Exodus 23:10-13 - Sabbath Laws

23:10,11

We now come to laws concerning the Sabbath. There will be more on this later on in the Pentateuch. We have great problems with the Sabbath, varying from ultra strict interpretations (increasingly rare these days) to seeing it as having zero significance. Both these are wrong. Jesus quite clearly criticised the Pharisees for their approach, but also considered the Sabbath to be of importance. The Sabbath principle was introduced in the creation account in Gen 2:1-3, and is part of the ten commandments, so to reject it as no longer having any significance cannot be right. We see here in 23:10 that the Sabbath principle is about much more than a day. The first instructions concern fields and crops. The land was to be allowed to lie fallow on the seventh year. During this year the poor could get food from it, and the wild animals could also get food. The same was to apply to vineyards. As a general principle, seeking to get the maximum efficiency all the time out of something (or someone) will not work, it will wear the ground, the machine, the person out.

23:12,13

We now get to the Sabbath day. They were only to work for six days, and to rest on the seventh. The reason given here is that their oxen, donkeys, slaves and foreigners could have a break! Someone who is relentlessly working without rest is a menace to themselves, and to everyone around them! The instruction was given so that they could be refreshed. 

This is followed by another warning not to invoke the names of other gods, and to be careful to follow the Lord’s commands. They were surrounded by nations with many other gods and ways, so there was always the temptation to go down the same path. This, as history proved, would be a grave mistake. Much of the church today so easily gives in to the temptation to follow the ways of the world, and it never ends well.