"I gave them my Sabbaths," God declared, "to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them." But "they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols." Eze. 20:12, 16. And in his appeal to them to return to him, he called their attention anew to the importance of keeping the Sabbath holy. "I am the Lord your God," he said, "walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God." Verses 19, 20.

“Også mine sabbatter gav jeg dem,” sagde Gud, “for at de skulle være et tegn mellem mig og dem, at det skal kendes, at jeg, Herren, er den, som helliger dem.” Men “de lod hånt om mine lovbud og vandrede ikke efter mine anordninger, men vanhelligede mine sabbatter; thi deres hjerte holdt sig til deres afgudsbilleder.” Ez. 20, 12. 16. Da han appellerede til dem om at komme tilbage til ham, henledte han på ny deres opmærksomhed på betydningen af at holde sabbatten hellig. “Jeg, Herren, er eders Gud!” sagde han. “Følg mine anordninger og tag vare på at holde mine lovbud; hold mine sabbatter hellige, så de bliver et tegn mellem mig og eder, at det må kendes, at jeg, Herren, er eders Gud.” Vers 19. 20.