
December 23, 2024
" For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it."
- Exodus 20:11 (NKJV)
The Sabbath is a concept that was created by God. It means to rest – specifically resting after work. “Thus, the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” - Genesis 2:1-3.
This concept of rest was formally pronounced ‘the Sabbath’ in Exodus 20:11. The scripture says, “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”
The Sabbath or resting after work, could be for any period of time. Leviticus 25:1-5 explains the Lord’s instructions to the Israelites through Moses about letting the land rest for a year, the seventh year, after they would have worked it for six years.
So important is the concept of the Sabbath that God made the violation of this concept punishable by death. Exodus 31:15-16 says, “Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Therefore, the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant”.
Practicing the concept of rest, as modeled by the Sabbath, is essential for well-being.
As Christians, we know that death according to scriptures, does not always mean the immediate termination of physical life. It could mean loss or gradual loss, steady decline, progressive decay, demotion in different areas of life; health, spiritual, financial, marital, emotional and so on - Genesis 3.
The concept of the Sabbath, i.e. resting after work, is evident all around us, it is woven into the fabric of society. After a day’s work, we come home to rest. After a term or semester, students go on holidays. Workers take vacation. Lecturers embark on ‘sabbatical’ leave, political institutions recess and sports teams have off seasons.
It is important then that we practice the concept of resting after work. It has been proven medically that in the absence of sleep, a type of rest, all kind of health complications can arise. Some include increased stress, impaired cognitive function, and a weakened immune system. The body during sleep rejuvenates itself. Why then, if we sleep every day, shouldn’t we rest in other areas of our lives? Therefore, practicing the concept of rest, as modeled by the Sabbath, is essential for holistic health and general well-being.
Song of Worship
Not by Might,
Not by Power
By Your Spirit
Song Your Spirit by Tasha Cobbs
Prayer - Dear Lord, thank you for the concept of the Sabbath. Help me Lord to rest in any area of my life where I need it in Jesus’ name. Amen.