It’s Easter Weekend, the holiest holiday of the year. Yesterday we remembered Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, willing laying down His life for us, purchasing with His blood our salvation. Tomorrow we will celebrate His resurrection and the promise it offers that, “he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” (John 11:25).
Obviously Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday give us ample reason to celebrate, but what about today? What does this Sabbath, this “day in-between”, tell us about God and His love for us?
There are many lessons to be learned from this “day in-between”, but one which stands out to me this morning is this – God never changes.
At the beginning of time, “…on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it…” (Genesis 2:2, 3)
Thousands of years later, with the triumphant cry, “It is finished!”, Jesus declared victory over the enemy. His work of redemption complete, the way cleared for the re-creation of the earth and its inhabitants, God again rested on the seventh day “from all his work which he had made.”
By resting in the tomb over the Sabbath hours, Jesus forever sanctified the seventh day Sabbath as a memorial of both creation and redemption, “because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” (Genesis 2:3)
Man may “think to change times and laws…” (Daniel 7:25), to change the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first, but God declares, “I change not…” (Malachi 3:6). “He is the Rock, his work is perfect…” (Deuteronomy 32:4) and “whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it…” (Ecclesiastes 3:14).
The Sabbath was, is, and will always be a memorial of God’s creative and re-creative power
and throughout eternity, “from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.” (Isaiah 66:23).
This unchanging character of God gives us reassurance we can just trust Him in all things, that His word is true and His promises are sure. This gives us hope for tomorrow and peace for today.
This Easter Sabbath, this “day in-between”, put aside your troubles and your cares and rest in the arms of the One who gave His life for you. Trust in the God who changeth not and know that, no matter what comes your way, His promises are true and He will be “with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:20).
God bless and Happy Sabbath!