Exodus 20: 8-11Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.
This is the fourth commandment given to Moses for God’s people. It follows the pattern God set up from creation. He created all in six days and then rested. He took time on the seventh day to observe and enjoy. He said it is very good! It reminds me of tasks I’ve done in the past. I would work very hard toward a predetermined deadline, and when complete, I would then sit down and enjoy the fruit of my labor. There is such a sense of contentment in those times.
In this passage God allows six days to work to take care of our families. Then we are to take one day and set it aside for the worship, and it is to be kept holy. In the New Testament Christ did allow for works of necessity, charity, and religious devotion. In Mark 2:27 “Jesus said “And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:”
In the verses, prior to this, the disciples had just been through a cornfield and they were hungry. They plucked the corn and ate, but the Pharisees were upset. They had pulled the ears on the Sabbath, and it was considered by Jewish law to be work. Jesus, in his explanation, did not allow for luxury, vanity, or self-indulgence but this was a work of necessity.
This explanation from Jesus allows for work that is necessary such as doctors and nurses. There are certain situations that require work for others to survive. This, however, does not allow for a person to pick up an extra shift on Sunday because they would like to have a new dress. That is not a need and it shows your heart to be turned toward the desires of the flesh rather than spiritual things. The word Holy here means to set apart. We are to set this day apart to be unto God and separate from the things we do on the other six.
God gave the command, but man has distorted it to fit whatever he desires. The sad thing is that we have all accepted it as normal and ok. In situations where you must work, you should still set aside a day to spend with the Lord, his work, and his people. It is not just because God wants you to honor him, which he does, but for you to grow spiritually it is necessary. How are you ever going to learn to be like Jesus if you don’t spend time with him? God knows your body much better than you and he knows what you need to be a complete and happy person. I know that we would all be happier if would put our faith in God’s way, and follow his plan.
The very first thing that God tells us in this verse is to “Remember.” When we sit and remember it allows us rest. It allows us a time to reflect, and as we do, we will be able to see what God was intending when he gave the command. We, more than the Israelites need this verse. We live in a hurry-up, instant, sinful world where very few thinks of God at all. Even those who are Christians are so controlled by the things of the world that it becomes difficult to just take a day to worship and rest,
In years gone by it was not uncommon for a family to go to church, come home, eat lunch and visit with friends or just spend the afternoon on the front porch visiting with one another. Then they would get ready, and back to worship they would go. I do believe we would all be happier, and we would experience more of the blessings of God if we would just obey his commands.
Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto him, that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”
If we obey and submit our will and ways to his, he is willing and able to do far more than what we ask or could even think of asking. He is able. Let’s not limit what God will do in our lives by “thinking” we know better than God how to run our own lives.
I wonder what God would do in our lives if we stopped depending on ourselves and how we can figure things out, and started depending on Him!
