Hello Dear Friends and Readers!
This is going to be a quick one…and it is about the “sign” that YHVH has given His people.
While studying this week’s Torah Portion, I visited a few scriptures that helped me get a better focus on the purpose of this sign between YHVH and His people.
So what is it? In Exodus, we are told:
Above all, you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, YHVH, sanctify you. Exodus 31:13
Why would the Sabbath be a sign between YHVH and His people?
In walks Genesis 2:15
Below is a link that will take you to Genesis 2:15 in many translations. Pay attention to the verbiage…and see how the “Literal Standard Version” and “Young’s Literal Translation” differ from the others. You will have to scroll pretty far down to find either of them.
Did you notice that most versions state that YHVH “put” Adam in the garden? But in two versions (and at least one more that was not included in the link, the TLV) state that YHVH gave Adam “rest” in the garden.
Rest, in the Garden of Eden.
That is where this whole world began, and it is where it will return. But how do we know this? We find the Tree of Life in both the garden of Genesis and the paradise of Revelation. Prior to Eve and Adam’s sin, there was no curse. In Revelation 22 we find that there is no longer any curse. That’s where we are going Friends! Back to the Garden!!
Rest, in the Garden of Eden.
So let us look at the question again:
Why would the Sabbath be a sign between YHVH and His people?
I believe YHVH gave it as a sign to His people, as a gift, a little piece of the Garden of Eden once each week. After toiling for six days to make a living, dealing with the anxiety of this world, we have this reminder that we are not forgotten and a promise that restoration will come, a foreshadow of our future. A first fruit of what is certain to be.
Rest
A Gift
A Promise
A foreshadow
A first fruit
Never a burden
And I believe THAT is why YHVH is so serious about His people keeping His Sabbaths.
Keeping them is a sign that we were created for the Garden…That we belong to Him!
We were meant to live our lives in perfect harmony with YHVH there. He has made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can still have the opportunity to live there one day. And in the meantime, He has given us a little Garden of Eden each week in our commanded day of rest because He doesn’t want us to be discouraged or have to wait. He wants to share it with us now.
Isn’t that beautiful?
Why would we ever not want to keep the Sabbath holy and enjoy resting with The Creator?
I hope you have enjoyed my little trail and that you will be resting in YHVH this coming Sabbath. May we accept His gift of Garden rest with open arms.
By the way, here is a link to study the word that so many translators have translated as “put” in Genesis 2:15. I will let you determine how you best think it should be translated, put or rest. Enjoy the trail!
Until next time…
Come Seek With Me!
You might enjoy this article:Keeping Sabbath Holy