The Coronavirus Sabbath Rest

July 11, 2020
Sabbath Rest

With the global sweep of the coronavirus pandemic, our world has suddenly changed. Normal life is no longer normal and probably never will be again. The planet is undergoing violent shakings of illness and death with a massive economic fallout that leaves us all reeling. However, there are positives that have come out of this worldwide wake-up call.

Pubs, brothels, casinos closed, Hobart’s Satanic Dark Mofo festival was cancelled, the worship of sport stopped in its tracks, movie theatres have closed, even Hamas had to stop their weekly mass protests against Israel at the Gaza border and Islamic worship on Temple Mount ceased! Governments have largely stopped their squabbling as left and right jointly attacked this unseen enemy.

Of course, many good things were also put on pause or forced to find ways to adapt—such as church services—but there were also many opportunities that opened up through this too. Our air is cleaner and workplaces have never been so sanitised. 

With entertainment on hold and many of the false things our society clings to unavailable, we have been forced to take stock and re-think what is important. 

What do we really worship? 

Is it our job, which is perhaps now non-existent? Is it money, as we see stock markets crash around us? Is it the love of shopping or spending our cash on the things of the world? Is it a love of travel, which we now can’t do? 

Perhaps it is even our family that we now can’t visit because of social distancing advice? 

We are certainly being challenged to assess whether the things in which we trust are of earthly or of eternal value. 

We are being challenged to assess whether the things in which we trust are of earthly or of eternal value.

We have been forced to take a long-forgotten but much-needed Shabbat—a ceasing from our normal activities. We did not choose this, but we do have a choice as to whether we will learn from it and rise up stronger for it at the end of the tunnel. 

‘Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it….So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.’ Hebrews 4:1, 9

What is the purpose of the Shabbat? 

To rest. Gen 2:2-3. ‘On the seventh day, God rested from His work of creation.’ The first thing God sanctified was time, not things or people. It was instituted at creation not Mt Sinai, so it has implications for all humanity, not just the Jews. At Mt Sinai, He then commanded the Israelites to keep the Sabbath rest, even during the busy times of the year (Ex 34:21). Most of us find this exceedingly difficult. We find something to fill our time: watching sport, drinking with friends, going to the movies or doing more jobs. With COVID-19, all that ceased. As the virus abates, will we fill the void with seeking more of God or resume our ‘normal’ livestyle?

To have time to connect with God. Adam and Eve’s first day on earth was Shabbat, to enjoy God’s presence and creation. After God showed them around the garden, He then assigned them their task of tending it (Gen 2:15). Our work is meant to stem from relationship and God’s instruction and guidance, not come from our good ideas which we then ask God to bless. Anything of eternal value must not only flow from the throneroom but also be done in God’s strength, not ours, and give Him the glory. Jesus used Shabbat to go to synagogue to worship the Father with others, to teach and to do good works like healing people. Shabbat is a time to come back to our first love and spend additional time with the Lord in extended prayer and Bible study. 

To spend time with our families. Shabbat in Israel begins with a family meal where God is remembered, honoured and thanked. At the Shabbat table the man blesses His wife and prays for each of his children. Oh how we need to return to this precious tradition. It is said that the Shabbat has kept Israel rather than Israel keeping the Shabbat. In Israel, it is such a joy to see whole families going for a Sabbath walk or parents playing interactively with their kids, as no gadgets are allowed on Shabbat. 

To allow time for everyone to be refreshed. Ex 23:12. The Sabbath extended to include slaves, servants, foreign workers and animals. No such thing existed elsewhere in the ancient world. Refreshment is not idleness or laziness. It is an opportunity to re-vitalise for the coming week. We need to learn to be Marys not Marthas. 

Sabbath was a sign and a perpetual covenant between God and His people. Ex 31:12-17. The covenant relationship is one of love and trust. The reason we think we have to keep working stems from lack of trust that God will provide, which God promised to meet (Ex 16:26), or a de-valuing of the importance of our relationship with Him. God promised special favours to those Gentiles who chose to keep His Sabbaths (Is 56:3-7, 58:13-14).

Hebrews 4:9-11 tells us that there is a Sabbath rest for God’s people to enter, but also warns us that we can miss it (4:1). Will we emerge from this pandemic Shabbat with eternity etched in our hearts, stronger and ready to take ground for God? I pray we will understand what God wants us to re-set and how we should proceed from here. 

Let us build on the rock and not on the sand. God is using this time to purge us of the things that are fleeting and reinforce the things that will ensure we spend our days well on earth when the Coronavirus finally passes. May we hear His voice and respond to His love. 

Sabbath made for man not man for the Sabbath. Mk 2:27-28

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Jill Curry

Jill Curry is the coordinator of the Jewish Prayer Focus ministry and the author of The Anzac Call - www.theanzaccall.com.au

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