Some thoughts on the Biblical Shabbat - Sabbath

Some thoughts on the Biblical Shabbat - Sabbath (something I wrote a while ago)

In ancient Jewish eschatology, it was believed that time was a seven thousand year period, starting with the creation of the Heavens and the Earth in Genesis 1 and ending with the Messianic Kingdom in years 6000 - 7000 (Revelation 21). Time was divided into three stages of 2000 years: Years 1-2000 (after the fall) called Tohu or desolation, years 2000-4000 called Torah, or instruction (after the giving of the law), and years 4000-6000 called Y'mot Mashiach, or days of the Messiah (starting with the Messiah's birth in the 4000th year). We are currently in this time period. In the 6000th year the Messianic Kingdom is thought to begin until year 7000, when the Olam Haba or eternity will begin. Ancient Rabbis saw the 7 days of a week as a pattern of the seven thousand year plan of G-d. They believed that the Sabbath was a picture of the Messianic Kingdom, which we refer to as the Millennium.

Y'mot Tohu - (days of desolation, after the Fall)
Y'mot Torah (days of instruction, after the giving of the Torah)
Y'mot Mashiach (days of Messiah, starting with His birth in the 4,000th year)
Olam Haba or Shabbat days, or millenium kingdom. (Which Ezekiel 45 and others speak of it, and the Messianic Temple functions)
Athid LaVo ("Future Coming") - The "8th" day, (which Rev 21.1 speaks of it, where the New Jerusalem comes down.)

Is Olam Haba the world to come? Yes, we have no entered to it yet. Is to come. The Shabbat is a picture given to us by G-d which is a shadow of things to come (Colossians 2:16-17). The Shabbat is a picture of a future time.

The Shabbat is likened to the Olam HaBa ( world to come, eg: Kingdom of Messiah), a time when we shall be able to fully appreciate HaShem's gift of life to us. On Shabbat, by resting we are compelled to sit back and look at all that HaShem does to keep us going, and if we don't do that, then we deny both the opportunity of Shabbat and HaShem's goodness toward us. Hence, the Sages say that, as much as Shabbat is like the Olam HaBa (and it is), one-sixtieth of it, still, the experience is so minimal that it is as if it is not there at all? In other words, even if Shabbat is the most wonderful experience, still, the Olam HaBa will become infinitely better. This is why Hebrews 4:9 says "There remaineth therefore the keeping of the Sabbath to the people of G-d."

Shalom; Karl
www.cmy.on.ca