DOES THE SABBATH REALLY MATTER TODAY? It is evident that the Sabbath was significant to God at the beginning of creation because God rested on it. And we see evidence that it had spiritual importance to the Israelites because God called them to remember it and keep it holy. But today it seems as if the Sabbath has lost its significance.

In the context of the three angels’ messages in Revelation 14, we take a closer look at Sabbath and what role it plays today and even into eternity.

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Seeking God’s Help

Holy Father, it is our honest desire to do your Holy Will. Give us a longing in our hearts to worship You in accordance with the manner that You established since the creation of the world. In Jesus’ Name Amen

Does the Sabbath really matter today? In a previous lesson, besides being a memorial of creation. We found that there are many benefits to taking a 24-hour Sabbath rest. Scientific research reveals that those who set all work aside each week and rest on the Sabbath are more productive, more effective at work, have less stress, and have better physical, social, psychological, and emotional health. It is said that the Sabbath is a place of refuge or safety. It is a time in which, at the end of each week, we can let go of our worries and cares and enter a quite sweet rest with God Almighty, the one who created us. 

The famous Jewish writer Abraham Heschel said that the Sabbath is the same as a “palace in time.” This palace, however, is not made of stone, brick, and mortar, but it is made of time. —The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2005), page 12, adapted. 

So, in essence, every seventh day, God’s Sabbath, or “palace in time,” comes down from heaven to earth so that God can be with us. The Lord graciously invites us to spend these 24 hours in fellowship with Him each week as Adam and Eve did on the first Sabbath after creation.

In the introduction of Heschel’s book, Susannah Heschel, his daughter, writes: “The Sabbath is a metaphor for paradise and a testimony to God’s presence; in our prayers, we anticipate a messianic era that will be a Sabbath, and each Shabbat prepares us for that experience: Unless one learns how to relish the taste of Sabbath . . . one will be unable to enjoy the taste of eternity in the world to come.”—Page XV.—The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man, page XV, adapted.

When God created the heavens, earth, and all living things, He established the Sabbath for us. So, when we rest on the Sabbath, we rest in God’s loving care. We rest in the hope of the everlasting rest God will give us on the new earth that is soon to come.

The Sabbath is not only for rest, but according to the following scriptures, the Sabbath puts a longing in our hearts for eternity. (Split)

Isaiah 65:17

17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. (Isaiah 65:17)

Isaiah 66:22

22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord, “So shall your descendants and your name remain. (Isaiah 66:22)

II Peter 3:13

13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (II Peter 3:13)

Revelation 21:1

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea. (Revelation 21:1) (Split)

The Sabbath is a glimpse of what life will be like when we reach eternity.

You see, the same God who created the earth the first time will create it again.

 And what is interesting is that Isaiah 66:23 indicates that the Sabbath is everlasting.

23 And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 66:23).

This is why the Jews saw the Sabbath as a sign of the future life in heaven. In fact, they name the Sabbath “olam haba,” which means “the new life to come.” In other words, the Sabbath is a “foretaste” of the world to come. 

The three angels in Revelation 14 call for everyone to worship God, the creator of the heavens and the earth. Their message helps us understand better the One who made us. Their appeal for us to worship the Creator is heaven’s answer to what seems like a hopeless situation in our world today. Hence, the Sabbath points us to our Creator. Our creator is the one who made all things. He is also our Redeemer. And, after the judgment, when sin is eradicated, Revelation 21:5 tells us He is the one who will make all things new.

“Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful’” (Revelation 21:5).

As the world stands, I look forward to the day when I can worship God face-to-face on the Sabbath, a memorial of his creation, in the new heaven and earth. How about you? Leave your responses in the comment section below.

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Hebron Seventh-day Adventist Church

 7902 Wheatly Street

Houston, TX 77088