The Lord said to Moses at Mount Sinai, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord. For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Leviticus 25:1-4
“All labour was to cease in the seventh year, as much as daily labour on the seventh day. These statues tell us to beware of covetousness, for a man’s life consists not in the abundance of his possessions. We are to exercise willing dependence on God’s providence for our support; to consider ourselves the Lord’s tenants or stewards, and to use our possessions accordingly. This year of rest typified the spiritual rest which all believers enter into through Christ. Through Him we are eased of the burden of wordly care and labour, both being sanctified and sweetened to us; and we are enabled and encouraged to live by faith.”
Matthew Henry (1662-1714) in Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible (Grand Rapids: CCEL) 162. Click to download freely this Bible commentary.
On this day, the Fourth of July in America, my mind reflects on the similarities between the Israelites and Americans. God’s people lived in slavery to the Egyptians. Americans wanted to be rid of British rule. Both longed for freedom from oppression. Our proclivity as humans back then and now, however, is to use our freedom for self-indulgence rather than selfless service.
After delivering the people, the Lord told Moses to tell the them to trust Him to care for their needs, to “exercise willing dependence on God’s providence.” So he gave them an assignment. They were to demonstrate trust by ceasing their labor and trusting God to supply. God’s servant, Moses, was to teach God’s people, as Henry rightly puts it, that “we are enabled and encouraged to live by faith.”
Last Sunday, our pastor, James Hoxworth preached a great sermon entitled, “Fear Not” on Psalm 46. He asked people to think about their fears. Our fears are often linked to misplaced faith. We trust in money and things rather than God. As “the Lord’s tenants and stewards” we can only be still and find rest in Christ. Like Henry and Hoxworth, let us teach others how to do it. In resting, we declare our dependence on God.
God, your design for your people back then and now has always been to learn to trust you. The only way we learn it is to cease from our toil and rest in you. As we do it, show us your faithfulness and our purpose, to show others how to find rest they seek. Thank you that we are both enabled and encouraged to live by faith in Jesus Christ alone who is faithful. Amen.