I had a revelation several months ago regarding the Sabbath. I needed to take it seriously! Also, it’s still on Saturday (sundown Friday evening to sundown Saturday evening). God set that into motion as an everlasting covenant and He doesn’t change. But that’s a different newsletter. What day He wants you to honor the Sabbath as your day of rest is between you and God.
He really impressed upon my spirit that we ought to be honoring the Sabbath. Some may say, “But that’s law, of which we are redeemed.” Well, when it comes to law vs. grace, I tend to look at God’s original intent for mankind. What’s that? Just what it implies. What should and shouldn’t we be doing as originally intended by God at the onset of creation, before the fall of man?
The Sabbath pre-dates the law: “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 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. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” Genesis 2: 1-2
Since we are made in the image of God, I reckon we’re to rest on the seventh day as well.
But you know how when you first get a revelation from God you’re pretty on fire for it? Well, yeah! Me too. I sought out what was all involved. I did all my chores on Friday- the preparation day for the weekly Sabbath (there are seven annual Sabbaths that have their own preparation day). I found a Sabbath Church that held meetings on Saturday mornings, then I went home and rested. It was great! I hadn’t felt that great in quite some time. My mind and body were more equipped to handle the rest of my work week. I quite literally got more done in my six days after resting for one day than I got done working all seven days.
Then life happened. That fire started to burn out little by little. Before I knew it, I was back to not observing the Sabbath. But I was also back to not feeling rested. I was back to dragging my feet all the time. My body didn’t get the break it needed from all the physical work I do. Side note: I’m restoring my old farmhouse and boy, is that a physical job!
I learned rather quickly that the Sabbath is worth my time. Keep in mind, the Sabbath was a gift from God, not a law of forbiddance. He gave us this day to rest from work, to relax our mind and body, feed our spirit, and walk with Him. Observing the Sabbath doesn’t earn you extra salvation points, it just simply rejuvenates you. The Sabbath is a blessing, not a curse.
But I think it’s something we ought to be taking more seriously.
Let’s look at the Jews. They took the Sabbath so seriously that they wanted Jesus (Yeshua) off of the Cross on the preparation day in order to not work on the Sabbath! “Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.” John 19:31 The yearly preparation day for that particular year was on a Wednesday (starting what we call Tuesday evening), the Passover, the preparation day for the Feast of unleavened bread (which began Thursday- what we call Wednesday evening). “Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, ‘Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?’” Matthew 26: 17 “Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, ‘Behold your King!’” John 19:14
After spending three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40), Yeshua rose sometime between Saturday evening (when the weekly Sabbath ended) and Sunday morning (the first day of the week). Now that’s worth a shout of Hallelujah! He is Risen!
The Sabbath is a pretty serious thing that even at the death of their King, the Jews observed the Sabbath.
And what does the Sabbath look like? By very definition, it is a day of religious observance and abstinence from work; a day set aside for rest and worship, to be kept holy- dedicated to God or a religious purpose, sacred (deserving veneration, great respect and reverence).
So let’s start with the preparation day. Basically, you are preparing for the Sabbath. That may look something like getting all your chores done (laundry, dishes, grass mowing, etc.). Getting all your paperwork done for your job. Going grocery shopping. Preparing food. For the Jews, there was so much more involved than by today’s standards. They quite literally had to slaughter an animal, gather their fruits and vegetables from the fields, grind the flour. Wow! For us it’s a trip to Wal-mart, and for the locals, Giant Eagle.
“Then he said to them, ‘This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.’” Exodus 16:23
Secondly, we’re to rest on the Sabbath. Rest may vary some for each individual. Those who work behind a desk all day may find rest in going for a jog. Home makers may find rest in putting down the laundry and sticking a pre-made freezer meal in the oven. Laborers may find rest in vegging out in front of the TV. This may also be an opportunity to spend quality time with loved ones without the hustle and bustle of life. Or perhaps, some alone time for daydreaming. The one thing the Sabbath should have in common for everyone- no work. And I would take that further in saying not causing someone else to work as well. This would mean commerce, no buying or selling.
Lastly, the Sabbath, which is from Friday evening to Saturday evening, involves worship. Worship: the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity. This part of the Sabbath may also vary per individual depending on your unique relationship with your best friend, Abba Father.
I understand that sometimes stuff comes up on the Sabbath. We live in a fast-paced, high-pressure, materialistic society. But we ought to do our very best to keep it sanctified and holy. Observing the Sabbath is a gift from God we ought to cherish.
“It’s no coincidence that the word holiday suggests a holy day, or that the longest book in the Torah concerns the Sabbath. If you wish to advance in any sphere, the best way is to take a retreat.” Pico Iyer
In His Service,
Rebecca Hamilton, Founder/ Executive Director
For Every Great Battle, There is a Great Victory!!