Sabbath Thought - God's Rest

One of the benefits afforded to God's people is the Sabbath day. We are commanded to completely set aside work that we do the other six days. But, the Sabbath day is not something God sought to impose upon mankind. Rather, He created the Sabbath for mankind's benefit (Mark 2:27). Too many Christians believe that the Law was done away with by Christ, and with it the Sabbath, so the miss the benefit of the Sabbath.

There is certainly a physical rest that comes with observing the Sabbath. This is good and part of the rest we need in our circadian cycle of the week (Deuteronomy 5:14). Rest brings recovery within the body and brain because we are not designed to go non-stop. But there is another component connected with the Sabbath that many can miss. In Exodus 20:11 we are told that God hallowed the Sabbath day. The Hebrew meaning for "hallowed" certainly speaks to consecrating or dedicating, but it also speaks to preparing, sanctifying or purifying. Do you consider being prepared, being sanctified or purified in the Sabbath? How does the Sabbath point to these spiritual attributes?

The New Testament chapters that speak the most about this rest and hallowedness, are in the book of Hebrews. In Hebrews 3:7-11 we are told that Israel did not enter into God's rest when they possessed the Promised Land. The land God promised to Israel was to be a physical rest for them as it was a land overflowing with physical abundance. But it was also to be a rest from the ungodliness of the nations around them. Israel failed to see this. We are further told in verses 18-19 that they couldn't enter into God's rest because of their unbelief.

God desires to bring mankind into His family. But it is a messy, noisy business of each of us coming out of our carnal human nature, to replace that with God's character and so become like Him and His Son. The Sabbath gives us a taste (even now) of what that reality of being His family will be like. But, we have not yet fully entered into "God's rest", so the promise of that rest remains (Hebrews 4:1). We are then told in verse 9 that there remains a rest for God's people.

The word "rest" in verse 9 is Sabbatismos which literally means "a Sabbath keeping" or a "Sabbath rest". What is especially noteworthy, is that Sabbitismos is a noun, not a verb. Sabbitismos is a place, not an action. Even more interesting is that the Greek for every other use of the word "rest" in this chapter is the Greek word "kat-ap'-ow-sis" which can mean "a resting place." In addition to the physical rest we can have in the Sabbath, God also designed in the Sabbath day special time for us to connect to Him on a deeper level.

When Peter spoke on the Day of Pentecost in 31 AD, he quoted from Psalm 16:8-11. Peter didn't have to convict the Jews of keeping the Sabbath, he was explaining to them the rest they could have in Jesus Christ. The Greek word in Acts 2:26 for "rest" related to dwelling with - tabernacle-ing, or living with. Do we live with God in His Sabbath?

The greater understanding in Hebrews chapter 4 is the rest or dwelling we have in God! This is the diligence spoken of in verse 11. Are we learning to be diligent in working with God to replace our carnal nature with the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5)? Are we learning to trust, to rely upon, and to wait on God - to rest in Him? This physical life we have been given now is so we can learn how to have the abundant life God desires to give us (John 10:10). If Jesus Christ is indeed Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8) are we learning to live in, and become holy because of, the Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:9) He desires to give us?

As we come before God on His Sabbath day, let us remember the rest we are to have, and can have even now, in Him.

I wish you a spiritually restfilled Sabbath,

Dan Dowd

25 May, 2024