The Sabbath Day

The Book of Genesis Day 13 Ge 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Having finished the work of creation, God rested. It’s not that He was worn out from all that creating, it’s more like a time of sitting still. If God had a rocking chair, He’d be sitting in it on His front porch taking it all in. This day was given to God’s people as a time of cessation from labor. Let’s look at some of the references to the Sabbath in Scripture to see if we can’t get a better picture of what this day is all about! For instance, when God supplied food for the Israelites (manna) in their desert wanderings, the people were instructed to take a double portion on the sixth day, so they would be able to cease from even the normal activity of food gathering. (Dare we say grocery shopping?) The Sabbath was included in the Ten Commandments, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord Your God. In it you shall do no work. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” The Sabbath is mentioned again in De 5:15 “And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.” This time it is mentioned as an occasion to rest and remember God’s deliverance of the people from Egypt. (We do the same thing in the church today as we set aside the Lord’s Day to remember our deliverance from the bondage of sin made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus!) In Jeremiah 17:21-27, God chastises the people for bringing their wares into the city on the Sabbath. He tells them to heed His command to observe the Sabbath and be blessed, and warns them of the consequences of His judgment if they continue to ignore His precious command to rest. In Exodus 31:12-18, God reminds Moses to warn the people to keep the Sabbath. Anyone who profaned the Sabbath, that is, treated it like any other day, was to be put to death! ( By the way, the New Testament equivalent of being “put to death,” is excommunication. I guess worship attendance is more important than many think!) The Sabbath day is serious stuff. It was a day that was meant to be a sign between God and His children forever! It is to be a billboard that speaks of His creative power and says “I am life! In Me is rest!” Our Sabbath day observance is to be a reflection of that truth. But be careful here, because when you start making hard and fast rules for the Sabbath, you turn it into just another day of works. Enjoy the Sabbath, and let grace and mercy reign! Reflection: Ps 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the LORD." If your Sabbath were a billboard, what would it say? Why do you think many churches commemorate the Sabbath on Sunday rather than Saturday. (Hint: See De 5:15) Finish this sentence. “This is the day the Lord has made we will___________. Pray: Father, thank You for giving us this day of rest. Help us to slow down and seek ways in which we may honor and remember it, for in remembering it, we honor You!