Exodus 20 Sabbath Day

Ghoti Ichthus

Pray so they do not serve alone. Ephesians 6:10-20
One of the Bible passages Pastor used for his sermon this past Sunday was from Exodus 20.

While Pastor was reading the Ten Commandments verses in Exodus, it occurred to me that wives are not included in the list of people, who are to observe the Sabbath, and who do not get to rest/not work on it or benefit from such rest. There is much work, such as changing diapers, cleaning, and at least serving food, which still have to be performed, Sabbath or not. All of this work is within the purview of "women's work," aka traditional wives' tasks. I get it that God is speaking to all, but in view of the traditional division of labor that means no rest on the Sabbath for wives, especially those, who are also mothers, I think this is something to think about,

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exodus 20:8-11, KJV


A check of Deuteronomy 5 also reflects exclusion of wives resting on the Sabbath in Exodus, and adds domesticated animals to the list of those observing and benefitting from the Sabbath rest.

12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee.
13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:
14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
Deuteronomy 5:12-15, KJV


So, everyone, including men, children, servants, and guests, get to rest one day a week, except the wives. Is this simply a reflection of the role of "help meet" in Genesis 2:18, or is this a specific reminder/consequence/punishment to women for what Eve did? That by serving everyone else without rest that she's obeying and serving her husband, who rules over her? Is this also a preview of the Church unceasingly serving and worshipping God forever?

18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Genesis 2:18, KJV

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Genesis 3:6, KJV

16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
Genesis 3:16, KJV



The other sermon Bible passage was from Galatians:

15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:15-29, KJV
 
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