Two Ways the Principle of Sabbath Rest Points to Jesus

As a part of our personal growth in our faith journey, we’ve come to understand about how the principle of Sabbath rest points to Jesus Christ. Oh how beautiful it is! There are two ways the Principle of Sabbath Rest point Him.

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Scripture tells us that Jesus said:

“And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath. . .”

-Mark 2:27 (KJV)

The statement in Matthew 2:27 introduces the “Great Sabbath Controversy.” The Jewish leaders of the day had added many laws to God’s Royal Law—the Ten Commandments. But Jesus taught that man did not exist to jump through endless hoops or to satisfy the demands of the Jewish leaders. Rather, the Principle of Rest is for our good and benefit and it teaches us about Jesus.

What are the two ways that sabbath rest points to Jesus? Let’s first consider the rudiments of the idea of a sabbath.

The Rudiments of Sabbath

Let’s consider the rudiments of the Sabbath.

What is a rudiment?

The definition from Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828 is:

RU’DIMENT, noun

1. A first principle or element; that which is to be first learnt.
2. The original of any thing in its first form.

RU’DIMENT, verb transitive to furnish with first principles or rules; to ground; to settle in first principles.

We first learn of the Sabbath in the Old Testament.

In the Old Testament Readings

There were many beautiful things that came about Yahweh’s act of creation. We learn in Scripture that after He spent six days creating, He rested on the seventh day. There is such significance in the planning and purpose in this. You see, we read in Genesis chapters 1 and 2 that a sabbath (rest) is a set apart day as a memorial of all of His works during the six days of creation. It’s a time when we honor our Heavenly Father who made it all. I think it’s a lovely thing to have a weekly memorial to do this. Additionally, Scripture lists days in numerical order. However, God named the seventh day Sabbath.

One of the Ten Commandments instructs us to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy (set apart). It’s the highest and greatest summary of His moral law for all of mankind. Tucked in the middle of the other commandments, it’s the heart of them and His Story (History). This is because it points to Jesus Christ—the heart or the focal point of history. Many Christians forget or neglect this commandment—a deeply sad reality.

The Old Testament teaches us about the origins of the Principle of Sabbath Rest. But the New Testament also teaches us some things about it.

In the New Testament Readings

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we need to ask what Jesus did and said about the Sabbath.

1. Jesus met for fellowship and public worship. In the Gospels, there are at least five references for meeting to honor God and bless each other. Joseph and Mary raised Jesus with this custom, as taught in the Scriptures.
2. Jesus shared faith, hope, and love with family and friends in the meeting places. He also joined in the learning exercises of the day. Jesus taught on the Sabbath. Many learned at His feet, just as we are to by learning of Him.
3. He engaged Himself in the works of mercy and healing. The marvelous works of God showed up when Jesus did miracles at Sabbath meetings. There are seven miracles that we learn about: He had cast out an evil spirit and healed six people on weekly Sabbath meetings.

So, we see that on the Sabbath, Jesus met, taught, learned, gave mercy and healing, showed kindness, and blessed others. These are the behaviors which the Jewish leaders confronted Him about. As the Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8), He reminded the Jewish leaders about the purpose of the Sabbath.

There’s more to the Sabbath conversation, however, because it points to Jesus Christ in two ways.

The Sabbath is a Picture of Rest

The Sabbath is a picture of something far greater than the weekly Sabbath itself.

It’s a symbol of salvation rest in Jesus Himself in this present day. It’s an expression of the fact that Jesus is our Savior alone. A weekly Sabbath gives us a break from work. It portrays salvation, which we do not earn by works of the law. Grace is a gift. Therefore, keeping the Sabbath is an expression of faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.

When we practice keeping the Sabbath, we’re expressing our faith that God is still at work. We’re trusting Him to work and fill in the gaps for us. This is not to say that there is license to sin. No, rather, it is to say that we are to choose self-government under Christ. We have the choice to obey or disobey God, despite temptations. Also, we’re resting in the restorative work of Jesus Christ—hence the reason why our family places it on the Restoration Link on a Providential History Timeline.

2. The Sabbath is a Foretaste of Eternity

It’s a symbol of Eternity Future. We’re getting a foretaste of eternal rest with Him. What a perfect and eternal realization of weekly rest- an expression of our hope in Jesus Christ. This is why our family also places it on the Eternity Future link on a Providential History Timeline.

Clsoing Thoughts on Sabbath Rest

Sabbath rest is essential for our well-being and serves as an important reminder about how our salvation rests in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:9; Matthew 11:28-29).