Sabbath Rest

Historically Sabbath rest is understood as a religious day of abstaining from work .  

What do you learn about God’s view of practicing Sabbath from the passage below?

 Exodus 16:22-30 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.'” 24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it.

25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.” 27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28 And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See! The LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

  1. What is different about God’s provision on the sixth day compared to days one to five?
  2. What reason does God give for the sixth day provision?
  3. What are the people to do on the seventh day? Why?

Compare your answers with God’s activity on the seventh day after creation:

Genesis 2:2-3 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

  1. Why did God rest on the seventh day?

I’ve found that taking time on Friday nights to “gather” manna for the week to come so that I don’t have to get out in the stores on Saturday but instead can stay home to simply rest, reflect, and rejoice in God’s provisions has been one of the most restorative practices I’ve ever experienced.

Are you willing to set aside one day per week to stay in your dwelling to simply eat leftovers and truly rest as God instructed the Hebrews to do above?

I’d love to hear what you experience by setting aside a full day for Sabbath rest.

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