We always tend to regard the command to honour our parents, as the only command with a reward attached to it –
“Honour your parents so it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the good land, which יהוה your God gives to you.”
Is there perhaps some significant promise imbedded in keeping the fourth command regarding the Sabbath? This command is explained a couple of chapters further in Ex 31:17 –
“ It is a perpetual COVENANT with Me and the children of Israel, it is a perpetual SIGN with Me…”
After all, we all have much confidence, and rightfully so, in calling ourselves children of the covenant.
Perhaps we may glean a better understanding with some worthwile insight when we look at the book of Isaiah. Any phrase beginning with “IF…. THEN” is always a red-letter PAY ATTENTION phrase. IF we obey to do something, THEN our Father promises to respond in a certain way. (Isaiah 55:11 reminds us that His Word CANNOT return void to Him).
Let’s look at Isaiah 58:13-14
“ IF you turn your foot away because of the Sabbath, from doing WHAT YOU PLEASE (#H2656) on My holy day, and call the Sabbath A DELIGHT (#H6027) glorified to the holiness of יהוה; and shall glorify it, away from doing your own ways, from finding your own pleasure (#H2656) or speaking your own word : THEN ([#H227 – at that time, hitherto] THEN YOU SHALL DELIGHT YOURSELF [#H6026 and #H6027) in יהוה AND I WILL CAUSE YOU TO RIDE ON THE HEIGHTS OF THE EARTH, AND MAKE YOU EAT WITH THE INHERITANCE ( ie covenant meal) OF YOUR FATHER JACOB. FOR THE MOUTH OF יהוה HAS SPOKEN. “
#H2656 cêphets = be pleased with, desire, take delight, things desired…
#H6027 oneg = to be soft or pliable, luxurious, delicateness, pleasant delight…
We have six days for doing what we please – but what an extraordinary gift, what a treasure that surpasses all worldly pleasure, to move in your personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe through his Son, our beloved Messiah, to a level of intimacy that is hardly describable – soft, pliable, delicate luxuriously… if we want to try to explain it in an earthly language.
Who can afford nót to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy?
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