart for honoring Christ in worship and rest.
Exodus 35:2 states “Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.” This verse is part of the Bible’s instructions to the Israelites regarding observance of the Sabbath day. God commanded them to keep the Sabbath day holy and refrain from work on that day. Violation of this command by doing work on the Sabbath was punishable by death.
There are several key factors that help explain the harsh penalty for Sabbath breaking:
- The Sabbath was instituted by God at creation (Genesis 2:2-3) and incorporated as the fourth of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11). As part of the very words spoken by God to Israel, observance of the Sabbath carried supreme importance.
- It served as a sign of God’s covenant with Israel (Exodus 31:12-17). Failing to honor the Sabbath was a breach of this covenant.
- The Sabbath command came with a reminder of Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:12-15). Breaking it showed ingratitude for this saving work of God.
- The Sabbath was to be a holy day honoring the holiness of God, so working on it profaned its sacredness (Isaiah 58:13).
- Punishment by death impressed upon Israel the supreme importance of Sabbath observance as a form of loyalty to God alone.
- It served as a deterrent to maintain Sabbath keeping within the community and prevent creeping compromise.
- The Sabbath was designed for Israel’s benefit and well-being (Exodus 23:12). Working on it undermined its purpose of providing rest and restoration.
In the broader context of the Old Testament Law, the death penalty applied to other significant offenses like murder (Exodus 21:12), kidnapping (Exodus 21:16), and sorcery (Exodus 22:18). This underscores that Sabbath breaking was categorized among the most serious covenant violations.
While the death penalty may seem excessively harsh, it reveals how vital Sabbath keeping was within the religious and social life of ancient Israel. Honoring the Sabbath was a solemn obligation to God that was not to be taken lightly. The penalty for breaking it served to reinforce its sanctity and significance.
For Christians today, the principle remains that honoring the Lord’s Day is important, even though the punishment for working on it is no longer applicable. The precedent of a Sabbath rest endures as something sacred and beneficial, as Jesus declared himself the Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28). Believers honor God and follow Christ’s example through upholding the importance of the Lord’s Day for worship, service, and renewal.
Exodus 35:2 prescribed the death penalty for a few key reasons:
- The Sabbath was instituted at creation and embedded in the Ten Commandments – it carried supreme significance as God’s holy law.
- It was a sign of God’s covenant with Israel, so violating it was a serious breach.
- The Sabbath was tied to remembering Israel’s deliverance from Egypt – breaking it showed ingratitude.
- Working on the Sabbath profaned its sacredness as a holy day honoring God.
- The harsh penalty deterred violation and compromise in Israel’s observance of it.
- It was designed for rest and well-being – working undermined its purpose.
- Sabbath breaking was categorized with other grave sins like murder and kidnapping.
In summary, the death penalty underscored the supreme importance of the Sabbath in maintaining loyalty and obedience to God within the covenant community. It served to reinforce its sanctity and spiritual significance. The principle of Sabbath observance remains vital for believers today, even though its legal punishment does not apply.
The Sabbath was extremely important within ancient Israel as it served several key functions:
- It commemorated God’s rest after the six days of creation (Gen 2:2-3)
- It reminded Israel of their deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Deut 5:15)
- It was a sign of God’s covenant with Israel (Ex 31:13, 17)
- It provided people and animals with needed rest from labor (Ex 23:12)
- It freed up time for worshipping Yahweh (Lev 23:3)
Against this backdrop, Exodus 35:2 called for the death penalty for anyone working on the Sabbath because:
- The Sabbath was instituted by God himself – violating it rejected His authority
- It was part of the very tablets inscribed by God’s finger – breaking it was an affront to His holy law
- The Sabbath was declared holy – working on it profaned its sacredness
- It was core to the covenant between God and Israel – breaking it threatened this relationship
- The penalty deterred lax attitudes toward Sabbath observance
- It prevented creeping compromise within the community
- Working on it undermined its purpose of providing rest and renewal
In the Old Testament, the death penalty applied to offenses like murder, idolatry and sorcery. Sabbath breaking was grouped among these serious covenant violations. The high consequence matched the supreme importance of loyalty to God and keeping His commands. It served as a grave warning against disregarding God’s Sabbath.
While the death penalty seems harsh today, it reveals how foundational Sabbath keeping was within Israel’s religious identity and their exclusive relationship with Yahweh. It was not to be taken lightly. Honoring the Sabbath remains important for believers in Christ, even though its legal punishment no longer applies under the new covenant.
In summary, the death penalty for violating the Sabbath in Exodus 35:2 underscored its premier significance and sacredness in Israel’s covenant obligations to Yahweh. It powerfully reinforced the imperative of keeping God’s Sabbath holy.
Here are the key reasons behind the death penalty prescribed in Exodus 35:2:
- The Sabbath was instituted by God at creation – violating it rejected God’s authority
- It was part of the Ten Commandments inscribed by God’s finger – breaking it affronted His holy law
- It was declared sacred time – working on it profaned its holiness
- It symbolized God’s covenant with Israel – breaking it breached this relationship
- The penalty deterred casual attitudes toward Sabbath observance
- It safeguarded against creeping compromise within Israel
- Working undermined its purpose of providing rest and renewal
- It was grouped with other serious sins like idolatry and sorcery
In essence, the death penalty underscored the premier importance of the Sabbath in maintaining exclusive allegiance to Yahweh within the covenant community. It powerfully reinforced the weightiness of obeying all God’s commands.
For Christians today, honoring the Lord’s Day remains vital even though the legal punishment does not apply. We uphold God’s intent for the Sabbath by pursuing worship, rest, ministry and renewal on the day set apart to honor Christ.