We are experiencing a truly unique time in human history. We’re literally forbidden to work, forced to stay at home and “rest.” Although some people can make adjustments in order to do their work from home, many others cannot.
And this is hard because work is good. We’re designed for it, and it leads to the flourishing of ourselves and others. It’s hard enough for us to practice the Sabbath rest mandate one day a week, let alone for more than a month!
As we’re limited in our work for the moment (there is of course always work to do at home), it’s helpful to me is to remember why God established the Sabbath rest in the first place.
God issued the Sabbath rest for Israel to learn not to hoard goods and possessions, but to trust that God would provide. The people of Israel were to learn that they could not ultimately control when, where, or how they would obtain food and other necessities of life. God wanted Israel to learn that He is in control of those things.
A weekly Sabbath rest would train the people of Israel to trust and honor God in this way. This is a great lesson for us to meditate on right now.
We must ask ourselves important questions like…
In what ways am I trying to control things in my life that I simply cannot control? How am I learning to let go of these things and instead commit them to God’s care?
As you know, Jesus didn’t do away with the concept of Sabbath rest, but He did redefine what it means. Jesus taught that the ultimate purpose of the Sabbath was not legalism, but mercy, harmony and wholeness for the world (just like the original Sabbath of God in Genesis 2!).
In fact, when Jesus launched his public mission, it was on the Sabbath. On that Sabbath, the very first day of His preaching ministry, Jesus announced that the ultimate year of Jubilee was beginning through him (Luke 4:14-20). He said that he was “lord of the Sabbath,” releasing the divine goodness of seventh day rest out into the world and bringing healing and life to humanity (Matthew 12:1-3).
Jesus was executed and placed in a tomb, where his body lay during the Sabbath (Mark 15:42; 16:1). And when the Sabbath was over, Jesus was raised from the dead. It was the first day of a new week! (Mark 16:2)
The resurrection brings about a new creation pattern of seven! Jesus rested in the grave during the Sabbath, and rose again to usher in not only a new day of a new week, but a whole new era of creation for the world. This era is both here now and yet still on its way.
So take some time to think about how Jesus (Lord of Sabbath; Bringer of Jubilee; Author of New Creation) might change the way you think about the current situation.
For more info on Sabbath, check out the Bible Project’s video online here. It was released two months ago, and may be their best video yet.