Jeremiah 17 “The Meaning of the Sabbath Commandment”

Jeremiah 17 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:                                                            

• Run To The Father – Cody Carnes
• Be Still – Hillsong Worship
• Goodness of God – Bethel Music

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• Gizmo’s Daily Bible Byte – 055 – Exodus 20:8 – Remember the Sabbath – Lesson for  Kids
• God is Good | Kids Worship Music | Compass Bible Church – Song for Kids
• I Sing the Mighty Power of God | Everest VBS Music Video | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands | Maker Fun Factory Music Videos | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth are located in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

The Lord declares through a vivid metaphor that the sins of Judah are so severe that no one can deny them. Therefore, God will bring judgment upon them through foreign nations. The people of Judah will be taken into exile and live as captives in a foreign land (vv. 1–4). The Lord warns that those who trust in and depend on Him and do what is right will be blessed, but those who turn away from Him and seek help from people will be cursed (vv. 5–8). When Jeremiah asks who can truly understand the human heart, God replies that only He can. Therefore, His judgment is always righteous and just (vv. 9–11).

The people of Judah despise Jeremiah for prophesying disaster and judgment. They plot to get rid of him. Jeremiah cries out to God, protesting that he has done nothing to deserve such treatment. He did not refuse the Lord’s calling, and even when the people hated him, he faithfully delivered God’s message just as he received it. The coming judgment was determined by God Himself—not something Jeremiah asked for. Yet the people wrongly think that these calamities are his fault and turn their hatred toward him. Thus, Jeremiah prays that the Lord would protect him and bring punishment upon his enemies (vv. 12–18).

The Lord does not directly answer Jeremiah’s plea. Instead, He commands Jeremiah to stand at the gates through which the kings of Judah enter and at all the gates of Jerusalem to proclaim His message (vv. 19–20). Up to this point, God had rebuked the people for their idolatry, but now He reproves them for their failure to keep the Sabbath holy. On the Sabbath, no work was to be done except for offering sacrifices. However, they treated the Sabbath commandment lightly and carried on with forbidden activities as if it were any other day. The Lord warns that if they faithfully keep the Sabbath, He will bless them, but if they continue to violate it, He will bring judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem (vv. 21–27).

Meditation:

Breaking the Sabbath commandment is, in essence, no different from idolatry. The reason God commanded His people to stop all work on the Sabbath is to remind them that they are not the masters of their own lives. The true Master of life is God—the One who created heaven and earth, and the One who delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

When God gave the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, He referred to His own rest (Exodus 20:8–11). Later, when Moses re-explained the Ten Commandments to the Israelites, he emphasized God’s grace in saving them from Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:1–21). The two great events—Creation and the Exodus—are the most powerful proofs that God is the Lord of both the universe and history. The Sabbath commandment, therefore, calls us to confess and live out this truth with our whole being.

Idolatry is an act that denies God by placing something else in His rightful place. Likewise, neglecting the Sabbath commandment is also a denial of God. It means living as though we are the masters of our own lives. When people become blind to the grace that God freely gives, they begin to think this way. They forget that without God’s grace, they cannot live even for a moment.

To stop working on the Sabbath, to worship God, to share meals and give thanks—all these are ways of acknowledging and confessing that God alone is the true Lord of our lives. When we do this, our eyes are opened to the boundless grace that surrounds us, and we come to realize that everything is indeed a gift of His grace.

For those who believe in Jesus Christ, the Lord’s Day (Sunday) has become even more significant than the Sabbath, because through His resurrection from the dead, Jesus fulfilled the true meaning of rest. For Israel, the Exodus was the central event of their faith; for Christians, it is the Resurrection. Sunday is the day we celebrate and give thanks for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. On this day, we pause from our daily labor and gather in worship to confess and give thanks that the Lord alone is the King of our lives.

Prayer:

Lord, we acknowledge that You are the true Master of our lives. Help us step down from the throne of self and humbly stand before You, the rightful King. May our worship, our prayers, and our meditation on Your Word become a living confession of Your sovereign rule over us. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: Keeping the Sabbath means trusting God and remembering He is the Lord of our lives. We rest, worship, and thank God because our lives belong to Him.

• For Preschool-Elementary:
  • Why do you think God wants us to rest one day each week?
  • What are some ways you can show that God is the most important in your life?
  • When you come to church on Sunday, what do you feel thankful for?
    
• Youth:
  
  • What do you think it means to “rest in God” instead of just “doing nothing”?
  • How does keeping the Sabbath help us remember that God is the Lord of our lives?
  • In what ways do we sometimes act like we’re in control instead of letting God be in charge?