I am continuing with the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai. I always read from the ESV –English Standard Version, because it is the most accurate up-to-date translation.
(Exodus 20:8-11)(ESV) “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
In (Mark 2:27) Jesus tells us that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. That tells us that we are to utilize the Sabbath day, to give rest; and, even to the creation. God, Himself, rested on the Sabbath day. If hunters aren’t out there hunting for game, all the wildlife gets to rest from fear of being shot. Even the livestock owned by us gets to rest from its labor. (Exodus 23:11-12) (Exodus 35:3) “You shall kindle no fire in all your dwelling places on the Sabbath day.” – That’s just the dwelling places. Now, think about the Ozone layer, and how air pollution is destroying it. Do you think God knows what He’s talking about? I do!
God blessed the Sabbath Day, and made it holy. What does that mean? To be blessed means to be consecrated, made holy, endowed with divine favor and protection. Something that is holy, is to be regarded with great and deep respect. Oxford Languages We are to remember the Sabbath Day; meaning that we are to keep that seventh day for resting. We are to keep it holy. That means we are to set the day aside for rest and refreshment; for time with family, and especially the family of God.
So, why were the Pharisees berated by Jesus because they were trying to “catch him” working on the Sabbath? (Eph. 4:18) gives us the answer: “They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.” (Mk. 3:1-5) (Luke 6:6-10) (Luke 13:10-16) This goes back to the fact that God is love, and “love is…”, in (1Cor. 13) Jesus tells us to “judge rightly.” That means look at all sides and discern the truth; the whole truth. The passage in( Luke 13-10-16) illustrates that very clearly.
Most Christians celebrate the first day of the week, or Sunday, as the day set aside for the LORD. But, is that really a Sabbath day? If you rest from your labors, and use that day the way God ordained it to be, then, yes. In today’s world, with all the different work schedules, each one of us has to discern when and how to keep that Sabbath day. (Hebrews 4:1-16) My personal belief is that God’s asking for one day. Rest from your survival in, and from this world, and seek that life that only God can bring to our lives. –Whether that be on a Friday, Monday, Sunday, or midweek; whatever day of the week. Set aside that one day just to spend it with the LORD, resting in praise, worship, and in His love for us. We can enter into that Sabbath rest anytime we seek the LORD in praise, worship, prayer, or contemplation. But, oh, how wonderful it is to spend a whole day with Him! (Eph. 3:12)
Love you from Café du Mondieu
Copyright by Marina Morrison (aka) Eden Stillwater, February 14, 2023, 11:11 a.m.
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