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The Scriptorium

Sabbath Promises

If only we would keep the Sabbath.

The Way of Restoration: Isaiah 58 (6)

Pray Psalm 96.7-9.
Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
Give to the LORD glory and strength.
Give to the LORD the glory dueHis name;
Bring an offering, and come into His courts.
Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!
Tremble before Him, all the earth.

Read Isaiah 58.14.

Reflect.
1. Review verse 13. Two “turnings” are involved in keeping the Lord’s Day. Explain. 

2. Summarize the three promises God makes in verse 14.

Meditate.
Israel had to make two “turnings” if they were going to honor the Sabbath as God intended. First, they would have to turn away from thinking they could do whatever they wanted, whatever pleased them on God’s holy day (v. 13). Second, they would have to put in place practices to remind them of God’s sovereign ownership of creation and time and His grace and salvation. Times of reading, meditation, singing and praying, joining in corporate worship – these could all fill the Lord’s Day with activities in line with His purpose.

And if Israel would do this, God promised three great blessings, and punctuated these by His well-known exclamation point: “The mouth of the LORD has spoken” (v. 14).

First, God promised that keeping the Sabbath as He commanded would lead to the people’s actually delighting in Him. God has saved us to know, fear, love, and serve Him, after all. It’s what fulfills us as His image-bearers. Would we not truly delight in the Lord if we devoted ourselves on His holy day to seeking Him, remembering His many blessings, exulting in His great power and victory, and meditating on His infinite beauty and goodness?

Second, God promised that they would realize the adventure of riding “the high hills of the earth.” Here we have to recall God’s promise in Isaiah 2.1-4, that His people would be the chief and most prominent of all the mountains of the earth, and people would stream up to it, seeking the Lord – if only they would keep His Law (Is. 2.3), “above all” (אַ֥ךְ) His Sabbaths.

Third, God promised to feed them “with the heritage of Jacob your father.” What was that heritage? It was the heritage of God’s covenant, all the promises made to Abraham, and especially the blessing of a Kingdom brought in by one named Shiloh (Gen. 49.8-11). Shiloh is a Hebrew contraction of three words and means something like “Him Whose It Is.” To Shiloh is the Kingdom promised in Isaiah 9.6, 7, the Kingdom which will be given to the Servant, and which will stretch out to embrace the nations of the world.

All that if we would just keep the Lord’s Day?

We have His Word on it.

Prepare.
1. Summarize these three Sabbath promises in your own words. Do you desire these?

2. How complete are the two “turnings” you must make to enjoy these Lord’s Day promises?

3. How can Christians help one another realize more of the promises God attaches to keeping His holy day?

And [here is] the confirmation of what he has just said: “For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.” The One who has made the promise does not lie, he says; he will undoubtedly grant you to take part in his beneficence, and you will enjoy the providence accorded to your ancestors. Theodoret of Cyr (393-466 AD), Commentary on Isaiah 18.58.14

Lord, set my heart to keep Your holy day according to Your will, so that…

Pray Psalm 96.

As you pray, contemplate the beauty of the Lord’s holiness and the greatness of His salvation. Give Him abundant praise and thanks.

Sing to the Lord.
Psalm 96 (Mit Freuden Zart: All Praise to God, Who Reigns Above)
Sing to the Lord! O, bless His Name! All nations tell His glory! 
Salvation’s tidings loud proclaim; let earth rehearse His story! 
For God is greatly to be praised; His throne above all gods is raised – 
Fear Him, and sing His glory! 

All other gods are idols vain – the Lord created heaven.
Splendor and strength with Him obtain; to Him be glory given! 
All fam’lies, praise this mighty Lord! Give strength and glory to His Word; 
Exalt the Lord of heaven. 

Bring off’rings sweet to Him, our Lord, in holy garments praise Him! 
Tremble before Him, all the earth; among the nations raise Him! 
The earth is fixed, it will not move; the peoples will His justice prove – 
Exalt the Lord and praise Him. 

Let heaven sing with lusty voice; let earth and sea sing sweetly! 
Let fields and trees in Him rejoice, for He is coming swiftly 
to judge the world in righteousness, the peoples in His faithfulness – 
He comes; exalt Him greatly!

T. M. Moore

Where do the prophets fit with the rest of Scripture? How can I be a better student of God’s Word? Our course, Introduction to Biblical Theology, can help you gain a better approach to and understanding of the Scriptures. Watch this brief preview video, then register at The Ailbe Seminary and enroll in this free online course.

Forward today’s lesson to some friends, and challenge them to study with you through this series on Isaiah. Each week’s lessons will be available as a free PDF download at the end of the week. Get a copy for yourself and send the link for the download to your friends. Plan to meet weekly to study Isaiah’s important message.


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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006).All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
Books by T. M. Moore

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