Exodus 20: 8-11 The Sabbath

B) Because they reveal the tender heart of our heavenly Father toward his

people !!!!

1) This is especially scene in the giving of this fourth command found

here in v. 8-11 Remember the Sabbath day ……Holy

C) Think about who the Lord is saying this to!! – These are people who have

Just spent the last 400 yrs working every day w/ no day off

1) Slaves in Egypt – No days off

D) What a refreshing word this would be – Take one day off in Seven WOW

B) This was a whole new Concept for them / not only for them but for anyone living at that time

1) It was not a part of anyone’s culture to take a day off!!!

C) Nor was it a part of their own History – there is no evidence that any of the Patriarch’s Noah / Abe / Isaac / Jacob – Kept a Sabbath

1)The Lord hinted at this back in Ex.16 – when He told the Israelites to not gather manna on the 7^th day – ( Gather enough on the 6^th day for 2 days)

B) This day that God intended to be a day of Reflection/ Rest & Refreshment turned into a day of INTENSE BURDEN

C) One Category forbade the carrying of Burdens – so you were not able to carry anything heavier than a dried fig

1) To carry anything heavier would be considered as bearing a burden

D) False teeth / Wooden legs / wood for a fire

A) But various exceptions were provided. If you had placed some food within 3,000 feet of your house, you could go there to eat it;

B) and because the food was considered an extension of the house, you could then go another 3,000 ft !!!!

1) If a rope were placed across an adjoining street or alley, the building

on the other side, could be considered part of your house.

C) One restriction after another – led some to remark- It was harder to "rest" than to earn a living

1) Because The Sabbath was more tiresome than the six days devoted to

one’s occupation. .

A)It tells of an incident during the time of Judas Maccabaeus when a group of Jews refused to defend themselves on the Sabbath against the Greek army

B) As the Grk soldiers led by Antiochus Epiphanes attacked, the Jews wouldn’t fight back because it was the Sabbath day

1) 1000 people were killed - including women & Children

a) JESUS REBUKED THE PHARISEES BECAUSE THEY MESSED UP THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF THE SABBATH

C) But there have been mixed reactions concerning the Sabbath thru the ages

1) For instance Some DEPLORE the whole idea

A) We good never conquer the world if we followed your example & took a day off – STUPID / ABSURD / RIDICOLOUS

B) But we see that same attitude today – especially in Japanese culture

1) Not long ago – A.P. reported a story about a man who committed

suicide after working 80 hrs a week for 10 yrs

C) He never took a day off – and only slept 1 hr. a day

1) The Govt. ordered the company he worked for DITITSU to pay

780,000 in compensation to the man’s family

D) Common in Japan where they are seeking not to conquer the world Militarily like the Romans / but Control it Economically

B) All it did was enable us to do more/ make more money – work longer hrs because we could accomplish so much more

1) Average person works 50 – 60 hr weeks

C) Result: We are a society that is stressed out !!!!!

75-90% of all visits to Primary care Physicians are for stress related complaints

Stress has been linked to all the leading causes of death including heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents & Suicide

An Estimated 1 Million workers are absent on an average workday because of stress & stress is said to be responsible for more than half of the 550 Million workdays lost every year from people being absent

And Job Stress cost U.S. industry 300 Billion annually in assessed absenteeism

A) Some Deplore the idea of a day off –

B) During the French Rev. Radicals abolished Sunday as a day of Rest

But later found that the health of the nation suffered

1) So they had to reinstitute it

C) The Russian Communist – stating they had created a new man – instituted a 10 day work week – that also failed

A) They actually think it is a good idea makes a lot of sense to take one day off in seven – Problem is they say – I just can’t do it / this time season

B) Kids are in College / House payment is too high / Bills are staking up

I have got to keep bread on the Table

1) I am trying to get ahead – once I get ahead then I will start taking a

Sabbath

C) That is the same mentality that some people had in Ex. 16 regarding the manna

1) They were specifically told that on the Sabbath day – they were to

not gather manna

D) But there were those who said – Hey if we go out today we can get EXTRA – we can get AHEAD

1) Problem when they went out to gather on the 7^th day it says they

found None !!!!!

E) That is what happens to us – might get the new car / boat / bigger house

1) But it brings a Leanness to OUR SOULS / Emptiness

Lack of spiritual depth

Joe Stowell – Eternity - Pouring into a bottomless Bucket & we come before the Lord – w/ an empty bucket to show for it !!!