Cook What You Will Cook…
Exodus 16:23 — A Unified Sabbath Study for Us as a Covenant People
“This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.”
Dissection Under the Title: “Cook What You Will Cook…”
Exodus 16:23 is the Lord’s first formal introduction of Sabbath to Israel. Before Sinai, before tablets of stone, before the law was codified, the Lord teaches His people that Sabbath is a gift, a sign, and a choice.
1. “Cook what you will cook…” — Agency Before the Sabbath
This phrase reveals that we choose our preparation. We choose what we carry into the holy day. We choose what fills our minds, our homes, and our hearts.
Sabbath exposes whether we are living by freewill under self, or moral agency under Christ.
2. “To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord” — Covenant Identity
Sabbath is not a human tradition. It is the Lord’s rhythm, the Lord’s rest, the Lord’s sanctified space. It marks us as His people.
3. “Bake… seethe… today” — Preparation as Worship
The Lord teaches us that preparation is part of holiness. We honor Him by arranging our lives so that Sabbath becomes delight, not burden.
First Cross‑Reference Word: Sabbath
These are the most poignant Sabbath scriptures, forming the doctrinal spine of the principle:
- Genesis 2:2–3 "on the seventh day God ended his work … and he rested," — God rests, blesses, and sanctifies the day.
- Exodus 20:8 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy," — Remember and keep it holy.
- Exodus 31:13 "my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign," — A sign between God and His people.
- Isaiah 58:13 "call the sabbath a delight," — Call the Sabbath a delight.
- Mark 2:27–28 "The sabbath was made for man ... the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath," — Christ is Lord of the Sabbath, we take refuge with Him on that day and renew our covenants.
- Luke 23:56 "they … rested the sabbath day according to the commandment," — Covenant loyalty in extremity.
- D&C 59:9–13 "offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day," — Sacrament, thanksgiving, joy.
- D&C 68:29 "Zion shall also observe the Sabbath," — Zion keeps the Sabbath.
These passages reveal Sabbath as rest, holiness, covenant sign, delight, Christ‑centeredness, loyalty, restoration clarity, and Zion identity.
Second Cross‑Reference Word: Bake
“Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.”
This reinforces the principle: Preparation protects holiness. We prepare beforehand so that Sabbath becomes a sanctuary of rest and worship.
Third Cross‑Reference Word: Seethe
“Seethe” means to boil or cook—but symbolically, it represents what we choose to bring into the Lord’s presence.
Two Ways to “Cook What We Will Cook”
1. Freewill under self, mammon, Baálim, or Satan
This path leads us toward self‑rule, worldly appetites, spiritual dullness, and disconnection from God.
2. Moral Agency under Jesus Christ
This path leads us toward the companionship of the Holy Ghost, a living relationship with Heavenly Father, alignment with the restored gospel, and preparation for Celestial Glory.
Sabbath reveals which master we serve.
Unified Principle
Sabbath is the covenant rhythm where we prepare our lives, exercise our agency, and choose whom we follow. “Cook what you will cook” teaches us that our preparation reveals our discipleship, our identity, and our loyalty to Christ. As we prepare with intention, we enter the Sabbath as a people who rest, remember, rejoice, and renew our covenant relationship with God.
Closing Summary
A People Who Prepare Our Rest
Sabbath is where heaven slows us down so the Spirit can speed up our understanding. It is where we stop carrying the world and start carrying the covenant. It is where we discover that holiness is not accidental—it is prepared.
When we “cook what we will cook,” we declare our intentions. When we prepare beforehand, we enter the Sabbath with peace instead of pressure. When we honor the Lord’s rhythm, we find that He honors our lives.
By Elder John D. Amos Of the Seventy General Conference Talk October 2025
"What might it look like to add more Jesus Christ into your life?"
Final Thoughts
The Rhythm That Forms Us
Sabbath is the weekly rehearsal of our eternal identity. It is the day where we remember who God is, who we are, and what kingdom we belong to. It is the day where we practice the life we hope to live forever.
As we prepare with purpose, we become a people who delight in His holiness, walk in His peace, live by His covenant, and are shaped for His glory. Sabbath forms us because it frees us.
Testimony
We Choose Christ, and He Chooses Us
I testify that Sabbath is a divine gift, a covenant sign, and a sanctifying rhythm. It is the day where the Lord meets us with rest, renewal, and revelation. It is the day where the Spirit teaches us and the Father draws us near.
As we choose Christ in our preparation, He chooses us in His presence. As we honor His day, He honors our discipleship. As we keep the Sabbath with full purpose of heart, the Lord will keep us, guide us, and sanctify us as His own.
I witness that Sabbath is not merely a commandment—it is a covenant invitation into the life of God. Amen.
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