The Sabbath - What is it to us today?

When you hear the word ‘Sabbath’, what comes to mind? The main thing that comes to mind for me is ‘rest’. Under the law it was a day when the Israelites were commanded to do no work. The Sabbath commemorates two main things:
1. The Lord resting on the 7th day after creation
2. The deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt
Exodus 31
12 Then the Lord said to Moses, 13 “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.
14 “‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. 15 For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. (When something is Holy, it is dedicated or set apart to God.) Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. 16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 17 It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”
Sabbath of rest, Holy to the Lord.
Deut 5:12Be careful to remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy as the LORD your God has commanded you. 13You are to labor six days and do all your work, 14but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You must not do any work — you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your ox or donkey, any of your livestock, or the foreigner who lives within your gates, so that your male and female slaves may rest as you do. 15Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. That is why the LORD your God has commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
In addition to being about God resting on the 7th day, the Sabbath also commemorates Israel’s deliverance form Egypt. They went from a land of slavery & hard work for others with no Sabbath or rest to a place where the milk & honey was already there as well as towns & house they did not build. It was built by others.
Note the reference in that they were slaves in Egypt. The Lord asked them to remember what it was like being a slave & therefore have compassion or mercy on people who were their slaves & give them rest, even though they were foreigners to Israel. See the compassion & inclusiveness in the Sabbath.
For me the two key elements of the Sabbath are rest & connection with God. Another word that is often used interchangeably with rest is peace.

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If someone were to write a song to commemorate or celebrate the Sabbath what would the words be like?
Ps 92 In the house
V1-5 is about acknowledging & praising God. It includes music & musical instruments. Proclaim His love in the morning & faithfulness at night (Morning & evening services). Starts with the deeds of God & progresses to what is behind that, God’s motivation His mind & thoughts

V6-9 Whilst at times we see the wicked flourishing on earth, there is ultimate judgement for humans who do evil & refuse to repent, & demons. In OT Israel battled a physical enemy. Today our warfare is not against flesh & blood but against the principalities, powers & spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. The Sabbath causes us to take our eyes off the world & look at God & see the world through heaven’s eyes.
V10-11 is a testimony of God’s prosperity & blessing. Notice the reference to fresh oil. The Sabbath is the time & place to receive fresh anointing, revelation, & filling with the Holy Spirit.
V12-13 Where is the Sabbath celebrated?- in the House of the Lord. Reference to the righteous flourishing in the house of God. He who had no sin became sin for us in order that we might become the righteousness of God.
V14 No limitations in God’s house- continual fruitfulness, freshness & renewal
V15 Finishes with a declaration of God’s righteousness, reliability & Holiness


So we’ve looked at a number of references in the OT. Is the Sabbath relevant to us in the new covenant? I'll answer that question in my next blog post.

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