This is what the Lord said to me: "Go and stand at the Gate of the People, through which the kings of Judah go in and out; stand also at all the other gates of Jerusalem. Say to them, 'Hear the word of the Lord, you kings of Judah and all people of Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem who come through these gates. This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors. Yet they did not listen or pay attention; they were stiff-necked and would not listen or respond to discipline. But if you are careful to obey me, declares the Lord, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy by not doing any work on it, then kings who sit on David's throne will come through the gates of this city with their officials. They and their officials will come riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by the men of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever. People will come from the towns of Judah and the villages around Jerusalem, from the territory of Benjamin and the western foothills, from the hill country and the Negev, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of the Lord. But if you do not obey me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.'"
(Jeremiah 17:19-27 NIV)
Knowing what is to come as described in Nehemiah, we can know that the gates of Jerusalem are burned. The sabbath day is very important to God. He desperately asks his people in Judah and Jerusalem to honor the sabbath. It is so important to God that he promises abundance or destruction of Jerusalem on their obedience to the sabbath. God is willing to allow and even more bring about the destruction of the city of God his glory and even the temple. God must hold our faithfulness of great value if he is willing to sacrifice his city and his temple for us.
Yet the sabbath is more of a memory than a reality even to Christians. In my home church the sabbath is rarely talked about. In my time in college in InterVarsity the sabbath was not mentioned. I would regularly do most of my homework on Sunday. Sure I would go to church in the morning. And that is about all I would give God on his holy day of rest to remember him. I know the New Testament says we are no longer required to follow sabbaths or feasts. But the point is sabbath is not an obligation but a gift from God for our good. It is a day of rest and a day to remember God. A day to stop and see the bigger picture.
Yet we are so driven in America and Japan and other places that we just work, work, work until vacation and then back to the grinding stone. Yes we should be productive and hard working. Being a farmer was perhaps harder than our lives. But it is so healthy and vital I think to take rest and sabbath.
For me on staff with InterVarsity taking a sabbath has been crucial. But I have recently been willing to modify and move my sabbath in order to accomplish more. Again I am trusting in myself and not God. It is complicated because I work doing ministry for a living. I mean the priests continued to serve in the temple on sabbaths so what does sabbath look like for me and pastors and college ministers?
God I pray for your guidance and discernment in my life and in your church. Please teach me to honor your sabbath. I thank you for the gift sabbath because i know it is for my good.
Amen
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