What Not To Do on the Sabbath

What sorts of things are we supposed to avoid doing on the Sabbath? The Bible gives us instructions to rest and not to work, but what does that look like, practically, for us today? I want to point out some specific things we aren't to do, because when I first started keeping the Sabbath there were many things that I overlooked. As with the post on what to do on the Sabbath, this is not meant to be a comprehensive list, but rather a general guideline of Scripture's instructions surrounding the set apart day.

The Bible tells us that on the Sabbath day we shouldn't:

Work:

-Work professionally. Full time, part time, or as needed. This includes side hustles or any sort of gig. Whether you work for yourself or someone else, working should be avoided. See this post for information about how to stop working on the Sabbath.

-Do unnecessary household tasks. I'm talking about things like yardwork or doing the laundry or general cleaning, as well as tasks like balancing the checkbook or paying bills. These things could easily wait another day so that you can enjoy Sabbath rest.

-Work on special projects. This could be anything from party planning to blogging to helping someone move to finally hanging up that framed family photo.

-Promote your work or business. The Sabbath is not for professional networking or trying to solicit new business. Trust in YHWH to provide for your needs. 

Have someone work for us:

-Shop. If you go to a store or business then the employees are working on your behalf. Save your shopping list for another day.

-Hire help. If you need an electrician, plumber, etc. or if you pay someone to do yard work or to fix your vehicle, schedule that for a day that is not the Sabbath. I would also think twice before enrolling a child in dance class or art class that meets on the Sabbath, because the instructor would be working (not to mention that this wouldn't be very restful for you or your child).

-Run errands like going to the bank.

-Make appointments. Sabbath is not the day to call about getting an oil change or to set up a dentist appointment, etc. 

-Eat out. Going to a restaurant for a meal or coffee shop for a drink means that cooks, servers, baristas, etc. are working on your behalf.

-Give other people things to do. While there is nothing wrong with talking to friends and family, please be considerate of other people's day of rest and refrain from asking them to do things for you, whether that's look something up, email you information, or schedule an appointment. I know from experience that there is nothing relaxing about being asked to do some sort of errand or chore, even if the person doesn't expect you to do it until later in the week. Saving your requests for another day helps to promote a restful atmosphere for all.

I'd like to point out that these restrictions are for normal circumstances. The Messiah used the analogy of the ox in the ditch (Luke 14:5) to say that emergencies happen, and sometimes it is necessary to do something on the Sabbath that is not restful or ideal. If you are in need of the police, immediate medical care, etc. please do not hesitate to get the services you need!

The following are things not expressly ruled out by Scripture, but that generally don't lend themselves well to a day of rest. You can certainly choose to do these things if you wish, but consider if taking part in these is helping or hindering rest in your life.

A few more suggestions of things to avoid for a better Sabbath day:

-Spending the day on the internet. Is all of that time on social media doing you any favors? Does website hopping leave you feel refreshed or drained? Consider how your internet activity makes you feel, and see if YHWH is calling you to something better on the Sabbath.

-Watching the news. Tuning into the news is a great way to invite fear and anxiety into your life and home. Most of what the news covers has very little impact on our daily lives, and much of what is news today will be forgotten by tomorrow. Keeping the television shut off can make for a more peaceful atmosphere for your home.

-Stressing yourself out. Sabbath rest is a reminder that we depend on YHWH. Therefore, a great gift to give yourself and your family is to not ruminate on things that worry you, be that finances, needing to buy a new car, relationship trouble, or concern for a loved one. Instead of focusing on the 'what-ifs', redirect your thinking to remind yourself of YHWH's promise to work all things together for good. This post about how Scripture says to handle anxiety can help you to manage this.

-Trying to quickly knock something off your to do list. It's easy to let yourself think that if you just get whatever thing done, then you'll be able to rest. But you are called to set aside work, even when there are things to do or the house needs cleaned. Don't fall for the lie that rest can only be had when everything is done, or that whatever thing "needs" to be done. Unless it's an emergency, let it go and set apart the Sabbath.

Related posts:

What To Do on the Sabbath
Five Things the Messiah Taught About the Sabbath
How to Have a More Peaceful Sabbath

Fifteen Things Scripture Says about the Sabbath

Keeping the Sabbath is one of the ten commandments. Do you know about this special day? What is the Sabbath? When is it? What does it look like to honor this day? Scripture has a lot to tell us.

What Scripture Says About the Sabbath:

1. It is for all believers even today.
"The people of Israel are to keep the Sabbath, to observe it throughout all their generations as a perpetual covenant." -Exodus 31:16

The Messiah did not take away this command. The New Testament tells us that believers' duty to keep the Sabbath remains (see Hebrews 4:9). Think you're not Israel? Reminder that YHWH calls all of his children Israel. But even if you don't have Israelite blood....

2. He expects you to keep it, even if you aren't a natural born Israelite.
"And the sons of foreigners that join themselves to YHWH, to serve him, to love his name, should guard the Sabbath from polluting it. They will take hold of my covenant; and I will bring them to my holy mountain and make them full of joy in my house of prayer." -Isaiah 56:6-7

This passage makes it doubly clear that the Creator expects every single person that serves him to honor the Sabbath, regardless of your family traditions or bloodline.

3. It is the seventh day of the week.
"On six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is to be a set apart day for you, a Sabbath of complete rest to honor YHWH." -Exodus 35:2

The example for this was set by the Creator himself in Genesis 2:2 when he rested from creation on the seventh day. Like it or not, Sunday is the first day of the week and does not replace the commandment to observe the Sabbath on the seventh.

4. We aren't supposed to work on it.
"The seventh day is a Sabbath for YHWH. On it, you are not to do any kind of work." -Exodus 20:10a

Honoring the Sabbath means making sure I have the day off from my job. Professional work is prohibitied, but of course this command was given to a group of freshly freed slaves wandering the desert. The Israelites had no professional work to do, and were still commanded not to work on the Sabbath day. Clearly "work" means more than just what we get paid to do.

5. It is a day of rest.
"On six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is to be a set apart day for you, a Sabbath of complete rest to honor YHWH." -Exodus 35:2

Resting is a more helpful way to describe the itinerary for the set apart day. No one is going to pay me to rake the leaves, change the oil in the car, clean my house, or check my email, but are those things restful? Then don't do them on the Sabbath!

6. We should worship YHWH on it.
"The people of the land shall worship before YHWH on the Sabbath." -Ezekiel 46:3

Physical rest is one aspect of the Sabbath day; emotional and spiritual rest are another. Worshipping YHWH brings us peace and refreshment. It is restorative and healing. Don't we all need more of those things? This verse also tells us once again, that Sabbath is for all of us.

7. We should not cause anyone to violate the Sabbath.
"On it you are not to do any kind of work - not you, your son or daughter, not your servants, not your livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you." -Exodus 20:10

While most of us don't have traditional servants, we still pay people to work for us. We should avoid having the electrician over to fix something or having a barista whip up a latte for us on the Sabbath. If visiting a place of business causes someone else to work we might want to reconsider and save that trip for another day of the week.

8. We should not buy or sell anything on it.
"If the people of the land bring merchandise or food to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day." -Nehemiah 10:31

This expressly prohibits buying and selling on the Sabbath. This is implied throughout Scripture since everyone is supposed to be resting, and in order for things to be for sale someone has to work. Later on in Nehemiah 13:17, Nehemiah discovers food being sold and angrily calls it profaning the Sabbath. This means going out for lunch or swinging by the Saturday morning farmers market does not fit in with following the commandments of Scripture.

9. It's not a day for pursuing our own interests.
"If you hold back your foot on the Sabbath from pursuing your own interests on the holy day of YHWH; if you call the Sabbath a delight that's worth honoring then you hnor YHWH by not doing your usual things or pursuing your own interests." -Isaiah 58:13

Sabbath is for us to grow closer to YHWH, not to spend browsing the internet, getting things done, working on hobbies, or otherwise pursuing my career or self image. Sabbath is intended for rest, worship, studying Scripture, prayer, and spending time with family.

10. We shouldn't cook on it.
"Tomorrow is the day of rest, the set apart Sabbath to YHWH; bake what you'd like today, and store your leftovers for tomorrow." -Exodus 16:23

Having food made ahead of time gives us the opportunity for more rest on the Sabbath. This can be challenging but it is worth it to be able to fully honor his instructions. Random leftovers or peanut butter sandwiches are great!

11. We shouldn't start a fire on the Sabbath.
"You are not to kindle a fire in any of your homes on the Sabbath." -Exodus 35:3

This verse is referring to an actual fire and not to electricity. Starting a fire is a lot of work and something we should avoid on the Sabbath. If you'll need a fire going to heat your home, prepare for that by getting it going ahead of time and having the wood split before the Sabbath.

12. It is not a day for hauling stuff around.
"Don't carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath." -Jeremiah 17:22

Historically this has to do with moving things out of your home for sale, but it is also a reminder that we shouldn't burden ourselves on the Sabbath. It's not a day for getting all the things accomplished (even if they aren't technically work). If you find yourself overloading the car before heading to congregation, stop and evaluate if you can downsize, what you can do ahead of time, or what simply can wait.

13. The Creator is angry when his people don't keep the Sabbath.
"But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not live by my laws, they rejected my rulings - which if a person does he will have life through them. They have greatly profaned my Sabbath. Then I said I would pour out my fury on them in the wilderness." -Ezekiel 20:13

There are something like fifty verses in Scripture where YHWH rails against his people for not honoring the Sabbath day. Let this serve as a warning for us. The Creator is serious about Sabbath rest.

14. It is a sign between us and YHWH.
"You are to observe my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you through all your generations, so that you will know I am YHWH, who sets you apart for me." -Exodus 31:13

A sign serves as a reminder for all who see it. So if you keep the Sabbath you are sharing truth with your family, friends, coworkers, and community. Additionally this verse tells us that there is something about the Sabbath that communicates who YHWH is to us. That's amazing!

15. Keeping it is a delight.
"Happy is the person who does this, who keeps the Sabbath." -Isaiah 56:2

In a world with skyrocketing rates of depression and anxiety, don't we want all the joy in our lives that we can get? Scripture tells us that keeping the Sabbath causes joy in us.

More on the Sabbath:
Six Reasons Believers Should Keep the Sabbath
Why I Started Keeping the Sabbath
There Remains a Sabbath Rest
Five Things the Messiah Taught About the Sabbath