Sabbath: A Person, A Place, A Practice

To the Old Testament generation, the Sabbath was a command which became a primary aspect of their tradition and law. It has it's roots in the book of genesis where God worked  for six days creating the world and then He rested on the seventh day. This was birth of the Sabbath day which God Himself blessed and sanctified to be a time of rest, reflection and connection without mundane distractions.

The Sabbath was serious business in the OT, so much that it made an appearance in the ten commandments Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15, where the day was strictly for rest and by so doing one showed reverence to God. This leaves me contemplating that there had to be something about how God created us which makes resting a requirement rather than an option.

The Sabbath idea seems to escalate as things progress in the OT community particularly in earlier times where God endeavoured to establish a relationship with His people. God chose to make observing the Sabbath the binding aspect of His relational agreement with His people, as if to suggest that this was the make or break part of His oath to be in a relationship with the people He created.
‭‭It is a permanent sign of my covenant with the people of Israel. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he stopped working and was refreshed (Exodus 31:17).  

In this case, Sabbath was a conviction of value placed on the relationship with God and an expression of trust in a covenant keeping God. The Sabbath was and continues to be foundational in the life of the people of God, so much that when Jesus came He shed more light onto and depth into it.

Jesus brings some notable shifts and interpretations of the Sabbath day but still echoes the idea of it being a permanent sign of His love for us which is expressed within an eternal relationship with Him—otherwise known as a covenant in the OT.

Jesus taught that Sabbath is a person, and this person is Himself. He sought to challenge the legalistic and traditional perspectives that made it a burden rather than a gift. Making emphasis on the spiritual significance of finding rest and fulfilment in Jesus himself rather than being bound by religious regulations. Therefore, to us, Jesus is our Sabbath or rest. We rest in Him plus the finished work of salvation through His death and resurrection.  True rest is Jesus Christ Himself, abiding in Him affords living in a permanent state of Sabbath (Hebrews 4).

So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. —‭‭Colossians 2:16-17 NLT

Sabbath is a place or space of refreshing through communion with God. The early church adopted this idea of combining the day of rest with their gathering for worship; creating a place where they can both refrain from everyday work and commemorate the resurrection of Christ. Some scholars suggest that this was what eventually led to Sunday being the day when Christians gather for cooperate worship.

The place of worship is a resting space, times of refreshing originate from the presence of God (Acts 3:20).  Renewing, reviving and restoration happens in God's presence as we gather in cooperate worship. It is a resting place. I am aware that this may not be the reality of church experience for many of us yet I humbly suggest that a place of rest may be what it is intended to be.

The Sabbath is a practice of wisdom. It is wise to consider that the Creator God made a commandment to ensure that we maintain the discipline of resting. God is not mortal or human yet He rested after doing the work of creation, as if to lead by example and make sure we understand the importance of taking a break.

The practice of Sabbath Is about intentionally making time to rest, reflect, enjoy nature or any other things that may bring renewal to our whole being. Living a balanced life that does not glorify the culture of being busy but rather embraces the core of the Sabbath phenomenon which is centred on overall well-being and experiencing the goodness of God in our life time.