The Sabbaths Remind Us We Were Created to Worship God
4/21 Reading Portions: Leviticus 25; Psalm 32; Ecclesiastes 8; 2 Timothy 4
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4/21 Reading Portions: Leviticus 25; Psalm 32; Ecclesiastes 8; 2 Timothy 4
Leviticus 25:18
“Therefore you shall do My statutes and keep My rules and perform them, and then you will dwell in the land securely.”
DO
In the last few chapters, we’ve read some of the laws concerning the Sabbaths. The 23rd chapter presented God’s commands to observe the weekly Sabbath, as well as the Feasts of the LORD, which were “holy convocations,” making them Sabbaths also. The fifth through ninth verses of the 24th chapter expressed instructions for the Bread of Presence, or shewbread (KJV), how it is to be arranged before the LORD regularly, and the old eaten by the high priest and his sons after it has been replaced by the new. The 25th chapter expresses the instructions for the yearly Sabbaths— observed every 7 years, and after counting 7 weeks of years, the latter also known as “this year of jubilee” (Lev 25:13). Observance of the Sabbath commands was basically an encapsulation, consummation, and summarization in practical duty, of what the great commandments of the Law were in passionate devotion—
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39
How does this apply to the verse we meditate upon today? God’s statutes and rules are given to us as a blessing when we do them. Our flesh wants to view God’s law and act upon His commands as a tit-for-tat transaction; in other words, a legalistic obligation— as if by our work we are justified before God, and as a result worthy of blessings from God. No, my friends, this cannot be. You see, this statement from our heavenly Father is couched amid presenting the yearly Sabbath commands because it reminds us that the reason we were created was to glorify God (1 Cor 10:31) and enjoy Him forever (Psa 73:25-26). We were created to worship Him. The greatest blessing God’s creatures may receive is to glorify Him, to praise Him, to worship Him. God’s grace in Jesus Christ is the fire that sparks our passion and kindles our obedience. In our obedience to Him, springing forth from His salvation by grace through faith in Christ, we dwell happily with God and securely in Christ, singing along with David,
Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! Psalm 32:11
Hallelujah! What a Savior!