What does Ellen White write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "The biblical prohibition of trade on the Sabbath according to Nehemiah"
Answer
After Nehemiah, the prohibition of trade on the Sabbath was enforced as a decisive measure for the spiritual renewal of Israel. Since commercial traffic with pagan merchants led to the desecration of the day of rest, Nehemiah ordered the closing of Jerusalem's city gates before the start of the Sabbath and threatened persistent merchants with physical force.
This prohibition was based on the realization that the neglect of the Sabbath was one of the main reasons for the preceding Babylonian captivity. The reforms aimed to lead the Israelites back to sincere worship of God by strictly separating worldly commerce.
Nehemiah's measures against Sabbath trade
»Nehemiah observed that pagan merchants and traders from the surrounding countryside came to Jerusalem and had enticed many Israelites to conduct trade on the Sabbath. ... Many openly dared to violate the Sabbath. “In those days,” writes Nehemiah, “I saw in Judah some who entered the winepresses on the Sabbath and brought in sheaves and loaded donkeys; also wine, grapes and figs and all kinds of loads which they brought to Jerusalem on the Sabbath. ... Also people from Tyre lived there, who brought fish and all sorts of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah.”«
»And it happened: When it began to get dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the gates to be closed and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath; and I placed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would be brought in on the Sabbath. Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods stayed one or two nights outside Jerusalem. I warned them and said to them: Why do you stay overnight at the wall? If you do it again, I will lay my hand on you. From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath.«
»Before the fast day ended, the people continued to declare their determination to return to the Lord by committing to end the desecration of the Sabbath. ... Nehemiah bound them by a solemn covenant not to transgress the Sabbath law by purchasing from these sellers, hoping that this would discourage the merchants and put an end to the trade.«
»We should under no circumstances allow loads and business transactions to distract our spirit on the Lord’s Sabbath, which He has sanctified. We should not let our spirit linger even on things of a worldly character. ... The Sabbath was made for man to become a blessing to him, by turning his spirit away from worldly work to contemplate the goodness and glory of God.«
»Those who discuss business matters or make plans on the Sabbath are regarded by God as if they were actually conducting business. To keep the Sabbath holy, we should not let our spirit linger even on things of a worldly character.«
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Original Sources (English)
Stephan Krol
Founder of EGW Vision
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