The Lord who sanctifies.
The sabbath day had two purposes: it was a time to rest and a time to remind what God had done for us. We need to rest. We need a moment away from the bustle or else, life loses its meaning. In this days, like in the days of Moses, to take a rest was not easy. But God remind us that without the sabbath day we would forget the purpose of all our activity and we would lose the balance, which is crucial to have a faithful life. We have to make sure that our sabbath day gives us moments of joy and moments to think about God.
Exodus 31:13 Leviticus 20:8; 21:8; 22:32 Ezekiel 20:12
One of the needs of the people of God is the sanctification. The people of Israel was ordered to keep the sabbath of the Lord, a sign that they were different from the other nations. They were promised that if they do so they would know him as Jehovah Mekoddishkem, "the Lord who sanctifies". The sabbath days were the sign of the pact between God and Israel, of their mutual relationship and the sanctification of the chosen people. Jehovah was the one who sanctified them and gave them strength for them to obey him. The sanctification is an state of separation to God. All those who believe in him get in this state when they are born from God. "It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30). This is a definite separation, eternally separated to God. It is an intrinsic part of our salvation, our connection with Christ. The sanctification also refers to the practical experience of this separation in God, as a result of the obedience to the Word of God in our lives, and must be fervently sought by the believer.