Have you ever asked why YHWH would place such importance on the Sabbath? It must be important; he announced it at creation and repeated this requirement many times. Indeed, when speaking from the top of the mountain, God spent more time explaining the Sabbath than any other commandment. Why? Here are some thoughts.
It’s not about being lazy. The commandment includes the requirement for six days of work. We are created for work, yet God explains work is not our purpose. We are more than work.
We become set apart by honoring the Sabbath. The command was given to all, but by keeping that command we identify ourselves as God’s people, chosen by him through his unfathomable grace.
Keeping the Sabbath demonstrates trust. Placing our trust in his word, we accept our inability to exist on our own. We acknowledge our dependence on God.
On one day every week, we take the opportunity to remember and enjoy the beauty of creation and the joy of life God has given us. We pause to enjoy our relationships, specifically with our families, and spend glorious hours together in mutual love.
Finally, the Sabbath reflects a world to come. It reminds us of a future time when there will be no more pain, no more death, no more striving. God made a day of rest; we look forward to a time when we shall all rest forever; in the very presence of our creator.
It is our folly that we have so confused this simple gift from God.