Bible Studies for Life: September 13

By Becky Brown

Honor God • Exodus 20:7-11; Psalm 145:1-7

Commandments three (Reverence the Name) and four (Keep Sabbath Holy) of The Ten Commandments and Psalm 145 are our focus this week. Bear in mind God spoke these words to Moses after definitively declaring Himself to be the Great I Am, the Lord, The Deliverer of the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt. Let there be no doubt.

“Our Father… hallowed be Thy name.” Jesus said so. Hallowed. Holy. Sacred. Set apart. Honored. Reverenced. A human name is not simply a moniker or a few hand-written letters combined to ink a signature. A human name is also one’s character, reputation, identity, and even legacy. A name is not only who you are or what you’re called, but also that for which you stand and which plainly delineates that for which you won’t stand. If a human name and character are so valuable, how much more valuable is the name and character of God? He deserves honor on your lips and honor in your life.

God’s name is not to be taken in vain. Most of the time, we take this to mean prohibition of profanity. At the very least, it is that but it is so much more. We should denounce falsehood, empty words, making vows we do not keep, saying one thing and doing another, even keeping silent when we should have spoken up for truth. In Matthew 12:36, Jesus said we will be accountable for every idle word that we speak. Watch your words. Reverence the Name.

“Sabbath” means to intentionally free up and set aside the guarded space of one day to rest. God created everything in six days. His crowning creation was man, on day six. On the seventh day, having completed His work, God rested. Remember: God was NOT tired. That means that the first FULL day that Adam lived, he observed the very first Sabbath rest time in perfect fellowship with God. He spent a day of wonder and amazement toward God. He spent a day of worship and adoration of God. SELAH (a notation occurring frequently at the end of a verse in Psalms and Habakkuk, probably as a musical direction).

One day is easy to determine. The earth rotates on its axis with a sunrise and a sunset every 24 hours. One month is easy to delineate. The moon orbits the earth every 28 days. One year of seasons is easy to discern. The earth circles the sun every 365 days. However, the entity of a seven-day week was established at creation by the Original Calendar Creator. The pattern of our days of the week was set to the rhythm of worship: six days of labor, one day of rest. There was evening and there was morning, day seven.

The Jewish nation was set apart by God to be a holy people through whom He could deliver the Word of God and the Savior to the whole world. They set aside prayer times, traveled with the tabernacle containing the Ark of the Covenant, and observed festival holy days which all ended with Sabbath. They were the people of God. To them, Sabbath was not just another day. They paused and reflected on the goodness and greatness of God.

Before Calvary, Sabbath was observed from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead on Sunday, the first day of the week. The Feast of First Fruits was being celebrated after Passover. Jesus was the “first fruits of those who are asleep” according to the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:20. Since Resurrection morning, believers have worshipped on Sunday, the first day of the week. We honor God as we set aside the day of worship as holy. Keep Sabbath Holy. This week, our study of the life of King David and his response to the Ten Commandments is found in Psalm 145. He extols (lifts and points to) God. He blesses (kneels toward) and praises (boasts about) the name of the Lord, His unsearchable greatness, and His works. Each generation shall pass this news along. David declares (makes known) the mighty acts of God. He meditates (silently searches) on God’s majesty and God’s works. He speaks (testifies) of the power of God. He tells (relates from experience) of God’s greatness. He eagerly utters (bubbles over, pours forth as a spring) God’s goodness. He shouts (rings out) about God’s righteousness. When it comes to reverence for God, David spells honor:  w-o-r-s-h-i-p.

Brown is staff evangelist at First Church, Richland.