The first giving of the fourth commandment is distinct from the second in two ways. First, the commanding verb in our text is “remember.” In Deuteronomy 5 it is “guard.”

“Remember” means more than simply to “bear in mind.” When we are told that God “remembers” His covenant with Israel, the meaning is something more akin to “active attention.” We are to “remember” the Sabbath, not merely to keep it in mind (so we don’t forget to go to church?), but to “attend actively” to it. We are remembering the Sabbath as the Lord intends we get our minds around what this day is, what it means, and what it’s for, and when we apply ourselves diligently to making the most of the Sabbath according to the Lord’s intentions.

It will be difficult to “remember” the Sabbath in this way if we allow all manner of worldly diversions to crowd in – boisterous, frivolous, and amounting to nothing – to keep us from the business of actively attending to the day God has set aside for us to rest in Him.

T. M. Moore

The Law of God is the soil which, fertilized by the rest of God’s Word and watered by His Spirit, brings forth the fruit of Christian life. If you’d like to understand this process better, and how to make best use of the Law in your walk with and work for the Lord, order the book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, from our online store.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.