Was the Sabbath given to Israel before the Law?
Yes. The Sabbath was strictly the seventh day, a day of total rest given only to the nation of Israel, and it existed long before the Law. When the Law came, the Sabbath was incorporated into it. It was never a day of sacrifices, and it has nothing to do with the believer today.
Les explains that the Sabbath was the seventh day, a day of rest for the nation of Israel. He stresses it is incorrect to call Sunday the Sabbath. It was given only to Israel and long before the Law, but when the Law came it was incorporated into it. The Sabbath was not a day of sacrifices; it was total rest and inactivity. Paul never mentions that commandment because believers have nothing to do with it, while the other nine commandments remain part of Christian experience. Love for God and others keeps believers within God's guidelines.