Believe it or not, we Christians actually have a holiday every single week. You likely forgot about it because it’s so regular.
It’s Sabbath. It’s the day God mandated (in the Ten Commandments, you know) that people take off. We’re not to work on it. We have the other six days of the week for that.
Exodus 20.8-11 KWL - 8 “Remember to separate the day of Sabbath.
- 9 Work six days, and do all your work. 10 The seventh day is Sabbath.
- It’s for me, your L
ORD God. Don’t start any work on it. That counts for you, - your sons, daughters, male slaves, female slaves, animals, or visitors at your gates.
- 11 For six days, I the L
ORD made the skies and the land, the sea and everything in it. - The seventh day, I stopped, so I the L
ORD blessed a day of Sabbath. I made it holy.”
And once again, in Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 5.12-15 KWL - 12 “Keep separate the day of Sabbath, as your L
ORD God commanded you. - 13 Work six days, and do all your work. 14 The seventh day is Sabbath.
- It’s for your L
ORD God. Don’t start any work on it. That counts for you, - your sons, daughters, slaves, ox, donkey, animals, or visitors at your gates.
- Because your male and female slaves will rest like you:
- 15 Remember, you were a slave in Egypt’s territory.
- Your L
ORD God got you out of there with his strong hand and extended arm. - This is why your L
ORD God commands you to do the day of Sabbath.”
Note God said it was ’cause he rested on the seventh day, but Moses said it was ’cause the Hebrews used to be Egypt’s slaves. It’s one of those little contradictions people like to pretend the bible doesn’t have. But really, there’s no reason we can’t accept both interpretations. After all, real life is messy like that.
Sabbath comes from the word shabbát/“stop.” God stopped creating the earth on the seventh day;