The People of God: The Story of the ChurchНамуна

Living as the people of God looks completely different from the standards of the world around. A good exercise when reading familiar passages like the ten commandments is to take ourselves back and realize just how unique living by these commands would have been. In the midst of other cultures making as many idols as they pleased, the Israelites were to only worship one God. In a world where the survival of the fittest ruled, the Israelites were not to murder, lie, or steal. Because of these principles, the Israelites stood out wherever they were, but also they were held to a higher standard. These laws were written down and held the Israelites accountable for generations to come. In fact, they continue to hold human beings to account to this day! Rather than doing what seemed beneficial in the moment, there was a commitment to living by these principles. Why would a community submit itself to these standards? Could they have possibly known the untold benefits that living by these standards would produce?

We also see the introduction of Sabbath laws. These were designed to remind the people of a way of living that did not always go to the limit but left time to rest. It also meant the poor could be looked after. It reminded the people of how God himself rested on the seventh day. As his people, they were to follow in his example.

The theme of the Sabbath continues in the church to this day as each week, the people of God gather. We will look at why Christians have traditionally gathered on a Sunday rather than the traditional Sabbath still celebrated by Jewish people to this day, from Friday evening to Saturday evening. It is not common for Christians to continue to keep the Sabbath in the way the Jewish people have continued to. Perhaps it is worth asking - if we continue to obey all of the other commandments, what does the third one about obeying the Sabbath mean for us today?