Was the seventh day Sabbath kept before Moses?

The seventh day Sabbath is often thought to be a Jewish institution introduced at Sinai through Moses. However, the Bible shows that the Sabbath was established long before the giving of the Ten Commandments. It was instituted by God at Creation and observed by the faithful before the law was codified at Mount Sinai. This article will explore clear biblical evidence that the seventh day Sabbath existed and was honored before Moses’ time.

The Sabbath Was Established at Creation

The first place the Sabbath is mentioned in Scripture is in the book of Genesis. The idea of rest on the seventh day was not man’s invention, but God’s own example.

Genesis 2:2-3 (NKJV) says:
“And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”

Here we see three actions God took regarding the seventh day:

1. He rested on it.
2. He blessed it.
3. He sanctified it (set it apart as holy).

This shows that from the very beginning of the world, the seventh day was made special and different from the other six. God’s blessing and sanctification of the day were not for His benefit-God does not get tired-but for mankind, whom He had just created.

Jesus Taught That the Sabbath Was Made for Man

Some claim that the Sabbath was only for the Jews. But Jesus corrected this misunderstanding.

Mark 2:27 (NKJV):
“And He said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.'”

This statement is profound. Jesus did not say the Sabbath was made for the Jew but for man-all humanity. The Greek word used for “man” is anthropos, which refers to mankind in general, not a specific race or nation.

This reinforces the truth that the Sabbath originated at creation for the benefit of all people, not just one ethnic group.

The Sabbath Command Before Sinai

The Sabbath was recognized and commanded even before the giving of the law at Mount Sinai in Exodus 20.

In Exodus 16, God tested Israel’s obedience in relation to the Sabbath by how they collected manna.

Exodus 16:23-26 (NKJV):
“Then he said to them, ‘This is what the Lord has said: “Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.”‘ … So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. Then Moses said, ‘Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.'”

This chapter shows that:

1. The Sabbath was already a known day of rest.
2. The Israelites were instructed to gather twice as much manna on the sixth day to prepare for the Sabbath.
3. No manna fell on the Sabbath.
4. This happened before the Ten Commandments were given in Exodus 20.

Therefore, the people were already expected to honor the Sabbath, and God tested their obedience concerning it.

God’s Law Was Known Before Sinai

Some argue that because the Ten Commandments were given at Sinai, the law did not exist before then. But Scripture proves otherwise.

Genesis 26:5 (NKJV) says:
“Because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”

This verse is centuries before Sinai, and yet God said that Abraham kept His laws. This shows that God’s commandments-including the Sabbath-were known and kept before Moses.

Sin is defined in the Bible as breaking God’s law.

1 John 3:4 (NKJV):
“Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”

In Romans 4:15, Paul writes:
“…where there is no law there is no transgression.”

The fact that sin and transgression are spoken of from the time of Adam onward means that God’s law was already in existence.

Cain sinned by killing Abel (Genesis 4:8), Joseph refused to commit adultery with Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39:9), and God judged the pre-flood world for wickedness (Genesis 6:5). All of this would not be possible if there were no law.

The Patriarchs Honored God’s Law

Though the Bible does not explicitly say “Abraham kept the Sabbath,” we know he kept God’s laws (Genesis 26:5), and the Sabbath is part of God’s law. Similarly, we do not have to be told explicitly that Adam and Eve avoided murder or idolatry to believe that they honored God’s commandments. The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, especially when the nature of early life was walking closely with God and obeying His voice.

God’s Law is Eternal and Unchanging

Many people assume that the Ten Commandments were a temporary measure for Israel. But God’s moral law reflects His character and is unchanging.

Psalm 111:7-8 (NKJV):
“The works of His hands are verity and justice; all His precepts are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.”

Malachi 3:6 (NKJV):
“For I am the Lord, I do not change…”

God’s law is not a temporary set of rules but an eternal moral standard. The Sabbath, being the fourth commandment, is part of that law.

The Sabbath in the New Testament

Some might argue that even if the Sabbath existed before Moses, it was done away with after Christ came. But the New Testament does not support this claim.

Jesus Himself kept the Sabbath.

Luke 4:16 (NKJV):
“So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day…”

The disciples and early Christians also kept the Sabbath.

Acts 17:2 (NKJV):
“Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures…”

The book of Acts records many examples of Sabbath observance by Paul and the early church, even among Gentile believers (Acts 13:14, 42-44; 16:13; 17:2; 18:4).

The Sabbath in the Last Days

The Sabbath will be a sign of God’s people in the end times.

Revelation 14:12 (NKJV):
“Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”

This end-time message identifies God’s faithful people as commandment keepers. The Sabbath command is part of the Ten Commandments and remains a sign of loyalty to the Creator.

Furthermore, the call to come out of Babylon in Revelation 18:4 is also a call to come out of systems of worship that are not aligned with God’s commandments, including false sabbaths and traditions of men.

Sabbath Will Be Kept in the New Earth

Even after Christ’s return, the Sabbath continues to be observed.

Isaiah 66:22-23 (NKJV):
“‘For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me,’ says the Lord, ‘So shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,’ says the Lord.”

This prophecy shows that the Sabbath will be honored by “all flesh” in the new earth, not just Jews.

Conclusion

The seventh day Sabbath was indeed kept before Moses. It was instituted at creation, honored by the patriarchs, and reinforced before Sinai. It is part of God’s eternal law and will be kept by His faithful people in the last days and throughout eternity. The idea that the Sabbath began with Moses is a misunderstanding of the biblical record. It was made for all mankind and remains a blessing, a sign of God’s creative power, and a test of faithfulness today.

Let us honor the day that God blessed and sanctified, recognizing His authority as Creator and Redeemer.