Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
SABBATH LEADS TO FULLNESS OF CREATION
Bible portion: Proverbs 8:22-31Vs 22-23: “The Lord created me first of all, the first of his works, long ago I was made in the very beginning, at the first, before the world began”
In Genesis, we know how God finished the work of creation and rested on the seventh day. "God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” (Genesis 2:3) In Exodus 16, we read about how God declared to the Israelites that the next day would be a Sabbath day and they were to gather manna and bake and boil what they needed to eat in advance, to prepare for a day of rest. The word sabbath comes from the Hebrew word šāḇaṯ meaning “to rest.”
Sabbath represents the fulfillment of the creative work of God. Let us thank God for the amazing Creation of heaven and earth carried out by Him. As Psalmist says: "O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" (Ps.8:1-9). Let us put our trust in His wonderful grace by remembering how he would be enough for us if He takes care of the birds in the sky, and lilies of the field (Matt-6:25-34). God created mankind a little lower than Him and crowned them with glory and honor. He has given them dominion over the work of His hands and He has put all things under their feet. So Sabbath is also seen as part of man's life. Because rest is needed for the restless.
Proverbs describe Wisdom as a woman who has set a table for all those who seek her. Wisdom says, Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. That table is here. Here we are learning wisdom by giving thanks week after week. One of the things that we are seeking to build is a covenant community characterized by joyful Sabbath living. This Sabbath living starts here at the table of Wisdom, the table of Thanksgiving and joy where God invites us to his banqueting table and rejoices over us, his people. But because we have been invited here on this day, we keep this day as a feast day in our homes and with one another. We cannot leave this place and go back into the world as though this day is like all the rest of the days of the week. This is the Lord's Day, the day on which God has met with us, assured us of his love and blessing, and feasted with us at his table.
Proverbs doesn’t say that wisdom is God; it says that wisdom came from God, and was present with God before the creation took place. Wisdom was present worshiping and praising God in His creation. Wisdom was given birth by God as an extension of God’s attributes.
In the fullness of the Creation work of God, an eternal Sabbath is inevitably seen in which He will wipe out every tear from the face of His people, and there will be no more death, crying, and pain. The first things will be passed away, and the one who is seated on the throne says, "See I am making all things new" (Is-65:17-25, Rev-21:1-5). This is the hope of believers. This is the Sabbath about which the scripture says: "a Sabbath rest still reminds the people of God" (Heb-4:9). Every Sabbath day reminds us about this eternal Sabbath, real rest for His people.
Sabbath represents the fulfillment of the creative work of God. Let us thank God for the amazing Creation of heaven and earth carried out by Him. As Psalmist says: "O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" (Ps.8:1-9). Let us put our trust in His wonderful grace by remembering how he would be enough for us if He takes care of the birds in the sky, and lilies of the field (Matt-6:25-34). God created mankind a little lower than Him and crowned them with glory and honor. He has given them dominion over the work of His hands and He has put all things under their feet. So Sabbath is also seen as part of man's life. Because rest is needed for the restless.
Proverbs describe Wisdom as a woman who has set a table for all those who seek her. Wisdom says, Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. That table is here. Here we are learning wisdom by giving thanks week after week. One of the things that we are seeking to build is a covenant community characterized by joyful Sabbath living. This Sabbath living starts here at the table of Wisdom, the table of Thanksgiving and joy where God invites us to his banqueting table and rejoices over us, his people. But because we have been invited here on this day, we keep this day as a feast day in our homes and with one another. We cannot leave this place and go back into the world as though this day is like all the rest of the days of the week. This is the Lord's Day, the day on which God has met with us, assured us of his love and blessing, and feasted with us at his table.
Proverbs doesn’t say that wisdom is God; it says that wisdom came from God, and was present with God before the creation took place. Wisdom was present worshiping and praising God in His creation. Wisdom was given birth by God as an extension of God’s attributes.
In the fullness of the Creation work of God, an eternal Sabbath is inevitably seen in which He will wipe out every tear from the face of His people, and there will be no more death, crying, and pain. The first things will be passed away, and the one who is seated on the throne says, "See I am making all things new" (Is-65:17-25, Rev-21:1-5). This is the hope of believers. This is the Sabbath about which the scripture says: "a Sabbath rest still reminds the people of God" (Heb-4:9). Every Sabbath day reminds us about this eternal Sabbath, real rest for His people.
Prayer
Lord of the sabbath Jesus, make our hearts receptive to your gospel in faith and diligence, believing in your finished work, which will only let us enter into God's rest as promised. Lord make each one of us attentive to your voice and not be stubborn. Amen.
Thought for the day
"The Sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the Sabbath; so the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath". (Mark 2:27, 28)
Anish Thomas
Marthoma Church of Greater Washington
Marthoma Church of Greater Washington