Why Not Keep His Day Holy?

God didn't need the rest; He wants the day!
He who can destroy armies with a word
Would not tire making earth and men of clay;
He'd like one day in seven to be heard!
That's not much to ask of those who'd not be,
If God had not planned and powered it all;
Think of lost delights that's come your way free,
If, from nothingness, life He did not call!
Yes, I'll honor him, and more days than one;
He's earned it, plus all my worship and love;
What's more, I'll take grace; when my days are done,
He'll keep me with Him forever above!
For what God gave us, the least we can do
Is keep Sunday holy, and His name, too!

Eric Liddell, the Scotch minister, was an Olympic athlete for Great Britain in the 1924 games held in Paris, France. One of the preliminary heats for his primary event was to be held on a Sunday. He refused to participate because of the race being held on the Sabbath Day, which meant he had to forfeit his chance to win the event in which he was favored to win. He refused, even after being personally asked by his king, because God's Holy Day would have been dishonored by such a 'frivolous' activity. This incident was highlighted in the movie "Chariots of Fire" some years ago. What was astounding to me was that very few people even understood why he hesitated to run on a Sunday. The restaurant chain Chick-Fil-A is closed on Sundays, because the owner is a Christian. Even if most people do not notice, the owner chooses to honor God by not commercializing on His day.

"Honor the Sabbath Day and keep it holy" is the Fourth Commandment. It is to be special to the Lord. One way to honor Him and it is to attend church and spend the day in quiet meditation, prayer, and close family togetherness. It is certainly not for recreation, movies, "hanging out" with friends, etc. There are no strict laws for Christians, like there were for the Jews in the Old Testament days; instead it is left up to individual believers to judge for themselves how to honor God. He will know how we kept this commandment at our judgment time.

The Jews had developed an extensive complex system of nitpicking rules that guided their behavior on the Sabbath, and Jesus castigated the Pharisees for it. That is not how He wants us to live---by a set of rules that are inflexible and causes everyone to lockstep the same regulated path to heaven. He once healed a handicapped man on the Sabbath, and it helped precipitate His crucifiction. He said it is all right to do good on the Sabbath Day. A set of rigid rules can do more harm and prohibit doing good, which is something the Jews have not understood to this day.

In the time of Isaiah, 700 years before the birth of Jesus, God pronounced a judgment on the Jews that calloused them even more (see Isaiah 6:9-10). He did this, He said, "lest they understand, turn, and be healed". The nation of Israel, which is 78% Jewish, is mostly non-Christian today, but the Bible says the time will come, when Jesus returns, He will lift the judgment, and they will convert to Jesus Christ en masse.