Rest is something the world seems to be in desperate need
of, yet many would say it is illusive. It is for good reason that the theme of
rest is a consistent thread throughout the biblical scriptures – and we find
the idea is indeed introduced in Genesis ‘in the beginning’, and continues until
the last book, Revelation.
The Sabbath signifies entering God’s rest, yet ironically
and sadly, many contentions and arguments have surrounded the symbol of rest, ultimately
causing much strife and unrest among believers. My intention here is to review the
scriptural references to the Sabbath, with the hope that the journey will illuminate
the role and purpose of the Sabbath as reflected in the biblical witness.
The first mention of instructions concerning the Sabbath
command was in the text of Exodus 16: ‘He (Moses) said to them, “This is
what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath
to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save
whatever is left and keep it until morning.’” (Exod 16:23). The
instructions were given to the Israelites shortly after their deliverance out
of the land of their captivity. They were to learn to cease from their labour
on the seventh day, and to dedicate this day to worship. There are two defining
aspects of the Sabbath, first there is a ‘ceasing’ from usual labour, and a dedicating
the day holy to the Lord. We get a glimpse in Exodus that the Sabbath is
ushering the people’s release from captivity and their freedom to worship God
as he intended. (cf. Leviticus 25 on the Sabbath year of jubilee when all debts
are cancelled and slaves set free.)
The Sabbath is undoubtedly central to the law given through
Moses and thus central to worship. The instructions regarding this day become
one of the ‘ten commandments’ (or ‘words’ in the Hebrew). The Sabbath, the day of ‘sacred assembly’ is the first of
the appointed observances outlined in Leviticus 23. It is It is envisaged as a
day of joy (Isa 58:13) (also signified by the prohibition of fasting or outward
expressions of mourning). Moreover, every festival seems to culminate or
revolve around a day of ‘Sabbath rest’. For instance, the Day of Atonement, the
day signifying cleansing from sin was to be a Sabbath rest (Lev 16:29-33). Leviticus 19 is another reiteration of the words given to
the community of God. “…and you must observe
my Sabbaths. I am the Lord
your God. (v3) “‘Observe
my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary I am the Lord”. (v30) And finally, the year of
Jubilee comes after seven Sabbath years – this is the wonderful time where all
the debts are cancelled, the slaves are set free and the people would return to
their land (Lev 25).
Although the concept of the Sabbath is introduced in Exodus,
it is firmly grounded in the opening passages of scripture, in Genesis, ‘in the
beginning’. Observing the Sabbath is fashioned after the example set by God resting
on the seventh day after the creation days. “Remember the Sabbath day by
keeping it holy. Six days you shall labour 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. (Exod 20:8-11- see also Exod 31:17)
Seventh day observance is essentially an identification with
God as lord and creator – as mankind are made in his image, they follow his
example, not only in creative activities by ruling over creation, but also in
resting. Thus the Sabbath was to be an acknowledgement of God as creator and
sustainer of his world.
The Sabbath was to be a sign of the covenant between the
Lord and his people…. "a sign between me and you for generations to
come" (Exod 31: 12-17),
a reminder of their identity as God’s liberated people; thus a continual
testimony of keeping the covenant.
“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.’” (Exod 31:16,
17a). Many have argued based on this that the Sabbath is for the Israelites
alone, serving as a sign of their covenant with the Lord. Whilst the
significance of the Sabbath as a sign of the Mosaic covenant is undisputed, there
seems to be a deeper underlying spiritual principle in effect. The Sabbath extends
to bless and protect (and form a sanctuary) for the foreigner, the slave, the
animal and even the land.
“Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not
work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in
your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.” (Exod
23:12 12; see also Exod 35:1-3, Deut 5:12-15).
Not only are the people to observe
a Sabbath rest, but also the land. ‘The Lord said to Moses at Mount Sinai , “Speak to the Israelites and say to them:
‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a
Sabbath to the Lord.’ (Lev 25:1-2). ‘The land is to have a year of rest.’ (v5). The land
was to enjoy its Sabbath rest as decreed by the Lord; and if the people neglected
this command, the Lord would secure it; in 2 Chronicles the people are taken
captive for disobedience and the land rests.
There are a number of references of
the Sabbath and the Sanctuary as two provisions and side by side patterns for
worship (Lev 19:30). “Observe my Sabbaths and
have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord.”
(Lev 26:2). Ezekiel later links the defilement of the sanctuary and the
desecration of the Sabbath (Eze 23:38). Just
as the sanctuary ‘miqdas’ was a holy place/space
for worship, the Sabbath was a holy time for worship.
Keeping and breaking the
Sabbath:
During pre-Exilic periods, the
kingdom enjoyed blessings ushered and associated with Sabbath observance. This
was signified by the involvement of the Levites in Sabbath duties such as the
burnt offerings. Both David and Solomon firmly established their reign upon
honouring the Sabbath (1 Chron 23, 2 Chron 8:12-13).
Later neglect of the Sabbath brought judgement (Neh 13:18) and conversely,
at times of restoration, the Sabbath observance becomes the bedrock of renewed
relationship with God. Nehemiah acknowledges before the Lord that the Sabbaths
would be again observed and he acts to protect its sanctity.
The same message is echoed by the
prophet Isaiah. Whichever historical context you place the last chapters of
Isaiah in, true Sabbath keeping becomes the image of restoration for God’s
people. “Blessed is the one who does this— the person who holds it fast, who
keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps their hands from doing any
evil.” (Isa 56:2) “And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to
minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who
keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant”
(Isa 56:6)
“If you keep your feet from
breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call
the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honourable, and if you honour it
by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words.”
(Isa 58:13) The book ends with a vision of the new heavens and the new earth
when true worship will be restored “From one New Moon to another and from
one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says
the Lord.’ (Isa 66:23).
The message on the Sabbath is the
same in Jeremiah’s time. God’s people will prosper and enjoy the blessings of
their God if they keep the Sabbath holy as he instructed, but like the
preceding generations, they will forsake their security if they neglect the Sabbath.
(Jer 17:19-27).
Ezekiel reiterates this picture
that a desecrated Sabbath and the rejection of God’s decrees and laws,
ultimately leads to estrangement and suffering (Ezek 20:11-26, 22:26, 23:38).
“Her priests do violence to my law and profane my
holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they
teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they
shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among
them.” (Ezek 22:26) Later, the prophet provides once again a picture of
renewed relationship with the honouring of the Sabbath “On the Sabbaths and
New Moons the people of the land are to worship in the presence of the Lord at
the entrance of that gateway.” (Ezek 46:3)
The prophet Amos points to Israel ’s
unwillingness to enter the true rest of the Sabbath, instead personal gain was
had become a focus for the people (Amos 8:5).
Thus a clear relationship is
established between Sabbath keeping and blessings, and conversely between
desecrating the Sabbath and judgement. If one was neglecting the Sabbath
and not ceasing from striving and work it meant that their eyes were fixed on
themselves rather that on their creator and sustainer. At the heart of the Sabbath is a complete reliance on God,
the one who always provides; and forsaking all self reliance. It confesses
trust in the Lord of the Sabbath; resting in his sanctuary. The Sabbath is
entry into relationship and surrendering time and attention to the one who is
worthy of it. Loss of Sabbath is essentially a loss of relationship. Loss of
Sabbath is a sign of a broken relationship, a broken covenant.
The following article will consider
the Sabbath in the messianic age.