At the heart of both the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day are two great acts of God’s love—one rooted in the liberation of Israel and the other in the resurrection of Jesus. Each marks a divine intervention that reshaped history, setting apart a people for God and offering them a rhythm of devotion in response to His saving work.
The Sabbath was given to Israel as a sign of their deliverance from slavery in Egypt and their formation as God’s chosen nation. In Deuteronomy 5:15, God commands His people to keep the Sabbath, reminding them, "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm." The Sabbath, then, was more than rest; it was a weekly testimony of God’s love—a time to reflect on His saving power, His provision, and the identity He gave them as His people. It was a divine gift, a space carved out in time to remind them that they were no longer slaves but free to worship and rest in the presence of their Redeemer.
Similarly, the Lord’s Day flows from an even greater act of love: the resurrection of Jesus. Just as God liberated Israel from physical slavery, He liberated humanity from the bondage of sin and death through Christ. The first Christians, recognizing the significance of the resurrection, began to honor the first day of the week, not as a legal requirement, but as a joyful response to the new life they had received. Jesus' resurrection was the dawn of a new creation, a new exodus from the power of sin, and the fulfillment of all that the Sabbath foreshadowed. By gathering on Sunday, believers declared that the risen Christ was their rest, their deliverance, and the foundation of their faith.
Both the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day are divine provisions—expressions of God's love that invite His people into remembrance, worship, and renewal. The Sabbath commemorates God’s power to free and sustain His people, while the Lord’s Day proclaims the victory of Christ and the new life He brings. Together, they form a rhythm of devotion, reminding us that God’s love is not only about past deliverance but about present and eternal redemption in Christ.
Stephen D Green, with ChatGPT, February 2025
