HOW SHOULD THE SABBATH BE KEPT?
Updated: Sep 22, 2025
Isaiah 58:13-14- 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: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth.
Preparation for Sabbath includes: cleaning up your surroundings, preparing the needed clothes, barbering, preparing the vehicle for travel, preparing for your pets or life stocks, make preparations for anyone who needs your assistance and any other necessities based on your situation.
Exodus 16:16-27 - This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
God sent food everyday for six days but sent none on the seventh. The food which was sent on the first five days could not remain edible overnight but the one sent on the sixth day could be eaten on the seventh day. God demonstrated that food properly prepared on the sixth day can be eaten on the seventh day.
Why are we so overly concerned about warming our food in this present era? Would we be so concerned if we did not have machines at our fingertips? Can we not see the subtle trap that the devil is using to ensnare us? Isn’t God all-wise, would He have given the world’s population an impossible task? God knew that ranging from babies to elderly we can all eat what was prepared from Friday if we plan appropriate and sensible menus. Moreover, food prepared for Sabbath ought not to be elaborate and demand maintenance care on Sabbath before it can be eaten. It is sad that we are placing more emphasis on the physical food than on the spiritual food. We are treating going into the House of God to worship as a leisure outing rather than a time of special communication with God.
God instructed in Leviticus 6:12-13 - And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.
Fire was allowed in the Tabernacle/Temple on the Sabbath because the fire that was present on its altar should never be extinct; it had to keep burning. The fire was a reminder of God’s presence which is always with His creation. We are reminded in 2 Chronicles 16:9 - For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth. The continuous fire burning on the altar also points to the presence of the Holy Spirit within a believer.
God accepted burnt offering on the Sabbath day just as He accepts our offerings of worship on the Sabbath, in this new dispensation. Numbers 28:9-10 - And on the Sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof:
Jesus referred to this in Mathew 12:5 - Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
Matthew 12:1 - At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat.
13 Then saith He to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And He stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.
I cannot give permission for food to be heated on the Sabbath. I do not possess such power. However, based on Scripture, I can encourage you to do what is good. Just follow Jesus. Example. God has not changed; His principles are firm – Malachi 3:6 - For I am the Lord, I change not. Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.
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