Sabbath

Even the most basic Bible reader is probably familiar with the passage in Genesis 2:2 where we learn that, after creating everything in the first six days, God rested on the seventh day.

The next time that we hear about the Sabbath is when the Israelites have escaped Egypt and are being fed manna from heaven each day. God orders them to rest on the seventh day - and He gives them extra manna on the sixth day so they'll have enough on the seventh day (and not have to work to gather it). Several more times in the Old Testament, God reminds the Israelites that the Sabbath day of rest is important. In fact, several more times in the Old Testament God takes the Israelites to task for not honoring the Sabbath.

In God's opinion, they display an improper regard for this holy day. And He was angry with them about it. Think I'm exaggerating? Look at Numbers 15:32-36. There we see the story of a man who was caught gathering firewood on the Sabbath day of rest. Moses asked God what to do with him - and God had the people stone him to death!

Now we know that God never changes. His perspectives, opinions and values are the same today as they were thousands of years ago. So He still regards the Sabbath as He always did. Of course Jesus brought us a new covenant in the New Testament --- which changed our punishment for sin --- and how we experience God's response to sin. But Jesus never changed the definition of sin --- or the definitions of right and wrong. Therefore, the Sabbath is still to be regarded as God wanted it to be in the first place. And God is still as disappointed as ever when His own people have an improper regard for the Sabbath.

Now what is so special about this Sabbath day of rest? Why is God so stuck on it? I'm glad you asked! For starters, let's remember that it wasn't God celebrating it alone in Genesis 2:2. He had already made Adam and Eve. So they were likely involved in the Sabbath day of rest. Secondly, let's notice what God did on the Sabbath. He walked in the garden, seeking fellowship with His people, Adam & Eve.

Adam and Eve, of course, were the very first of God's people to have an improper regard for the Sabbath. Eve was out shopping - and then both of them sinned and lied about it when God confronted them. It's not a pretty picture of mankind's regard for the Sabbath that God calls us to!

Modern Christians would likely fall into this category ... people who have an improper regard for the Sabbath day of rest that God calls us to. I'm particularly convicted of this when I do any regular work on the Sabbath. What is "regular work" in modern times.? Shopping for necessities? Yard work? What if the shopping is just for entertainment? What if the yard work is just a relaxing hobby? And what about sin? Can we really be expected to sin less on the Sabbath?

The Sabbath is a Biblical concept that merits some serious consideration on the part of people who consider themselves Christians (or Catholics) or other religions that purport to follow Christ. (Ironically, Islam and Judaism share our calling to the Sabbath day of rest). God called the Israelites to the Sabbath and to several other holidays. They were religious celebrations, holy days. Those holidays had much in common with the Sabbath. Consider that both the Sabbath and the religious holidays shared these purposes:

1. People gathered together to celebrate and worship.
2. The normal daily routine was suspended and no hard work was done.
3. The people brought offerings to God.

Things haven't changed much. Today, God's people may not be called to specific religious holidays. But we are still called to the Sabbath. Every seventh day we are to gather together to celebrate and worship our Lord. Every seventh day we are to suspend our normal daily routine, doing no "regular" or "hard" work. (I put those two words in italics because I'm not sure what the definition would be in modern times where most regular work isn't hard!) And of course every seventh day we bring our tithes and offerings to the Lord.

I think there is another purpose to the Sabbath. There's something about this not doing regular or hard work and actually resting that seems to have holiness attached to it. Most of us are familiar with the command in Psalm 46:10 to "be still and know that He is God." In practical terms it means we are to take time to reflect and consider the different aspects, character and nature of God. We're to stand in awe of His holiness ... every seventh day.

Even earlier than that, Moses instructed the Israelites in Exodus 14:13 to "stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord." In practical terms, Moses was telling the Israelites the same thing as the psalmist told us - to be still and consider the value of the Lord to mankind.

It's a familiar theme that continues to ring true throughout the Bible. God calls His people to a time every seven days when we stop to worship, rest and focus on God. He desires fellowship with us on that day especially. And I'm sure God continued to be saddened, angered, frustrated (insert whatever emotion you think God might have in response to sin) today be the improper regard for the Sabbath that His people display.

I don't know about you, but I think the challenge for me today is to define "regular and hard work." I suspect the definition is not to be found in the work itself though. Rather it is probably to be found in the intent. Just because I get all hot and sweaty, or use some muscle power doesn't necessarily make it hard work. Perhaps my work is actually relaxing and therapeutic to me. I like, for example, to mow the yard. I get a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction out of it. I feel better for the exercise it gives me. But ... and this is a big condition ... is it consistent with focusing on God, fellowship with God, worship of God?

Can we go shopping, do yard work, clean the house, wash my car or do other chores and still be contemplating the holiness of God? Can we eat out, play sports, sew, do some wood work or pay bills - and still be contemplating the holy character and nature of God? Can we sit in church for a couple of hours (maybe) and finish "being still and knowing that He is God?"

It's time, folks, that we reconsider this Sabbath day of rest. It's time that we be better stewards of this opportunity. It's time that we be more obedient to this command. And it's time, once and for all, that mankind start to get a proper regard for the Sabbath that our mighty God calls you and I to!

Keeping the Sabbath

I've noticed that Christians, and even their churches, don't seem to talk much about the Sabbath. It was a day of rest, observed by the Lord Himself when He finished all creation. And it is a day of rest given to mankind by the Lord Himself to be observed weekly.

Different religions define it a bit differently. The Jews (and some Christians) observe it the seventh day of the week (Saturday) for rest and religious observance. Muslims observe it on Friday as a day of prayer and rest. Other Christians observe it on the first day of the week, Sunday, in honor of Christ's resurrection from the dead. The common theme of course is that it is a full day of the week, dedicated to rest from one's working life. Also common in most religions is the fact that it is a day of focus on God - through prayer, worship, etc.

Now something else that I also notice is that the Sabbath doesn't seem to obvious in our modern Christian culture. Many of us may not be scheduled to work at our profession or trade on a particular day of the week, but we may also not be spending that day in rest or focus on the Lord. For many of us, the day off work is a day to get chores and errands done, to spend on entertainment or both.

As I look at Scripture on this subject, I notice that God was very clear about some things regarding the Sabbath. Other aspects of it He seemed to be less emphatic about. Take the day of the week, for example. Whether the Sabbath is appropriately kept on Friday, Saturday, Sunday or any other particular day of the week doesn't seem to be as important to God as other aspects of the Sabbath (such as rest and focus on Him).

Look at what Jeremiah 17: 21-22 says about the Sabbath. "This is what the Lord says: 'Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath day .... Do no ... do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded ...'" It continues in Jeremiah 17:27, "but if you do not obey me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying any load ... then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.'"

So what was God saying here? For starters, He was saying that keeping the Sabbath is a matter of obedience. It is God's will for my life. He defined it as a day of rest, focused on Him (holy) and made it a requirement for His people. Beyond that, He warned that if we do not keep it, there will be dire consequences. Put another way, God will have to punish those who disobey Him by not keeping the Sabbath as He has commanded. The consequences? Adversity, opposition, difficulties and other things that will "consume" Jerusalem (which now represents anywhere God's people live).

Simply put, folks, we are to keep the Sabbath as a holy day of rest. If we aren't willing to do that, then we should not expect to be prosperous (in whatever ways you want to define prosperous). This is not a very difficult message to understand. It's clear and concise.

So why do we see so many Christian cultures that exhibit very little evidence that they are following it? Is it because we don't understand? Is it because God is asking something that's unreasonable or impossible for us to accomplish? It it because we simply don't care?

It seems to me that somewhere along the line even the most righteous people made a conscious decision to allow exceptions. I imagine that some Puritan society found it reasonable and plausible to, for example, allow some work on the Sabbath. Perhaps it was in the field of medicine - where nurses would need to work in hospitals in order that the sick to be cared for.

I think they probably reasoned and logically concluded that the God's command to love one another is more important than His command for a Sabbath. And so the nurses worked on the Sabbath. Of course, the nurses had to get to work, so the taxi drivers worked on the Sabbath. Of course, the taxi drivers had to eat - so the restaurants were open on the Sabbath. The restaurant workers needed childcare - so the day care centers were open on the Sabbath. The day care centers needed diapers - so the department stores were open on the Sabbath.

Do you see where this is going? Mankind used reason and logic to talk ourselves out of a Sabbath day of holy rest. Looking at it a bit more harshly, we might even say that we rationalized and justified sinning against God. (To be sure, not keep any Sabbath is a sin against God.) Is this appropriate? I don't think so.

We're not here to have a theological debate about how the Sabbath is kept. I am not going to argue about where to draw the line. We don't need to fret over whether someone who works at home sins by checking their e-mail on Sunday. We don't need to stew over whether a stay-at-home Mom sins by doing a load of laundry - or a teacher reviews her lesson plan on Sunday evening before the school week starts on Monday.

But I believe it's time for Christians - and anyone else who thinks they are following the one true God - to have a serious discussion about the condition of their hearts as regards the Sabbath. Are we making the effort? When the nurse is scheduled to work on Sunday, does he or she set aside any other day of the week for holy rest from their profession and focus on God?

As I look at the character and nature of God, and consider His words, it is that which day we select or how we define the Sabbath is not nearly as important as our intent. Is our obedience to God's commands purposeful? Is it effective? Do we offer God a sincere effort at obedience?

I don't know if it's a sin to shop or eat out on Sunday. It isn't clear to me that mowing your yard or doing some laundry on Sunday is a sin. I'm not sure if there's room in a proper Sabbath for football or shopping at the local mall. But what I am sure of is that God requires an obedient heart. He expects me to live differently on this one day of the week. He expects that difference in my life on this one day of the week to be tilted towards Him.

So maybe the best question any of us could ask ourselves is what you and I can do to make our observance of the Sabbath day of holy rest more intentional, more sincere and more effective.