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"Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy." (Ezekiel 20:12)This week I was reading in Ezekiel 20 about God's anger against the Israelites because they "utterly desecrated my Sabbaths," (v. 13). Over and over again, God tells Ezekiel to tell Israel that one of the reasons He was not bringing them into the "most beautiful of all lands" (flowing with milk and honey) was "because they rejected my laws and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts were devoted to their idols (v. 16)."
Later, verse 32 says, "You say, 'We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.'"
While in Christ, we are no longer under the law, how we observe (or don't observe) the Sabbath still says a lot about what our hearts are devoted to. Are we still living like the Israelites--wanting to be like the people of the world who reject God's laws, do not follow His decrees, and desecrate His Sabbaths? This was all because their hearts were devoted to their idols.
A study note in my Bible on this passage says:
"The Sabbath, instituted by God at creation, was entrusted to Israel as a sign that God had created and redeemed them. This day of rest was a gift from a loving God, not a difficult obligation. But the people repeatedly desecrated the Sabbath and ignored their God. It was meant to be a memory device but they ignored it. Today, many Christians celebrate the Lord's Day, Sunday, as their Sabbath. Whatever the day, we must be careful to fulfill God's purpose for the Sabbath. He wants us to rest, to refocus, and to remember Him."Taking time out for the Sabbath sets a beautiful tone for the week ahead if we let it.
So how are you spending this Sunday? I'd love to hear from you!
I still believe in the 10 commandments so in keeping the 4th commandment, I celebrate Sabbath on the 7th day!I start with a personal devotion,actualy I start the night before with reading the Sabbath blessing found in Isaiah 56: 2-7 and Isaiah 58:13-14. I attend church and we have potluck or invite others home,I then Love to be outside in nature the rest of the afternoon. I like to go for a walk in the woods some times on the beach esp. the pier that has a light house. Some times we take kids to a zoo or to the farm to feed the small calves a bottle of milk. we usaly have a fruit supper lots of times with my elderly parents. Then I like to go to vespers ;Our church has it every sat nite some times we play Bible games some times we enjoy music, we always sing some songs, if we do not go to church we always have our own worship to close the sabbath. I love to do that at the beach or by a lake and watch the sun go down! Another verse I like so much is Hebrews 4:4,9
ReplyDeleteWhen I reread your post I noticed your comment that we are no longer under the law .Well thank God we are not under the law but under grace! But this does not mean we do not keep the law!Romans 3:31 is very clear on this it says certainly not!, on the contrary we establish the law.Look at it this way ,If you are caught speeding,and the officer decides not to give you a ticket, so you are under grace, but you will still keep the law, even better hopefully ;There is no way you will pull out and speed in front of that officer, you will respect the grace he has given you and keep his law. How much better should we keep Gods 10 commandments! Thank God for His gift of grace through his son Jesus Christ.Hebrews 4:4-10 Tells us that the Sabbath day is still very important for us to keep!
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