The Preparation Day, as seen in the instruction concerning the manna in Exodus 16, is the sixth day of the week when we are to gather twice as much bread from heaven to ensure enough for the Sabbath. This day serves as a prelude to God's holy time, a period when, despite still having to work, we are intended to gather our thoughts, turn our attention, and focus doubly on what life is truly about, rather than merely what it consists of. By doing so, when the sanctified time of the Sabbath arrives, we are not still mentally entangled in daily concerns or problems. The Preparation Day is thus a day of gathering what relates to eternity, enabling us to properly ingest the spiritual manna on the holy day without distraction. In the New Testament, the Preparation Day is referenced in all four gospel accounts in relation to Passover day, rather than the weekly sixth day, marking it as an annual preparation for the first day of Unleavened Bread, an annual Sabbath. Even though Passover day remains a common work day, the gravity and significance of the preceding night and the upcoming Feast make it feel like a holy day, as our thoughts are gathered and focused on the spiritual dimension in anticipation of the holy days. This reorientation of the mind through the Passover ritual ensures we are mentally present when the holy time arrives. While the weekly Preparation Day may not carry the same intensity due to its frequency, understanding Passover as the epitome of Preparation Days can guide us to use the weekly day to mentally and spiritually reorient ourselves, preventing the Sabbath from arriving abruptly. Just as the Days of Unleavened Bread are an annual memorial of God's deliverance, preceded by the essential Preparation Day of Passover, the weekly Sabbath also commemorates God's deliverance from physical and spiritual Egypt. The lesson of the Sabbath is not fully learned without taking advantage of the weekly Preparation Day to begin turning our focus. This day helps us get ready and focused to participate in the spiritual creation, ensuring that we can ingest the true Bread from heaven on the Sabbath and develop His attributes without competing distractions.

In His perfect providence, God has provided the Preparation Day to set the stage for properly receiving the gift of the Sabbath. This day, first mentioned in Exodus 16, was given to the children of Israel with the command to gather their food for the Sabbath on the sixth day, minimizing distractions on the seventh day. The Preparation Day is thus designated for completing all cleaning, cooking, business transactions, and other mundane activities, ensuring that ordinary life does not detract from the holy time God has set apart. While God initially gave this principle to a carnal Israel with a focus on physical preparation, it also carries a spiritual dimension. Physically, this preparation helps in making proper use of the Sabbath, while spiritually, it involves gathering twice the effort on the sixth day to ensure sufficient spiritual nourishment for the holy day.