“…you shall fear your God, for I am the Lord you God. Therefore, you shall do my statutes and keep my rules and perform them, and then you will dwell in the land securely.” Leviticus 25:17b, 18
For many of us, rest does not come easily. When I try to relax, my mind buzzes with all that needs to be done. Guilt and anxiety crush any hope for relaxation. It can be hard to release control of what we have claimed as “ours” and trust someone else to do the job; even harder is finding peace when you have to let “it” go undone.
God Almighty, the Promise Keeper, told the children of Israel that when they took possession of the Promised Land, they were to establish Sabbath rest and Jubilee for the land. (Leviticus 25:2-12) Sabbath rest for the land was not just for a day, but for an entire year. Every seventh year, the land was to lie fallow, no planting, no tending, no pruning, and no harvest – it would go undone.
It was one thing to set aside a single day each week for Sabbath rest. It was something altogether different to release control of the agricultural system that drove the nation’s economy for a full year, trusting God to not only provide during the Sabbath year, but also for the following years as crops were reestablished. Difficult, but that is what God told the Israelites to do. Holy God was setting standards for His called-to-be-holy people. (Leviticus 11:44-45)
The years of Sabbath and Jubilee would test Israel’s relationship with God. Faith employed would allow Israel to rest in God’s promise that obedience would result in plentiful provision. (Leviticus 25:18-22) Obedience in action would give the Israelites the willing spirit needed to release the land that was not theirs to hold on to and surrender complete control to God during the years of rest. Scripture and history tell us that Israel repeatedly failed at faithfulness and obedience. (2 Kings 18:12)
Old Testament Sabbath rest was a specified holy time when all labor stopped. Jesus brought new meaning to Sabbath; God’s work was to continue. Sabbath was about the heart rather than the rules.
Jesus revealed Himself as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy, bringing good news to the poor, healing for the blind, freedom for the captives and the oppressed, proclaiming “the year of the Lord’s favor – Jubilee. (Luke 4:16-21) He said the Son of Man is “Lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:8) Despite angry opposition by Jewish leaders, Jesus healed on the Sabbath reminding all that the “Sabbath was made for man….” (Mark 2:27)
Jesus said, “Come to me…and I will give you rest. …learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29) Jesus’ words invite us to come to Him in faith believing that He is the sole source of our salvation; He is our Sabbath rest.
Hebrews says “…there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God… Let us…strive to enter that rest.” (Hebrews 4:9-11)
In faithful obedience, we must surrender ourselves to God’s Spirit so that we can fully take part in the “soul rest” that lifts the weight of life’s burdens, eases the anxiety of uncertain tomorrows, and even releases us from guilt when it appears that something may be left undone.
What relationship, financial need, trial, project, ministry, or “thing” in your life do you need to release in faith and obedience into the Father’s hands allowing yourself to find true peace, relief from stress and anxiety, and strength in His promised rest?