In Exodus 16, God said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day (except on the sabbath). In this way, I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.” However, further in the passage we find out that some people thought they knew best and did not listen (verses 20 & 27). The whole point of the sabbath is learning to trust God for our “daily bread”, not looking to our efforts, jobs, income, livelihood, savings or family for security but relying on God who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food (2 Corinthians 9: 10).
Now it’s possible to take this commandment too far. I’ve been in some assemblies where ‘sabbath rest’ feels more like hard work, with the pressure to get everything just right. After all, the sabbath was made for man not the other way round (Mark 2: 27). On the other hand, we’ve all seen what happens to those who don’t take time out to rest and get burnout.
So all in all, we see that the commandment to rest, like all God’s commandments, is for our good. Happy sabbath when it comes!
Why can't people take a day off to worship God, the creator of us all?
ReplyDeleteHi there, hope you enjoyed the bank holiday weekend! Well, those who take a day off typically do so at the weekend, Saturday or Sunday, but there are those who can't afford to take time off due to economic or other factors. Stories of people working several jobs just to make ends meet are sadly all too familiar these days. I also think of students cramming for exams, and the temptation not to take time off is certainly one I've faced. Many just don't believe that God will pay the bills or help them make up for lost time, or even acknowledge God as the Creator. There are others who feel that this commandment is only applicable to observers of Judaism but I would like to point out that Jesus came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5: 17-18), and the Bible says that the word of God, which includes the Old as well as the New Testament, shall stand forever (Isaiah 40: 8). I think it’s important to recognize that the Sabbath commandment to rest is intended for our good (Mark 2: 27), and perhaps it’s a case of taste (try it) and see for yourself (Psalm 34: 8)!
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