THIS IS GOD’S SABBATH!
“Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.’ ” So they laid it up till the morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. Then Moses said, “Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.” (Exodus 16:23-26 NKJV)
“Thus, the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day, God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” (Genesis 2:1-3 NKJV), (Exodus 16:4).
“Men ate angels’ food; He sent them food to the full.” (Psalm 78:25 NKJV)
The first mention of the word sabbath in the Bible is Exodus 16:23 and the last mention of it is in Colossians 2:16.
“So, let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” (Colossians 2:26-17 NKJV)
“Then the Lord said to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.” (1 Samuel 3:11 NKJV)
Yes, our ears are tingling, and our eyes are watering but while the world remains confused, the eyes of the faithful are on the Lord (2 Chronicles 20:12).
“There remains, therefore, a rest for the people of God.” (Hebrews 4:9 NKJV)
From our reading, we can see the following regarding sabbath regulations.
Comes out of God’s abundant provision for mankind but in managing His resources (18, 22). God blesses the sabbath day and declared it holy (Exodus 20:11). Whether you know it or not, this is a holy period (a holy day: holiday) for rest and to know more about God.
God declares sabbath, not man (23). Yes, it was made for man by God, not by man for God (Mark 2:27). We are still to go and do good even in this time of sabbath.
It is God’s irrevocable ordinance (v23). We are called to hallow the sabbath. God dictates what happens in sabbath (Exodus 20:8).
Sabbath sanitises our blessings (24). Everything is to rest and recharge in sabbath.
“Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past.” (Isaiah 26:20 NKJV)
To stop profiteering (27). It is about managing God’s resources. This is NOT a time to pile up out of greediness, to hoard or display extravagance. It is a time to rest in God’s provision for today and always.
“Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain; he heaps up riches. And does not know who will gather them.” (Psalm 39:6 NKJV)
God declares it for the pleasure of His creation-rest and rejuvenate (28-30)
To praise the Lord for His benevolence (29)
Summary
“And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.”(Revelation 8:1 KJV)
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10 NKJV)
God is speaking to the earth from His throne.
“But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him.”
(Habakkuk 2:20 NKJV)
“Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the dead; bind your turban on your head, and put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips, and do not eat man’s bread of sorrow.” (Ezekiel 24:17 NKJV)
“Thus, the Lord God showed me: Behold, a basket of summer fruit. And He said, “Amos, what do you see?” So I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me: “The end has come upon My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore. And the songs of the temple shall be wailing in that day,” Says the Lord God — “Many dead bodies everywhere, they shall be thrown out in silence.” (Amos 8:1-3 NKJV)
“Surely I will never forget any of their works.” (Amos 8:4-7 NKJV)
Calling the nations
At this time of seclusion and lockdown, God is calling the nations of the earth to URGENT ORDER and the saints to a SPEEDY INTERCESSION. The sinners must run quickly to SALVATION and the backsliders to REPENTANCE.
“When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land or send pestilence among My people, “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14 NKJV)
It is time to seek God’s face desperately, pray seriously and evangelise massively. The coming of the Lord is imminent.
We are COVERED-20TALLY in the blood of Jesus, no COVID-19 will come near us in Jesus’ name.
Every blessing.
Pastor Casey Badejo
(for CAC Dove House, Welling & Orpington)