Sha-bat, Tevet 17, 6001 – Saturday, December 17, 2016
Rest – A Day Off?
When we have a Sabbath, a question comes to mind. Is it a day off? The answer is clear – yes and no. While that sinks in, think of it like this. God rested on the Sabbath, and sanctified it. But what was that about really?
Genesis 1:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
God had a certain amount of work to complete. He knew what that was from the time He started it. Why not get everything done the first day? Why not take a month? We may not know the answer to that directly. But indirectly we could deduce something. Likely, God being smart enough and powerful enough to create the universe, would have a plan for when His work would end. He would have the end in mind. We have evidence of that elsewhere in scripture.
Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
We see here that our Father has a plan. If He new He would finish in six days, then He also knew He would rest on the seventh day. This pattern was always His plan. Back to our original question It is a day off from customary work, a day to rest from that work. But He did not let go, or likely the world would fall apart. On the seventh day He spent time with His creation – particularly I suggest with us.
My point is we do not do our own pleasure on the Sabbath, but we spend time with our Father and with His creation. It is a day dedicated to our Father. When we repeat this pattern, we are in His image, and His likeness.
Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King! Praise the name Yahuah! Let us be Your lights here in this earth, in Your image and likeness. Send us now Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our sins, and have mercy on us. Cleanse our hearts and minds, and heal us. restore unto Your people one hundred times one hundred times one hundredfold all that has been taken or held back in any way, and more besides. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.