Exodus 31
To read this text CLICK HERE.
Exodus 31:12-17, Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.
“‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of Sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”
It's interesting that the Sabbath is mentioned here in the middle of much discussion about building the tabernacle. It seems almost out of place and yet it isn't. The building of the tabernacle was all about worshiping God. All the beauty, precision, and order were intended to create a space for God to dwell and a place for which the Israelites could direct their worship of God. If they didn't honor the Sabbath, then worship wouldn't take place on a regular basis. The Sabbath day is a day dedicated to God. It is a holy day.
While the Jews historically have honored Saturday as their day of rest, Christians have worshiped God on Sunday because it was the day of Jesus' resurrection. What's important isn't so much which day is set aside, but that we actually set aside a specific time and give it to God. The reality is that we live in a society in which Sunday is simply a fun day. Sporting events, art fairs, farmers' markets, concerts, and many other activities are now a norm for Sunday. How easy it is, as God's people, to get caught up in the busyness of Sunday and forget about honoring the Sabbath day and having a day of rest. Yes, it's still important to have a set aside time to worship God. Yes, God still wants us to dedicate time to him. Do you have dedicated, specific time that you set aside to honor, worship, and rest before a holy God?
Let's pray...God, we live in a busy world with lots of activities and distractions. When we get distracted, bring us back toward you. We need you, we need to worship you, and we need to rest in you. Help us remember that and rejoice in that. In Your Name, Amen.