“And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: …” (Genesis 2:2, 3)
At the beginning of this earth, we already learned that a day of sanctification and rest was defined.
Later on the Lord felt, that a clearer definition was necessary and gave a commandment:
“Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work. Thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” (Exodus 20: 9-11)
A further clarification was necessary, so “...the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbath ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.”(Exodus 31:13)
The Israelites received and created very detailed rules in regards to the Sabbath Day, something the Savior corrected during his earthly ministry.
The Savior criticized the Leaders in his days, and stated: “…The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath; Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.”
In 1831 some more clarification came through a revelation, which stated:
“And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou should go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;
For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High; …“(D&C 59:9, 10)
President Nelson stated: “God gave us this special day, not for amusement or daily labor but for a rest from duty, with physical and spiritual relief.” (Liahona, May 2015, “The Sabbath is a Delight”)
These are the principles, we received, clarified by modern prophets and explained to us, over and over again!
The values of the world in which we are living are still changing day by day.
Today many countries of the world make the Sabbath a wonderful and relaxing shopping day, a day of pleasure!
We as Latter Day Saints live in this world, and the Lord knows us. We have the privilege of being taught by prophets, seers and revelators that provide us with the tools we need to be able to decide.
We do not receive a Book of Commandments any more, but receive instructions, how we can learn to do what is right!
We have to take on the responsibility and learn how to decide!
“Choose the right when a choice is placed before you.
“Choose the right when a choice is placed before you.
In the right the Holy Spirit guides;
In the right the Holy Spirit guides;
And its light is forever shining o’er you,
And its light is forever shining o’er you,
When in the right your heart confides.
When in the right your heart confides.
Choose the right! Choose the right!
Choose the right! Choose the right!
Let wisdom mark the way before.
Let wisdom mark the way before.
In its light, choose the right!
In its light, choose the right!
And God will bless you ever more.” (Hymnbook No.239)
And God will bless you ever more.” (Hymnbook No.239)
In this wonderful song we learn about the “How” and the application in our lives!
We need to start with asking the question about the sign we give to the Lord and then study, ponder and ask in faith with an open heart , to be able to understand the whispering of Holy Ghost!
I bear you my Testimony, that you will receive an answer and more important, you will find peace from the world on this seventh day, the day of the Lord and it will be a delight!