Barnabas Ministries UK

                                    Rev. K. W. Munday

WORD STUDIES

Word Studies is presented by Rev. K. W. Munday, retired minister and former General Secretary of Assemblies of God for many years. He has served the body of Christ with grace and distinction, is an excellent, quality preacher and speaker, broadcaster, writer of books and still active in Christian service. His contributions here on Word Studies should prove a great means of blessing, inspiration and instruction

SABBATH

The late Harold Macmillan, a former British prime minister, was once addressing an audience of aspiring public speakers. Some orations are given too hurriedly, maybe because the speaker is nervous, but it tends to lose effect, so Mr. Macmillan warned ‘don’t forget the pause’.

We all know how impressive a pause can be in public speaking. Actually, although we follow the words, there are just a few seconds before we comprehend, so those few seconds of pause allow us to catch up. They also enhance what has been said.

When God gave the commandments to Moses, the fourth one echoes Mr. Macmillan’s advice in a much bigger context. It says ‘Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy’. In other words, ‘after working six days don’t forget the pause’!

I was recently told that when the famous missionary Doctor Livingstone was in Africa, he went on a journey with his African colleagues. After a while they took a rather long break and when he asked them about moving on, they said that they were letting their souls catch up with their bodies! Which was a very salutary lesson for the western nations.

I guess that life was not easy for the ancient Israelites, having to use what to us would be very primitive facilities for farming etc. and it was certainly a six-day week. The seventh day was the sabbath – a rest-day, literally a God-send. It was for everybody including the servants and the animals.

This sabbath principle was designed for man’s welfare and health. During the second-world war the Russians adopted an eight-day week for the sake of greater production, but they had to abandon it because production fell and sickness increased.

But the Israelites were given a bigger sabbath. Every seven years was a sabbatic year when the crops were not reaped and the land lay fallow. That must have been a test of faith. Imagine a Jewish fruit grower witnessing a glut of pomegranates, fetching a good price and he couldn’t sell. They were however compensated with a bumper harvest the following year.

Then every fifty years a similar thing happened. It was called the year of Jubilee and many privileges were granted. Properties were returned to their original owners and debts were cancelled.

The history of the sabbath is interesting, but not complete. There is another sabbath not mentioned above. In the book of Hebrews it states that there remains a rest to the people of God. This is more than physical or mental relaxation, it’s a rest for the soul, and it’s promised to those who will respond to the invitation of Jesus, ”Come to Me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest”. Don forget the big pause!