Sabbath day is the first holiday on earth. And God the creator of all creations declared the seventh day to be free from work. The observance of Sabbath day had become a controversial issue across the world.
I became interested in the significance of Sabbath day when the doctor told me that my terrible body weakness was as a result of inadequate rest. The little findings I did showed that the people who rest on the Sabbath day had less occurrence of body ailments when compared to people that don’t rest.
What Day is the Sabbath?
God created seven days, and He made the seventh day for a special purpose to rest. Sabbath day is the day you rest from your work. Genesis chapter 2 verses 1 to 3 says: “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.”
The LORD is never tired but HE wants us to follow His model on how to spend the seventh day. We should work for six days and rest on the seventh day.
I read about many arguments about the issue of Sabbath day. But no one had disputed the seventh day to be Saturday.
Some theologians complicated the Sabbath day by differentiating Saturday as the Jewish Sabbath and Sunday as the Christian Sabbath. There is no scriptural reference to support this discrimination. The LORD sanctified the seventh day as Sabbath from the beginning of the world.
Is Sabbath a Jewish Law?
Sabbath day is not a Jewish law. It was only emphasised during the presentation of the Ten Commandments to the Israelite. The motive of God for creating the seventh day is for all humans to rest from all the works we do from Sunday to Friday.
God reminded the Israelite in Exodus chapter 20 verses 8 to 11: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God.
In it you shall do no work: you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or your stranger who is within your gates.
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 phrase “Remember the Sabbath day…” in the above Bible passage shows that the Sabbath day had been in existence since the beginning of creation.
God chose to include Sabbath in the Ten Commandments, so that the Israelite could always remember to enjoy the rest. He made it clear in the book of Isaiah that Sabbath should be acknowledged by the Gentiles as well.
Isaiah chapter 56 verse 6 and 7 says: “Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, And to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants-Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant- Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer…”
Thus, your rest on the Sabbath day has nothing to do with the Jewish law. The LORD blessed the Sabbath day for you to rest. He wants you to rest “… Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work”… (Genesis 2:3)
Don’t be deceived by those who want you to work for seven days. It is against the six days stipulated by God in the beginning of the creation.
Did Jesus asked us to quit rest on the seventh day when He said that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath? The context of His statement was meant to correct the selfish Pharisees who had turned the intention of Sabbath into something else. (Mark 2:23-28)
Paul revealed that he was faithful to the Jewish commandments (including the Sabbath day) when he appealed to Caesar in Act chapter 25 verse 7 & 8. Paul has no authority to break the holy sabbath, thus don’t be confused by his statements.
But he condemned the hypocrite Jewish way of presenting the Sabbath to the new Gentile converts. Colossians chapter 2 verses 16 say: “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths ….” The context of his instruction was to stop the Gentiles from obeying the man-made Sabbath laws of the wicked Pharisees.
The Sabbath day created by God does not deserve argument if the six days for work were not disputed. Thus, I want you to understand this issue from the point of view that God created the seventh day for your body to rest. It has nothing to do with any religion.
God knew the strength in your body. So, He designed your body to work for six days and to rest on the seventh day. And there are many benefits to derive from resting on the Sabbath day.
Benefits of the Sabbath day
• Bye to incessant body sickness
If you relax your body on the Sabbath day, then you will have less cause to visit the doctor. Doctors confirmed that inadequate rest of our body increases the stress hormones. And it can lead to stress induced ailment such as; hypertension, high blood pressure, stroke, cardiac arrest, migraine, etc.
• Refreshment
You’ll become refreshed if you give your body a 24 hours rest. This will boost your performance for the next six working days. I tried it and it works! Exodus chapter 31 and verse 17 say: “…for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.”
• Opportunity to help the poor
You can learn from the lifestyle of Jesus, who helps the needy that comes His way on the Sabbath day.
• More time to worship the LORD
“A work-free day is a praise-full day.” You’ll have enough time to read the Bible without rush. A good time for fellowship with the LORD.
• Gives long life
One of the reasons for the short life expectancy in our generation is due to the neglect of the Sabbath day. Anyone with a lifestyle of working for seven days will never live a long life, because it is against the plan of God for humanity.
Will you love to enjoy the rest of the Sabbath day?
