How did buying and selling creep into the Sabbath when no mention of it was made when our Creator discussed the manna with Moses.
Exo 16: v16. This [is] the thing which Yahweh hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, [according to] the number of your persons; take ye every man for [them] which [are] in his tents
V20. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.
V22. And it came to pass, [that] on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one [man:] and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
V23. And he said unto them, This [is that] which Yahweh hath said, To morrow [is] the rest of the holy sabbath unto Yahweh: bake [that] which ye will bake [to day,] and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. (notice they didn't have to cook it prior to the Sabbath on Friday because it would stay fresh without cooking until the next day, unlike the other days of the week).
V24. And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.
No mention of buying and selling looks like the Sabbath is a day off from the work or usual toil or occupation to get manna (or money nowadays to buy food, or taking care of your physical and spiritual families, usual toil, or even taking care of and loving your enemies).
Exo 20: v8. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
V9. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work (occupation, business, usual toil):
Perhaps buying and selling refers to barter or trade in a marketplace i.e., a business or occupation.
Rev 18: v11. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth (Strong’s definition: to be in the marketplace, to do business) their merchandise any more:
Rev 13: v16. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
V17. And that no man might buy or sell (Strong’s definition :to barter, occupation), save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
V18. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] six hundred threescore [and] six.
Looks like the mark of the beast is not a chip. It's the rejection of Yahweh’s 7th day Sabbath and doing your own occupation / business / trade / usual toil any day of the week. Instead, work six days to get your physical bread (physical manna) for the week, then take a break on the 7th day and have a holy convocation, and thereby get the true bread (spiritual manna) from heaven.
Jhn 6: v31. Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
V32. Then Messiah said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
V33. For the bread of Yahweh the Father is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
V35. And Messiah said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Jhn 6: v49. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
V50. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
V51. I am the living bread (true spiritual manna) which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
What about Nehemiah chapter 10 verse 31? If you apply the Strong’s definition in Revelation to Nehemiah, then he was not so angry about buying and selling, but was angry about them doing their job, occupation, barter, or trade on the Sabbath.
Neh 10: v31. And [if] the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, [that] we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and [that] we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.
What about Amos chapter 8 verse 5? If we apply the Strong's definition from Revelation it makes more sense.
Amo 8: v5. Saying, when will the new moon be gone, that we may sell (barter, occupation, trade) corn? And the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat (in the marketplace to do business), making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit.
It's not mentioned in the Ten Commandments, rather it says work 6 days and rest on Yahweh's seventh-day Sabbath.
Exo 20: v8. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
V9. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work (occupation, business, usual toil, chores):
V10. But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of Yahweh: [in it] thou shalt not do any work (occupation, business), thou, nor thy son (usual toil), nor thy daughter (usual chores), thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates:
V11. For [in] six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is,] and rested the seventh day: wherefore Yahweh blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed (to set apart) it.
A holy convocation or set apart assembly is part of the Sabbath.
Lev 23: v3. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day [is] the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work (occupation, business, usual toil) [therein:] it [is] the sabbath of Yahweh in all your dwellings.
Because of the following scripture, some won't even leave their house on the Sabbath.
Exo 16: v26. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, [which is] the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
V27. And it came to pass, [that] there went out [some] of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
V28. And Yahweh said unto Moses, how long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
V29. See, for that Yahweh hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
Again, they were doing their occupation or work to get their manna on the sabbath therefore our Creator told Moses to tell them to stay in on the 7th day.
You can leave the house, just try to lay down your usual business, occupation, or usual toil if possible.
I remember years ago thinking well I guess kids can't even go out and play. Obviously I was wrong (see article on this website titled “Don't seethe a kid in its mother's milk” June 15th 2022).
I remember years ago seeing a brother who was a former prisoner who spent most of his life in prison and taught me more about the Bible than anyone I'd ever met up to then. I said isn't this buying and selling and also aren’t you causing people to work on the Sabbath? He was very kind and said he didn't want to offend me, but he thought that our Creator wanted us to keep it holy with the holy convocation, but also to enjoy it with friends or family (physical or spiritual). We had long talks about how would it ever be possible to have someone not working for you on the Sabbath. For example, someone is working at the phone company while you're on the cell phone or even if you have it turned off. Even if you get a generator and water and go live in a field in a tent, someone is working in the property tax office even if you own the field or if you rent the field the person you pay rent to is working. The standard line was just do the best you can. What? Has the adversary won because it’s impossible? Yahweh forbid!
But on the other hand breaking the Sabbath is punishable by death.
Num 15: v32. And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks (likely heavy manual labor cutting timber and firewood usual occupation toil) upon the sabbath day.
V33. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
V34. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
V35. And Yahweh said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
V36. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as Yahweh commanded Moses.
Remember our Creator knows our mind. I suspect if the guy was cutting wood to help out poor people or disabled people for free or possibly even for money (it’s lawful to do good on the sabbath) it wouldn't be a problem. But if he was doing it just to get gain that may be a problem.
The Ten Commandments of the Old Covenant and the magnified Ten Commandments of the New Covenant all point to the need for Messiah to come in the flesh to absorb all sins past present and future which no one else can do.
Heb 10: v5. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me
The one and only sin sponge that can absorb all sin past present and future guaranteeing all creation an endless life. However, to get in the family that's a little more difficult see the other articles on this website). Fortunately, it’s lawful to do good on on the Sabbath which makes most decisions straightforward.
Luk 6: v9. Then said Messiah unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil?
The Messiah said that he who is without sin cast the first stone which means no one is qualified to cast a stone except our Creator and no one should ever be stoned to death again! That’s a great blessing since the physical act of adultery is now just thinking about it. Everyone on the planet would have to be stoned to death. There wouldn’t be anyone left alive except children and the elderly.
Jhn 8: v7. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
I was once told I couldn't do anything on the Sabbath unless it was an emergency. A woman bent over 18 years surely could have waited one more day. Surely animals can go a day or two without food or water?
Luk 13: v11. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up [herself.]
V10. And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
V12. And when Messiah saw her, he called [her to him,] and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
V13. And he laid [his] hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified Yahweh.
V14. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Messiah had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, there are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
V15. Messiah then answered him, and said, [Thou] hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or [his] ass from the stall, and lead [him] away to watering?
Referring back to eating out at a restaurant which causes people to serve you on the Sabbath? Paul says we're not to judge the world and most of the world won't be called until the millennium. He says to be a light in the world and only judge within your small assembly and family. However, if a brother is working at a restaurant on the Sabbath, you may want to take him aside and talk to him privately and see if he's having financial problems, or needs some assistance, or take the rest of his shift so he can rest on the Sabbath.
1Co 5: v9. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
V10. Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world (be a light in the world, this life the darkness below, the first hell, but come out of the ways of the world).
V11. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
V12. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within?
V13. But them that are without YahwehShua judgeth. Therefore, put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
Many won't seek any pleasure on the Sabbath because of Isaiah chapter 58. However, Isaiah chapter 58 is talking about the day of coverings which is a solemn annual feast day (not the weekly Sabbath). This day was done away with by our Creator's perfectly planned sacrifice at 3:00 p.m. on the daylight portion of the 14th of Abib.
Isa 58: v6. [Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke
V7. [Is it] not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh (physical family even a non believer takes care of their family how much more should believers).
V13. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, [from] doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of Yahweh, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking [thine own] words:
Messiah didn't condemn any businesses operating during the Sabbath, but did clear out businesses operating in the temple. I suspect he did it in a kind yet firm way, because anger is not a fruit of the holy spirit. See article on this website Wrath of YahwehShua.
Mat 21: v12. And Messiah went into the temple of Yahweh, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
V13. And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Jhn 2: v14. And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
V15. And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;
V16. And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.
V17. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
Scriptures that help me on the Sabbath are the ones that tell you to consider others better than yourself and to serve.
Php 2: v3. [Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
V4. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Gal 5: v13. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
V14. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
My father worked as a family physician in a small rural town without a hospital and would get called 7 days a week to treat patients (serve them), many were poor and couldn’t pay but many would offer something
Work can be caring for your family during the week and also can be your usual toil such as paying bills, going to appointments, or calling on friends and family. When Paul says if you don't work you won't eat, the spiritual meaning is if you don't work at studying the word especially on the Sabbath you won't absorb or eat the word. He also was very busy doing his toil which was making tents the other six days.
In the New Covenant, the law has been magnified so try not to even think about your usual toil on the Sabbath. Enjoy the Sabbath with your spiritual family and friends and your physical family and friends. Remember it's lawful to do good on the Sabbath and even if you have to work your job to help someone out, that is okay.
I'm very blessed to have two spiritual sisters and a spiritual brother to pray for me. And with my past that is going to be a full-time job for them with overtime!
HalleluYahwehShua!