Work on the Sabbath
by S. Kurt Neumiller

     A lot of times when dealing with the Scriptural 
regulations regarding the Sabbath we get caught up in the 
nit-picking details and fail to recognize some the more 
important overarching themes.

     For example, lets take a look at some disconnected Sabbath
regulations, and then put them together to see what the Lord's
intent is regarding the Sabbath:

     2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day
     there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to
     the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to
     death.  3  Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your
     habitations upon the sabbath day. (Ex. 35:2-3)

No fire can be started on the Sabbath, on penalty of death.  We
have to remember back then starting a fire wasn't just flipping
the switch on a gas stove.

     32 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.... 36 And all
     the congregation brought him without the camp, and
     stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD
     commanded Moses. (Num. 15:32-36)

Not only can't you start a fire, you can't gather wood or sticks
for fire, on penalty of death.

     31 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.... 15 In those days saw
     I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath,
     and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also
     wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens,
     which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day:
     and I testified against them in the day wherein they
     sold victuals. (Neh. 10:31 and Neh. 13:15)

You cannot buy, sell, or prepare food for sale on the Sabbath,
you can't even buy food from Gentiles.

     12 But remember that on this, the Lord's day, thou
     shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the
     Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and
     before the Lord.  13 And on this day thou shalt do none
     other thing, only let thy food be prepared with
     singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect,
     or, in other words, that thy joy may be full.  (D&C
     59:12-13)

You are allowed to cook on the Sabbath, but do it only with the
single-minded intent to eat what you cook.

     Now, on the Sabbath you may not gather fuel for a fire, you
may not start a fire, but you may cook on a fire.  If you are
allowed to cook on a fire, but you can't start it or fuel it,
when do you have to take care of the starting and fueling? 
Before the Sabbath.  And if you are going to cook, you need
something to cook, but you can't buy it on the Sabbath.  When do
you buy it?  Before the Sabbath.
     So, when connecting all of these disparate passages dealing
with cooking, what do we see?  We see the Lord wants people to
prepare for the Sabbath, so when it comes they will be able to
enjoy the day of rest to its fullest unencumbered by all of the
details.  When it comes to the Sabbath, the Lord wants people to
think ahead, and plan, and be deliberate about it.  He wants them
to cease from the mundane labors of the week by getting them over
with before the Sabbath starts.  And I suggest this applies to
more than just cooking.  The Lord would want us to do this with
all of the labors of the week, so we can set them aside and enjoy
the Sabbath.  Sabbath is made for the man, and not man for the
Sabbath.  We should prepare for it, get the details out of the
way beforehand, and then enjoy it when it comes.