What is the Promise that God made to man? Salvation, through
Yeshua is a gift, which we have the choice to accept or reject. However, for those who choose to accept the
gift of Salvation, what is promised to those who believe? The answer: eternal
life. The hope of all who believe in Yeshua is to be saved from destruction and
one day enter into eternal life with him – to be with Him where He is -
forever. This is the hope of all believers and John
3:16 is a summation of God’s redemptive plan for mankind.
Yet, there remains a symbol of this Promise of eternal rest
in Him. God established a symbol of this promised era of rest in Genesis. The first book of Torah, B’resheet (Genesis)
is a prophetic depiction of God’s complete plan, with the seventh day of
creation of special importance. The rest that God describes on the seventh day
is prophetic of the rest which believers shall enter in as described in John 3:16 . Put
simply, the seventh day rest (Shabbat) represents the hope that all believers
are waiting for – to be with Him for all eternity.
In a previous post, In
the beginning, there was covenant, Part 2,
I described how God instructed Israel that Shabbat (the Sabbath) would stand as
a perpetual symbol of His covenant with them – that he would be a husband unto
them and they His people. And is it not
the goal of those who wed to live together following the marriage? So it is for
us who receive Salvation, we wait to be united with our heavenly Bridegroom who
is returning for us. This is why the act of two persons coming together as one
in marriage is actually a heavenly concept, created and established by God as
demonstrated through the redemptive work of Yeshua for His bride (the body of
believers).
And as we wait for His return, we wear the symbol of our marriage
covenant - the Shabbat. Just as a bride and a groom exchange symbols
of their union, our Heavenly Father has given a symbol to those who enter into
covenant with Him. The Shabbat stands as God’s symbol of the eternal rest that
we shall have with Him.
So as we remember the Shabbat each week and honour it, we
are, in essence, putting our faith in His Promise that we shall enter into
eternal life with Him according to His Word.
This is why the Shabbat is not just a day nor is it dead. Rather, the Shabbat is a treasure to the believer and is very much
alive in the hearts of many believers as a joyous dress rehearsal of the
eternal rest that shall come in the seventh millennia. So to believe that Shabbat is no longer
relevant is essentially saying you don’t believe in wearing the gift that God
gave as a symbol of the promised rest to come.
Yeshua said in John 14:2-3
“….I go to prepare a place for you. And
if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” 2
Peter 3:8 also tells us “…beloved, be not ignorant of this
one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand
years as one day.” If we compare this scripture with the days of creation in
Genesis, then we understand the six days of creation and seventh day of rest
are prophetic of millennia, and the seventh millennia represents the completion
of all things.
In the gospels, Yeshua says that He is Lord of the Shabbat
(Matthew 12:8, Mark 2:28 , Luke 6:5 ).
We know that God is not the God of the dead, but is the God of the living. Therefore, Yeshua would not declare that he
is the Lord of the Shabbat if it was done away with or no longer relevant. From a logical standpoint you cannot be lord
over something that does not exist. Now,
in the context of these scriptures this was not the point Yeshua was trying to
make, but rather he was outlining that since He is the Creator of the Shabbat,
He is the One to decide how it should be properly observed for men had added
their own interpretation to its observance.
In summary, if you believe in Yeshua, if you believe you are
in covenant with Him and that He is returning for you, if you believe you shall
enter into eternal rest with Him, if you believe that His Word is true and His Promises are sure, then we should also believe that the symbol of His Promised eternal rest still shines brightly just like a diamond. The Shabbat is that symbol and it is a gift
that God made specifically for us - for our benefit. Out
of His love, when God entered into marriage covenant with man at Mount
Sinai he gave Shabbat as a symbolic Promise that one day we shall be united with Him
according to His Word.
Once I understood that Shabbat demonstrates His unfailing commitment to be with me, Shabbat became a treasure of my heart, one that I cherish, honour, and shall remember for all eternity...
Shalom.
