Section 5: Yehuveh’s Time System, Article 7 Sabbaths Page 2
The Sabbath is to be our blessing! Never merely a legalistic requirement, it is our privilege—our opportunity for rest, our opportunity for spiritual and practical instruction, our opportunity for fellowship with others who enjoy the wonder of knowing Yehuveh! It is our opportunity to grow, to change, to become all we were given life to be. Yehuveh has a tender regard for the spiritual, emotional, social and physical needs of His human creation. He knew we would need to grow closer to Him through spiritual instruction and training, get acquainted with our fellow human beings through social opportunities and regularly require physical rest and recharging. He purposefully set aside time for us—time just for our refreshment and development. Rightly understood, there is no more precious and wonderful time than the Sabbath hours! “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of Yehuveh, honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in Yehuveh; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of Yehuveh hath spoken it.” Isaiah 58:13-14.         Ezekiel 46 says our elevation [incorrectly translated prince or exated one] waits for us every Sabbath. It’s Yehuveh’s date with us for our ennobling. As our friend and husband (Isaiah 54:5) He reserves special time just to spend with  us. When we begin to understand how much He loves us, and when we love Him in return, we’ll eagerly await and decidedly prepare for this precious time together.         For what has this day been given to us? For many things: Spiritual Instruction and Training: Dates, like all appointments, are set aside times when two people get together to accomplish a specific purpose. Leviticus 23 discusses the “appointments of Yehuveh.” Every seven days (week), with the Sabbaths, every month with the New Moon Days, every year with the Spring and Fall Feasts, Yehuveh has time set aside to spend with us. He keeps these appointments faithfully. If we, through rebellion, neglect, or ignorance, miss them, both He and we lose precious, valuable opportunities. “The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the New Moon it shall be opened. And the elevation [mistranslated the prince or exalted one] shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, . . . and He shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then He shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening. Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before Yehuveh in the Sabbaths and in the New Moons.” Ezekiel 46:1-3.         Yehuveh’s instruction includes far more than coming to understand His revelations through Scriptures. The entire realm of nature is open before us as well. A portion of every Sabbath may be spent well if we are studying natural patterns. Study plants and learn to identify wild flowers or edible wild plants. Take up bird-watching or learn to scuba dive and study the fabulous underwater world. Go caving. Hike, bicycle, four-wheel, motor cycle, or take a drive. Study soils, trees, rocks, animals, stars, or ecosystems. Play with your pets. Hang a hammock and just listen to the delicates sounds of nature. There is an infinite number of lessons to learn from Yehuveh’s created wonders. These insights are also part of our Sabbath instruction, and for the young people not ready to listen to long Scriptural discussions, these are the lessons suited to their age. Self-knowledge and Planning: At the end of “the six working days,” “Elohim saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.” Likewise, at the end of each cycle of six days of labor, we should assess our achievements and acknowledge our successes. Each Sabbath should afford us time to reflect on the week just completed and to plan for the week ahead. Without inappropriate pride, we are to acknowledge our successes and feel good about what we have accomplished. Appropriate self-praise is beneficial. Likewise, we are to recognize our mistakes and hurtful choices, honestly admit our errors and redirect our course. Ezekiel 46:1-3. Gael Bataman Originally Written:      4 September 2005 Latest Update:          22 November 2009     Return to Zadok Home            Continue . . .         Return One Page          Go to Section 5: Time   Go to Historical Calendar     Go to Daniel 11-12    Go to Revelation     Go to Years of Returning (Darius)