This post tries to answer a question, then tells a children’s story I heard in Dutch translated by AI while listening, and then considers a Dutch proverb.
The question first.
Why is Saturday also a Christian Sabbath?
Sabbath became part of a seven day week on the seventh day of creation, after using words to make everything except Adam and Eve, who God made out of dirt and breathed His breath into, God then used words again to make the Sabbath.
‘ And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it.’ I wonder how He said it? Genesis 2:1-3 has it the way Moses wrote it.
Then the children of Israel were reminded about it.
‘Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy…’ Exodus 20: 8-11
‘Then Jesus as His custom was went into the synagogue on the Sabbath… ‘Luke 4:6
John then has an echo of the creation language found in Genesis and Exodus when he writes: ‘ Fear God and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgement has come: and worship Him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of water.’
Revelations 14:7
Saturday, Sabbath is a choice of obedience freely giving the Creator, as God of this world, what He has asked for. One day to remind us of our relationship as worshipping creature to Creator. Our All Powerful One, providing salvation through the death of His Son.
God gives free choice and has given this to us in very blunt terms:
God speaking: ‘ I call heaven and earth to record this day…, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: choose life, that both you and your children might live.’ Deuteronomy 30:19
Now for a story told by an elderly Dutch man.
A 94-year-old man was sitting on a park bench when a middle aged man recognised the older man and greeted him.
‘ I was once your student but I guess you don’t remember me. A teacher has many students but for the student there is one teacher.’
The elderly teacher smiled and asked:’So what did you become?’
‘Well’ said the man ‘ because of you I also became a teacher.’
‘ How was that?’
‘ This is what happened in your class. There was a boy with a fine wrist watch. They were expensive then and I really wanted one. Somehow it fell off and I picked it up and put in my bag behind my chair. The other boy told you. First you locked the door, then you said ‘close your eyes everyone, I am going to look in your bags behind your chairs.’
Well, I knew you had found it in my bag, behind my chair, but you kept pretending to look and when you were finished you said:
‘ Open your eyes and here is the watch.’ You didn’t point me out, you left it like that!
‘Oh, really’, said the old teacher, ‘so you were the one who took the watch. I had my eyes closed, too.’
And here is a Dutch proverb:
‘ Angst is een slechte raadgever’
Which literally translates:
‘ Fear is a bad counselor.’
We wait with faith not fear.
Jesus is coming again. He seals us with the Holy Spirit, covers us with the white garment of His righteousness and holds us with His right hand of righteousness.
Ephesians 1:13, Isaiah 61:10, Isaiah 41:10
The truth is strikingly gorgeous.
Reality possesses a breathtakingly undeniable majesty.
What is real even if it is grass, cow parsley and Fen Nettle is beautiful.
We have had a beautiful Sabbath with our church members in Holland.
The children’s story was a treat.
Take care,
Sandy 🙂