Gen 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed,
and all their array.
Gen 2:2 And in the seventh day Yahweh completed His work which He
had done, and He ceased on the seventh day from all His work which He
had made.
Gen 2:3 And Yahweh blessed the seventh day and set it apart, because on it
He ceased from all His work which Yahweh in creating had made.
When did Yahweh first
specifically give instructions about recognizing the seventh day as set
apart?
The first time was when the people were told not to
go to gather mana on the seventh day of the week; and that Yahweh would
not provide mana on that day.
Exo 16:29 “See, because יהוה has given you the
Sabbath, therefore He is giving you bread for two days on the sixth
day. Let each one stay in his place, do not let anyone go out of his
place on the seventh day.”
Next time was Exo 20:8 “Remember the
Sabbath day, to set it apart."
How do you "set it apart?"
Exo 20:10 ...but the seventh day is a Sabbath of יהוה
your Elohim. You do not do
any work – you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male
servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger
who is within your gates.
And if you believe what Paul said in Romans chapter 11 about
being grafted into the Olive tree, the tree being Israel, then you are
one of the "children of Israel."
Exo 31:16 ‘And the children of Yisra’ěl shall guard the Sabbath, to
perform the Sabbath throughout
their generations as an everlasting covenant.
How do you "guard" the Sabbath?
The word "guard" is the Hebrew word shaw-mar' שָׁמַר
Strong's H8104. To watch over, guard, in the sense of protecting and
preserving.
So, you guard the Sabbath by protecting it, not allowing it to be
changed, or interrupted by outsiders.
Neh 10:31 ...and that if the peoples of the land bring wares or any
grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we would not buy it from them on the
Sabbath, or on a set-apart day...
The Sabbath Blesses You
Lev 23:3 ‘Six days work is done, but the seventh day is a
Sabbath of rest (ceasing from the distraction of laboring), a set-apart
gathering.
Yahweh only asks for your total attention for one day each week; and
not one hour out of one day, but one DAY.
Hearing a good teaching to get better understanding of Scripture,
praise and worship with others, and fellowship on Sabbath are a
blessing. Being encouraged by good teaching to study even more on your
own builds up the body of Messiah and produces fruit. Done well, these
things will fill up more than one day.