（出35）安息日与预备日 (Exodus 35) The Sabbath and the Preparation Day

(ChatGPT translation from Chinese, edited by Mijiale, 中文在后面）

In Exodus 35:3, Moses conveys the Creator’s instruction to the Israelites: “On the Sabbath day, you shall not kindle a fire in all your dwellings.” One might question how the Israelites cooked on the Sabbath. It turns out they prepared the Sabbath meals in advance on the preceding day, as instructed in Exodus 16:23: “Moses said to them, ‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.'”

This day before the Sabbath is referred to as the “Preparation Day” in the New Testament, (see, e.g., a related article at https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/topical.show/RTD/cgg/ID/180/Preparation-Day.htm)

and it is aimed at making preparations for a better Sabbath experience. The better the preparation, the better the Sabbath experience. If one doesn’t prepare in advance, they may have to eat raw food. The more elaborate the pre-prepared meals, the more enjoyable the Sabbath. This insight is only truly understood by those who have personally experienced it.

Jews consider the Sabbath symbolic of the world to come. This is not a secret. They express this sentiment in their post-meal blessings on the Sabbath, saying, “May the Merciful One make us worthy of the day of complete rest, and of life eternal.” More information can be found [here](https://www.sefaria.org/Birkat_Hamazon%2C_Birkat_Hamazon%2C_Hatov_Vehametiv.8?lang=bi).

The present world is like the Preparation Day for the world to come. The better the preparation in this life, the better the next. The New Testament also supports this concept, as seen in the following verses for example:

(Matthew 6:20) “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

(Matthew 24:44) “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

(Matthew 25:3) “Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,” (Matthew 25:10) “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.”

(Luke 12:47) “And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.”

The Sabbath serves as a preview for the world to come, and Preparation Day is the rehearsal of preparing for the afterlife in this world. The lessons of preparing and enjoying the Sabbath offer a weekly opportunity for learning and experiencing, until the end of the present life, leading to the complete sabbath of the world to come.

（出35）安息日与预备日

摩西在出埃及记35:3对以色列人传达造物主的教导：“当安息日，不可在你们一切的住处生火。” 我们听了不禁要问，如果安息日不生火，那以色列人怎么做饭吃呢？原来，以色列人必须在前一天把安息日的饭提前做好，这是出埃及记16:23教导的：“摩西对他们说，耶和华这样说，明天是圣安息日，是向耶和华守的圣安息日。你们要烤的就烤了，要煮的就煮了，所剩下的都留到早晨。” 这个安息日的前一天，新约里称之为“预备日”，https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/topical.show/RTD/cgg/ID/180/Preparation-Day.htm

是为过好安息日提前做准备的，预备的越好，过得越好，如果不提前预备，就要吃生的食物，预先做好的饭菜越丰盛，安息日就过得越享受。这只有亲自经历过的人才有切身体会。

犹太人认为安息日象征来世。这不是一个秘密。他们在安息日每一餐饭后谢饭都说，“愿慈悲者让我们承受完全安息日的那一天，和直到永生的安歇。”

https://www.sefaria.org/Birkat_Hamazon%2C_Birkat_Hamazon%2C_Hatov_Vehametiv.8?lang=bi

而今世对来世来说，就是安息日的预备日。今世预备得越好，来世会过得越好。今世不准备，来世的份有没有都很难说。新约里也有类似的观点，比如：

太6:20“只要积攒财宝在天上，天上没有虫子咬，不能锈坏，也没有贼挖窟窿来偷。”

太24:44“所以你们也要预备。因为你们想不到的时候，人子就来了。”

太25:3“愚拙的拿着灯，却不预备油。”

太25:10“她们去买的时候，新郎到了。那预备好了的，同他进去坐席。门就关了。”

路12:47“仆人知道主人的意思，却不预备，又不顺他的意思行，那仆人必多受责打。”

安息日是来世的预演。预备日是今世为来世预备的操练。预备安息日和过安息日的功课，每七天都有一个机会可以学习和体验，直到今世结束，那完全安息日的来临。