Observance of the Sabbath
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Lord rested and was refreshed we shall be too weary to engage in His
service.
While preparation for the Sabbath is to be made all through the
week, Friday is to be the special preparation day. Through Moses the
Lord said to the children of Israel: “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy
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Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe
that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be
kept until the morning.” “And the people went about, and gathered it
[the manna], and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it
in pans, and made cakes of it.”
Exodus 16:23
;
Numbers 11:8
. There
was something to be done in preparing the heaven-sent bread for the
children of Israel. The Lord told them that this work must be done on
Friday, the preparation day. This was a test to them. God desired to
see whether or not they would keep the Sabbath holy.
This direction from the lips of Jehovah is for our instruction. The
Bible is a perfect guide, and if its pages are prayerfully studied by
hearts willing to understand, none need err upon this question.
Many need instruction as to how they should appear in the assembly
for worship on the Sabbath. They are not to enter the presence of God
in the common clothing worn during the week. All should have a
special Sabbath suit, to be worn when attending service in God’s
house. While we should not conform to worldly fashions, we are not
to be indifferent in regard to our outward appearance. We are to be
neat and trim, though without adornment. The children of God should
be pure within and without.
On Friday let the preparation for the Sabbath be completed. See
that all the clothing is in readiness and that all the cooking is done. Let
the boots be blacked and the baths be taken. It is possible to do this. If
you make it a rule you can do it. The Sabbath is not to be given to the
repairing of garments, to the cooking of food, to pleasure seeking, or
to any other worldly employment. Before the setting of the sun let all
secular work be laid aside and all secular papers be put out of sight.
Parents, explain your work and its purpose to your children, and let
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them share in your preparation to keep the Sabbath according to the
commandment.
We should jealously guard the edges of the Sabbath. Remember
that every moment is consecrated, holy time. Whenever it is possible,
employers should give their workers the hours from Friday noon until