10. The sign of the Sabbath 31:12-18

"As a sign of the Noahic covenant is the rainbow (Gen. 9:13), and as the sign of the Abrahamic covenant is circumcision (Gen. 17:11), the sign of the Mosaic covenant is the observance and celebration of the Sabbath day (Exod. 31:13, 17)."⁴⁹⁹

God intended this sign to teach Israel and the other nations that as redeemed people the Israelites had already entered into a measure of rest. They were partakers of God's rest.

Observance of the Sabbath was unique to Israel. It distinguished Israel from all other nations. So important was its observance that the Israelite who failed to observe it died (v. 15). This sign was to continue throughout all succeeding generations (v. 13) as long as God continued to work through Israel as His primary instrument (cf. Rom. 10:4; Heb. 9:10).

"The analogy between God's work of Creation and Israel's construction of the tabernacle is made explicit by the reference to the Sabbath at the close of the narrative."⁵⁰⁰

Whereas God did not command Christians to observe the Sabbath, the Scriptures do teach the importance of periodic physical rest regardless of the dispensation in which we may live.

"We don't have to be servants twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week."⁵⁰¹

This section concludes the record of what Moses received from God during the 40 days and nights he was in the mountain that began in 25:1.

Moses wrote the instructions concerning the tabernacle so they parallel what he wrote about the Creation. Note some of the similarities in the narratives.⁵⁰²

Creation (Gen. 1-2)

Tabernacle (Exod. 25-31)

The subject of the narrative is the establishment of God's good creation.

The subject of the narrative is the re-establishment of God's good creation.

The heavens and earth are the arena for the creation of divine-human fellowship.

The tabernacle is the arena for the restoration of divine-human fellowship.

God's Spirit was the enabling power in creation (Gen. 1:2-2:3).

God's Spirit was the enabling power in the construction of the tabernacle (Exod. 31:3, 6).

Structurally the creation account consists of seven acts each marked by divine speech ("And God said,"Gen. 1:3, 6, 9, 14, 20, 24, 26).

Structurally the tabernacle account consists of seven acts each introduced by divine speech ("And the LORD said,"Exod. 25:1; 30:11, 17, 22, 34; 31:1, 12).

God made Adam and Eve according to a specific pattern: the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27).

Moses made the tabernacle according to a specific pattern: a heavenly reality (Exod. 25:9).

The Garden of Eden contained gold and jewels, and cherubim guarded it (Gen. 2:12a, 12b; 3:24).

The tabernacle contained gold and jewels, and cherubim guarded it (Exod. 25:3, 7, 18).

When creation was complete, God inspected and evaluated all that He had done (Gen. 1:31) and uttered a blessing (Gen. 1:28).

When the tabernacle was complete, Moses inspected and evaluated all that was done (Exod. 39:43a) and uttered a blessing (Exod. 39:43b).

God rested on the seventh day at the end of the creation narrative (Gen. 2:1-3).

God told the Israelites to rest on the seventh day at the end of the tabernacle narrative (Exod. 31:12-18).

A fall followed the creation narrative (Gen. 3).

A fall followed the tabernacle narrative (Exod. 32).

This fall resulted in the breaking of the Adamic Covenant (Gen. 3:14-19).

This fall resulted in the breaking of the Mosaic Covenant (Exod. 33:1-5).

God covered Adam and Eve's nakedness (Gen. 3:21).

God ordered the covering of the priests' nakedness (Exod. 28:42).