FESTIVAL OF SABBATH
The seventh-day sabbath is spoken of in connection with the appointed festivals and the new moons and was especially set aside as a day of meditation on spiritual things and for instruction in God’s law. Certain days of the festivals and also the new moons were sabbaths. Generally speaking, the seventh-day sabbath was more restrictive as to the normal procedures of life than were most of the holy conventions or sabbaths associated with the festivals. No work of any kind, either laborious service, trade or household work, could be done on the seventh-day sabbath, not even the building of a fire or the picking up of sticks for such purpose. In the wilderness, at the time of its institution, no manna was provided to be picked up on the sabbath, necessitating the gathering of twice as much on the sixth day.—Ex. 16:22-27; 20:8; 35:2, 3; Num. 15:32-36.
Travel was restricted. Apparently this was based on Exodus 16:29. A sabbath day’s journey was under a mile. (Acts 1:12) Priestly functions, however, were performed on the sabbath without being considered as a violation of it. Circumcision also could be performed on the sabbath.—John 7:22, 23.
At Leviticus 23:3 the sabbath was called “a holy convention.” On every seventh-day sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering rendered up daily, there was to be a sacrifice of two sound year-old male lambs, two tenth measures of fine flour moistened with oil and a drink offering. (Num. 28:9, 10) It was on the sabbath day that the cakes of showbread were changed, fresh bread replacing that which had been on the table during that week. The day began the evening before (Friday). The incoming priests and the “stationary men,” who were to be the representatives of all Israel, arrived Friday afternoon and went up to the temple.
According to rabbinical sources, in the time when Jesus was on earth three trumpet blasts about the ninth hour, or three o’clock, on Friday announced the sabbath day’s approach. At this, all work and business were to cease, the sabbath lamp was lit and festive garments were put on. Then three more blasts indicated that sabbath had actually begun. The outgoing division of priests offered the morning sacrifice on the sabbath and the incoming division offered the evening sacrifice, both spending sabbath in the sanctuary. Each one of the divisions would give to the high priest half of their portion of the bread. It was eaten during the sabbath in the temple itself by such priests as were in a state of cleanness. The heads of the families of the incoming divisions determined by lot which of the families were to serve on each special day of their week of ministry and who were to discharge the priestly functions on the sabbath.—Lev. 24:8, 9; Mark 2:26, 27.
Like all the other festival days Jehovah commanded, the sabbath had its negative aspect as to doing work, but was primarily intended to be positive in its spiritual blessings, it being a time for consideration of God’s law and an occasion for rejoicing in their God Jehovah.—Isa. 58:13, 14; see SABBATH DAY; SABBATH YEAR.