July 14, 2023: Did You Know SHABBAT is the FOURTH Commandment?
Did you know that Shabbat is the Fourth Commandment, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel) established for His creation, for His people?
“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).
It just so happens also to be the only commandment in the 10 commandments, that He says “REMEMBER”, because He already knew that most people would forget and ignore the importance of Shabbat, the seventh day.
“Remember the Shabbat, to keep it holy. You are to work six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Shabbat to the Creator, your God. In it you shall not do any work—not you, nor your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, your cattle, nor the outsider that is within your gates. For in six days Hashem made the heavens and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Thus Adonai blessed Yom Shabbat (the Sabbath), and made it holy. -Exodus 20:8-13(TLV)
Adonai said that to Moshe (Moses), “Say this to Bnei-Yisrael (the children of Israel): You yourselves have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven.” (Exodus 20:20)
If Shabbat wasn’t so important to God, why did the Creator Himself set the example from the beginning, in Bereshit (Genesis), when He worked for six days creating 🌍, and then why would the Holy Majestic God Himself, speak directly to sinful mankind from Heaven to share what was in His heart for mankind? Why would He provide a double portion of Mannah on Friday so that there would be enough for Shabbat, and the children of Israel wouldn’t need to pick up the Mannah on the day of rest, while the children of Israel were in the desert? This is the love of a wonderful God for us.
Shabbat is a day we may stop, for one day, from our labor to focus on our Creator, and use this time to also have much needed time with the family. Those who keep Shabbat know what a gift 🎁 it is to mankind, from God, our Creator! It is a commandment but a gift of love to be cherished.
Shabbat shalom to all of Israel and to all the world.
Blast from the past... That's how our Saturday was at the base.
May ADONAI protect all IDF soldiers!
Elihana Elia