Before looking at the purpose of Sabbath in our lives as we journey with Christ, let us first look at the context of usage of the word “Sabbath” in the Old and New Testaments. 

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew origin of the word Sabbath is ‘shabbat’ meaning to cease, desist or rest. The first usage of the word is in Exodus 16:23, where the Lord commanded the Israelites through Moses to not collect nor prepare manna on the Sabbath day, for it was to be kept holy. This day was and is still observed by ardent Jews from Friday to Saturday. Later in the scripture, it was given to the Jews as one of the 10 commandments. There are two main reasons behind God commanding the Israelites to keep the Sabbath as a holy day.

Firstly, it was pointing to God resting on the 7th day from all His creation. It was to be a day of rest, set apart and made different from the other days i.e., holy unto the Lord. On the Sabbath day, the sun would rise and set like on any other day, however what would make it different is the activities that we, as God’s chosen people, would perform during this day. It would require us to not do our “usual” activities but rather to do things differently.

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 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. – Exodus 20:8,11

Secondly, it was to remember God’s deliverance of the Israelites from the 400-year bondage and slavery under the Egyptians. It was a day of remembering the goodness of God, who delivered them from bondage through His mighty works and signs in Egypt. This remembrance in our lives should instigate gratitude, humility, faith, and total dependence on God, as He always comes through when we are powerless and saves us mightily. Salvation will always come from the Lord if we learn to rest in Him and wait on Him!

Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore, the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. – Deuteronomy 5:15

Now, it was important that we understood the scriptural context behind the keeping of Sabbath in the Old Testament, since that helps us to understand that it all points to Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath. 

And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” – Mark 2:27-28

True rest as we will see on day 2 of this plan comes through Jesus Christ. We cease to strive for salvation by our good works but now, by grace through faith, we receive it in Christ. In Him alone can our troubled and downcasted souls find rest. Jesus alone has delivered us from a greater bondage than that of the Israelites in Egypt: He has delivered us from the bondage of sin. But you can say, I’m already free! Well, if you have found salvation in Christ, then you are. But if not, we are all under the bondage of sin and death, we are slaves to Satan. But Jesus through the cross has offered us eternal rest and freedom by ransoming us and becoming The Way to eternal rest in the Father, through His sacrifice at the cross of calvary.

Prayer:

Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus. I seek the true rest that only You can offer. I believe that I can be set free from the bondage to sin and death, through the precious blood of Jesus Christ that was poured out for me on the cross of calvary. Let it wash me and make me free. I trust in You Lord Jesus to become my Savior, my Lord, and my rest. Amen.