The Sabbath

 

Sabbath or Shabbat (שבת)in Hebrew Mosaic

The Most Neglected Commandment

The Sabbath is the fourth of the Ten Commandments. It ranks above "Honoring your mother and father, you shall not murder, commit adultery, steal, lie, or covet," yet, as it concerns Christians, it is one of the most overlooked and discounted commands. This article will study the history of this observance and its importance for every believer.

We will look at the purpose, principle, and practical application of the Sabbath, drawing on the spiritual insight of its observance as shown in the Scriptures and in the Hebrew letters of the word itself.

Julius Schnorr von Carlosfeld (1794-1872)

The Sabbath's Roots

The first mention of the root word of Sabbath (שבת shâbath) appears in the second chapter of the Bible, at the culmination of creation. It is used in connection with the seventh day and occurs twice at this juncture, along with three mentions of "the seventh day."

... on the seventh day, God ended His work which He had done, and He rested (שבת shâbath) 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 (שבת shâbath) from all His work which God had created and made 

— Genesis 2:2,3

The Sabbath's observance on the seventh day of the week should always take us back to God's fulfillment of creation/kingdom, functioning successfully and satisfactorily under His Lordship. 

... 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. 

— Exodus 20:8-11 

Creation and the Creator are significant themes in both ancient and modern Jewish Sabbath observances. Creation always reminds us of who He is. 

His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made. 

— Romans 1:20 

We would do well to "stop and smell the flowers" and hear what the created world has to say. 

“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; 

And the birds of the air, and they will tell you; 

Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; 

And the fish of the sea will explain to you. 

Who among all these does not know 

That the hand of the Lord has done this, 

In whose hand is the life of every living thing, 

And the breath of all mankind? 

— Job 12:7-10 

 

Photo by Stan Shebs

God Creator King 

In the ancient Near East, when a king took his "rest" or seat upon the throne, as God did on the seventh day, it symbolized the establishment of his kingdom. It signified that his enemies had been conquered and that the domain was now functional. The seventh-day rest-and-reign principle, first mentioned here, will serve as the template for the rest of the Sabbath commands, so humankind can also partake of this divine event in submission to our great King, who has conquered all for us.

... he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. 

— Hebrews 4:10 

 

The Sabbath and the Exodus

The next recorded observance of the Sabbath, and the first mention of God's command to humankind, occurs after God's newly created nation is brought out of Egypt by God's mighty "works."

... And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. 

— Deuteronomy 5:15 

Two and a half months into their journey to the promised land, not long after the complaint about the bitter water, the people grew restless and grumbled about food.

"If only we had died by the hand of Yahweh in the land of Egypt when we sat by the pots of meat when we ate bread until we were full, because you have brought us out to this desert to kill all of this assembly with hunger.”

— Exodus 16:3

There is no rest among them because there is no faith. They did not trust God or His promises of a land full of every nourishing, sweet thing they would ever want or need, described as "milk and honey." They do not pray or even seek God's provision. Instead, they accuse Him and Moses of bringing them out into the desert to die. 

So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey. 

— Exodus 3:8

At this time, God provides them with the bread from heaven called manna. This provision of manna will serve as a training tool for practicing their faith in Him and His provision by obeying His command. He commanded them to gather this manna for six days, but on the seventh day they were not to collect it, in observance of God's instruction to rest.

“This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord." 

— Exodus 16:23 

By Lydia Kozenitzky

Manna Gathering Explains Eden

Notably, the opening scene of God's interaction with human beings in Genesis and the manna scene in Exodus both concern food and provision and the seventh-day Sabbath. The pattern reveals that Adam and Eve's disobedience stemmed from a lack of faith in God's ability to satisfy them and from rebellious confidence in self-provision.

Giovanni Lanfranco

Christ the Manna

Manna also connects with resting in and believing in Christ's rule, reign, and provision, in contrast to our toil and labor for self-preservation. In John's Gospel, a conversation about faith, labor, and manna/bread from heaven immediately follows the feeding of the 5000. 

"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you ... "What shall we do that we can accomplish the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God: that you believe in the one whom that one sent." Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 

Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always." 

And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst ... I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. 

— John 6:30-35

Resting and believing in God's work and provision is the essence of the Sabbath.

Purpose and Benefit of the Sabbath

The command to keep the Sabbath is not to be considered drudgery. Its purpose is to benefit God's people who put their faith in Him for their provision and progress.

The Sabbath was made for man.

— Mark 2:27

It is a gift.

For the LORD has given you the Sabbath. 

— Exodus 16:29 

We are often tempted to think we are doing God a favor by observing this command. The opposite is true. Although honoring Him may be a result of our observance, we benefit from it physically and spiritually. Our body, soul, and spirit require it. 

Minnesota scientist Franz Halberg, the founder of chronobiology, discovered that the human body follows a 7-day rest cycle, whether we notice it or not. He called this discovery "Circaseptan Rhythms." According to Vibrant Life's article "Rhythm of Life," the seven-day cycle governs our biological systems.  

Research has uncovered many conditions that seem to rise and fall in seven-day cycles. They include: heartbeat, blood pressure, body temperature, hormone levels, acid content in blood, red blood cell count, oral temperature, female breast temperature, urine chemistry and volume, the ratio between two important neurotransmitters: norepinephrine and epinephrine, and the flow of several body chemicals such as the stress-coping hormone cortisol. Even the common cold is circaseptan. 

Doctors have long observed that the response to malaria infection and pneumonia crisis peaks at seven days. Chickenpox symptoms (a high fever and small red spots) usually appear almost exactly 2 weeks after exposure. A person will tend to have an increase in swelling on the seventh and then the fourteenth day after surgery

Fingernails, hair, and teeth also seem to follow a six-day growth and one-day rest pattern.

It appears that aligning with God's prescribed rhythm of life (six days of work and one day of rest) is a healthy way to live. Could it be that our minds and bodies were not designed to function at breakneck speed, nonstop, seven days a week? God has placed within us a need for rest, which pictures a spiritual reality we will examine later.

“ If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the LORD honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words, Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the LORD has spoken.” 

— Isaiah 58:13-14 

This verse also shows that when we observe the Sabbath, we honor God by not doing things our way or serving our own agendas. Real rest can be found only in honoring God and doing things His way. On the Sabbath, we revere God's sanctuary, which is us. We were fashioned for His presence.

You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary. 

— Leviticus 26:2 

... God's Temple is sacred, and you are that Temple. 

— 1 Corinthians 3:17

Wrapping up this section, it is notable that Jesus healed both bodies and minds on the Sabbath on seven occasions.

1. He heals Peter's mother-in-law of a fever (Mark 1:29-31) 
2. He heals a man with a withered hand (Mark 3:1-6) 
3. He heals a man born blind (John 9:1-16) 
4. He heals a woman who was bent over for 18 years (Luke 13:10-17) 
5. He heals a man with dropsy (Luke 14:1-6) 
6. He drives out an evil Spirit (Mark 1:21-28) 
7. He heals a lame man by the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-18)

The Sabbath Defined

Gesenius Lexicon defines the word Sabbath/Shabbat as rest and ceasing from work.

... he who has entered His (Christ's) rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. 

— Hebrews 4:10 

To sit and be still, 

Be still, and know that I am God. 

— Psalm 46:10 

To abstain from journeying (trying to get ahead),  

Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. 

— Exodus 14:13

To cease or desist (military term relating to laying down arms).  

... the battle is not yours, but God’s 

— 2 Chronicles 20:15

An end to striving.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 

— Philippians 4:6

From the definitions and Scriptural references above, we can see that the Sabbath was intended to get us to cease from our works and know that He is God. It is also intended to help us understand that our salvation comes from Him alone and that we might rest from striving to get ahead, from warring, and from wrestling with how to make this life work for our personal benefit. We need to rest our hope and faith in the one who created all things and with whom all things are possible.

Jesus said to him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 

— Mark 9:23

A Pictographic Perspective—Sheen—Digest What God Has Done

The Hebrew pictograph for Shabbat, שבת, offers a more specific, detailed picture of what that looks like in terms of purpose and practice.

 

The first letter is a "sheen," often associated with teeth. It suggests breaking something down and putting it back together in another form, as in the digestive process. Our bodies chew and break down food into digestible pieces so we can use the nutrients. Remember, the manna representing the Word of God that came down from heaven was the first mention of setting aside a day of rest. God gave us a visual of His intentions for the Sabbath. 

 

Many Hebrew words translated as meditate, calculate, consider, insight, and understanding all begin with the letter "sheen." One of Shabbat's primary purposes is to "sit still" and meditate to gain deeper insight into God, His will, and His ways. Meditating helps us break down and digest the things of God (His Word/Manna) in a way that nourishes and edifies our spiritual lives. 

 

In her book "Matters of the Heart," Juanita Bynum discusses how the brain has distinct wave cycles for different purposes. Faster wave cycles are used during life's intensities and stresses, which most of us experience daily. In the fast lane, the more profound, more contemplative things in life are missed. It's like being in a fast-moving vehicle, unable to capture or appreciate the details of the landscape. I see it from a distance, but not in a meaningful way. Much of it is just a blur.

 

Slower brain waves occur when we slow down and allow ourselves to think, meditate, and listen thoughtfully. In this cycle, we can hear God's voice and see things in a way we didn't before.

 

God's voice is not always distinguishable amid the noise and busyness of life. The Sabbath is a way to pull away from all the clutter, distractions, and noise so we can hear His still, small voice.

... a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 

— I Kings 19:11-12

The meditative process allows us to truly "sink our teeth" into the purposes, powers, and principles of the Creator of the universe.

I will meditate on Your precepts,
And contemplate Your ways.

— Psalm 119:15 

 

Bet ב: Abide

The middle letter (the heart) of the word for Sabbath is "bet ב," a picture of a house. It conveys the idea of dwelling and abiding. I can't help but connect this to the meditative process that leads us into His very presence. John, chapter 15, speaks of His Words abiding or taking up residence in us. 

Trust is also tied to this letter's symbolism. Is it possible that setting aside time with God, meditating on Him, and dwelling in His presence ushers in a deeper trust in Him? Bet shows us that abiding is a necessary element of the Sabbath. Apart from Him, we can accomplish nothing of eternal value. 

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me ... for without Me you can do nothing. 

— John 15

Another concept associated with this pictograph of "bet ב" is that of image and reflection. As we spend time in His presence, beholding Him, we become like Him.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 

— 2 Corinthians 3:18

If all we ever give ourselves to are the things of this world and what it worships, that is what we will become. We become what we worship, spend the most time with, give the most attention to, and look at most intently.

Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands ...
Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.

— Psalm 115:4

By quietly beholding Him, we become transformed into His likeness. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

"The troubled surface of a lake will not reflect an object clearly. Wind blowing over land will keep dew from settling on the grass. Even so, the image of God is seen the clearest when we are at rest in HIm, and the refreshing of His Spirit settles on us when we quiet our souls before Him." 

— Roy Lessin

Tav ת: Sign of the Covenant

The final letter of this word is a "tav ת." It is a picture of a cross that signifies a sign or a covenant. One of the biggest things we miss in understanding the concepts and terms of our relationship with God is the concept of covenant. The entire contents of the Word of God reveal God's covenant relationship with humankind.

Therefore, the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever. 

— Exodus 30:16-17

Recalling Genesis chapter two once again, in the first example of the Sabbath, when God rested, we see that it was when everything was finished.

Thus, the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 

— Genesis 2:1 

Where else have we heard the phrase "It is finished"? Is it possible that God's resting in His finished work was a prophetic look forward to the work Christ would do on the cross, in which He would covenant with God on our behalf so that we might find our rest in His finished work on the cross? 

... the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 

— Hebrews 4

Another thought that follows this theme is that the first two letters of the word for Sabbath/Shabbat spell an abbreviation of the Hebrew word for "return." If we combine the word return ("sheen ש" and "bet ב") with the final letter "tav ת," we could read it as "return to the covenant." Isn't that what the cross of Christ was all about, returning to the covenant through the forgiveness of sins?

Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ ... 

— 1 Peter 1:13

Taking time to meditate on Him, abide in Him, and to consider the Revelation of Jesus Christ and the restoration of the covenant through Him give us rest and hope.

Notice the sheep is tagged, identifying that it belongs to someone

Tav ת: We Are His

The letter "tav ת" and the concept of a covenant also relate to ownership. 

"... you are not your own. You were bought at a price ..."

— 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

A Sabbath is much like a tithe of time. When we tithe our money, we acknowledge that it all belongs to God, giving Him the place of Lord over all we have. However, time is even more precious than money because you can never get it back. When we give God our time, we give Him our most valuable commodity in this natural world and acknowledge that we truly belong to Him. "I am the Lord" is frequently accompanied by the command. Observing the Sabbath gives Him His rightful place in our hearts.  

The Sabbath Is a Temple in Time For All 

Many have thought the Sabbath is for the Jewish people only, yet we find it among the Ten Commandments. It is something God expects us to do, along with worshiping only Him, obeying our parents, and not murdering, stealing, lying, committing adultery, or envying our neighbor.

The Sabbath is also understood to be a Temple in time, as explained in the video above. Just as the Tabernacle was about creating a space to meet with God, the Sabbath was considered a time for God to build a place in us by ceasing from our works. 

Application

By following our Creator's example of resting one out of seven days, we might want to reflect, as He did, on all the goodness of God as evidenced in all that He has created, and remind ourselves that everything we lay down and set aside to do this is in His hands. It is He who works in our lives to bring us success and solutions, not ourselves.

Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 

— Psalm 100:3 

May we pause long enough to consider that all our striving and toil spent on life's problems and pains cannot compare to what our great God, who created all things, can do for us?

‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You." 

— Jeremiah 32:17 

Most importantly, we should consider observing the Sabbath. 

"In the long run, man can do more work, and do it better, in six days of a week, than he can in seven; and unless a man worships God at stated times, he is not likely to worship Him at all." 

— H. Clay Trumble "The Ten Commandments As A Covenant of Love"  

© 2012 Tamarajo

Sources

1 https://www.vibrantlife.com/rhythm-of-life/ 

2 https://teachingsofthebible.wordpress.com/2016/09/14/jesus-7-miracles-he-performed-on-the-sabbath/