Finding Sabbath Blessing

10 MAY

And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God. Ezekiel 20:20

SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Isaiah 58

God established the Sabbath, the day of rest, not simply to exact from people what is due to Him. Nor did He establish it merely that people might rest. Therefore the prophet Ezekiel explains how God’s Sabbaths should be sanctified or kept holy.

God is not satisfied by the people’s merely resting from their weekly labors; rather, inward sanctification is the primary purpose of the Sabbath. In this passage God says that, if the Jews rightly observe the Sabbath, they will feel the effects of God’s favor represented in the Sabbath. We have said that the Sabbath is a sacrament of regeneration; now God promises the efficacy of His Spirit if His people do not shut the door to that Spirit by their own impiety and contempt of the Sabbath. Hence we see that sacraments will not lose the blessing of the Spirit unless people render themselves unworthy of the grace offered to them in observing the sacraments.

We maintain, therefore, that there is a direct relationship between faith and the sacraments; the sacraments become effective through faith. Man’s unworthiness does not detract anything from the sacraments, however, for they always retain their nature. Baptism is the laver of regeneration, even if the whole world doubts it (Titus 3:5); the Supper of Christ represents His body and blood (1 Cor. 10:16), even if there is not a spark of faith left in the world.

But we do not fully perceive the grace that is offered to us, for though spiritual things always remain the same, yet we do not experience their effect or perceive their value unless we are careful that our lack of faith does not profane what God has consecrated to our salvation.

John Calvin

FOR MEDITATION:

How are we hallowing God’s Sabbath today? Merely taking time off from work and going to church perfunctorily may be missing the most crucial benefit of all: the blessing of the Spirit in our inward sanctification. By faith we must observe the wondrous grace of the sacraments, including this sacrament of regeneration. Are there changes you need to make to your Sabbath observance?

365 Days With Calvin

Selected and Edited by Joel R. Beeke