EXODUS 31
12 And the Lord said to Moses, 13 “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you. 14 You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. 16 Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. 17 It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”18 And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. – Exodus 31:12-18
EXODUS 31 ON KEEPING THE SABBATH
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
The Lord gave us days so we can live our lives fully
He gave us six days to toil and one day for worship
Because he himself rested from work on the seventh day
He requires us to give that day to him to give him praise
Anyone who doesn’t keep the Sabbath is dishonoring him
That person is going to be cut off from among his people.
In our current world today, we are plagued with “busyness” and “workaholism.” It’s as if it is abnormal to rest and normal to just keep on and on with our work and whatever preoccupies us. These following verses remind us how God requires his people to keep the Sabbath day holy. It is easy for us to justify working on the Sabbath day and say to ourselves that “I am providing for my family.” But as Christians, are we not supposed to honor this stipulation that God expects from us? Why would anyone who claims they believe in God disregard this very important law? Why did God place a very harsh consequence against whoever will not keep this day to worship and praise him?
REFLECTION
- Why is it important for Christians to keep the Sabbath day holy?
