Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Wed.'s Devo - Lord of the Sabbath

Read John 5:17-20
Jesus told the Jews that he did miracles on the Sabbath because when God works he works. He went on to explain that he only does what he sees God doing. The Jews didn't understand the Sabbath. They saw it as a day to rigidly follow the law of the Torah and all the jots and tittles they had added to it. When God rested on the 7th day he rested because his work of creation was complete. He didn't stop working because he is always at work on this earth; he just does it from the position of rest. God's rest is the opposite of striving and he has invited us into this rest. Everything God set up in the law was to point to something spiritual. It is all word pictures to teach us God's ways and the Sabbath was a picture of Millennium which is the 7th day or year 7000. We will not work but spend 1000 years with God in heaven. It is hallowed and holy and a Jubilee high Sabbath.
Lev. 23:11 says that the people will wave their sheaf before the Lord but after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. We are responsible for doing the work of Jesus on earth, but when we get to heaven our high priest will do it.
Sabbath begins at night and the gates of Jerusalem were shut and guarded so that noone could come in or out and no burden should be brought in. (Neh. 13:19) But the gate of the inner court that is shut during the week will be opened on the Sabbath. So what I understand him to say is that once God calls his people to heaven in the end he will shut the gates of heaven and no one will be able to come in or bring any burdens in because there is no worry or hardship in heaven. Then God will open access to his inner throne room and we will be invited in. (Eze. 46:1)
I don't know all of what will happen on that millennial sabbath but by looking at what Jesus did on the sabbath it looks like he is going to heal everyone of us, loose those that have been bound by Satan, teach us, and feed us bread and corn. After all, he is the Lord of the Sabbath.
Even the land was suppose to observe the sabbath every 7th year. No sowing or pruning was to be done that year. During millennium the earth will lie dormant. After the 1000 years we will come back to this earth and clean it up and redeem it. According to Isaiah (Is. 65:17; 66:22) and Peter (2 Pe. 3:13) we will see new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells. (Rev. 21:1,2) We have a lot to look forward to.
Lord, we cannot conceive of all you have prepared us for but we put our trust and faith in you to complete your work in us and in the world.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Go, God. Praise Him for all He has done & all He will do!