"On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it. But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it." - Leviticus
Why are we told to rest on the seventh day? This is what I think.
Customary work means the type of work a person normally does based on their experience, training, or background. It can also refer to the work that is done on a regular day, usually for pay, and that is not considered as a religious duty or a leisure activity. Work that is done for my benefit.
Rest on the Sabbath is an acknowledgement the God is the Provider and my trust is in Him and not the work of my hands. When Jesus was healing people on the Sabbath, he was criticized by the religious leaders. By the time Jesus walked, the laws in Leviticus had become much more restrictive. Their idea was that you could not do anything on the Sabbath.
Jesus used the example of the ox in the ditch to refute that thinking.
"Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit [or ditch], will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?" - Luke 14:5
How much more important was it to help a human that needed help - like healing on the Sabbath. That deed was fulfilling the second greatest commandment - loving others.
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God." - Exodus 20:8-10
Jesus was showing love, grace and mercy to others. And we should do the same. I have shared this before. When volunteers would ask if we would be working on someone's house on Sunday - I would simply say "The ox is in the ditch". In other words, the volunteers were they to help other and not for their own benefit. By helping the person they were honoring God - showing love, grace and mercy to others.
On the other hand - the day we set aside is an offering to God. It is a day that we are mindful of Him. That we intentionally focus on Him - individually and corporately. Remember it is the spirit and not the letter of the law that we are to honor with our lives. And at the same time
"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." - Hebrews 10:24-25
Think about it – Believe it - Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
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