The Practice of Sabbatical.
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This morning I want to share about a topic that is seldom mentioned in churches: Sabbatical!
What is a Sabbatical?
Servants were to serve six years, but they would be free on the seventh year.
God allowed Israel to harvest the land for six years, but on the seventh they had to let it rest. ; Lev 25:4. Likewise, man would work only six days to provide rest for himself, his animals, and his servants. (To renew their strength) ;
A "sabbatical" means an extended absence in the career of an individual to fulfill some goal.
The day of atonement and the feast of tabernacles were celebrated on the seventh month. ,
atonement and the feast of tabernacles were celebrated on the seventh month. ,
The Jubilee (the year of freedom), the fiftieth year, following seven weeks of years, everything was going back to the original owner and “everyone will go back to his family”.
The concept of the sabbatical is based on the Biblical practice of shmita, which is related to agriculture.
The logical question was: What are we going to eat on the seventh year if we do not sow or gather in our crops? The Lord said, “I will order my blessing for you in the sixth year that it will bring forth the crop for three years”.
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First of all, we must learn what the Bible says about the Sabbatical. What is the Biblical basis?
The Biblical basis of Sabbatical time.
The Biblical basis of Sabbatical time.
Seen in the Creation.
Seen in the Creation.
Creation (the Universe) was made in six days, on the seventh the Lord ceased His work and sanctified it because He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
Seen in the Feasts of Israel.
Seen in the Feasts of Israel.
Passover was celebrated on fourteen (the second seventh) of the first month.
‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover.
Lev 23:5
Pentecost was celebrated after seven sevenths after the Passover.
‘You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the Lord.
The day of atonement and the feast of tabernacles were celebrated on the seventh month. ,
The day of atonement and the feast of tabernacles were celebrated on the seventh month. ,
The Jubilee (the year of freedom), the fiftieth year, following seven weeks of years, everything was going back to the original owner and “everyone will go back to his family”.
Seen in specific instructions from God.
Seen in specific instructions from God.
When the people was wandering in the desert, God provided manna for them, but He allowed them to gather manna only six days, the seventh day would be sabbath, rest.
When God gave the the commandments, He commanded man to work only six days and dedicate the seventh to God.
“Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the 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.
God allowed Israel to harvest the land for six years, but on the seventh they had to let it rest.
God allowed Israel to harvest the land for six years, but on the seventh they had to let it rest.
but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.
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but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard.
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The purposes of Sabbatical time.
The purposes of Sabbatical time.
Focusing on God.
Focusing on God.
Man was not created for work, but work was created for man. The purpose of working only six days was for man to have time to focus on His Creator and dedicate himself to worship Him.
That helps us to understand the words of our Lord Jesus, when He was tempted,
But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ”
Man needs time to worship God and be fed by His Word.
Providing rest to Creation.
Providing rest to Creation.
By rest to Creation, I mean rest to man, land, and work animals.
Man would work only six days to provide rest for himself, his animals, and his servants. (To renew their strength)
but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove. “Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as your stranger, may refresh themselves.
‘For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death.
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“You shall work six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during plowing time and harvest you shall rest.
Exo
‘He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord for you to be accepted; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. ‘Now on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb one year old without defect for a burnt offering to the Lord.
It was a time to set the plow and the sickle aside!
Even though slavery was part of the culture, God protected slaves and commanded the owners that servants were to serve six years, but they would be free on the seventh year.
“If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment.
Strengthening family relationships.
Strengthening family relationships.
Strengthening family relationships.
God instructed Israel not to treat their countryman (brother) as slaves, but as hired men (laborers), and not to keep them working forever. The worker had a family that needed care and attention, but his work absorbed so much of his time that he did not have time for them nor for himself.
‘You shall thus consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim a release through the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family.
The benefits of Sabbatical time.
The benefits of Sabbatical time.
Renewed energy and mind.
Renewed energy and mind.
There is term in engineering to describe the effect of constant pressure or tension to a material: fatigue!
Fatigue may break steal, concrete, plastics, and people. Repairing the damage caused by fatigue is usually useless or very expensive. It is wiser to stop the pressure or tension and let the material cool down and return to its original condition.
That applies to people too! Why do you think some people suffer mental breakdowns? Lack of rest!
When you are fatigued, your mind becomes sluggish!
But when you have a good rest, when you sleep well, you wake up with a fresh mind.
Stronger families.
Stronger families.
After God, your family should be your first priority. If your job is your priority, you are risking your family.
The church is the first beneficiary of strong families. The will be strong marriages, less divorces.
In the case of pastoral family, they are the role model to the church. The church is benefitted by having a healthy pastoral family. The problem is that pastors are so busy helping other families, that they neglect their own. That’s why many PK’s do not want to be pastors.
Receiving greater blessings from God.
Receiving greater blessings from God.
The logical question was: What are we going to eat on the seventh year if we do not sow or gather in our crops? The Lord said,
‘But if you say, “What are we going to eat on the seventh year if we do not sow or gather in our crops?” then I will so order My blessing for you in the sixth year that it will bring forth the crop for three years.
In other words, “Do not worry, I will provide what you need!”
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
You need to make time for God every seven days; you must have a day off every week, you must take vacations with your family every year; and your pastor is fatigued and need time to rest, to refocus, to strengthen his relationship with his family, to be taught (pastors are always giving, but seldom receiving), and to be renewed. He must take a Sabbatical time of three to six months.
you must take vacations with your family every year; and your pastor is fatigued and need time to rest, to refocus, to strengthen his relationship with his wife, to be taught (pastors are always giving, but seldom receiving).