THEOSISTheodoret of Cyrus
I addressed the people of Israel during their time in the wilderness, instructing them to follow My commandments. However, they grew displeased with Me, for they failed to adhere to My commandments and rejected My righteous decrees, which are meant for life. They greatly profaned My Sabbaths. I emphasize the Sabbaths separately, distinct from other decrees, because they do not impart life in the same way as the latter; rather, they represent a unique aspect of the way of living. The natural law teaches principles such as avoiding fornication, murder, and theft, which are also recognized by other nations. However, the observance of the Sabbath is guided not by nature, but by divine law.
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In various matters, the Israelites shared similarities with surrounding nations, but their Sabbath observance marked a singular way of life, as no other people upheld that day of rest. Circumcision, too, was not as distinguishing as the observance of the Sabbath; many descendants of Esau, the Idumeans, and the Ishmaelites were circumcised, and even the Egyptians, having learned it from the Hebrews, attempted to maintain this practice. God Himself attests to this through the prophet Jeremiah, declaring that He will impose judgment on all those who are circumcised in the flesh, including Egypt and Edom. Yet, it was only the people of Judah who kept the Sabbath, prompting God to declare that He granted them the Sabbaths as a sign between Him and them, serving as an acknowledgment that He is the Lord who sanctifies them.
After recounting their disobedience in Egypt and His forbearance, He again refers to His statutes given in the wilderness, highlighting their rebellion against His laws. He elucidates the justice of His wrath while revealing His unfathomable goodness. He proclaimed, I will pour out My wrath upon them in the wilderness and will consume them. This is so My name would not be profaned among the nations that have seen My power. The wise Moses also tells us that God said, Now abandon Me, and I will consume them with fierce anger; instead, I will make you a great nation. He then offers a fervent prayer for them, concluding with, If You destroy them, the Egyptians will hear and say, Because the Lord was unable to bring His people into the promised land, He has destroyed them in the wilderness.
God reiterates this sentiment, stating that He will act so that His name remains unblemished among the nations that have witnessed His works. He elaborates that He intended to bring about their ultimate ruin in the wilderness for transgressing the decrees that impart life and profaning the Sabbaths, once again mentioning the Sabbaths distinctly.