Then You Shall Delight Yourself in the Lord

Over the last three weeks, we have been considering God’s instruction concerning keeping the Sabbath as laid out for us by the prophet Isaiah.

God inspired Isaiah to tell us that we must honor God in our approach to the Sabbath. We keep the Sabbath holy as we avoid doing our own ways, finding our own pleasure, or speaking our own words. This approach to the Sabbath requires us to change our approach to life. We must put God first, instead of ourselves, and focus our thoughts and deeds on keeping the Sabbath holy.

Keeping the Sabbath as God instructs goes against our natural inclinations and it most assuredly goes against the direction the world is going. We must make choices in regard to what is most important in our lives.

Here are few examples to consider. On the Sabbath, should we devote extra time to prayer, or should we work on the house project that needs doing? Should we take extra time to diligently study God’s word, or should we tune into a TV program we like on Friday night. After all, watching TV is relaxing, isn’t it? On the Sabbath should we meditate on the things we have been studying in the Bible, or should we think about the work week ahead? On the Sabbath should we go to church services, or should we rest up from a hard week at work? After all, can’t we just listen to a sermon online or tune in to the cybercast?

It is true that to keep the Sabbath we must deny ourselves. But is that denial of self all that significant when we consider what God offers us?

Isaiah 58:14 describes the impact of our taking seriously God’s instruction concerning the keeping of the Sabbath. Verse 14 says, “Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Let’s consider a few points in verse 14. “Then” tells us that if we implement God’s instructions in verse 13 there will be a most positive result. The most significant result of living by Isaiah 58:13 is that we will delight ourselves in the Lord. In other words, we will find pleasure in God, His truth, and His way of life.

Not only will we take delight in the Lord, but there are also specific rewards that will come our way. I think Deuteronomy 32:9-12 offers us some insight into what God offers the Sabbath keeper, “For the Lord's portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance. He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness. He encircled him; He instructed him; He kept him as the apple of His eye. As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings. So the Lord alone led him, and there was no foreign god with him.” Figuratively speaking, God offers us the physical blessings of Jacob now and the spiritual blessings of Jacob in the future.

Is it worth keeping the Sabbath holy? Only if we truly want to honor God and to enjoy the blessings God only offers to those who honor Him by keeping the Sabbath.

Gary Smith

Our Words Reflect How Much We Value The Sabbath Day

On the Sabbath, one of the chief blessings we have as Christians is to be able to fellowship. Fundamental to our fellowshipping with one another is conversation. Our conversations range from the weather, to how our week went. We share our ups, downs, and concerns. We discuss our jobs, sports, and our families.

However, does everything that we discuss promote keeping the Sabbath holy?

I think many times we discuss whatever comes to mind and we don’t stop to think: Do my words honor God and the Sabbath day?

The words we use are important to our relationship with God. Note what Christ said concerning the words we use, “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man" (Matthew 15:11). Our words can defile us and as we use words that cause defilement, on the Sabbath or not, we sin against God.

Christ also said, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). Christ’s words would seem to indicate that our words reflect what we value. In the context of the Sabbath, it appears that our words define that in which we find pleasure, that which we honor and in which we take delight. Hence, if we value the Sabbath then our words will reflect the fact that we find pleasure in the Sabbath above our own pleasure. Our words would reflect the delight we have in the Sabbath day and they would honor “the Lord of the Sabbath.”

As we go to Sabbath services, one of the delights of God’s holy time is to converse with people of like mind. We might stop to think about our conversations and ask ourselves, “Am I speaking my own words? Or am I speaking words that honor God on the Sabbath day?”

One suggestion for honoring God on the Sabbath is to ask, “What have you been studying this past week?” Hopefully this question will stimulate conversation concerning God and His word. Such words will be most pleasing to God on the Sabbath.

Enjoy the Sabbath day,

Gary Smith