Title: Sabbath Day and Sabbatical Year
Although the story of the Bible starts from Adam and Eve, the origin of nation Israel is considered as Abraham because God promised a blessing that Abraham would have a great nation: people, land, sovereignty. Then, in 1876 BC, Jacob’s 70 family members went down and started dwelling in Egypt. They were only a clan when they entered Egypt, however, when they come out, they became about 2-3 million people which can be considered a nation.
After a long wilderness journey, they reached the land of Canaan in 1406 BC, and finished distributing the lands in 1390 BC. They had time of judges and time of monarchy. In 586 BC, nation Israel was gone from the history and they started living as a colonized country under Babylon, Persia, Greek, Roman Empire and other countries.
In 165 BC, there was a Maccabean revolt that established the independent Hasmonaean Kingdom, but it only lasted about 100 years: in 64 BC, they were conquered by Roman Empire. However, in 66-136 AD, Jews fought against Romans for the independence, and as a result, they were forced to scatter to other regions: Diaspora. Since then, Jewish population in Palestine area was only 10-15%. This is how the land of Canaan was taken by Muslim country.
Then, through Balfour Declaration from UN, Israel became an independent country again: 1948 AD. Due to the long absence of Jewish culture, Israelites had to re-establish the cycle of sabbatical year. Israel chose to accept the idea that the year when the Herod’s temple was destroyed was the sabbatical year (68-69AD). Through this calculation, the modern Israel kept the first sabbatical year after independence in 1951-52 AD, and the next sabbatical year is 2021-2022. Another suggestion is to see the year when the vision of Ezekiel’s Temple was given the sabbatical year (537 BC). Following this calculation, the next sabbatical year would be 2024-2025 AD.
Meaning of Sabbath Day
People of this world advise that we shouldn’t work too hard because we can be worn out and take more time to recover and start again. And some Christians and churches also use this notion in terms of keeping the Lord’s Day. However, is the Sabbath Day (Lord’s Day) really the day for our rest?
- We should work hard for 6 days (Exo 20:9, Deut 5:13)
- We should stop working on Sabbath Day (Exo 35:3; Deut 5:14; Neh 13:15-20)
- We should give a sacrifice/ worship to God (Num 28:9-10; Ezek 46:1-3)
- We should consider Sabbath Day a delight day (Isa 58:13-14)
- We should observe Sabbath Day with our life (Exo 31:14-15; Num 15:32-36)
If we combine all together, we can draw the following understanding that in order to keep the Sabbath, we should work and labor for 6 days. Although God didn’t create us to work to eat in the beginning, after the Fall, new order given to all mankind is that no matter how rich we are, we should work and labor for 6 days (Gen 3:19).
However, on the Sabbath Day, we should stop working. It is not to give us a rest but to taste of the time before the Fall. Sabbath Day is a reminder for all mankind how we were and how we lived before the Fall. Also, on Sabbath Day, we should give God a worship service. It is not to make the church making business for you to bring your offering to the church. But once again, it is a reminder that the worship service is the only work we were doing before the Fall and we will be doing when we enter the kingdom of God. Therefore, we should consider and regard Sabbath Day a delight day, a blessed day, and a thankful day.
However, during the Old Testament time, the Sabbath Day had not been kept in the way that God designed but only as a ceremonial ritual and legalism. So, when Jesus came, He corrected the people’s concept about it.
6) Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath (Mat 12:3-8; Luk 6:5)
7) The Sabbath was made for man (Mrk 2:27)
The founding pastor taught us that Jesus is Sabbath Day. The reason why we keep the Lord’s Day is to be with Jesus for now and forever. And Sabbath Day every week is not the goal but a tool to lead us to the Eternal rest, the remaining rest.
Meaning of Sabbatical Year
When it comes to sabbatical year, people of this world say that the land has to be rested once a while so that it may become fertilized and more fruitful. So, professors or pastors take leave of the sabbatical year and spend a year for their further study or deepening his understanding.
But is the Sabbatical Year really gives bigger production in the following years?
- We should release the land on the 7th year (Lev 25:3-4)
- We should release the Hebrew slaves (Exo 21:2)
- God will give three years’ portion on the 6th year (Lev 25:20-22)
Jews cannot harvest on the 7th year as well as sow on the 7th year. Therefore, there will be no food for the 7th year and 8th year. For this, God promised to them 3 year’s portions on the 6th year, so that it can be their food for the 7th year and the 8th year, and still have one more year portion as surplus. It shows that the sabbatical year is not so much about better production in the following years. It is about to keep trust in God. We should learn to trust in God this year and God will take care of us. Amen!
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 