THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
The American economy is built on productivity. The American mindset has embraced that same idea, and it feeds into virtually every part of our lives. We all surely know people who say, with a sense of pride in their voices, “I am so busy.”
With this mindset, we often believe our productivity determines our worth and value. I’m busy. I’m doing something important. That means I am important. If that is true, then the busier we are, the more important we are.
If we’re not careful, we can find ourselves cutting corners, neglecting our families, and putting off things that are actually more important. However, productivity is not tied to the number of things we do, but the way we use our time. God has given us a gift toward that end called rest. On the surface, it may seem that a life of simplicity that includes meaningful times of rest might eat into our productivity, but that’s not the case at all. We need to recapture the importance of the habit of rest as a time of refreshment and restoration.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Exodus 20:8-11
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
The principle of a Sabbath rest is as old as creation. Genesis 1 describes God’s work of creation in six days. “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done” (Gen. 2:2-3). Now, in Exodus 20, God included this principle in the Ten Commandments, His moral law. The timeless principle is that all people should set aside this time to rest.
This command is counter-cultural; it is markedly different from how we live today. Despite culture’s opinion, God’s commands are designed for our benefit, and obedience to a Sabbath rest benefits us greatly.
I learned this the hard way. When I completed my seminary training, I met with a council of professors. Their duty was to prepare me for ministry and expose any weaknesses that could cause me harm. In one meeting, a professor told me, “Noe, this is a marathon, not a race. If you keep going at this pace, you will burn out of ministry.” He was right. My workaholic personality has caused problems in my relationships, brought strain to my health, and produced burnout. Why did this happen? I didn’t like to rest. This may sound ridiculous, but I loathe resting! I have since discovered many benefits to the Sabbath rest.
- Physical rest. I have a 1984 El Camino that I love to drive as a weekend car. If I drive this old truck too long without stopping, the engine overheats. We are wired much like that 1984 El Camino: if we fail to stop on a regular basis, we will “overheat.” We will exhaust ourselves. God didn’t create our bodies to run without rest. He created the Sabbath for physical rest.
- Spiritual Refreshment. One of the most dangerous things we can do is try to be self-sufficient. Our spiritual life is not to be our “backup” for those times we don’t feel sufficient to carry out the everyday duties of life by ourselves. No, everything should flow out of our dependency on Christ. While we are to walk with Christ daily—moment-by-moment—a Sabbath rest allows us to slow down and renew ourselves spiritually, even as we restore ourselves physically.
- Reflection. At our family dinner table, we implemented something we call “highs and lows.” This is a time when our children reflect on their day and share one good thing and one not-so-good thing that happened. It lets us as parents hear what’s on their hearts, and just as important, it allows them to reflect on their day. Times of reflection are highly beneficial for us. The Sabbath rest forces us to pause from our “busyness” and reflect on the highs and lows of life. Reflection allows us to make course corrections and realign ourselves with the will of God.
The Fourth Commandment—“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy”—has two parts:
1. We remember the Sabbath day by taking a break from our normal workweek.
2. We keep it holy by using the Sabbath as a time of focused attention on our lives in Christ.
Unfortunately, too many people ignore one or both parts of this command, but when we observe both, rest—true rest—is taking place.
Exodus 31:12-14
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.’ ”
God had spoken of the Sabbath rest in Genesis 2 and Exodus 20, and He came back to it again as He revealed the law to Moses. For several chapters in Exodus, God explained the design and plan for the tabernacle—the central place of worship for the Israelite community—and now He brought the subject back to the Sabbath.
Notice that whenever God spoke of the Sabbath, He always emphasized consecration and holiness. When God consecrates something, He sets it apart. To be consecrated is to be holy, set apart from everything else. The temple was holy, set apart exclusively for the worship of Yahweh God, and the Sabbath was set apart from the other days of the week. The tabernacle was a place set apart for worship, and the Sabbath was a day set apart for rest and worship. The two went hand-in-hand.
The Sabbath rest was obviously an important command for God’s people, but not everyone sees the importance of the Sabbath rest. As mentioned earlier, the command to observe a Sabbath rest is counter-cultural. Even today, the world tells us to go, go, go; however, God calls us to go against that natural pull and take time to simply rest. When the Israelites chose to obey God in this matter, it reflected that they belonged to God. We also are called to be holy. In Christ, we are to be set apart—to live for God in a way that is a far cry from the way the world expects us to live. That holiness is reflected in our desire to keep a Sabbath rest that lends itself to worship, rest, and reflection.
The timeless truths of the Ten Commandments and the principle of a Sabbath rest still stand. We now celebrate the resurrection of Jesus every week by joining together with other believers to worship Him at our local churches. This is a shining sign to the world that we have been saved by Jesus who has sanctified us and set us apart!
Exodus 31:15-17
15 “ ‘For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. 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.’ ”
The Sabbath was a covenant between God and His people, and even today, our practice of a Sabbath rest reflects our covenant relationship through Christ.
Being a parent has helped me understand the covenant relationship. I am blessed to have four energetic children with wonderful personalities. We set boundaries for our children. We are in charge, knowing what is best for them at their young ages, and we expect them to abide by our rules. Of course, we extend plenty of grace, but our “covenant” with our kids is a promise of love and boundaries. Similarly, in God’s covenant with His people, He knows best how to guide and protect His people. He has provided boundaries and guidelines for them called commandments and laws. Consequences would follow when His people failed to live by His guidelines and laws.
God also set boundaries for our covenant relationship with Him through Christ, and those boundaries protect and guide us. Those boundaries are for our good and for His glory. Even as we are thankful for the grace of God, we should never lose sight of the consequences that result from disobedience. The remedy for this is to repent of our wrong, turn back to God, and resume the holy life He calls us to live. An important part of that is observing the Sabbath rest.
LIVE IT OUT
God loves us and is very serious about His covenant with us. He knows what we need and why we need it—and that includes our need for a Sabbath rest. Consider one of these applications as a way to capture rest as a gift from God.
- Rest. Take a day off from any work. Rest your mind and body—and don’t convince yourself you are not being productive. Proper rest will make you more productive.
- Refresh. Spend time in prayer and worship, both by yourself and with others. Allow the things of God to fill your mind and renew you. Memorize Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
- Reflect. Use a journal and write down what God is teaching you. Record your evaluation of the past day or week, because such reflection will spur you on to greater things.
Our culture may drive us toward busyness, but when we embrace rest as a gift from God, greater productivity will result!
Hope to see you on the Sabbath Day!!
In His Love,
David & Susan
Teacher Notes:
Hope to see you on the Sabbath Day!!
In His Love,
David & Susan
Teacher Notes:
Video: Eric Liddell
Eric Liddell, the son of a Scottish Presbyterian missionary, was one of Britain’s two greatest track stars in the 1924 Olympics. When the signature event – the 100-meter dash – got under way, Liddell wasn’t there. His qualifying heat had been scheduled for Sunday and his father had taught him never to break the Sabbath. Liddell’s decision caused a national uproar. But a British teammate offered to let Liddell take his place in the 400-meter dash. Liddell was preparing for the final when an American rival, Jackson Scholtz, approached and gave him a note. It said: “It says in the Old Book: ‘He who honors Me, I will honor’” (1 Samuel 2:30).
Is Eric Liddell’s interpretation of God’s command different than ours?
On Mount Sinai, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, which included the command to remember and keep the sabbath (Ex. 20:8-11).
I. Exodus 20:8-11
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
What is the sabbath?
A day of rest is a command.
A day of rest is a command. The word refers to a period of cessation from all work, whether measured as a day or as years. To observe a day of rest is to obey God, demonstrate respect for Him, share in the life of God who also rested, and to honor the gift of rest He has given, made holy, and set aside.
What are we prohibited to do on the sabbath? Who is prohibited?
The prohibition against labor on that day was all-inclusive. An individual was not to work; neither was he to allow members of his household, such as his son or daughter, to work or to order his manservant, or maidservant, or even a stranger to act on his behalf. Stranger denotes a temporary inhabitant or “resident alien” (CSB) who might be a “sojourner” (ESV) within thy gates, meaning inside the area under one’s control, or any such person dwelling within the “city gates” (CSB).
Accompanying the commandment is an admonition concerning the other six days. On those days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work. Labor refers to the tasks and toil associated with doing a job. Work can refer to one’s occupation or service rendered.
What are some lasting truths from Exodus 20:8-11?
The call to rest is a command of God, not a suggestion from God.
Sabbath is a gift to us from God, but holy unto Him.
To keep the sabbath includes taking actions appropriate to the intent of the sabbath, such as learning about God, resting, being refreshed, and honoring God.
In the chapters that follow the giving of the Commandments, God gave further instructions for how to practice them. Exodus 31 includes additional instructions that focus on the Lord’s command to remember, keep, and observe the sabbath.
II. Exodus 31:12-14
Then the Lord said to Moses, “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. 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.’”
Who is the authority behind the message in these verses?
Then the Lord said to Moses. This was no conversation. The Lord did all the talking. The phrase serves to prevent any misunderstanding that what follows originated with Moses; and to emphasize the authority behind the instructions. The words were to be heard and obeyed because they were a word from the Lord. That the Lord said is another reminder that He makes Himself, His will, and His purpose known.
What is the purpose for sabbath observance given in these verses?
A sabbath rest is holy.
The observance of the sabbath served a purpose. For it is a sign between me and you. They would also learn more about His activity among them. I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Sanctify at its root meant “to be clean.” It can be understood as “hallow, consecrate, dedicate, or set aside as sacred.” Thus, it may be rendered, “I am the Lord, who makes you holy” (NIV).
What indicates that we are to take this command seriously?
The seriousness with which the Lord makes this command is the severity of the punishment that would come to everyone that defiled it.
Those who violated the holy obligation shall surely be put to death. Death is the ultimate separation brought on by sin.
We have the tendency to want to tone down verses like these. We prefer God to be more tolerant, kinder, and gentler. The truth is, God is each of those and more. Nevertheless, He is also a holy God who has holy expectations of His people. He had made those expectations known and spelled out the repercussions of being disobedient. If He were not serious, then they would not be likely to respond seriously. The Old Testament does include one record of a man who was put to death for violation of the sabbath (Num. 15:32-36).
The Sabbath-Breaker Put to Death
While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.” So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the Lord commanded Moses. – Numbers 15:32-36
The story is an example of the danger of intentionally defying a word from God. To do so would be to defy the covenant relationship they had with Him.
To defile the sabbath would be to make it like any other day; to refuse God’s intent that the day be set aside for His purpose.
Is this the keeping of this command just as serious today?
God’s Word is still to be taken seriously. Those who defy Him face His wrath. Yet, a way has been provided whereby we shall be saved from His wrath against sin. A review of Romans 5 reminds us that we are justified by the blood of Christ, which manifests the grace of God and enables us to live in newness of life. Even at that, we are not to take His grace as an opportunity to test Him, disobey Him, or sin against Him (Romans 5:20–6:7). We are to accept the holy obligations of our covenant relationship with Him.
So, we are saved by the blood of Christ, but does that mean we can continue to not observe the sabbath as God commanded us to?
What are some lasting truths from Exodus 31:12-14?
God revealed to His people His will regarding the keeping of the sabbath.
The Lord expects His people to live according to His Word.
Any who defy His Word will be subject to His wrath.
III. Exodus 31:15-17
“‘For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 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.’”
What is the purpose of sabbath suggested in these verses?
A sabbath rest reflects our relationship with God.
A sabbath rest reflects our relationship with God. As noted earlier, the concept of resting on the seventh day goes back to the creation account when God “rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it” (Gen. 2:2-3). Therefore, sabbath observance predates the giving of the law. For example, in Exodus 16, the people were forbidden from gathering manna on the sabbath, but were to collect a double portion on the day before the sabbath.
The greater challenge for contemporary Christians comes in trying to determine what constitutes biblical remembering and keeping the sabbath, especially in terms of resting on the sabbath. How do we keep it holy?
Explanations have changed with the times. Clearly, the Scriptures describe it as cessation of work. Some commentators suggest this meant only to certain kinds of heavy-duty labor. However, the episode in Numbers seems to negate that view, for the man was not doing what we would classify as heavy work. Work in the Exodus 31:14-15 passage appears to be all-inclusive. In addition to work, the word can mean “business, occupation, employment.”
Even if we define sabbath rest as a cessation of work, two other problem areas surface for believers in our contemporary culture.
1. Sunday business closures are a thing of the past. For a long time, only businesses related to basic human needs were open on Sunday. Now there are no limitations. Thus, even committed Christians may be in situations where they work on Sundays. Therefore, Sunday is just another workday.
2. Even if were able to eliminate work and agree that sabbath is a day of rest, what constitutes rest? It is physical rest? Mental rest? Is rest inactivity, or is rest anything that changes the pace of life and leads to mental and emotional refreshment? Does it mean recreational activities are to be avoided, including a relaxing picnic in the park?
If we are not careful in making the rules that define sabbath observance, we will get caught up in the legalism that characterized Pharisaism. Jesus said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath” (Mark 2:27).
What are some lasting truths from Exodus 31:15-17?
The concept of sabbath is not necessarily tied to a particular day but is related to the divine plan for a healthy rhythm of life that includes work and rest.
Our disregard the things holy to the Lord is displeasing to Him.
The Sabbath is a sign of the relationship we have with the Lord God who chose us as His people and who is the Creator of all the earth.
The Sabbath is a holy obligation to be met, a time to be physically, emotionally and spiritual refreshed, and an opportunity to honor the relationship we have with the Lord.
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