The Seventh Day Sabbath Part 6: No Cooking

Like it love it or hate it, The Most High God does not want us cooking on his holy day. The best thing for us to do, is not to argue with it but seek to understand the why of it and ensure we are in compliance and doing what is pleasing to him. Taking our time to diligently learn what we can and cannot do so that judgement does not come for you.

Exodus 35:3

3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

We read here that the Bible teaches us to kindle no fire throughout our habitation on the sabbath day. Now, do not try to take a mindset that I will exit my habitation and go to someone else’s habitation to try to find a scapegoat or use an exit strategy. That is a big negative.

Jeremiah 4:22 KJV

For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

Don’t play with The Most High God and his laws to try to finesse him or his word. Don’t study with the intent to rebuttal or refute what is written but to understand what is commanded. And even if you don’t fully understand you are still held accountable for applying either way.

Romans 2:12 KJV

For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

Need you be well versed in these things or not, you are on the hook for them.

Exodus 35:3

3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

So, as we covered do not try to go outside your habitation or dwelling place to break the law in some other place or residence.

Strong's Number

H4186

Original Word

משׁב מושׁב

Transliterated Word

môshâb môshâb

Phonetic Spelling

{mo-shawb'} mo-shawb'

Parts of Speech

Noun Masculine

Strong's Definition

From H3427; a seat; figuratively a site; abstractly a session; by extension an abode (the place or the time); by implication population: - {assembly} dwell {in} dwelling ({-place}) wherein (that) dwelt ({in}) inhabited {place} {seat} {sitting} {situation} sojourning.

Habitation is inclusive of anywhere you will go sit, any site you are at. Any place you choose to abode, need it be the place or the time you spend in a location. Or where you choose to assemble or dwell. Or a situation you may be in where you may be sojourning. God covers it all.

Now, although it says “kindle no fire.” This is specific. Not all inclusive. Similar to this verse:

Deuteronomy 12:15 KJV

Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.

There is an article on this that breaks this down. But this is just an example of what can be interpreted as a free for all is NOT at all what he is talking about. Similarly, in Exodus 35:3 when God says “Ye shall kindle no fire” this is in direct response to any form of cooking. We will get a precept to elaborate momentarily. This does not mean one cannot kindle fire to stay warm if they are cold, of course given they gathered what they needed prior as to not chop down any wood.

Numbers 15:32-35 KJVS

And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. [33] And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. [34] And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. [35] And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

Now, initially you may think this man was in his yard or close just picking up a few small sticks… Negative. A closer look at “gathering” and “sticks” in combination of context can help us understand this dilemma.

Strong's Number

H7197

Original Word

קשׁשׁ

Transliterated Word

qâshash

Phonetic Spelling

kaw-shash'

Parts of Speech

Verb

Strong's Definition

A primitive root; to become sapless through drought; used only as denominative from H7179; to forage for {straw} stubble or wood; figuratively to assemble: - gather (selves) (together).

This man was in a place where he was out foraging for wood to be used in a fire. And if you look up forage, it will reveal that this is something done usually for food. But can also include searching for provisions. One of the key problems at the root of this is, why didn’t you do this before the sabbath? Why would you wait until the sabbath to begin searching for and gathering wood or stubble? But hold that thought, lets look at sticks:

Strong's Number

H6086

Original Word

עץ

Transliterated Word

‛êts

Phonetic Spelling

ates

Parts of Speech

Noun Masculine

Strong's Definition

From H6095; a tree (from its firmness); hence wood (plural sticks): - + {carpenter} {gallows} {helve} + {pine} {plank} {staff} {stalk} {stick} {stock} {timber} {tree} wood.

Sticks sounds so passive to us. Just some small twigs. No, this man was gathering wood; timber. And do you think it was just all out lying on the ground? No, he was out cutting down trees making piles; hence gathering. This is what made it a problem. He was working. And it could have very well had been for the intent of cooking. But could have been as a means of employment. Either way this was not work that should be being done on the sabbath. It should have been done before hand.

Exodus 16:23

23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: 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.

We were told the day before the sabbath to make sure we bake whatever it is we needed or wanted to bake. Meaning what?

Strong's Number

H644

Original Word

אפה

Transliterated Word

'âphâh

Phonetic Spelling

aw-faw'

Parts of Speech

Verb

Strong's Definition

A primitive root; to {cook} especially to bake: - {bake} ({-r} [-meats])

When we were commanded to “bake that which ye will bake to day,” that meant cook whatever it is you want to cook prior. That means any device you have air fryer, oven, stove, microwave etc. That is used to cook, you must use prior to the sabbath to cook whatever it is you desire to cook. All of these devices fall into the same category as they are used to cook. But that’s not all.

Exodus 16:23

23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: 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.

It was not just limited to baking and cooking as we know it. But that includes boiling. People get slick. Well, I ain’t kindling no fire to cook, I just gotta boil something. No, you cannot use oven, stove, air fryer, microwave, easy bake oven you name it. To try to boil anything you want to eat or drink. Well, what can we do? That’s easy. He gave you the answer.

Exodus 16:23

23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: 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.

Anything that remains from what you cooked prior to the sabbath lay up for you to be kept so you may eat it later that night or when the sun comes up and you want to eat something that day. Because by the time the sun sets and it is evening sundown Saturday, you can cook again. You might be asking yourself “Well, won’t it stink?”

Exodus 16:24

24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.

No, it will not stink if you are diligent to properly lay it up. You won’t get mold and mildew. But again key take aways are that they were obedient to what Moses instructed them to do. And laid up there food properly and it was good, no mold, no bugs. The Most High will still preserve your food. Now, don’t think you can leave a pot out all day Friday and then leave it out all day Saturday and hope it to be good. No, and don’t thing everything I can just put in a ziplock bag or plastic container or leave on a plate and it will be good. You have to be a little mindful of what you are storing and how you are storing it. Not every dish you can lay up the same way. Some things have to cool off first or dry up some or could get too dry if you don’t store them right. Just depends on what it is. Some foods you may have to keep separated to yield better results. And even remember verse twenty-three, the goal is for these things to last overnight and the remaining portion of the day. If you mess around and leave stuff out from Friday to Sunday and it stink, I mean come on now. Don’t try to blame God at that point. He got you for the sabbath.

Now word to the wise, I would use a thermos. If you cooked something or boiled something and you want to keep it hot put it in a thermos. They have bod ones and small ones. Even double insulated ones. That would be in compliance because the cooking and boiling was done prior you are laying it up or storing it for you to use at a later time. But, if it seem evil to you then avoid it for conscious sake. But that is as far as I can wisely guide you. I cannot wisely tell you to use a microwave. As a microwave is called a microwave oven for a reason. It is used to cook. It is used to create high levels of heat to be able to cook food. Same with an air fryer or even electric oven. Although you don’t have a literally fire, you have a fire source. A thermos is not so. A thermos does not generate heat. It is not going to start cooking your food, only preserving what was already cooked or boiled. No different than a container. A thermos is just a really good container for storing many things.

In addition, if you have a water dispenser and your dispenser has hot and cold. Don’t use the hot side on the sabbath. As the dispenser is plugged in and is actively heating the water. So that when you push the tab down you always have hot water to use. I know some people like they teas, coffee, noodles etc. But use a thermos instead. Now if you are thinking, “What about my hot water heater?” Last I checked, unless it was some type of state of emergency you are not using that to cook. Same with if you have a fire place, gas or electric heater. That is fine in general to use given you are not using any of it to cook and all materials were gathered prior. You may not like that idea. If it makes you uncomfortable or seem evil then hey, don’t do it. Grab a jacket instead, wait until sundown and the sabbath is over or just use cold and cool. But If you are stuck on no cooking but I can use hot water to bathe the context is different. Simiar to what I talked about when it comes down to working on the sabbath and if you can go for a walk for peace of mind or my kids are playing, versus going to exercise. Intent and context do play a role. But with all things do your own due diligence and follow a sound conclusion. Just be mindful not to deceive yourself into thinking you’re doing something lawful and you are not. Or making something unlawful based on how you feel when it’s not. But rightly dividing the word of truth.