"Son of man,
eat that thou findest;
eat this roll, and go
speak unto the house of Israel." (Ezek 3:1)
Sabbath is for Scripture
Portion (
Parashat, Parashat Mishpatim):
פרשת השבוע - Torah Readings for this week
Shabbat >
Parashah: Torah (Law) +
Haftarah (Prophets) +
Brit Chadasha (New Covenant)
B'rit Chadasha or NT: Gospel/Acts (corresponding to Torah), Letters (corresponding to Ketuvim), and Revelation (corresponding to Nevi'im)
Brit Chadashah - the New Covenant
It reminded me that Sabbath is also
a marker or identifier, of identity in Christ. But also a 'home' or shelter in the most abstract and spiritual sense. Both available anywhere in the world, regardless of circumstance. Regardless if there's war in Jerusalem or say one's church/synagogue has been destroyed in Ukraine (prayers). Per chronology (as a science), Sabbath is invulnerable to devices of Satan, world powers, or corrupt clergy, in alteration of calendars (e.g. Roman deities, or nationalism, monarchism, capitalism), systems, and physical or non-physical imprisonment. Sabbath is invulnerable to say Covid restrictions, political imprisonment, and gulags. --- Political prisoners are often incarcerated for many years, and you'll find stories about desperate attempts
to mark time/days (darkness and sunlight), whilst guards use social isolation and noise (statis noise, water dripping, loud heavy metal music), as torture to dehumanise a person. But Sabbath has no regard for human "years", measuring time simply day by day, and weeks in sevens. Hence Christ said "take no thought for your life".
"A minister of
the sanctuary (hagion), and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." (Heb 8:2) --- Sabbath is an opportunity to enter into God's holiness, not man-made religion. Relating to Christ referencing David, precedentially and metaphorically.
Hagion (ἅγιον) meaning "of things which on account of some connection with God possess a certain distinction and claim to reverence, as places sacred to God which are not to be profaned... the temple... the holy land... specifically that part of the temple or tabernacle which is called 'the holy place' ... the most hallowed portion of the temple, 'the holy of holies,' ... figuratively of heaven,” (Thayers,
G39 - hagion - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv)) --- Hence "Sabbath journey" is not necessarily physical, e.g. driving to church. It's a journey turning inward, heaven bound. Spiritual travel: Bridging the chasm between man's sin and God's sinlessness. Via Christ.
Hence Christ said,
"Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he
entered into the house of God, and
did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that
on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That
in this place is one greater than the temple." (Mt 12:3-5)
"In this place", this "sanctuary" (
hagion), captures the essential "greatness" of Sabbath. To "enter" into Sabbath or eternal rest.
Conceptually, it's like a spiritual wormhole (can't think of a better word) linking man to the Kingdom of Heaven. Far superior to any dogmatic or religious reasons for observance, simply to "obey". No, it's more than that. Royal priesthood of believers are as exempt, having jurisdiction/control over our own bodies which make up the Temple of God. Therefore, control of the body/mind/spirit
is worship,
is trust and obedience, and to make spiritual offering from the heart. It's self-regulation, self-control, self-sacrifice. "Laying one's life down". Meaning that the Sabbath ordinance is a form of
grace, not Mosaic legalism by letter of the law. Believers are exempt from "profaning the sabbath", be it in obedience or disobedience, which is what the OP originally refers to: Of the heart, taking up thy cross daily.
Although the Sabbath
has a special/holy place (in designation), it isn't arbitrary as our doctrines tell us but rather it's
flexible, in service of man (as object or beneficiary of 'Sabbath'). In our physical and spiritual needs. As followers of Christ are akin to men following David, the Sabbath is a time to nourish us when we are most hungry, desperate, ravenous, destitute, from the pains of this world. And the form of that nourishment is "rest" in his sanctuary (not monastery), having food: physical and spiritual.
I would go so far as to say that
violation of the Decalogue, "Thou shalt not steal" for example, say in Dickensian times of extreme poverty, is exempted during the Sabbath. Being the Lord's rest. But only if out of genuine necessity, desperation. Say to trespass on to someone's land to pick (steal) fruit that belongs to the owner of the field. To feed oneself and family. As proven in this passage and elsewhere in Shmita law, for refugees and sojourners. Which we all people are until
actual entry into the Kingdom of Heaven. Again, which is the 'hope' we have from Sabbath observance. Say for Ukrainians fleeing their homes now. Where there's no civilised "working week". But for those living in Jerusalem in times of peace or a rural Christian commune, then ofc breach of Sabbath law is obv violation being open rebellion against God, whilst everyone else is in line. Context and circumstance. Each case differs.
Strict legal Sabbath observance says to gather a "double portion" in preparation for Sabbath; and violation results in capital punishment. But Christ did away with "
the curse (penalty) of the law", making the law no longer a ceremonial/ritual legal mandate but a
moral law or imperative, as 'encouragement' as it were to do God's will. Where judgement/punishment is
deferred to Final Judgement (not annual, i.e. Yom Kippur, no one is or has been "consumed by fire" since Christ). A lifetime accrual of sin.
Therefore to hold a hard line on an area of
mercy, would be contradictory to "loving thy neighbour". It would be
hypocrisy. And strict enforcement of Sabbath Law would be an ironic violation of the Royal Law. The same error/sin as the Pharisees, upholding high-minded "purity" regulations at the expense (literally) of others' salvation; whilst profiting from the racket. This is the denominational sin. A stumbling block that trips people into hell/damnation, done in the name of God, which is blasphemy (abuse of God's name). This is the fallacy of dogma (and doctrinal strictness), an inflexible and narrow understanding of the greatness of God. Which is itself a form of idolatry (a shrunken figurine) in that it shrinks the creator of the universe and the enormity of love/jealousy he has for his creation.
"At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn;
and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is
not lawful to do upon the sabbath day." (Mt 12:1-2)
Remembering that Christ came "To seek and to save that which was lost." Which most of us frankly are, be it lost in our minds, emotions, work, jobs, families, traffic, commuting, legal problems, social problems, whatever. The world is a turbulent place. Thus, Sabbath (and eternal rest) is truly something to 'hope' for and look forward to, not dogma, not by demanding that "one must obey". But rather obedience comes intuitively from the heart, by sincere repentance; turning from one's sin to God. Just as there is dark and light cycles of Sabbath, so too is heart of man, cycles of sin and holiness. Until God's kingdom come. Until Christ opens the door.
