A Day of Blessing and Holiness
God’s work of creation is made up of six days of work and rest on the 7th day. In particular, after creation until the last days, the 7th day is a day of blessing and holiness without change or pause. What is the characteristic of the 7-day time period and the redemptive meaning of the 7th day?
The principle of creation within the 7 days?
When we look at God’s creation, it is made up of 6 days of creation plus rest on the 7th day. This shows us that God’s progress of creation has units of time and this one-week time period is unchanging from creation until now. Secondly, the center of one week is on the 7th day, the Sabbath. The Hebrew word that is indicative of one week is “Sheba” meaning (7). Therefore, the 7th day is a time dedicated to God. From this we can conclude that God has allowed humans to freely labor during the 6 days but the 7th day is a time for God. On the 7th day, we focus on service and devotion which is a route to obtaining God’s rest. Thirdly, the 7th day is a time of the week that is not invaded. After creation, Satan invaded and tore down God’s creations but he was not able to interfere with the Lord’s Day so it is unchangeably observed until today.
The value and redemptive significance of the Sabbath Day
The Sabbath must be observed. In Nehemiah 13:18, it states that “trouble” will come on those who profane the Sabbath. The 7th day is a day to give service to God, rest labor and be reborn through the power of God. Thus, violating this day is disobedience and leads to a fearful judgment. The people of God experienced 70 years of exile in Babylon for violating the Sabbath years (Jer 25:12). Calculating those days “until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths,” God let them stay for 70 years. Second Chronicles 36:21 says; “to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths, all the days of its desolation it kept Sabbath until seventy years were complete.”
Observing the Sabbath through the rules of “manna”
Through the rules of “manna,” God allowed us to see the importance of the 7th day. God rained down manna for six days but on the 7th day the manna ceased and God made this day a day of “rest.” In Exodus 16:25-26 Moses said; “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.” Thus, on the 7th day, the people rested (Exod 16:30). Therefore, through the training of reaping manna for 40 years, the Israelites naturally lived 7-day lives and were able to learn the importance of the Sabbath.
Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath
Thirdly, the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath (Matt 12:8; Mark 2:28). Jesus the Son is the Lord of all days and time. Particularly, the fact that Jesus is referred to as the “Lord of the Sabbath,” “Lord even of the Sabbath,” emphasizes how important that day is and how holy God’s time needs to be observed.
Conclusion: Those who wholly keep the Sabbath will receive the blessing and sanctification of the seventh day. Through complete observance of the Lord’s Day, let us live lives that walk every day with Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath.
