Happily, I stumbled across Josh Byers' artwork a few weeks ago on Pinterest. I'm excited to share this with you because the infographs he creates are such a helpful visual to understanding Scripture! Through his pieces we can see clearly when Israel split into two kingdoms, the sharp decline in the tribe of Simeon, and chart on the map where the Israelites fought their battles when they came into the Promised Land. Josh was gracious enough to chat about my questions and is generously giving away one of his posters! (More on that below.) Tell us a little about yourself--where are you from, do you have a day job, are you married, etc. If you check out my profiles on social media it says I'm a husband, father, pastor, designer, Broncos/Arsenal fan, and goldfish cracker connoisseur. To go a little more in depth, I have a wonderful family. I'm married to a fantastic wife with 4 beautiful children. I currently am on staff at a church in West Des Moines, Iowa. I oversee all of our communications and help people assimilate into the church. I also teach and speak from time to time. How did you get started in graphic design? I've always been interested in graphic art even from an early age. When I was in elementary school I would draw pictures of Lamborghinis and Ferraris and sell them to my friends. From that an interest grew into a hobby which grew into a passion. As I've gotten older I've seen my passion for design spring up in a variety of areas from woodworking, to interior decorating, to web design and most recently digital art. Why did you start doing Biblical infographs? The visual theology infographics came out of a passion for design and good teaching and theology. I believe that the visual medium is something God has used ever since the beginning of time to teach man so there is a reason why we are natural learners from visuals. So a few years ago when I was doing student ministry I wanted a way to connect biblical truth to a generation who has grown up on visuals but didn't respond to the tired flannel graph of my youth. With the rise of the internet infographic it became the perfect medium to communicate simple and even complex truths in an exciting and visual way. What's your favorite infograph that you've designed and why? That's tough. It's like asking which one of my kids is my favorite :) I would probably say the Books of the Bible in the style of the Periodic Table. It was one of the first and people just really seemed to resonate with it. That particular graphic spread very quickly, was translated into several languages, and has been used to teach numerous kids and adults around the world. There is a lot of satisfaction when you know people are buying into what you are doing, using it, learning from it, and loving it. What's next for you? Will there be more Biblical designs from you? Yep – there will be more, tons more! In fact I have partnered with Tim Challies and we wrote a book called (ever so appropriately) Visual Theology... It is is actually available for pre-order now and will be released next April. We are also launching a dedicated website for our Visual Theology pieces that I hope to have available in the next few weeks. How has the graphic design work affected your faith? It has strengthened it for sure. When you are thinking about how to communicate theology to people you tend to look at it from many different angles. The end result is a deeper understanding of how God works and who he is. The Giveaway: Josh has agreed to send one reader a poster size print of the brand new version of the Periodic Table! He packed in a surprising amount of information to this sleek design, including authors, approximate dates written, and what category each book falls under. See the Rafflecopter below to enter. Contest runs through December 2 at midnight and the winner will be announced next week. a Rafflecopter giveaway Be sure and visit Josh's website and grab a couple of free downloads! If you want to order a print head to his page on Society 6. Thanks so much to Josh for a fun giveaway!
Learning to set apart the Sabbath day can feel a little daunting. Forming new habits and routines is challenging in any circumstance and it is very common for those new to honoring Shabbat to feel completely overwhelmed by it. Going against society or how we were raised is not easy. I've heard from a few of you recently who truly desire to honor our Creator by resting on the seventh day as he did and are finding this transition time difficult. I've been there too, many of us have. On the Shabbat survey I asked what advice you would give to someone who is new at observing the Sabbath, so that's what we are talking about today, because you aren't alone in this. Encouragement for new Shabbat keepers: "Take it slow. Introduce one thing at a time to make the transition more peaceful. Don't feel guilty for not doing everything perfect. Pray and YHWH will let you know what's important to him and he will show you more as time goes on." "Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance!" "Remember that this is pleasing to YHWH and he delights in us when we obey his command to rest." "Relax! Don't worry what everyone else is doing! It's not about the traditions it's about our relationship with YHWH." "At first I was so worried about the traditions of having challah made, lighting the candles, and memorizing the ceremonial blessings that I looked at Shabbat as extra work instead of a break from it. I realized YHWH does not ask us to keep man's traditions and it was so freeing!" "If you're reading in the Bible and find out you're doing something wrong, then fix it, but don't beat yourself over the head trying to get it right the first time!" "Relax. Don't worry about all the man-made rules. YHWH didn't make it hard. His laws and desires for us are not heavy or a burden. Just use the time to honor him and rest. It should not be hard or a burden or more work. Rest in his provision." "Stand strong in your belief and don't let others discourage you." "Have grace with yourself and your family. Go into it slowly and find what works for your family." "Make sure you're doing this because you love the Father." "Include your children in preparation for Shabbat as a way to diligently teach them as we are instructed in Deuteronomy." "Make it a point to protect this time. If friends and family are unfamiliar invite them to have a Sabbath day meal with you." "Study Scripture for yourself to see YHWH's expectations of this day for us. Many people are intimidated to keep the Sabbath because they see man made rule's about tearing toilet paper ahead of time or not being allowed to turn lights on or off but YHWH's instructions are simple and truly doable for us." "Try to find a supportive person or community to help you through this." "It's hard at the beginning but keep going. Think of one thing to add or remove from your Sabbath, and do that for a few weeks, then add or remove another thing." "Expect great things!" "Be patient and kind with yourself as you adjust to something very different." "Use the Torah portion schedule if that helps you stay focused and active in the word." "Delight in the gift you have been given. It is a joy not a burden!" "Don't be too legalistic about it. You don't need to keep Shabbat like an Orthodox bubbe to keep it well. Don't lose sight of the idea that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. And even if you can't keep it perfectly, just keep it. Drop everything and rest! Your body and your spirit need it." "It's hard at first but soon becomes the day you look forward to the most." "Remember that YHWH blesses us when we keep his commands and that good things will come out of Sabbath rest." "Try to find a local congregation or others around you who keep Shabbat to learn from." "Maybe you feel alone...but you aren't. YHWH is with you in your Sabbath keeping journey." "Approach it with baby steps." "Don't let your pastor or family or anyone else talk you out of it. YHWH knew we needed rest and it is a gift from him." "Just rest - don't make keeping Shabbat work." "Take it slow. Enjoy YHWH. Love your family. Make family traditions!" "We're commanded to rest, and do no work. Don't make it a burden to keep by worrying about the rabbinical or legalistic way of keeping Shabbat. Do not stress if things do not go perfectly, or exactly how you planned them to go, and remember that he is patient and gracious when we stumble. Remember you will have another chance next week to do things differently or better. We aren't expected to know or fully walk out Torah overnight, and this includes how to keep Shabbat. Be patient and forgiving with yourself, and remember that you are learning his ways. Keep your eyes on him and his word, and he will show you the way." "Do your best and don't fret too much over every detail." "Enjoy even when not perfect." Even when it is difficult remind yourself why you are doing this. The trouble is worth it to be obedient to YHWH. Things start to go more smoothly with time and you will also see the rewards of Shabbat in your life. I can absolutely say that Sabbath rest has brought peace to me throughout the week. Hear what others have to say about good things that have come from honoring Shabbat. Do you have advice for someone thinking of observing the Sabbath or in the early steps? Are you new to Shabbat keeping? What have you struggled with?
These are the dates when the Hebrew holidays land in 2021! As usual, here is a free printable for you to stick in your planner, on your fridge, on your desk, or wherever else so that you can be sure to free up these days to celebrate the set apart times of our Creator. All of these holidays are significant, and honoring them will cause your faith to grow tremendously! Some of these days are called Sabbaths in Scripture, which means we are not to do any work on those days and otherwise treat them as the weekly Sabbath. I've made note of those days so that you can plan accordingly. Once again I'm giving you two different sets of dates. There are many calendars out there that believers observe, and my goal is not to convince you of which one to pick. I share these two because they are the most common amongst people I know. I would encourage you to pick a calendar and go with it. If you have a congregation, going with their dates gives you a chance to celebrate with community, which I am all for. As always, pray about how you should live and be willing to make changes and adjustments as your faith grows and you learn more. Traditional calendar: The traditional calendar has days going from sundown to sundown. Holidays start at sundown on the day listed. For example, Passover starts at sundown on March 27 and ends at sundown the next day, on March 28. The traditional calendar also gives an extra day for Shavuot and Yom Teruah, though Scripture treats both as one-day holidays. Passover - March 27-28 Feast of Unleavened Bread - March 28 - April 4 First Fruits - March 28-29 Shavuot - May 16-18 Yom Teruah - September 6-8 Yom Kippur - September 15-16 Sukkot - September 20-27 No work days: First day of Unleavened Bread - March 28-29 Last day of Unleavened Bread - April 3-4 Shavuot - May 16-18 Yom Teruah - September 6-8 Yom Kippur - September 15-16 First day of Sukkot - September 20-21 Last day of Sukkot - September 26-27 Not familiar with a no work day? They are treated as the weekly Sabbath. More on that here! Torah to the Tribes' calendar: This calendar uses daylight to daylight dates. This means Passover starts at daybreak on April 3 and ends at daybreak April 4, which is the start of Unleavened Bread. Passover - April 3 Feast of Matzah - April 4 - 10 First Fruits - April 4 Shavuot - May 23 Yom Teruah - September 17 Yom Kippur - September 26 Sukkot - October 1-8 No work days: First day of Matzah Week - April 4 Last day of Matzah Week - April 10 Shavuot - May 23 Yom Teruah - September 17 Yom Kippur - September 26 First day of Sukkot - October 1 Last day of Sukkot - October 8 Whatever calendar you go by, now is the time to plan your schedule and put in for time off from work so that you can enjoy these set apart times. Related posts: The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays Why I Started Celebrating the Biblical Feasts What is No-Work Day?
Happily, I stumbled across Josh Byers' artwork a few weeks ago on Pinterest. I'm excited to share this with you because the infographs he creates are such a helpful visual to understanding Scripture! Through his pieces we can see clearly when Israel split into two kingdoms, the sharp decline in the tribe of Simeon, and chart on the map where the Israelites fought their battles when they came into the Promised Land. Josh was gracious enough to chat about my questions and is generously giving away one of his posters! (More on that below.) Tell us a little about yourself--where are you from, do you have a day job, are you married, etc. If you check out my profiles on social media it says I'm a husband, father, pastor, designer, Broncos/Arsenal fan, and goldfish cracker connoisseur. To go a little more in depth, I have a wonderful family. I'm married to a fantastic wife with 4 beautiful children. I currently am on staff at a church in West Des Moines, Iowa. I oversee all of our communications and help people assimilate into the church. I also teach and speak from time to time. How did you get started in graphic design? I've always been interested in graphic art even from an early age. When I was in elementary school I would draw pictures of Lamborghinis and Ferraris and sell them to my friends. From that an interest grew into a hobby which grew into a passion. As I've gotten older I've seen my passion for design spring up in a variety of areas from woodworking, to interior decorating, to web design and most recently digital art. Why did you start doing Biblical infographs? The visual theology infographics came out of a passion for design and good teaching and theology. I believe that the visual medium is something God has used ever since the beginning of time to teach man so there is a reason why we are natural learners from visuals. So a few years ago when I was doing student ministry I wanted a way to connect biblical truth to a generation who has grown up on visuals but didn't respond to the tired flannel graph of my youth. With the rise of the internet infographic it became the perfect medium to communicate simple and even complex truths in an exciting and visual way. What's your favorite infograph that you've designed and why? That's tough. It's like asking which one of my kids is my favorite :) I would probably say the Books of the Bible in the style of the Periodic Table. It was one of the first and people just really seemed to resonate with it. That particular graphic spread very quickly, was translated into several languages, and has been used to teach numerous kids and adults around the world. There is a lot of satisfaction when you know people are buying into what you are doing, using it, learning from it, and loving it. What's next for you? Will there be more Biblical designs from you? Yep – there will be more, tons more! In fact I have partnered with Tim Challies and we wrote a book called (ever so appropriately) Visual Theology... It is is actually available for pre-order now and will be released next April. We are also launching a dedicated website for our Visual Theology pieces that I hope to have available in the next few weeks. How has the graphic design work affected your faith? It has strengthened it for sure. When you are thinking about how to communicate theology to people you tend to look at it from many different angles. The end result is a deeper understanding of how God works and who he is. The Giveaway: Josh has agreed to send one reader a poster size print of the brand new version of the Periodic Table! He packed in a surprising amount of information to this sleek design, including authors, approximate dates written, and what category each book falls under. See the Rafflecopter below to enter. Contest runs through December 2 at midnight and the winner will be announced next week. a Rafflecopter giveaway Be sure and visit Josh's website and grab a couple of free downloads! If you want to order a print head to his page on Society 6. Thanks so much to Josh for a fun giveaway!
A practical guide to how to start eating Biblically clean and following what the Bible says about food. Reminders and helpful tips!
Happily, I stumbled across Josh Byers' artwork a few weeks ago on Pinterest. I'm excited to share this with you because the infographs he creates are such a helpful visual to understanding Scripture! Through his pieces we can see clearly when Israel split into two kingdoms, the sharp decline in the tribe of Simeon, and chart on the map where the Israelites fought their battles when they came into the Promised Land. Josh was gracious enough to chat about my questions and is generously giving away one of his posters! (More on that below.) Tell us a little about yourself--where are you from, do you have a day job, are you married, etc. If you check out my profiles on social media it says I'm a husband, father, pastor, designer, Broncos/Arsenal fan, and goldfish cracker connoisseur. To go a little more in depth, I have a wonderful family. I'm married to a fantastic wife with 4 beautiful children. I currently am on staff at a church in West Des Moines, Iowa. I oversee all of our communications and help people assimilate into the church. I also teach and speak from time to time. How did you get started in graphic design? I've always been interested in graphic art even from an early age. When I was in elementary school I would draw pictures of Lamborghinis and Ferraris and sell them to my friends. From that an interest grew into a hobby which grew into a passion. As I've gotten older I've seen my passion for design spring up in a variety of areas from woodworking, to interior decorating, to web design and most recently digital art. Why did you start doing Biblical infographs? The visual theology infographics came out of a passion for design and good teaching and theology. I believe that the visual medium is something God has used ever since the beginning of time to teach man so there is a reason why we are natural learners from visuals. So a few years ago when I was doing student ministry I wanted a way to connect biblical truth to a generation who has grown up on visuals but didn't respond to the tired flannel graph of my youth. With the rise of the internet infographic it became the perfect medium to communicate simple and even complex truths in an exciting and visual way. What's your favorite infograph that you've designed and why? That's tough. It's like asking which one of my kids is my favorite :) I would probably say the Books of the Bible in the style of the Periodic Table. It was one of the first and people just really seemed to resonate with it. That particular graphic spread very quickly, was translated into several languages, and has been used to teach numerous kids and adults around the world. There is a lot of satisfaction when you know people are buying into what you are doing, using it, learning from it, and loving it. What's next for you? Will there be more Biblical designs from you? Yep – there will be more, tons more! In fact I have partnered with Tim Challies and we wrote a book called (ever so appropriately) Visual Theology... It is is actually available for pre-order now and will be released next April. We are also launching a dedicated website for our Visual Theology pieces that I hope to have available in the next few weeks. How has the graphic design work affected your faith? It has strengthened it for sure. When you are thinking about how to communicate theology to people you tend to look at it from many different angles. The end result is a deeper understanding of how God works and who he is. The Giveaway: Josh has agreed to send one reader a poster size print of the brand new version of the Periodic Table! He packed in a surprising amount of information to this sleek design, including authors, approximate dates written, and what category each book falls under. See the Rafflecopter below to enter. Contest runs through December 2 at midnight and the winner will be announced next week. a Rafflecopter giveaway Be sure and visit Josh's website and grab a couple of free downloads! If you want to order a print head to his page on Society 6. Thanks so much to Josh for a fun giveaway!
Happily, I stumbled across Josh Byers' artwork a few weeks ago on Pinterest. I'm excited to share this with you because the infographs he creates are such a helpful visual to understanding Scripture! Through his pieces we can see clearly when Israel split into two kingdoms, the sharp decline in the tribe of Simeon, and chart on the map where the Israelites fought their battles when they came into the Promised Land. Josh was gracious enough to chat about my questions and is generously giving away one of his posters! (More on that below.) Tell us a little about yourself--where are you from, do you have a day job, are you married, etc. If you check out my profiles on social media it says I'm a husband, father, pastor, designer, Broncos/Arsenal fan, and goldfish cracker connoisseur. To go a little more in depth, I have a wonderful family. I'm married to a fantastic wife with 4 beautiful children. I currently am on staff at a church in West Des Moines, Iowa. I oversee all of our communications and help people assimilate into the church. I also teach and speak from time to time. How did you get started in graphic design? I've always been interested in graphic art even from an early age. When I was in elementary school I would draw pictures of Lamborghinis and Ferraris and sell them to my friends. From that an interest grew into a hobby which grew into a passion. As I've gotten older I've seen my passion for design spring up in a variety of areas from woodworking, to interior decorating, to web design and most recently digital art. Why did you start doing Biblical infographs? The visual theology infographics came out of a passion for design and good teaching and theology. I believe that the visual medium is something God has used ever since the beginning of time to teach man so there is a reason why we are natural learners from visuals. So a few years ago when I was doing student ministry I wanted a way to connect biblical truth to a generation who has grown up on visuals but didn't respond to the tired flannel graph of my youth. With the rise of the internet infographic it became the perfect medium to communicate simple and even complex truths in an exciting and visual way. What's your favorite infograph that you've designed and why? That's tough. It's like asking which one of my kids is my favorite :) I would probably say the Books of the Bible in the style of the Periodic Table. It was one of the first and people just really seemed to resonate with it. That particular graphic spread very quickly, was translated into several languages, and has been used to teach numerous kids and adults around the world. There is a lot of satisfaction when you know people are buying into what you are doing, using it, learning from it, and loving it. What's next for you? Will there be more Biblical designs from you? Yep – there will be more, tons more! In fact I have partnered with Tim Challies and we wrote a book called (ever so appropriately) Visual Theology... It is is actually available for pre-order now and will be released next April. We are also launching a dedicated website for our Visual Theology pieces that I hope to have available in the next few weeks. How has the graphic design work affected your faith? It has strengthened it for sure. When you are thinking about how to communicate theology to people you tend to look at it from many different angles. The end result is a deeper understanding of how God works and who he is. The Giveaway: Josh has agreed to send one reader a poster size print of the brand new version of the Periodic Table! He packed in a surprising amount of information to this sleek design, including authors, approximate dates written, and what category each book falls under. See the Rafflecopter below to enter. Contest runs through December 2 at midnight and the winner will be announced next week. a Rafflecopter giveaway Be sure and visit Josh's website and grab a couple of free downloads! If you want to order a print head to his page on Society 6. Thanks so much to Josh for a fun giveaway!
Happily, I stumbled across Josh Byers' artwork a few weeks ago on Pinterest. I'm excited to share this with you because the infographs he creates are such a helpful visual to understanding Scripture! Through his pieces we can see clearly when Israel split into two kingdoms, the sharp decline in the tribe of Simeon, and chart on the map where the Israelites fought their battles when they came into the Promised Land. Josh was gracious enough to chat about my questions and is generously giving away one of his posters! (More on that below.) Tell us a little about yourself--where are you from, do you have a day job, are you married, etc. If you check out my profiles on social media it says I'm a husband, father, pastor, designer, Broncos/Arsenal fan, and goldfish cracker connoisseur. To go a little more in depth, I have a wonderful family. I'm married to a fantastic wife with 4 beautiful children. I currently am on staff at a church in West Des Moines, Iowa. I oversee all of our communications and help people assimilate into the church. I also teach and speak from time to time. How did you get started in graphic design? I've always been interested in graphic art even from an early age. When I was in elementary school I would draw pictures of Lamborghinis and Ferraris and sell them to my friends. From that an interest grew into a hobby which grew into a passion. As I've gotten older I've seen my passion for design spring up in a variety of areas from woodworking, to interior decorating, to web design and most recently digital art. Why did you start doing Biblical infographs? The visual theology infographics came out of a passion for design and good teaching and theology. I believe that the visual medium is something God has used ever since the beginning of time to teach man so there is a reason why we are natural learners from visuals. So a few years ago when I was doing student ministry I wanted a way to connect biblical truth to a generation who has grown up on visuals but didn't respond to the tired flannel graph of my youth. With the rise of the internet infographic it became the perfect medium to communicate simple and even complex truths in an exciting and visual way. What's your favorite infograph that you've designed and why? That's tough. It's like asking which one of my kids is my favorite :) I would probably say the Books of the Bible in the style of the Periodic Table. It was one of the first and people just really seemed to resonate with it. That particular graphic spread very quickly, was translated into several languages, and has been used to teach numerous kids and adults around the world. There is a lot of satisfaction when you know people are buying into what you are doing, using it, learning from it, and loving it. What's next for you? Will there be more Biblical designs from you? Yep – there will be more, tons more! In fact I have partnered with Tim Challies and we wrote a book called (ever so appropriately) Visual Theology... It is is actually available for pre-order now and will be released next April. We are also launching a dedicated website for our Visual Theology pieces that I hope to have available in the next few weeks. How has the graphic design work affected your faith? It has strengthened it for sure. When you are thinking about how to communicate theology to people you tend to look at it from many different angles. The end result is a deeper understanding of how God works and who he is. The Giveaway: Josh has agreed to send one reader a poster size print of the brand new version of the Periodic Table! He packed in a surprising amount of information to this sleek design, including authors, approximate dates written, and what category each book falls under. See the Rafflecopter below to enter. Contest runs through December 2 at midnight and the winner will be announced next week. a Rafflecopter giveaway Be sure and visit Josh's website and grab a couple of free downloads! If you want to order a print head to his page on Society 6. Thanks so much to Josh for a fun giveaway!
Helping you to understand the Old and New Testaments and how they fit together!
The Melchizedek priesthood of the Messiah has many differences from the Levitical temple priesthood - including that animals are no longer sacrificed.
Keeping the Sabbath is one of the ten commandments. Do you know about this special day? What is the Sabbath? When is it? What does it look like to honor this day? Scripture has a lot to tell us. What Scripture Says About the Sabbath: 1. It is for all believers even today. "The people of Israel are to keep the Sabbath, to observe it throughout all their generations as a perpetual covenant." -Exodus 31:16 The Messiah did not take away this command. The New Testament tells us that believers' duty to keep the Sabbath remains (see Hebrews 4:9). Think you're not Israel? Reminder that YHWH calls all of his children Israel. But even if you don't have Israelite blood.... 2. He expects you to keep it, even if you aren't a natural born Israelite. "And the sons of foreigners that join themselves to YHWH, to serve him, to love his name, should guard the Sabbath from polluting it. They will take hold of my covenant; and I will bring them to my holy mountain and make them full of joy in my house of prayer." -Isaiah 56:6-7 This passage makes it doubly clear that the Creator expects every single person that serves him to honor the Sabbath, regardless of your family traditions or bloodline. 3. It is the seventh day of the week. "On six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is to be a set apart day for you, a Sabbath of complete rest to honor YHWH." -Exodus 35:2 The example for this was set by the Creator himself in Genesis 2:2 when he rested from creation on the seventh day. Like it or not, Sunday is the first day of the week and does not replace the commandment to observe the Sabbath on the seventh. 4. We aren't supposed to work on it. "The seventh day is a Sabbath for YHWH. On it, you are not to do any kind of work." -Exodus 20:10a Honoring the Sabbath means making sure I have the day off from my job. Professional work is prohibitied, but of course this command was given to a group of freshly freed slaves wandering the desert. The Israelites had no professional work to do, and were still commanded not to work on the Sabbath day. Clearly "work" means more than just what we get paid to do. 5. It is a day of rest. "On six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is to be a set apart day for you, a Sabbath of complete rest to honor YHWH." -Exodus 35:2 Resting is a more helpful way to describe the itinerary for the set apart day. No one is going to pay me to rake the leaves, change the oil in the car, clean my house, or check my email, but are those things restful? Then don't do them on the Sabbath! 6. We should worship YHWH on it. "The people of the land shall worship before YHWH on the Sabbath." -Ezekiel 46:3 Physical rest is one aspect of the Sabbath day; emotional and spiritual rest are another. Worshipping YHWH brings us peace and refreshment. It is restorative and healing. Don't we all need more of those things? This verse also tells us once again, that Sabbath is for all of us. 7. We should not cause anyone to violate the Sabbath. "On it you are not to do any kind of work - not you, your son or daughter, not your servants, not your livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you." -Exodus 20:10 While most of us don't have traditional servants, we still pay people to work for us. We should avoid having the electrician over to fix something or having a barista whip up a latte for us on the Sabbath. If visiting a place of business causes someone else to work we might want to reconsider and save that trip for another day of the week. 8. We should not buy or sell anything on it. "If the people of the land bring merchandise or food to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day." -Nehemiah 10:31 This expressly prohibits buying and selling on the Sabbath. This is implied throughout Scripture since everyone is supposed to be resting, and in order for things to be for sale someone has to work. Later on in Nehemiah 13:17, Nehemiah discovers food being sold and angrily calls it profaning the Sabbath. This means going out for lunch or swinging by the Saturday morning farmers market does not fit in with following the commandments of Scripture. 9. It's not a day for pursuing our own interests. "If you hold back your foot on the Sabbath from pursuing your own interests on the holy day of YHWH; if you call the Sabbath a delight that's worth honoring then you hnor YHWH by not doing your usual things or pursuing your own interests." -Isaiah 58:13 Sabbath is for us to grow closer to YHWH, not to spend browsing the internet, getting things done, working on hobbies, or otherwise pursuing my career or self image. Sabbath is intended for rest, worship, studying Scripture, prayer, and spending time with family. 10. We shouldn't cook on it. "Tomorrow is the day of rest, the set apart Sabbath to YHWH; bake what you'd like today, and store your leftovers for tomorrow." -Exodus 16:23 Having food made ahead of time gives us the opportunity for more rest on the Sabbath. This can be challenging but it is worth it to be able to fully honor his instructions. Random leftovers or peanut butter sandwiches are great! 11. We shouldn't start a fire on the Sabbath. "You are not to kindle a fire in any of your homes on the Sabbath." -Exodus 35:3 This verse is referring to an actual fire and not to electricity. Starting a fire is a lot of work and something we should avoid on the Sabbath. If you'll need a fire going to heat your home, prepare for that by getting it going ahead of time and having the wood split before the Sabbath. 12. It is not a day for hauling stuff around. "Don't carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath." -Jeremiah 17:22 Historically this has to do with moving things out of your home for sale, but it is also a reminder that we shouldn't burden ourselves on the Sabbath. It's not a day for getting all the things accomplished (even if they aren't technically work). If you find yourself overloading the car before heading to congregation, stop and evaluate if you can downsize, what you can do ahead of time, or what simply can wait. 13. The Creator is angry when his people don't keep the Sabbath. "But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not live by my laws, they rejected my rulings - which if a person does he will have life through them. They have greatly profaned my Sabbath. Then I said I would pour out my fury on them in the wilderness." -Ezekiel 20:13 There are something like fifty verses in Scripture where YHWH rails against his people for not honoring the Sabbath day. Let this serve as a warning for us. The Creator is serious about Sabbath rest. 14. It is a sign between us and YHWH. "You are to observe my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you through all your generations, so that you will know I am YHWH, who sets you apart for me." -Exodus 31:13 A sign serves as a reminder for all who see it. So if you keep the Sabbath you are sharing truth with your family, friends, coworkers, and community. Additionally this verse tells us that there is something about the Sabbath that communicates who YHWH is to us. That's amazing! 15. Keeping it is a delight. "Happy is the person who does this, who keeps the Sabbath." -Isaiah 56:2 In a world with skyrocketing rates of depression and anxiety, don't we want all the joy in our lives that we can get? Scripture tells us that keeping the Sabbath causes joy in us. More on the Sabbath: Six Reasons Believers Should Keep the Sabbath Why I Started Keeping the Sabbath There Remains a Sabbath Rest Five Things the Messiah Taught About the Sabbath
