Shabbat Rest
Many people today suffer the effects of a hurried, stress-filled life. This
is often seen in our yearnings for simpler times, and even in our nostalgia.
Retro automobiles, remakes of old TV series, and comic book characters all
speak of our desire for a more peaceful, less hurried life.
The toll we pay for living in this fast-paced society is tremendous, in
terms of health issues, depression, and broken relationships.
Scripture tells us G-D wants us to have life and to have it (experience it)
abundantly. So how come we are suffering so much stress, ill health,
depression, and relationship issues?
The answer may surprise us, and the cure certainly will.
Our fallen nature, along with many temptations of the adversary, have
created an environment which breeds stress, depression and discontent.
Why you ask?
The reason is simple, if he can get us stressed out, overworked, tired,
depressed, and discontent, he can keep us from hearing G-D and living the
life G-D calls us to.
The Cure.
We all must slow down and take a breath. We must regain the ability to hear
that small still voice that G-D speaks to us with. The first step to
achieving that breath is the Shabbat.
Yeshua said, "The Shabbat was made for man." We get so hung up on the second
part "not man for the Shabbat" that we fail to recognize a great truth. G-D
gave Shabbat as a blessing, not a curse.
That is why, to observant Jews and Messianic Jews, the Shabbat is not a
burden, it is a precious jewel.
Imagine, stopping one day, no TV, no running around busily from place to
place, no running off to the store. Just a day to sleep late, study
Scripture, pray, enjoy family, and worship G-D.
I remember in my previous life, leaving worship and rushing to a restaurant
to stand in line to eat. As I look back, that was not rest. Running home to
cook and clean-up is certainly not rest for the one cooking and cleaning.
Running children from place to place (the "Mom & Dad Taxi Company")
certainly is not rest.
I was listing to the radio driving to work Tuesday (I work by the airport,
so it's a good hour's drive), and I believe G-D brought a very important
point to my mind.
"Even the Master (Messiah) after His crucifixion rested on Shabbat"
As I thought about it, and checked it against Scripture, it began to dawn on
me that it was very true. Messiah kept every Shabbat of His earthly life.
While many try today to say He broke Shabbat, they are sorely mistaken. If
He had broken Shabbat, He would have broken Torah and thus not be the
Messiah.
We know Scripture states over and over that Messiah went to the Synagogue on
Shabbat. Scripture even notes, "as He was accustomed to do." That means He
did it consistently. While He did heal on Shabbat, that is not one of the 39
prohibited classes of actions forbidden on Shabbat, thus He kept Shabbat
perfectly.
Now moving forward to His crucifixion, we know He died on either Thursday
(our teaching) or Friday (traditional teaching) - either way, before
sundown. Thus He was in the tomb from the beginning of Shabbat through the
end of Shabbat, with the resurrection clearly occurring sometime after dark
on Saturday, or before dawn on Sunday (remember it was still dark when they
found the tomb empty).
Yeshua said, "It is Finished!" on the cross as He completed His work of
redeeming us. He entered His rest awaiting His Glorious resurrection.
If our Master kept His Shabbat rest in both life, and in death, should we
not learn from His example and strive to do the same? Remember the Shabbat
was made for man, not man for the Shabbat. We should not be slaves to this
world, with all its associated stress. We should be yoked to the Master,
observing His rest, and resting in His finished work.
Shalom,
Rabbi Gavri'el
