Exodus 20:10 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates.
This commandment extends to those who reside under our roof, and includes all immediate family members, aunts and uncles, in-laws and outlaws, friends and foes, as the case might be. In other words, all those who lodge within our gates, even if it be for the holidays, or just for the week-end, should abide by the Sabbath commandment, by not doing any secular work, in or around our homes. Now, although the use of force or compulsion is strictly prohibited, yet the owner of the home is responsible for all that takes place in the residence over the sacred hours, and as such, everyone living or staying in the home should be made aware of the sacred obligation that is binding upon all.
The reason for this injunction from God is because, the sacredness of the Sabbath is violated in many homes, where the head of the household is away at church, while at home, all kinds of secular activities, such as cooking and washing take place. Thus, The Lord cannot bless partial obedience, and everyone, including the head of the home is found to be desecrating the holy Sabbath. There are many cases where the father or mother might be the only Christian in the home, and the other family members are not believers. In such cases, the issue of collateral blessings will apply to those who are not in Christ, for everyone in the household will benefit greatly by the faithfulness of the one who ensures that work is not being done in his or her residence.
There are also times when a relative or friend may ask us to stay at home for the weekend, and they may not know of the binding obligation to keep the Sabbath holy. In these and other similar instances, it is the duty of the head of the home to explain beforehand what is to be expected over the sacred hours. And then if the person may think that such a requirement is too strict, and the conversation about the subject makes for an awkward moment, then we have no choice but to leave the results with God, but under no circumstances should we be found surrendering what God has given, in favor of earthly friends or relatives, for to do so will be to put God in second place, and this must never ever be the case. Let's read:
1st Samuel 2:29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me?.... 30 Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith".... "Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
To be a faithful Christian will sometimes require that we say and do things that are not usually accepted by the popular majority, and if we begin to cultivate the habit of buckling under social pressure to the contrary, then it will just be a matter of time before we give up our faith in Christ entirely, for according to the scriptures, the time is coming soon, when it will be extremely unpopular to be a Sabbath keeper, and when that time comes, only those who have habitually stood firmly for the right, in the face of the stiffest opposition, will then be found faithful to truth and duty, for he that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to be faithful upon this and all other subjects that God has commanded, for the new earth is promised only to those who follow where Jesus leads the way. Let's read:
Isaiah 58:13 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 the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: 14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!