72_The true meaning of Sabbath Ex 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. A traveler once came across a woodcutter cutting down a massive tree. The woodcutter was drenched in sweat, his face etched with exhaustion. His axe blade was no longer as sharp as it had been. The traveler paused and asked, “Why don’t you stop for a few minutes and sharpen your saw?” The woodcutter replied, “I can’t stop! I’m too busy cutting this tree!” The traveler shook his head and walked on, marveling at the irony. The woodcutter was so afraid to rest that he sacrificed his own wellbeing and compromised his ability to complete his task. This story reminds us of how often we neglect the importance of renewal through rest. The concept of Sabbath, instituted by God, is not just about ceasing work, but about living to His divine rhythm—a rhythm that brings us into line with his true purpose. The Sabbath first appears in Genesis 2 when God rested, having completed his work. This does not imply fatigue, for God neither slumbers nor sleeps. Instead, His rest signifies the satisfaction of a perfectly completed work. God ceased from His creative activity, not because He was weary, but because nothing more needed to be done. Creation was complete, flawless, and reflective of His divine intent. The Sabbath, therefore, is a symbol of accomplished perfection and abundant provision. The second mention of the Sabbath is found in Exodus 16, along with the appearance of manna. God commanded the people to gather double their daily portion on the sixth day so that they could eat it on the seventh day without having to work for it. The Sabbath was their day of rest, when they ceased all work. “On the seventh day, you will not find it in the field,” God declared. The Sabbath was not merely a day off work. It was an invitation to trust in God’s provision and enter His rest. It was a call to cease striving and affirm that in Him lay their true sustenance. In Exodus 20, the fourth commandment proclaims the necessity of the Sabbath: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” The Sabbath was to be set apart as a day distinct from the other six. Six days were allotted for work—specifically, “your work,” emphasizing personal labor and effort for their survival, enjoyment, and profit. But on the seventh day, the people were to rest, remembering that all they had and did was from the Lord’s bounty. The holiness of the Sabbath comes