“To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept not sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.” 2 Chronicles 36:21
In the book of Daniel, he speaks prophetically of the seventeeth week concerning God’s dealings with Israel. This week is commonly addressed as the period of the tribulation. During this week, this seven year period, there will be an occurance in Jerusalem, in the temple, which will be the absolute sign of Christ’s coming, as it will declare the absolute desecration of the temple, the highest, and most defiant act by Satan rejecting God. The “abonination of desolation” will mark the most terrible period on the history of the earth, when Satan will seek to blot out, and destroy, every vestige of the glory and knowledge of God. He will even seek to proclaim himself God in God’s place. Concerning this day of great tumult, dissaray, confusion, and of unrelenting persecution, the Lord instructs his disciples: “…Pray ye that your flight be not in winter, neither on the sabbath day.” (Matt. 24:20) Why does He speak of the sabbath here? Why is it so very important?
If we go back into history, especially to the prophetical writings, we find that because Israel had defied God to such an extent, even though He had sought long and fervently, to bring them back to Himself, that there was left no remedy to avoid God’s judgment. The destruction of Jerusalem, and the deportation of its people, occured because of this. However, there was a distinguishing characteristic of this period of seventy years in Babylon. That length of time was chosen by God because Israel had neglected, and refused, to observe the Sabbath, the seventh day. In the Ten Commandments given to Moses for the people of Israel, a great deal is said concerning the Sabbath. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: bu the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidervant, nor thy cattle, not thy stranger that is within the gates.” (Ex. 20:8-10) Moses goes on to write that the basis for this commandment is in the example of God, who created all in six days, then rested on the seventh day. There is a promise with keeping the sabbath. “…where the Lord blessed the sabbath, and hallowed it.” (v.11) When Israel began to neglect the sabbath, not believing God that He had consecrated this seventh day as a day of rest, for one to cease from work and toil, or distrctions at hand, she began her descent down, and away, from the blessing and pleasure of God. She chose to be occupied with other things, other preoccupations, primarily with herself. The more she did not rest on the sabbath, the more she turned from God, until there was no remedy but the deportation to bring her back.
What is the Sabbath? Simply put, it is the seventh day. It is one out of seven days chosen, and blessed by God, for man to use to worship and seek God. It was designed by God for man to rest from the preoccupations in a sinful world, to renew and refresh his faith by an increasingly renewed vision of God, of Christ. Jesus also spoke of the Sabbath being made for the benefit, and blessing of man. It was never intended that man should become a worshipper of it, nor its slave. Nor was it ever intended to bring the soul into bondage, or as a tool to accuse any who would not meet the standard of those who wrongly practiced the Sabbath.
So, how should we see the Sabbath, or seventh day? It is to be seen as holy, set apart for the blessing of man. In that “day” man can turn aside from all that would distract him from worshipping God.
Dear Father, Lead us into Thy rest. In Jesus’ name, Amen.