Number Six is “Rest“
Before I begin, I will be using the word “Jewish”. I have read that there are negative connotations to the word “Jew” and so to try to be as respectful as I can, I will use the term “Jewish”.
I’ll be showing these videos in the way that they match my topics and not necessarily the way they were filmed.
This will be my last post in this series. I encourage you to go to YouTube and watch all of these videos about this community. They are really great!
This next video discusses “Shabbat”.
The first thought that came to mind when watching this video is the word “rest”.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabbat
On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical story describing the creation of the heavens and the earth in six days and look forward to a future Messianic Age. Since the Jewish religious calendar counts days from sunset to sunset, Shabbat begins in the evening of what on the secular calendar is Friday.
Taken from the above Wikipedia article
Jewish law (halakha) prohibits doing any form of melakhah (מְלָאכָה, plural melakhoth) on Shabbat, unless an urgent human or medical need is life-threatening. Though melakhah is commonly translated as “work” in English, a better definition is “deliberate activity” or “skill and craftmanship”.
I encourage you to read the Wikipedia article. It goes into great detail about what is involved in Shabbat.
Here are some Bible verses referring to Shabbat.
“Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”
Genesis 2:3 (NIV)
“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.
Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (NIV)
As a Christian, what can we learn?
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence.”
1 John 3:18-20 (NIV)
“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.”
Psalm 62:5 (NIV)
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”
Psalm 91:1 (NIV)
“Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. …”
Hebrews 4:2-4 (NIV)
As a Christian we need to rest physically, mentally and spiritually. We need to take the time to rest in Christ. Let him replenish us. The world of the Jewish Community stops on Shabbat. We need to find the time to stop and focus on God.
The Twenty-Third Psalm
This is the way I memorized it a long time ago. Read each line and think about what it says. I guarantee that it will calm you down and give you rest.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
My Heartfelt Thanks
I want to take a minute to thank everyone for the phone calls, texts, comments, e-mails, U. S. mail, and everything you do to encourage me on my writing and blog. It means a lot to me!! I can’t thank you enough!! For those that call Mom, and give compliments, she tells me about it. I read and comment back on the blog posts when you comment.
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I am very curious and often wonder where your topics come from 🙂 I really enjoy reading your blog…most of all the scripture that you include with each piece! I have learned a lot from you and about you here and I always enjoy what you have to say. Thank you for always reminding me that we have a Good Good Father in Heaven who loves us every step of the way!
I pray a LOT and ask for topics. I read and look for blog topics and sometimes I use things that happen in my life. I believe the scripture that says pray without ceasing and try to keep an ongoing dialogue with God throughout the day. I’m so glad you enjoy the blog. It means a lot to me.