the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Voice of the Lord
Remember the day, Shabbat, to set it apart for God (Exodus 20:8).
The fourth mitzvah (commandment) of the Ten Commandments concerns the remembrance of the Shabbat (Sabbath). Shabbat literally means "rest...to desist from work." Unfortunately, through the years, the Shabbat has been misunderstood by both Jews and Christians.
Shabbat was never meant to be an "intolerable burden" laced with hundreds of additional man-made expectations. God's guidelines for Shabbat in the Torah are quite simple: rest, don't work, and hold a holy convocation to the Lord.
In addition, God did not intend for Shabbat to be replaced by Sunday (which was ordained at a Church council only a few centuries after Yeshua). The mitzvah to rest on the seventh day did not, in fact, originate in the Ten Commandments but was sanctified by God at the end of the creation! (Genesis 2:1-3)
The purpose of this special day is to rest, be with family, gather at God's house for worship, and get refocused and refreshed for the coming week. Shabbat is a time of rest for our souls as well as our bodies.
The writer of the book of Hebrews says, "So there remains a Shabbat-keeping for God's people" (Hebrews 4:9). Enjoy the Shabbat! Rest in the Lord.
...seek to take seriously the commandment concerning Shabbat and dedicate this day to the Lord. "Lord, help me to live every day resting in you."
DC
The Voice of the Lord, Copyright © 1998 by the Lewis and Harriet Lederer Foundation, Inc. Published by Messianic Jewish Publishers, Distributed by Messianic Jewish Resources, www.messianicjewish.net. All rights reserved. Used by permission. No part of this article may be reproduced in print or on the web, or transmitted in any form, without the written permission of the publisher.
