Exodus 16:23-26

To-day ye shall not find it in the field.

The Sabbath in relation to secular toil

I. That men must not engage in secular toil on the sabbath. Men must not even earn their daily bread on the Lord’s day,--they must provide it before.

II. That men engaged in secular toil on the sabbath will, as a rule, find their labour vain and profitless.

III. That men engaged in secular toil on the sabbath show plainly that they have no regard for the commands of God. They are selling their souls for gain.

IV. That men engaged in secular toil on the sabbath have no delight in the culture of their moral nature. It is especially on the day of rest that men of secular toil have the leisure and opportunity for soul-culture, by inward meditation, by earnest devotion, by wise reading, and by the ministry of the sanctuary. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)

The day of rest

In one of the most densely populated parts of the city a gentleman lately visited the house of a poor, hard-working, infidel cobbler. The man was busy at his last, and had scarce time to look up at his unwelcome visitor. “That is hard work.” “It is, sir. “For how many hours a day have you to labour here--twelve?” “Yes, and more, sir. I am never off this seat under a fourteen or fifteen hours’ spell of it.” “That is sore toil for a bit of bread.” “Indeed it is, sir; and very thankful am I when the week’s end comes. What would become of me, and the likes of me, without that rest.?” “And who, friend, think you, gave you that rest? Came it by accident, or arrangement, or how?” There came no answer to that; the cobbler hung his head; the man was honest; the sceptic was ashamed.

Queen Victoria and the Sabbath

One Saturday night, in this first year of Queen Victoria’s reign, a certain noble visitor came at a late hour to Windsor. He informed the Queen that he had brought down some documents of great importance for her inspection, but that, as they would require to be examined in detail, he would not encroach on Her Majesty’s time that night, but would request her attention the next morning. “Tomorrow is Sunday, my lord,” said the Queen. “True, your Majesty, but business of the State will not admit of delay.” The Queen then consented to attend to the papers after Church the next morning. The nobleman was somewhat surprised that the subject of the sermon next day turned out to be the duties and obligations of the Christian Sabbath. “How did your lordship like the sermon?” asked the Queen on their return from Church. “Very much indeed, your Majesty,” was the reply. “Well then,” said the Queen, “I will not conceal from you that last night I sent the clergyman the text from which he preached. I hope we shall all be improved by the sermon.” Sunday passed over without another word being said about the State papers, until at night, when the party was breaking up, the Queen said to the nobleman, “To-morrow morning, my lord, at any hour you please--as early as seven, my lord, if you like--we will look into the papers.” His lordship said he would not think of intruding upon Her Majesty so early as that, and he thought nine o’clock would be quite early enough. “No, no, my lord,” said the Queen, “as the papers are of importance I should like them to be attended to very early; however, if you wish it to be nine, be it so.” Accordingly, at nine o’clock next morning the Queen was in readiness to confer with the nobleman about his papers. (T. E. Ball.)

Training for Sabbath observance

No doubt, in the oppression and darkness of Egypt, the seventh-day (Sabbath) observance had fallen into partial disuse; though even in Egypt in that era, as among the more eastern peoples, the traditional seventh-day rest seems to have lingered, and therefore the usages of Egypt may not have militated against the rest on the seventh day. However that may be, still there was need of this training to the Sabbath observance; and this ordinance of the manna was just the preparation needful for their receiving heartily the statute, “Remember the Sabbath day,” when it coma to them through Moses from the mount. (S. Robinson, D. D.)

A lesson on Sabbath keeping

In all the Jewish history there never again occurred as favourable a time for imposing the Sabbath observance upon the people as at the giving of the manna. For forty years, comprising more than two thousand weeks, they were to subsist upon manna as their daily food. God was to furnish it every day; they were to gather it every day. Thus was presented the opportunity both for God to mark the day and for man to keep it. During all these two thousand weeks God gave them a double supply on the sixth day, and preserved that given on that day fresh for two days instead of one. Two thousand Sabbaths came, but on them no manna. It was vain for them to look for it. Soon they ceased to do so altogether. What a lesson for beginners! The most stupid and the most obdurate alike learned it. Time and the world may be searched for another series of events by which it would be possible to impress the idea of a Sabbath upon the minds of the people as effectually as by this. (A. M. Weston, D. D.)

Sabbath gains a curse

Whatever is earned on the Sabbath is a curse in a man’s property. (A. Clarke, D. D.)

Faithful to God’s command

A delicate man, once a ringleader in all sorts of mischief, was recently found by some of the Mildmay Deaconesses in a common London lodging-house, and as it was discovered that the poor fellow could not work continuously at his trade, he was started in business in a small shop. Late one Saturday night, as many, through curiosity, or seeing the contents of the shop looking fresh and new, filled it up, and were asking one question and another, one woman said: “Here is 4d.; I’ll come in to-morrow with the other few pence, and you will give me the parcel then.” “This shop will never be open for traffic on the Lord’s Day,” was the answer, at which announcement the people all turned to gaze at the speaker. A quiet look of firm resolve was on his delicate face, which seemed to make the crowd silent for a minute or two; then one laughed, and said: “Are you religious?” “Yes,” said the proprietor; “I may as well declare it from the very first night of opening. You will never, with God’s help, see either buying or selling here on Sundays.” “Oh!” said a scoffer; “then you will soon shut shop.” The owner of the shop replied: “Do you see that little card with the blue ribbon tying it up?” The eyes of all were turned towards the card, on which were the words, “Kept by the power of God.” “This,” continued the speaker, “is my motto; He is able to keep me, and maybe some of you will find out ‘tis better to have Him as a friend than any one in the world.” (Christian Herald.)