“And He answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fall into a pit and will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” (Luke 14:5 MKJV)
Question: If God reigns supreme over all things, and is Lord of the Sabbath, and if He would have man to rest on the Sabbath, why does He permit an ox to fall in a pit on that day and require someone to rescue it?
Answer:
He demonstrates that He is not expecting a legalistic reaction from us.
He teaches us that the Sabbath is not to rule and bind us, but is made for us.
He teaches us that we can choose to do the right thing on the Sabbath, as at any time.
He tries us to see if we will do the right thing and put aside our needs (in this case the need of rest) for the sake of a creature in need of help.
He demonstrates principles of worship and service and mercy.
He gives us lessons in priorities.
If an ox is so unfortunate as to not have rest on the Sabbath, and we are commanded that our ox rest with us, how then may we leave it in its trouble and rest at the same time?
That is why He will send an ox to the pit on the Sabbath.
Victor Hafichuk
September 23, 2009
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From: Brian Sent: July 3, 2021 11:39 PM To: Victor Hafichuk Subject: Physical Sabbath keeping, Law, Grace Hi Victor, I have to say something with regards to Sabbath keeping of which I believe The Lord gave me understanding. On 03/07/21 in the morning hours I was finishing reading about tithes and offerings from www.thepathoftruth.com and the highlight for me was that The Lord loves a cheerful giver , one who gives not because he has to but because he wants to. I asked The Lord to give me a heart that gives willingly and cheerfully. Not that I was not willing but that I would always be a willing one, a cheerful one.Then as I relaxed on the bed, I was contemplating my attitude on Sabbath keeping. This 03/07/21 was a Saturday and I was keeping Sabbath as per your teaching. After pondering I came to the conclusion that I was keeping Sabbath not because I wanted to, or desired for that matter but because I had to. I was concerned. I remembered Paul the apostle had addressed the subject of law and faith and read through Romans10 and Galatians, especially from 2:11-...continuing. Then it became clear to me that keeping the Sabbath from Friday evening to Saturday evening is keeping the Law by works. I contemplated it and realised the physical keeping had nothing to do with faith but is a work. You have written on one of the articles on Sabbath from thepathoftruth, https://www.thepathoftruth.com/teachings/sabbath/spiritually-keeping-the-physical-sabbath.htm A section of it ...
Because God’s commandments are promises, it doesn’t mean we don’t have to try to comply with them. It only means we can’t pretend to fulfill His commandments in our own power, which is to deny His promise, His blood, His Person, and Reality.
Some religious people rightly acknowledge the keeping of the Sabbath as part of God's eternal Law, but suggest the day it's kept has changed. This we refute by the letter and the Spirit of the Law.