Refreshing the Body and Mind on The Sabbath

(Translated from Holy Spirit Monthly—Issue 35
www.mannamagazine.com

Modern human beings lead hectic lives
and endure heavy pressure from work. If
we use weekends and holidays to exercise
or to participate in relaxing activities, we
can boost our metabolism and eliminate
stress. Such activities can also promote a
healthy lifestyle and decrease the chance
of disease.
However, rest only removes fatigue
from our body—it will not result in the
cleansing of our mind and soul. The
Sabbath has broader implications than
merely rest. Other than the reprieve given
to our body, the Sabbath also refreshes
our mind and soul.
The Sabbath is associated with
God. Only when we have an intimate
relationship with God can we allow our
lives to enjoy rest. The Sabbath requires
our return to God’s bosom. But what does
this have to do with Sabbath days? We
will examine this question according to
the Bible.
WHY DID GOD ESTABLISH THE
SABBATH?
Jesus said,
“The Sabbath was made for man, and not
man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of
Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” (Mk 2:27,
28)
Evidently, the Sabbath was instituted
for the benefit of mankind.
To Allow Man to Remember that God
Is the Creator
In six days God created heaven, earth, sea,
and all the living creatures within them.

The work of creation was complete and
He rested from His work on the seventh
day. Therefore, God blessed the seventh
day and made it holy.1
But man is forgetful. As time passes, we
fail to remember that God is the Creator.
The Lord established the Sabbath day as
everlasting evidence to mankind that God
is the Creator.2 If we can observe every
Sabbath in remembrance of His awesome
creation, then we will stay away from
idolatry and avoid trouble.
When the Israelites left Egypt, Moses
commanded the people to double the
amount of manna that they harvested on
Fridays so that they could reserve portions
of it for meals on the Sabbath. Only under
such conditions would the manna not
spoil and attract worms.
They were not supposed to gather
manna on the Sabbath because they
would not find any. Nevertheless, some
people tried to gather manna on Sabbath
days—but they were unsuccessful.3
God made the Sabbath one of the Ten
Commandments so that the Israelites
would observe this day for generations to
come.4 Anyone who violated the Sabbath
and did work on that day would be put to
death,5 but the people still refused to treat
the Sabbath as sacred.6
Through Jeremiah, God issued warnings
and said,
“But if you will not heed Me to hallow the
Sabbath day, such as not carrying a burden
when entering the gates of Jerusalem on
the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in
its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of
Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.”
(Jer 17:27)
Unfortunately, the Israelites were
still unwilling to listen, which led to the
Babylonian captivity.7 We should heed
this warning and observe the Sabbath to
honor our Lord the Creator.
To Allow Man to Remember God’s
Saving Grace
Because human beings easily forget
God’s salvation, the Lord instructed the
Israelites to hold holy convocations on
the Sabbath.8 In doing so, they could
remember that they had been enslaved
in Egypt and that it was God who used
His mighty hand and outstretched arm to
lead them out of Egypt.9
In New Testament times, the chosen
people also held services on the Sabbath
to honor the amazing grace of the Lord
Jesus who shed His blood to redeem us.
As human beings, we have all sinned
and fallen short of the glory of God. Even
though the wages of sin is death, we are
freely justified because of God’s grace
and salvation from the Lord Jesus Christ.
As it says in Romans 3:25, God set forth
Jesus
as a propitiation by His blood, through faith,
to demonstrate His righteousness, because
in His forbearance God had passed over the
sins that were previously committed.
We need to always remember God’s
grace, and we need to make His deeds
known to future generations. If we do
not constantly remember God’s grace,
His deeds will be quickly blotted out of
our memories because we are forgetful
creatures. Therefore, we need to make a
determination to observe the Sabbath in
remembrance of His saving grace.
Moreover, we need to instruct the next
generation to honor the Sabbath so that
our faith can be passed on and God’s
grace always remembered.
To Allow Man to Enjoy Rest in Body
and Mind
The Bible says,
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary. (Isa 40:28)
God does not need rest; therefore, the
Sabbath was instituted for man so that
we can enjoy rest both physically and
mentally. We are made of flesh and often
become weary.
We also have many issues to worry
about: our children, our parents’ health,
the relationships between in-laws, and
our family’s financial situation. These can
impose a great deal of pressure on us
and prevent us from finding peace. Jesus
proclaimed,
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take
My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I
am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will
find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy
and My burden is light.” (Mt 11:28-30)
If our body and mind are to enjoy rest,
we need to first hand all of our difficulties
to God. We do not do any work on the
Sabbath. Such actions represent our faith
toward God and acknowledge that He
has control over everything. This reminds
us that the world is controlled by God and
not by men.
A problem might continue to persist
even when we are willing to trust and rely
on God. But because of our reliance on
God, strength can come from within us to
overcome difficulties.
Second, we need to be obedient to
God. Jesus told us that we need to take
His yoke and learn from Him, and then
we will find rest.
We can learn obedience from Jesus’
example—He entrusted Himself to God.
When He was verbally abused He did not
respond, and when He was persecuted
He did not retaliate. He obeyed wholeheartedly to the point of death,
even death on the cross.
The Lord Jesus’ complete obedience is a
wonderful example for us.10
To Allow Man to Hope for the Sabbath
in Heaven
In the Old Testament, God promised the
Israelites that they would enjoy peace.11
Further, in the New Testament, the Lord
assured those who labor and are heavy
laden that they will receive rest.12
However, due to the skepticism and
defiance of man, this promise never came
to fruition; we are not able to enjoy a truly
heavenly existence on earth.13
For if Joshua had given them rest, then He
would not afterward have spoken of another
day. There remains therefore a rest for the
people of God. For he who has entered His
rest has himself also ceased from his works
as God did from His. (Heb 4:8-10)
There is no resting place in this world.
If we can observe the Sabbath, however,
the Lord Jesus will carry our heavy burden
so that we may taste the sweetness of the
heavenly Sabbath. Therefore, if we hope
for the second coming, we will be able
to enter the heavenly kingdom to enjoy
eternal rest.
THE IMPACT OF THE SABBATH ON
MODERN LIVES
An entrepreneur in the church was once
asked to speak to a youth fellowship. He
answered, “My schedule is completely
booked for the next six months, and I
cannot make any changes.” It seems that
a prevailing idea today is that the busier
one appears to be, the more important
one is.
Though the advances in technology are
supposed to make our lives easier, they
actually seem to have increased the pace
of our work as well as the number of our
responsibilities. For instance, the advent
of cell phones and fax machines forces
people to take care of work-related issues
at home.
Overloading ourselves with work often
results in exhaustion and a bad temper that
make us difficult individuals. Furthermore,
because of long hours, job-related stress,
and irregular schedules, more and more
deaths caused by overwork are starting to
occur.
As we immerse ourselves in work,
especially when we become successful, it
is easy for us to become pompous and selfcentered.
We believe that this enterprise
or this world requires our existence and
that without our contribution they will
become bankrupt or stop functioning.
In reality, God blessed the seventh
day and made it holy. If we can stop
participating in secular work on the
Sabbath, we will realize that the world
continues on its way because it is
maintained by God’s hands, not ours.
Human beings are composed of flesh,
and we require physical nourishment to
fulfill our needs. But a major part of us is
our soul, which requires spiritual food for
satisfaction. We are often accomplished
in our career and abundant in material
possessions. Nonetheless, our soul is
parched and malnourished because we
are deficient in spiritual sustenance.
On the Sabbath, we do not need to
prove our worth through our career.
Instead, we can return to God through
services, prayers, and communion with
Him. As our prayers deepen and we
allow the Holy Spirit to fill us, we will be
able to taste the sweetness of spiritual
satisfaction, which is the heavenly beauty
that we can experience on earth.
WHAT TO DO ON THE SABBATH
The term “Sabbath” came from the
phonetic translation of the Hebrew word
sabbat, which is unclear in its origin.
Phonetic translation of the corresponding
verb is sabat, which can be defined as to
terminate, to discontinue, or to rest. The
word also implies setting apart a certain
period of time as holy. God blessed the
Sabbath and made it holy.14
A holy day is a sanctified and special
day, which should be different from other
days. This day belongs to God, and we
ought to live out this day according to His
instructions. We should allow our body to
rest and our spirit to revitalize. Moreover,
instead of focusing on worldly pleasure,
we need to live out this day in accordance
with biblical teachings.
With Respect to Careers
The Sabbath is a holy day and meant to
be kept sacred. Therefore, we should not
participate in any type of work.15 Even
harvesting crops should cease on the
Sabbath.16 If we can be mindful of our
steps on the Sabbath, stay away from
work-related activities, and refrain from
mindless chatter, we will obtain God’s
blessings.17
The Israelites disobeyed the rules of
Sabbath and were thus cursed by God
to captivity. Many years after returning
to Israel, some people took part in
commercial activities on the Sabbath.
Prophet Nehemiah rebuked the residents
of the land:

“What evil thing is this that you do, by
which you profane the Sabbath day? Did
not your fathers do thus, and did not our
God bring all this disaster on us and on this
city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by
profaning the Sabbath.” (Neh 13:17, 18)

Consequently, he proclaimed an edict
that, as soon as the gates of Jerusalem
began to cast shadows before the Sabbath
began, the gates would be closed and
locked until the end of the Sabbath day.
This was to prevent the Israelites from
violating the Sabbath again.18
In this hectic industrialized society, we
are preoccupied with our jobs. Even after
we come home, our mind is still occupied
with work-related concerns. We are
enslaved by our duties.
However, on the Sabbath, we should
suspend all of our business activities and
let go of everything that we have become
so engrossed with during the week. We
should focus on our communion with
God and pursue an abundant spirit.
With Respect to Faith
Sabbath days are to be set apart as the
holy days on which we can worship God.
In the Old Testament, God commanded
Moses to do no work on the Sabbath but
conduct holy convocations19 and make
offerings.20 In the New Testament, Jesus
entered synagogues on the Sabbath and
read the Bible.21 Paul and Barnabas also
went to synagogues on the Sabbath.
Entire towns would gather to listen to
the words of God.22 Today, we should also
turn away our foot on the Sabbath, attend
church services, and call the Sabbath
a delight and the holy days of the Lord
honorable. In doing so, God will bestow
upon us blessings and cause us to ride on
the high hills of the earth.23
In our church today, the Sabbath is
full of services of all kinds (e.g., worship
services, prayer sessions, classes for the
newly baptized). Through these meetings,
we can allow our body and mind to enjoy
a break. Some churches use the time
after service for hospital visitations. Holy
work such as this are meant to preach the
gospel and are also acts of charity that are
pleasing to the Lord.
With Respect to Family
Typically, parents spend their energy on
work, and children are preoccupied with
the television or the internet. Very rarely
do parents and children have time to
connect. On the Sabbath, both parents
and children can cease their respective
activities to spend time with one another.
Through the opportunities created by
the Sabbath, parents can listen to their
children’s thoughts and improve their
relationship.
Sabbath is also an occasion for
husbands and wives to strengthen their
bond. Through walks, conversations, and
meals, they can re-live happy memories
and reaffirm their feelings. The Sabbath
can be a day in which family members
communicate well with one another. If
everyone actively participates, wonderful
relationships can be established.
CONCLUSION
In a city filled with lights, it is difficult
to see stars at night. But in rural and
mountain areas, the sky is sprinkled with
stars. During the six days that we are
occupied, worldly obligations and worries
accumulate, and we are not able to feel
the abidance of God. On the Sabbath,
we can stop our work and attend church
services to pursue a fruitful spiritual
life. Our relationship with God will thus
become more intimate.
The Sabbath is blessed by the Lord,
and it is set apart to be holy. Through our
weekly attendance at church services, we
can commemorate God’s work of creation
and His wonderful grace of salvation.
Moreover, we can give our burdens to
God and trust in His guidance during our
prayers.
Through diligent spiritual cultivation on
this holy day, we can reach the fullness of
the Holy Spirit. We can also work on our
relationships with family members, and
visit members in the hospital so that they
can feel the love of God.
The Sabbath is only the beginning.
Through this day, we can pursue an
abundant spiritual life and maintain
an intimate relationship with our Lord
that will continue with daily cultivation.
We should trust that these spiritual
developments will be worthy of God’s
blessings, and the promise of the Sabbath
will come true.
In this life, we will obtain peace in our
body and mind, and we will one day
enter the heavenly kingdom to enjoy the
eternal Sabbath