I have been working through a book by Walter Brueggemann titled Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now. I have been challenged to rethink the theological and practical significance of Sabbath for our time and culture. As I have thought about the theme biblically and theologically I have learned a few helpful insights. I will bullet point them here.
- Sabbath is grounded in God as Creator who rests after his work and invites us into his rest
- Sabbath is grounded in God as Redeemer who rescues us into his saving rest
- Sabbath is a God-given means for human beings to embrace their creatureliness and rest within their limitations
- Sabbath is a God-given means for believers to embrace their redemption and rest in God’s saving work
- Sabbath is about imitating and meeting God
- Sabbath is about embracing our identity as image bearers and experiencing God’s rest
- Sabbath is about serving one’s neighbor and introducing others to God’s rest
- Sabbath is a gift, invitation, and imperative all at the same time
Here are a few memorable quotes from the book that will give you a taste of Brueggemann’s contribution to this topic.
“At the taproot of this divine commitment to relationship rather than commodity is the capacity and willingness of this God to rest. The Sabbath rest of God is an acknowledgment that God and God’s people in the world are not commodities to be dispatched for endless production…The fact that our God is a Sabbath keeping God ensures that restfulness and not restlessness is at the center of life.”
“The divine rest of creation has made clear that God is not a workaholic, that God is not anxious about the full functioning of creation, and that the well-being of creation does not depend on endless work. This performance and exhibit of divine rest thus characterize the God of creation, creation itself, and the creatures made in the image of the resting God.”
“Sabbath, in the first instance, is not about worship. It is about work stoppage. It is about withdrawal from the anxiety system of Pharaoh, the refusal to let one’s life be defined by production and consumption and the endless pursuit of private well-being.”
“The first commandment is a declaration that the God of the exodus is unlike all the gods the slaves have known heretofore. This God is not to be confused with or thought parallel to the insatiable gods of imperial productivity. This God is subsequently revealed as a God of mercy, steadfast love, and faithfulness who is committed to covenantal relationships of fidelity (see Exod. 34:6–7).”
“Those who remember and keep Sabbath find they are less driven, less coerced, less frantic to meet deadlines, free to be, rather than to do.”
Another recent work that explores the theme of Sabbath is Greg Hall’s book, “Rethinking Rest: Why Our Approach to Sabbath Isn’t Working.” He provides a very helpful biblical theological discussion on the theme, which shows the reader that rest is interwoven through the entire storyline of Scripture and does play a very important role in God’s plan.
Further, Hall helps us think through our misunderstandings on the topic; in particular that rest is “really the ceasing of our own attempts to rule, and our active engagement in the world using the gifts and talents God has given us. When we rule, subdue, cultivate, and keep within God’s plan, we can experience the rest that is available through Christ.”
This is a very helpful read, encourage you to check it out.
I’d love to contribute to your post by sending you a copy of my book, “Rethinking Rest: Why Our Approach to Sabbath Isn’t Working”. God’s rest on the seventh day has a surprising Ancient Near Eastern meaning. The implications fit well into your ministry’s focus.
Email me a physical address and I’ll send you a copy.
Gregory D. Hall