The Nephites also observed the Sabbath day according to the commandments of God (see Jarom 1:5). When certain Jewish leaders criticized Jesus Christ for healing sick people on the Sabbath, Jesus reminded them that the Sabbath was made for the benefit of man. They decided how far people could walk, what kind of knots they could tie, and so forth. However, some Jewish leaders made many unnecessary rules about the Sabbath. Keeping the Sabbath day was also a sign that the Israelites were His covenant people (see Exodus 31:12–13, 16 Isaiah 56:1–8 Jeremiah 17:19–27). God renewed a commandment concerning this day to the Israelites, saying, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” ( Exodus 20:8). Since earliest times, the tradition of a sacred seventh day has been preserved among various peoples of the earth. The seventh day was consecrated by God as a Sabbath in the beginning of the earth (see Genesis 2:2–3). Think about what you can do to keep the purpose of the Sabbath in mind as you prepare for the day each week. On this day we should renew our covenants with the Lord and feed our souls on the things of the Spirit. As we rest from our usual daily activities, our minds are freed to ponder spiritual matters. It is a sacred day to be spent in worship and reverence. It is not a day merely to rest from work. The purpose of the Sabbath is to give us a certain day of the week on which to direct our thoughts and actions toward God. Jesus taught that the Sabbath day was made for our benefit (see Mark 2:27). How would you explain the purpose of the Sabbath day to someone who does not know about the Sabbath? It is a holy day ordained by God for us to rest from our daily labors and worship Him. Now the Sabbath also commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it” ( Genesis 2:2–3). We read in the book of Genesis that God created the heavens and the earth in six periods of time, which He called days: “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. It was a sign of the covenant between God and His people. Before the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Sabbath day commemorated God’s day of rest after He finished the Creation. The word Sabbath comes from a Hebrew word meaning rest. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” ( Exodus 20:8 see also D&C 68:29). Sacrament meetings The Meaning of the Sabbath Day
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