THEOSISJerome of Stridon
Therefore I brought them out of the land of Egypt and guided them into the wilderness, where I provided them with my commandments and revealed my statutes to them, enabling them to obey and truly live. Additionally, I bestowed upon them my sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would recognize that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. However, the house of Israel provoked My wrath in the wilderness; they disobeyed My commandments and rejected My statutes, which are meant to give life. They greatly profaned My sabbaths. Consequently, I declared that I would unleash My anger upon them in the wilderness and annihilate them, yet I refrained for My name’s sake, so it would not be dishonored among the nations that I had previously delivered from their midst.
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This account pertains to those who were taken from Egypt into the wilderness, so that, freed from the corruptions of the Egyptians, they might more readily observe God’s commandments and uphold His ordinances, including the sabbaths given as a sign between the Giver and the recipients. As it is written: "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'You shall command the children of Israel, saying, "Observe My sabbaths; you must keep My sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you." And observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you; whoever desecrates it shall surely be put to death. Anyone who does any work on that day shall be cut off from among his people'” (Ex. 31:12-14). Thus, the Sabbath and circumcision serve as signs of the true Sabbath and true circumcision, reminding us that on the perfect and eternal Sabbath we are to cease from worldly endeavors and circumcise our hearts rather than mere flesh. After working for six days, we rest on the seventh day, dedicating ourselves entirely to the Lord, living each day and night in recognition of His sovereignty. Each seventh day is an opportunity to wholly honor His name, allowing us to remember the Lord who sanctifies us. These commandments, justifications, and the observance of the Sabbath were given by the Lord in the wilderness so that by following them we might experience life through them and not pursue higher aspirations, as promised in the gospel. However, they greatly desecrated them, not just once or slightly, but to an extreme degree. This state of profound defilement is what prompted Him to think of pouring out His wrath upon them in the wilderness and to obliterate them, as He expressed to Moses, “Leave Me alone; let My anger blaze against them, and I will consume them” (Ex. 32:10). Yet, He chose not to carry this out, sparing the Egyptians and other nations, lest they be tempted, while also showing mercy to those whom He sought to bring to repentance and conversion. When speaking to those still in Egypt, He asserted that He acted for His name’s sake, so that it would not be treated with contempt among the nations from whom I had separated them. At that time, they were still within the Egyptians, having not yet departed. Now, after their exodus, we see it stated that He removed them from the sight of those nations.