Sabbath is to be a day where everyone refrains from work to rest. One of the misconceptions concerning the Sabbath is that since it was a day to rest, it ought to be a day of passivity. But this was never God’s idea. He wanted it to be a day where His people would rest from strenuous work but not from restful activities that enable connection with Him.
In God's covenant with Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai, He stipulated in
the fourth of the Ten Commandments that they should keep the Sabbath and
hallowed that day. However, this call to rest to make the day holy precedes the
giving of the Ten Commandments. God instituted it after He brought creation
into order. Genesis said that God rested on the seventh day and made that day
holy. So we safely conclude that Sabbath rest is an ordinance in creation. God had
decreed it at the onset of creation. This was the pattern God had ordained for
mankind to allow them to recalibrate life.
Over
time His people had broken the sabbath and failed to observe the day of rest
stipulated. Perhaps this was one of the reasons that led them to be so
distracted by the work that they lost their focus. From Jeremiah 17:19-27,
we see how much God values the Sabbath. So in these verses, Jeremiah was told
to go to all the gates of the city as well as the gate of Jerusalem, where the
kings, as well as the citizens, would go in and out and warn them to cease from
work on the Sabbath. They must not repeat the mistake of their forefathers who had
chosen to break the Sabbath. In verse 27 he warned that the nation would be
overthrown if they persist in their disobedience by breaking the Sabbath.
However,
in verses 24-26, God restates the covenant blessings they would enjoy if they would
keep this command. God promised to proper them as He stipulated in His agreement
with King David. Verses 25-26 specifically
said that “…then there will come in through the gates of this
city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots
and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever. They will come in from the cities of Judah and from the
environs of Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from
the hill country and from the Negev, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices,
grain offerings and incense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving to the
house of the Lord.”
What
relevance has the call to observe Sabbath to us? This call is particularly relevant
for us living in an affluent society where our focus in life can be so wrong. Unconsciously
many have allowed work and rigorous activities on the Sabbath to squeeze God out of life. We forget His warning
that apart from Him we can do nothing. Our well-being in life can only be
maintained and enjoyed when our connection with Him stays intact. When we observe the Sabbath rest, we will be surprised that our focus on work on the other days will be enhanced. Besides observing
the Sabbath also allows us to connect with the other members of our family as
well as friends. So let us remember to the Sabbath to keep it holy!
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