Lately, my thoughts have drifted to the Sabbath and how we should observe it. I know it isn’t always possible to observe it on a Sunday for various reasons, but I believe it is something we should observe as Christians. Genesis 2:2-3 confirms this because if our all-powerful God, who can do all things, takes a rest day, then who are we easily burnt-out humans to ignore such a day?

Most Sundays, I wonder if the things I do live up to the Sabbath standard, and I have to remind myself there is no such thing. Sabbath is about rest, and what I find relaxing or re-energising isn’t graded. It’s not a competition to see who can have the most perfect Sabbath. None of us are perfect. Most Sundays, I will end the day feeling like it’s just been another day, even if I have been to church. So, it got me thinking about studying to find out what the Bible actually says about the Sabbath and what it says about rest in general. It would be wrong to keep trying to observe the Sabbath when I don’t know much about it.

Shabbat and Nuakh

In Genesis, we witness the world’s creation, and when God creates days, He declares there is evening and morning each day (Genesis 1) except for the seventh. Like it is a day with no end, which it isn’t, but it represents the future rest we will experience when we pass from this world.

“On the seventh day, God had completed his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it he rested from all the work of creation.”

Genesis 2:2-3

In Genesis 2:2-3 we are introduced to the Sabbath or, as it was called in the Hebrew Shabbat. Its meaning is not to work, to rest, which we see God doing in these verses. Later in Genesis 2, we are introduced to the concept of Nuakh, which means to dwell or settle.

“The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.”

Genesis 2:15

As we can see in the above verse, God placed Adam in the garden immediately after creating him so that Adam was settled or dwelling in Eden. At that time, God walked through the garden, as we read later on in Genesis.

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden”

Genesis 3:8

We know that God dwelled in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, which signifies the importance of resting with God. Shabbat and Nuakh together emphasise the importance God places on rest. God leads by example, resting from his work and dwelling with his people.

We were designed to live in rest with God to enjoy his creation without worry and all the other things that hold us back from truly resting. God had created the Garden of Eden to provide for all the creatures, including humans, but when Adam and Eve sinned, they forfeited this right and had to work the land the rest of their days until they died (Genesis 3:7-19).

Sabbath

God, in His goodness, gave us humans another chance in the time of Moses. He freed the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt and led them towards the Promised Land. The Lord introduced the Sabbath to the Israelites during this journey to the Promised Land.

“Tell the Israelites: You must observe my Sabbaths, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am the Lord who consecrates you. Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you.”

Exodus 31:13-14

On the seventh day of the week, they were to do no work and enjoy His creation. A day to live as if the ultimate rest we all wait for had already arrived.

Israel celebrated seven festivals yearly, including the Sabbath, to anticipate that eternal rest. Every seven years, they were to free slaves, forgive debts and let the land rest for the year. Every seven times seven years, they were to celebrate the year of Jubilee, the ultimate rest year where everything would be restored. Land that was lost would be returned, and debts would be forgiven (Leviticus 23 and 25).

Just as Adam and Eve sinned, so did the Israelites, and they were exiled and enslaved once again as punishment for their sin. But they were not without hope, for it was prophesied that their exile would end one day, and the ultimate jubilee of freedom and rest would come (Jeremiah 29:10, Daniel 9:25).

“Even if your exiles are at the farthest horizon, he will gather you and bring you back from there.”

Deuteronomy 30:4

“I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God because they will return to me with all their heart.”

Jeremiah 24:7

Jesus

A few generations later, what was prophesied came true in the form of Jesus. At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath, as was his custom.

“The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him, and unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

Luke 4:16-19

By reading this verse, Jesus declared it was the year of the jubilee that the people had been waiting for. What they did not know was that rest and freedom would be found in Jesus because he is the Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6:5).

Jesus is the closest we have been to God’s presence since the time of Eden. He understood what the Sabbath truly meant and acted accordingly, even when faced with criticism. In Matthew 12:3-8 Jesus responded to his critics with an argument that defined the Sabbath.

“He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry: how he entered the house of God, and they ate the Bread of the Presence – which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests? Or haven’t you read in the law that on Sabbath days the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent? I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. If you had known what this means. I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath.”

Matthew 12:3-8

After this, Matthew records Sabbath controversies, which is no coincidence. Such controversies included healing and exorcism. The people of Israel had become burdened with the law and the Sabbath; they had lost sight of its true purpose. They had forgotten they needed unity with God, creation and each other. Jesus reminded them of this, and through his teachings, some learned to repent and follow him.

Jesus was the promised one who would restore everything, and he did this through his death. When he died on that cross, he restored us to rest with him as had always been intended. It may seem like his work was undone, but the details say otherwise.

“After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning.”

Matthew 28:1

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.”

Luke 24:1-3

Jesus died at the end of the week, so his body rested in the tomb on the Sabbath before he rose again at the start of a new week, as we read in the verses above. The day of Jesus’ resurrection symbolises a new creation, fulfilling a promise long awaited.

We can now receive the rest we were promised, but only once we pass from this mortal life will we truly experience that rest. Every bit of rest that we experience in this life is only a taste in comparison, and we are invited to experience it by Jesus, for he said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Eternal Rest

You may remember towards the beginning of this post, we learned of God’s design for the Garden of Eden that it was a place where we were supposed to enjoy and rest in God’s presence without worries and fears. Well, this will be again and the Sabbaths we celebrate help us practice for this time when we will be united with God in Heaven.

“So then, there remains a Sabbath for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.”

Hebrews 4:9-11

When we observe the Sabbath today, we live as if the final restoration has already taken place, and we are with God in Heaven, experiencing eternal rest. We set aside time to honour God and enjoy His presence. We extend that rest to the world around us, welcoming them to join us because when we come to Him and rest, we become places where His presence can dwell.

God emphasises the outcome of the Sabbath over what we do to achieve it. We are not expected to follow Israel’s laws since the resurrection signifies a new creation where those laws are not essential for salvation. We are invited to celebrate the Sabbath because it is a gift and no longer a commandment. God invites us to come and rest in His presence and creation.

Observing the Sabbath is an act of trust and faith in our Lord. We Shabbat in order to Nuakh. We stop working in order to dwell with Him. When we stop working, we can truly rest in God’s presence, we make room for God in our lives, and when we do this, we take part in the new creation story that began when Jesus rose again.

Today, observing the Sabbath makes us stand out from the rest of the world. The world hustles away, proclaiming ‘no rest for the wicked’ without realising the truth of that statement. To celebrate the Sabbath in this world is to resist cultural norms, and it is increasingly important because of this. It may not be a requirement for salvation, but it should be a requirement for our faith. To me, observing the Sabbath is more than just dwelling with God and not working. It is a way for my faith to have a firm foundation that may otherwise get lost in the attractions and temptations the world throws our way.

“And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

Mark 2:27

So this Sunday or whatever day you observe the Sabbath, use it to reconnect with God and strengthen your relationship with Him. Put God first every day, not just the Sabbath.

Ways to observe the Sabbath.

If you’re like me and struggle with what to do on the Sabbath because everything you do feels wrong, here are some ideas.

• Go to church or listen to a sermon online.
• Pray.
• Read the Bible and meditate on scripture.
• Light a candle, get cosy with a blanket and read a book or journal.
• Write a list of all the things you are thankful for.
• Limit your screen time or do a social media detox.
• Go for a walk or a drive and take in the beauty of this world.
• Have a nap.
• Write letters to friends or even to yourself.
• Get in community, hang out with friends or call a loved one.
• Listen to worship music or invite friends over and have a worship night.
• Spend time with family or friends and have a game night.
• Have some me time with a relaxing at-home spa day.
• Get crafty and create a new wall decoration or knit something.
• Cook or bake something delicious to eat while you watch a movie.  

Do whatever makes you feel rested, whatever brings you close to God. But be sure to give yourself some grace if you do end up doing work-related stuff or feel bad about something you chose to do. Remember, you can always try and do better the next Sabbath. I hope this post has inspired you to think about how you spend your Sabbaths and what you can do to make them more restful and be in God’s presence more.

Similar Posts

• Eternal Rest: What will it be like in Heaven?

References

Takano, M. (2020) What Is the Sabbath in the Bible and Should Christians Observe It? Available at: Should Christians Keep the Sabbath? (bibleproject.com) [Accessed 24 October 2023]

The Bible Project. (2020) Sabbath. Available at: Sabbath Biblical Theme (bibleproject.com) [Accessed 24 October 2023]

YouVersion. (2023) YouVersion. Available at: Mark 2 | NIV Bible | YouVersion | The Bible App | Bible.com [Accessed 30/10/2023]