The Heart of the SABBATH
One Night Whilst I was praying, the Lord revealed to me such a precious truth regarding the Sabbath that I had never seen before. The Fourth Precept came to my mind as thus...
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." Exodus 20:8-11
and...
15And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. (Deut 5:15)
I asked the Lord "Why is it important to keep the Sabbath?" He revealed this to me, so that I could see it for myself
For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." Exodus 20:8-11
This firstly showed that the LORD Created All things, by the Word of his Power (Heb 1) and by his only begotten Son (John 1:1). This showed me that we have a Creator, and he is almighty and creative, and that if he created all things, then he is able to re-create what was taken away. As the World was without form and Void and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and as the Spirit of God hovered over the Waters, even so...the Sabbath is a reminder that the heart is without form and void, and darkness is in it's depth...but when the spirit of God moves upon it, and God say's let there be light...Light comes in. God is Light and in him is no Darkness at All. When we receive Christ into the heart, the Father sends forth the Life of his Son into out hearts, and that regenerating power, found in his Word begins a process that human reason is unable to explain
and...
15And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. (Deut 5:15)
The Sabbath also shows us of God's great victory in delivering Israel form EGPYT, showing how he was their deliverer. In the same way, the Lord delivers us from Spiritual Egypt of the World, with and Outstretched Arm, through a mighty hand. When I look at the dimensions of parallel with this text...I see the Out stretched Arm of our Lord, when he took peter out of the water. I see his outstretched arm when he laid his hand on the leper and said "I am willing, be thou clean". I see an outstretched arm when he wrote on the ground in front the accusers and said to the woman "neither do I condemn thee, go and Sin no more", I see an outstretched arm when he blessed the fish and bread, thanked his father in heaven and feed thousands. I see an heart of inifinite love, when he took the children in his arms and "suffer not the little children to come unto, for such is the kingdom of God".
This shows me of the fatherly care he had for the children.
When I read the parallels in the Sabbath Command, I see Christ on the Cross, uplifted between heaven and earth, as mans Advocate and mediator, with a mighty hand and an out stretched arm, pleading with his father "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do". I see in this precept that Christ outstretched his Arm to a doubting disciple, as evidence that he was the risen Messiah. I see an outstretched Arm as he blessed his disciples before he ascended to heaven and was hidden by a cloud, assuring them that "I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matt 28:20).
As the Sabbath is a day of God creativity, it is also a day of his deliverance. As he literally created the heavens, earth and seas in 6 days and delivered Israel from Egypt...Even so he creates in us a clean heart, and delivers us from the miry pit of EGYPT.
As the Sabbath Joins the first three Commandments (Love to God the Father) to the last six (Love to One another)...Even so Christ Came to redeem man and women back to God.
The Sabbath is a type of Christ, portraying it's work of mediation and connection between heaven and earth, something worth while remembering.
Another question I asked the Lord was..."What is true rest?" The Lord placed a promise on my mind as I asked him, and this is what appeared...
"Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt11:28-30
When I thought upon this promise, instantly I thought about the ox that carries its yoke, not for itself, but for the purpose of service. the Lord sent me a thought "If the Ox was stuck in the Mud on the Sabbath, what would you do...Would you leave it there or would you take it out?....how many people would it require to take that oxen out???
The truth regarding true rest isn't put our own feet up, but rather somebody else's feet. When washing the feet of the disciples, Jesus said unto them..
For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
"So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet." John 13: 11-14
True rest is when we able to wash the feet of our brethren, meaning humble ourselves and place another person before us. Jesus Said that we should love one another as he loved us...that all men may know that we are his disciples, if we have love for one another.
What about our enemies, do we wash their feet as well?
"After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter" John 13:5-7
It is clear that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples...including peter who publicly betrayed his master, and Judas...who secretly betrayed his Lord.
Jesus shows us in the foot washing that true service is when you are able to humble yourself and love your enemies...even to the point of death. Remember his words..."Father, Forgive them for they know not what they do"
When we can live and say these words, then we surely know that we are set free.
When Gods Word is in our hearts, and we love our enemies, we have true liberty.
True rest is in the life of Christ, it is his life that he came to give us, that he wants us to reflect. How do we reflect his life? By beholding. What then happens to us? We become changed. What permits that change? His Word. When his Spirit is in our heart there is liberty, and there is rest. This is what true Sabbath rest is all about.
When I contemplated on these promises, Spirit of the Lord fell upon, and Scriptures were placed in My mind regarding the Fellowship of the Father and the Son.
"And this is life eternal, that they may know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3)
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake." John 14:6-11
"And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." 1John 5:20
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" Heb 1:1-3
As I meditated on these texts, I could see something in the SABBATH word that gave me a clear understanding of the Father and the Son. It was the Word ABBA, the very centre of the Word Sabbath. When understanding of this Word is Father or "Daddy" (Galatians 4:6).
When we Look at the Literal Word ABBA, we see that it is symmetrical in the way that it is written (AB...BA). This shows that the Word itself resembles to a degree a reflection in itself. When we see the meaning of what the Word ABBA is, in Conjunction with its translation Father...We see a reflection of the Father in the Son....meaning that the Son reflects his Father. This is what Jesus did when he Came to earth...he reflected the Only true God to the World. When we receive Christ into the heart, he will shine forth, and his life will be seen. As Jesus reflected his Father, even son we are to reflect The Son of God to the World, and as a result men will see the Good works and Glorify our Father in Heaven.
As The God is a father to his only begotten Son, even so is Christ to us..."For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6. When we understand that the Sabbath is about being loyal to the Father and the Son, when we experience the true rest given and offered to man, and we realize what The father and Son have done, what they are doing in and through our Lives...brethren I believe that heaven is just one step away.
Let Us Go Back to the old paths, raise up the old alters, lift up the old pillars and let us...
"Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy" Exodus 20:8
