Rest according to Exodus - Rest #3

Now we get to one of the Bible’s key chapters on rest. It’s Exodus 20 where Israel gets their constitution as God’s special nation. They get the law (which is outlined so succinctly in the 10 commandments). For us today, there is much to learn about a Biblical theology of rest from this chapter. See it in Exodus 20:8. There we read:

8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

As a nation Israel was to keep 1 day in 7 special. The 7th day of the week (Saturday) was to be viewed uniquely. On that day, Israel was not to go about their usual routines of commerce and agriculture. On the “Sabbath” day they were to rest (v. 9). Nobody (not even your servants, animals, or foreign visitors) were supposed to do any of their regular work (v. 10). The 11th verse is a fascinating one. This Sabbath day law for the nation of Israel is rooted in creation. God created in 6 days, and rested for 1. Israel is to follow His created pattern.

Zero in on the first part of verse 10 for just a second. This is not just a day of “chillin” for Israel. It wasn’t a day to gather around the bar-b-que with your buds and a 6-pack watching the game. It wasn’t to be a day spent rock-climbing, shopping, or [insert your favorite activity here] (although recreation wasn’t expressly forbidden). The point is: this was a day set apart for worship. Rest was mandated for Israel by law for the purpose of worship. It was a day to rest and get your spiritual matters in order. It was a day to be spent relating to God on His terms and by His grace drawing near to Him in obedience with His people. It was a day for worship. This is incredibly significant for us as we think about rest today.

Think for a minute, why do you take times of rest? Think of your last day off or maybe your last vacation... what was the purpose of it? Was it a special time set aside to get your spiritual matters in order? While God’s people may not be required to uphold Jewish Sabbath laws today, the regular pattern of rest rooted in creation is still in play. When you rest (which for many Christians is on Sundays) do you focus your attention on worship? Do you look for chances to gather with God’s people, enjoy fellowship in the gospel, and serve/build up the body? Do you focus your energies on reaching out to your neighbors with the gospel? Do you dedicate your time(s) or rest to these ends? Sadly, for many of us, our times of rest are all about ourselves. Let us think soberly about these things and repent where necessary. Let us press on together to rest God’s way for God's glory.