Sabbath History
According to the Bible, God created the world in six literal days, and "on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done" (Genesis 2:3, NIV). This, then, according to the Scriptures, was the origin of both the seven day week and the weekly Sabbath.
The original word for Sabbath was the Hebrew word that transliterates shabbath, or Shabbat, which literally means rest. Through the Greek, Latin, and Old English and French influences, this became the Middle English word sabat, and eventually Sabbath. Also, because the word Sabbath in the Hebrew simply means rest, it was used throughout the Old Testament in reference to other holy days besides the weekly Sabbath. Incidentally, the word "holiday" goes back to "holy day" and has also come to mean a day of rest and relaxation when one does not work -- the original meaning of the word "sabbath."¹
When God led the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt and gave them the Ten Commandments, He emphasized that they were to "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8, KJV). Throughout the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, but also in the New, He continually reiterated the importance of this holy day. For this reason, not only the Jews (both traditional and Messianic), but also many Christians (including Seventh-day Adventists, Seventh-day Baptists, and others) continue to keep the Sabbath.
It is also noteworthy that the word Sabbath is sometimes erroneously used to refer to Sunday. This, however, is incorrect, as stated even by the Catholic church. Although Catholics worship on Sunday, the Catholic Encyclopedia acknowledges that the Sabbath is, in fact, Saturday, the seventh day of the week.²
Throughout history, the Sabbath has frequently been ignored and sometimes even attacked, yet it remains one of the most international of holidays. A first century quote from Philo, the Jew of Alexandria, says that the seventh-day Sabbath is "a festival, not of this or of that city, but of the universe."³
¹ See Merriam-Webster Dictionary under References page.
² See the Catholic Encyclopedia under the References page for more information.
³ See the Amazing Facts page for Sabbath Observance through the Centuries under References.