The Sacred and the Profane: Taking a Sabbath
In Christianity, taking a dedicated day off from work or any form of personal activity is highly valued and serves as a sacred profession of faith. For most, this adherence to biblical instruction often becomes distorted into simply taking physical rest after a long work week or after spending the last few months drowned in projects. But this action that comes as a declaration of faith poses a much deeper meaning for those who not only identify with Christianity, but ardently strive to meet the direction of Scripture. The formal act of obedience to rest becomes a demonstration of praise and worship, but more significantly, in an uncertain future.
Many Christians practice the conscious effort of taking a day off from all work every seventh day. In Abrahamic religions, specifically Christianity, the “Sabbath” is a day set aside for worship and rest. According to one of the Ten Commandments listed in the book of Exodus, the Sabbath is a holy rest to participate in, as commanded by God. Most commonly, Christians will deliberately refrain from work, errands, and any other physical labors that can be draining of energy. Instead, they will use the time to sleep, pray, worship, be in community with others, or isolate themselves to be in the presence of God. Many Christians will complete tasks well ahead of time or even take on extra work hours during the week to ensure a 24-hour period is completely dedicated to rest. Delina Pryce McPhaull from Christianity Today described her experience in the article “Giving Sabbath a Rest” by writing how her family would ensure that they were adequately prepared for every Sabbath, “If you weren’t giving it [Sabbath] your best shot, then you were showing God, yourself, and your community how little you love him” (McPhaull). This type of sentiment can produce quite the sobering effect on those that continuously evaluate their own faith. While taking a day off is fairly common in American culture, Christians that do not remain vigilant in recognizing the significance of the Sabbath can lose the sacred importance of this time.
In Biblical Hebrew, the number seven is connected to the concept of completeness or fullness. On the seventh day of Creation, the Bible reveals where God rests and His work is brought to completion. It goes on to demonstrate further significance in the fact that God then dwells on the earth with people and the animals, and His presence fills creation. Every seventh day, Christians are reminded to rest as God did, as though ultimate rest has already come. As described by Tim Mackie and Jon Collins from BibleProject, Christians believe that Jesus Christ will return one day, and that day will act as the ultimate seventh day of rest that liberates all believers from sickness, sin, and even death itself. So, as Christians are practicing their day of rest, it is in hope of future rest with God. St. Paul the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews confirms this in writing, “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.” Something that previously was considered simply “taking time off work” is now considered an act of glorification to God.
In my experience, modern Americans and many Christians perceive heaven to be a place in the clouds where happiness is overflowing; often exaggerated by artistic portrayals over the last few centuries that have depicted this “afterlife” as a final rest from the busyness and pain that exists on earth. It is this perception of heaven that reinforces the practice of a rest day. In “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”, Mitch Albom writes that “People think of heaven as a paradise garden, a place where they can float on clouds and laze in rivers and mountains” (Albom). However, the Bible defines this aspect of eschatology as a “New World” where Creation will build new cities and civilizations, free from sin and in the direct presence of God. Revelation 21:2–4 says “I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
As a result, Christians understand the importance of making this “common” practice into something of more significance and a sacred act. They will go to great lengths to guarantee that they can indeed fulfill this honored practice. Those that experience faith on a personal level know it to be true in their heart. But for many, their practice of taking time off, even though it is clearly defined in Biblical writings, falls short of its intended design. So why continue with a practice that does not truly reflect what they believe? And why are there people who identify with a religion, quote from the scriptures, claim to live out its commands, but still do not know what those scriptures really mean?
SOURCES:
McPhaull, Delina Pryce. “Giving Sabbath a Rest.” ChristianityToday.com, Christianity Today, 11 Oct. 2018, www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/october-web-only/giving-sabbath-rest.html.
“Watch: Sabbath Biblical Theme Video: BibleProject™.” BibleProject, bibleproject.com/explore/video/sabbath-video/.
Albom, Mitch, et al. “The Five People You Meet in Heaven Quotes and Analysis.” GradeSaver, www.gradesaver.com/the-five-people-you-meet-in-heaven/study-guide/quotes.
Revelation 21:1–27 ESV — — Bible Gateway, www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2B21%3A1-27&version=ESV.
Hebrews 4:9–11) NIV — — Bible Gateway, www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2B4%3A9-11%29&version=NIV.
IMAGE SOURCES:
“Who Changed The Sabbath to Sunday?” The Church of God International, www.cgi.org/who-changed-the-sabbath-to-sunday.
