Purpose of Sabbath before the fall

[shackleton]

I hear that part of the purpose for the Sabbath is to point towards the Sabbath rest that Christ gives but if the Sabbath was instituted prior to man falling, when there was no need for a redeemer to look towards, what would it have been its purpose? Giving that God walked in the garden with man daily.

 

[Scott1]

Westminster Larger Catechism (emphasis added)

Q. 121. Why is the word Remember set in the beginning of the fourth commandment?

A. The word Remember is set in the beginning of the fourth commandment,[637] partly, because of the great benefit of remembering it, we being thereby helped in our preparation to keep it,[638] and, in keeping it, better to keep all the rest of the commandments,[639] and to continue a thankful remembrance of the two great benefits of creation and redemption, which contain a short abridgment of religion;[640] and partly, because we are very ready to forget it,[641] for that there is less light of nature for it,[642] and yet it restraineth our natural liberty in things at other times lawful;[643] that it cometh but once in seven days, and many worldly businesses come between, and too often take off our minds from thinking of it, either to prepare for it, or to sanctify it;[644] and that Satan with his instruments labours much to blot out the glory, and even the memory of it, to bring in all irreligion and impiety.[645]

Scripture proofs

[637] Exodus 20:8. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

[638] Exodus 16:23. And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. Luke 23:54, 56. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.... And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. Mark 15:42. And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath. Nehemiah 13:19. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.

[639] Psalm 92 (title: A psalm or song for the sabbath-day)7 compared with vv. 13-14: Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing. Ezekiel 20:12, 19-20. Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.... I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.

[640] Genesis 2:2-3. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. Psalm 118:22, 24. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.... This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Acts 4:10-11. Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Revelation 1:10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.

[641] Ezekiel 22:26. Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

[642] Nehemiah 9:14. And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant.

[643] Exodus 34:21. Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.

[644] Deuteronomy 5:14-15. 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, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. Amos 8:5. Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?

[645] Lamentations 1:7. Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths. Jeremiah 17:21-23. Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction. Nehemiah 13:15-22. In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

 

[larryjf]

To be devoted only to the worship of God and not to the tending of the Garden, etc.

 

[A5pointer]

To be devoted only to the worship of God and not to the tending of the Garden, etc.

Where does the text say anything like this?

 

[larryjf]

To be devoted only to the worship of God and not to the tending of the Garden, etc.

Where does the text say anything like this?

So God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. (Gen 2:3)


The fact that God "sanctified" it shows that He set it apart from the other days as a day for holy service and worship.

 

[OPC'n]

I hear that part of the purpose for the Sabbath is to point towards the Sabbath rest that Christ gives but if the Sabbath was instituted prior to man falling, when there was no need for a redeemer to look towards, what would it have been its purpose? Giving that God walked in the garden with man daily.

I think of it as in the same category of the elect being chosen before the foundation of the world. Why did God choose us before the foundation of the world?....cuz He knew there was a Fall coming and He knew we would need a Redeemer then and during the creation. He came prepared!

 

[A5pointer]

To be devoted only to the worship of God and not to the tending of the Garden, etc.

Where does the text say anything like this?

So God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. (Gen 2:3)


The fact that God "sanctified" it shows that He set it apart from the other days as a day for holy service and worship.

Man(Adam) and his behavior on this day is not mentioned at all. Isn't it speculative leap to come to the conclusion about Adam being commanded regarding "tending of the garden"? In fact we may speculate that there was no work or tending required prior to the fall.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Where does the text say anything like this?

So God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. (Gen 2:3)


The fact that God "sanctified" it shows that He set it apart from the other days as a day for holy service and worship.

Man(Adam) and his behavior on this day is not mentioned at all. Isn't it speculative leap to come to the conclusion about Adam being commanded regarding "tending of the garden"? In fact we may speculate that there was no work or tending required prior to the fall.

???
Gen 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

That's pretty explicit.

Then, there is divine commentary on the purpose for the Sabbath from the time of creation (i.e., before the fall):
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 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:
Exo 20:11 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.

There you go. God didn't "bless the day" and "set it apart" for himself alone.

 

[greenbaggins]

In my opinion, Geerhardus Vos has the very best statements on the Sabbath pre-Fall of anyone. For one thing, he argues that the Sabbath points to eschatological rest (see Heb 3-4). That this is not tied to sin is evident from the fact that God enters this rest before the Fall. Vos then states that the eschatological is an older strand in revelation than the soteric. Then the most insightful comment of all is that the covenant of works is nothing other than the implementation of the sabbatical principle itself. Just as God works for six days, and then rests the seventh day, so also Adam was to work in the Garden for a period of time, and then he would enter into the eschatological glory-rest. See Biblical Theology, pg. 140. The Sabbath pre-Fall IS the covenant of works, in obedience to which was promised eternal life in the glorified state (see 1 Corinthians 15 for this).

 

[A5pointer]

Bruce, thank you for the reference to dressing and keeping. Do we not still have a chronological problem referring to Exodus to assume Adam was under the same idea? Given absence of it in the Genesis text.

 

[greenbaggins]

Bruce, thank you for the reference to dressing and keeping. Do we not still have a chronological problem referring to Exodus to assume Adam was under the same idea? Given absence of it in the Genesis text.

To what does Genesis 2:1-3 refer if not to the very same Sabbath that the fourth commandment refers? In fact, from the connection in Exodus 20 itself tying the commandment explicitly to the creation order, there is most definitely strong evidence that the Sabbath was the same. The only difference is that a typological Christ has to fulfill the sabbatical covenant of works conditions so that we may enter the rest (see Vos, BT, p. 141).

 

[toddpedlar]

So God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. (Gen 2:3)


The fact that God "sanctified" it shows that He set it apart from the other days as a day for holy service and worship.

Man(Adam) and his behavior on this day is not mentioned at all. Isn't it speculative leap to come to the conclusion about Adam being commanded regarding "tending of the garden"? In fact we may speculate that there was no work or tending required prior to the fall.

???
Gen 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

That's pretty explicit.

Then, there is divine commentary on the purpose for the Sabbath from the time of creation (i.e., before the fall):
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 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:
Exo 20:11 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.

There you go. God didn't "bless the day" and "set it apart" for himself alone.

You beat me to it, Bruce! I think there is sometimes a tendency to view the state of pre-fallen man as one of rest because of the non-existence of sin... yet the Bible CLEARLY prescribes daily labor for Adam - and the sanctification of the Sabbath by God is, as you noted, CLEARLY not for himself alone. Adam was given this six on, one off pattern from the very day of his creation.

 

[A5pointer]

Bruce, thank you for the reference to dressing and keeping. Do we not still have a chronological problem referring to Exodus to assume Adam was under the same idea? Given absence of it in the Genesis text.

To what does Genesis 2:1-3 refer if not to the very same Sabbath that the fourth commandment refers? In fact, from the connection in Exodus 20 itself tying the commandment explicitly to the creation order, there is most definitely strong evidence that the Sabbath was the same. The only difference is that a typological Christ has to fulfill the sabbatical covenant of works conditions so that we may enter the rest (see Vos, BT, p. 141).

Thank you, I understand where you see the connection.

 

[Scott1]

greenbaggins
Lanesterator Minimus



To what does Genesis 2:1-3 refer if not to the very same Sabbath that the fourth commandment refers? In fact, from the connection in Exodus 20 itself tying the commandment explicitly to the creation order, there is most definitely strong evidence that the Sabbath was the same. The only difference is that a typological Christ has to fulfill the sabbatical covenant of works conditions so that we may enter the rest (see Vos, BT, p. 141).

I couldn't have said this it all, and certainly not better than this.

This ties together why resting on the sabbath is indeed an ordinance of creation, was picked up again in the Law, and applies to God's people today.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

It is important to remember that when God "rested" on the seventh day, "blessed," and "sanctified" it (Gen. 2.2-3) he was not resting for himself, as if he were weary, but for our sakes. He is not bound by time or necessity, but we are. Christ says explicitly that the Sabbath was made for man (Mark 2.27). So the text already alluded to in Genesis 2 is not a mere footnote in history that God rested on that day and blessed it and sanctified it, without any further obligation or duty on the part of man to do the same, but a command by precept and example to Adam and the sons of Adams to do likewise.

Adam was commanded to work in the Garden before the Fall (Gen. 2.15) and the Sabbath rest was likewise instituted before the Fall (Gen 2.2-3). We know the Fourth Commandment as articulated in Exodus 20 hearkens back to this, and grants us six days to perform our own works and one day to set apart for the works of piety (and necessity and mercy). It is God that sets apart the time. He does so by his own prerogative and example. As Thomas Vincent says, "The first commandment hath a respect unto the object of worship; the second commandment hath a respect unto the means of worship; the third commandment hath a respect unto the manner of worship; but this commandment hath a respect unto the time of worship." This example and precept and command is as important to man in his state of innocency as it is to fallen man.

Fisher's Catechism:

Q. 28. When was the Sabbath, first instituted?

A. The will of God, that some stated time should be set apart for his worship was written with the rest of the commandments, upon man's heart at his first creation; and God's resting from all his works on the first seventh day; his blessing and sanctifying it, Gen. 2:1-3, were sufficient evidences of his will to mankind, that they should observe every seventh day thereafter, till God should be pleased to alter it.

Q. 29. How is the morality of the Sabbath evinced from the FIRST INSTITUTION of it?

A. Being instituted while Adam was in innocency, and consequently before all types and ceremonies respecting an atonement for sin, and being appointed him upon a moral ground, without any particular reference to an innocent state more than any other, it must therefore be of perpetual obligation.

Q. 30. What was the moral, ground upon which the Sabbath was appointed to Adam?

A. It was this, that infinite wisdom saw it meet, for God's glory, and needful for man's good, that man have one day in the week for more immediate and special converse with God.

Q. 31. What need was there for Adam in innocence, being perfectly holy, to have one day set apart from the others, for more immediate converse with God?

A. That in this respect he might be like God, who set him an example of holy working six days, and of a holy resting on the seventh.

Q. 82. Could Adam's mind be equally intent upon the immediate worship of God, when about his ordinary employment in dressing the garden, as on a day set apart for that purpose?

A. No; for though there could be no interruption of his happiness and fellowship with God, when dressing the garden, as he was a perfect creature; yet being at the same time a finite creature, his mind, while he was about that employment, could not he so intent upon the immediate worship of God, as it would be on a day set apart for that purpose; therefore it was fit he should have such a day, that he might thus have an uninterrupted freedom in the immediate contemplation and enjoyment of his Maker, without any avocation from worldly things.

Q. 33. What may be inferred from this, in favour of the morality of the Sabbath?

A. That if Adam in innocence needed a Sabbath, for the more immediate service and solemn worship of God, much more do we, who are sinful creatures, and so immersed in worldly cares, need such a day.

Q. 34. Did the religious observance of the Sabbath take place immediately after the creation, or not till the publishing of the law at Mount Sinai?

A. It took place at, and from the first seventh day after the creation for God's blessing and sanctifying of the Sabbath is related as a thing actually done at that time, and not as a thing to be done upwards of two thousand years afterwards, Gen. 2:3.

Daniel Wilson's treatise on the Lord's Day has a good introductory chapter on the purpose of the Sabbath as instituted in Paradise. It is available online here:

Internet Archive: Details: The Divine Authority and Perpetual Obligation of the Lord's Day: Asserted in ...

 

[shackleton]

In my opinion, Geerhardus Vos has the very best statements on the Sabbath pre-Fall of anyone. For one thing, he argues that the Sabbath points to eschatological rest (see Heb 3-4). That this is not tied to sin is evident from the fact that God enters this rest before the Fall. Vos then states that the eschatological is an older strand in revelation than the soteric. Then the most insightful comment of all is that the covenant of works is nothing other than the implementation of the sabbatical principle itself. Just as God works for six days, and then rests the seventh day, so also Adam was to work in the Garden for a period of time, and then he would enter into the eschatological glory-rest. See Biblical Theology, pg. 140. The Sabbath pre-Fall IS the covenant of works, in obedience to which was promised eternal life in the glorified state (see 1 Corinthians 15 for this).

This is what I was kind of thinking of in the sense that, if the Sabbath has a precedence that did not only have to do with Christ then even though Christ had come and gone it was still necessary to obey it.