7 Reasons to Keep Shabbat

The keeping of Shabbat has been a hot topic in recent months, not only in Israel where people, whether religious or secular, talk a lot about keeping Shabbat, but also worldwide, especially since the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk, who was himself Shabbat observant.

That’s why we would like to provide you with 7 good reasons to keep Shabbat yourself!

First: Shabbat was sanctified in the act of creation itself, when God created the reality we live in. Long before there were nations, before the Law was given on Mount Sinai, and before there were Jewish people. The God of all flesh, the maker of the universe Himself, rested on the seventh day, on Shabbat, and gave His creation an example to follow.

Second: It is one of God’s “Moadim,” which is the plural of Mo’ed and translates to an appointed time, place, or meeting, just like Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. Also, the tabernacle in the wilderness, which is commonly translated as the “Tent of Meeting,” is in Hebrew called “Ohel Moed.”This makes Shabbat one of the promised appointed meetings between God and His people.

This might remind some of us of the famous verse from the prophet Amos 3:3:

The phrase here, “they have agreed to meet,” consists of only one word in the original Hebrew, and that word is from the same root as Moed, our appointed meeting.

Shabbat is a God-given appointed meeting between Him and His people.Yet among many others, the mentioned verse from Amos hints to us that if we don’t show up for the occasion, we’ll miss out on the appointed meeting that God has prepared between us and Himself.

The third is fellowship. Leviticus 23:3 declares:

The Hebrew term for “holy convocation” here is “Mikra Kodesh,” which has since ancient times been understood as a gathering that involves sanctification and public prayer.Besides the aspect of physical refreshment while ceasing from one’s work on Shabbat, this fellowship can greatly contribute to a sort of “social refreshment,” where we can have positive and pleasant interactions with people we know and love, with a common focus on God. This is opposed to our often difficult or stressful interactions we might have in our busy work lives during the week.

Fourth: It strengthens families. When we keep Shabbat and “do not walk in our own ways,” in the words of Isaiah 58, we get to experience not only the blessing of rest but also an opportunity to spend quality time with the family, to foster healthy relationships between husbands and wives, as well as between parents and children. Most Jewish observant families have lots of family time on Shabbat and do different relaxing activities together, like a nice family walk outside, if the weather permits. This intentional time for the family shared together has a tremendous impact on the health of a family.

The fifth is rest. Most people around the world, when they hear about Shabbat, connect it to rest. God tells His people that for six days they shall work and do everything that needs to be done, and on the seventh day they shall cease.

It is an incredibly restful experience to prepare for Shabbat and not have to figure anything out, prepare anything, clean anything, or cook anything on Shabbat. There is no agenda, and our bodies and minds can relax and refresh on this day.

And of course, as we take time to focus on God and pray to Him and worship Him, we also experience a deep spiritual rest for our souls in God’s presence on His holy day.This multifaceted rest that we get to experience on Shabbat is a great factor to either preserve or restore physical and mental health, as we were never created to function and be productive nonstop. But the One who created us, knowing what we need to be healthy and thrive, in love gave us the Shabbat.

Sixth: It is not only for the Jewish people. If it didn’t get across yet from the first point made, the prophets of Israel themselves declare that the Shabbat is not only for the Jewish nation alone. In Isaiah 56 we read:

Now to the seventh and last point: Yeshua is the Lord of Shabbat, as He Himself declares in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.For us as disciples of Yeshua, there is no better time to take a break from our busy lives and realign our hearts with our Savior and Lord, who Himself is the Lord of Shabbat.

Now, if you enjoyed this video, consider subscribing to our channel and tell us in the comments how you celebrate Shabbat. And as an additional point for you to explore at home regarding the connection of Shabbat and the future of all humankind, I encourage you to look up and ponder Isaiah 66, verse 23.

Shalom