# Dr. Gonzales on the Sabbath and Isaiah 58:13



## AThornquist (Nov 19, 2011)

Does All Worship and No Play Make Jack a Holy Boy? Sabbath-keeping according to Isaiah 58:13 | It Is Written

This article has to do with how the Sabbath relates to Isaiah 58:13 and recreation, and I thought it was an excellent piece. What are your thoughts?


----------



## countryparson (Nov 19, 2011)

That's precisely how I've understood the passage.


----------



## Zach (Nov 19, 2011)

I enjoyed the article. Thanks for sharing. I do really like how he interprets Isaiah 58 as a rebuke to those who keep the Sabbath outwardly but inwardly profane it. I don't know what I think about his conclusions about recreation though. I still think pursuing our recreations on the Sabbath Day are akin to bringing, "enjoyment, gratification, or satisfaction." The point of the Sabbath is not about not seeking those things, but seeking the greater pleasure of finding all our enjoyment, gratification, and satisfaction in the Lord alone. Certainly, I think a walk in which we enjoy, admire, and give thanks to the Lord for his beautiful Creation would be a good way of engaging in private worship. I don't think I can do that throwing a football or watching my beloved Steelers. All in all, an interesting read and definitely some things to think about in there. Thanks for sharing, Andrew.


----------



## Scott1 (Nov 19, 2011)

The article starts well, and sounds "reasonable," but misses the point.

Abstaining, ordinarily, from entertainment and recreation on the sabbath is not a unique concept to Isaiah 58:13, nor does its biblical case hang on that one verse.

The heart of the fourth commandment was particularized in the civil law given the unique Old Testament theocracy of Israel. It included abstaining from sports, entertainment and recreation, and in a strict sense, and with strict penalty.

Because mankind then (and now) has idolatry in his heart. Man resents His Creator imposing "restriction" on his time (similar to the way tithing poses "restriction" on one's money). Yet God commands witness of His presence built into the lives of His people, one day in seven.

The "sabbath" is about ceasing _from_ ourselves, our incessant pursuit of working and entertaining ourselves so that the day is holy (set apart) and so that the worship of God is prioritized all the day, without undue distraction.

It's not about us doing things we find restful, not really, it is about ceasing from the ordinary patterns of life the other six days.

It comes from other Scripture, and the context of Scripture- everything from the its ordinance at Creation, to the way it was observed and particularized to God's people in the Old Testament.

Isaiah also calls the Sabbath a "delight."

It is a "delight" not because God's creatures are left to decide whatever entertains or amuses them on the Lord's Day, but, rather that they are free _from_ the ordinary entanglements of the other days of the week so that they can commune with and about their Glorious God in a way ordinarily NOT possible the other six days.

There is an end to the weariness of work and even seeking to entertain oneself, even in this life, and God will have witness of that in the lives of His people.

Like true freedom in Christ, freedom is both freedom from... and freedom to.

Article misses the point.

Reactions: Amen 1


----------



## Peairtach (Nov 19, 2011)

The Sabbath is for rest and worship. 

The other Six Days are for rest, worship, play and work.

The whole perfectly numbered Seven Day Week points to the Heavenly Eschatalogical New Order when even our work/service and play will be characterised by rest and worship. This is a type which was established at creation, not by Moses, so this type continues today, albeit the day has changed.

The world and the things of the world are to be left behind at the beginning of the Sabbath. When we have six days for our work and entertainments it is a great pleasure and rest to be able to leave them for 24 hours.

I don't know if there is any example in Scripture of approval for people playing things like football or volleyball on the Lord's Day.

Dr Gonzalez makes some good points. The day is a day for (spiritual, mental and physical) rest as well as worship, such rest being a type of our eternal rest. People shouldn't feel guilty if they need to use part of the day for napping or sleeping, maybe becuse they'd been working hard during the week, because an especial rest in the Lord is part of the worship of the day.

We rest in Christ by faith every day of the week, as Adam did in His God and Father, but we are invited to enjoy the rest that Christ has already entered in a special way once a week, as Adam was invited to enjoy the rest that God had entered in a special way once a week, in anticipation of the eternal rest of the Heavenly Eschatalogical Kingdom.



> For He (Christ) that is entered into His Rest hath himself also rested from His works, as God did from His.(Hebrews 4:10, ASV 1901)



There is a comparison between God's work of Creation followed by rest, and Christ's work of New Creation followed by rest.

Dr Gonzalez's point that the Lord's Day is also a feast day rather than a fast day, because our Lord rose on that day, is also well made.

*Scott*


> There is an end to the weariness of work and even seeking to entertain oneself, even in this life, and God will have witness of that in the lives of His people.



Indeed. The Sabbath is also a rest from the weariness of 24/7/52 entertainment, another reason why a clear and careful distinction should be drawn between public worship and entertainment.


----------



## Scott1 (Nov 23, 2011)

It's interesting that the Westminster Summary at this point



> VIII. This Sabbath is to be kept holy unto the Lord when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe *an holy rest all the day from their own works, words, and thoughts about their wordly employments and recreations,[38]* but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.[39]but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.[39]



does not proof text with the verse the author of the blog article uses to negate the proposition of abstaining from recreation on the sabbath.

Granted, Isaiah 58:13 is cited for the next statement which speaks of the prioritization of worship all the sabbath day (at the expense of ordinary work and recreation).

That means that all these verses are cited as grounds for explicitly or implicitly support of the proposition of abstaining from recreation on the sabbath, which is why the article misses the point. 

The article merely concludes that "moderate" recreation is okay on the sabbath. But why would "maximum" recreation not be? What is it? Does God want to be vague in His commandments or have His creatures subjectively evaluate, in a broad sense, on a case-by-case basis, each kind of recreation. (I'm aware that some differentiate recreating to the point of sweating as equal with "work" prohibited on the sabbath, lesser non-sweating as not "work." While I can't get to that reasoning, at least there is an attempt to define it biblically. None in the article).


The creation ordinance of sabbath is introduced in the article, but a conclusion is drawn that moderate recreation is evidenced in that example. On what basis?



> [38] EXO 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. EXO 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. 25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the Lord: to day ye shall not find it in the field. 26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. 29 See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. 30 So the people rested on the seventh day. 31:15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. ISA 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words. NEH 13:15 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. 16 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. 17 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? 18 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. 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. 21 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. 22 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.





> [39] ISA 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words.



Few things are as difficult as a life pattern of trying to keep the sabbath.

Few things are as great a delight as discovering the rest from the weariness of life (even its recreations) that God provides in the sabbath.

Few things show us our sin as clearly as our willingness to disregard it,

And sweetly drive us to repentance, forgiveness and restoration before our Great God.


----------



## gordo (Nov 23, 2011)

Thanks for sharing. I truly do not spend enough time with the Lord on the Sabbath. I selfishly pursue my own pleasures and recreations after I get home from church. Have to work on that....


----------

