Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart: http://sothrichfield.podbean.com/
Exodus 20:8-11 (NIV)
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
The kings of Israel were unrelentingly and constantly busy being wicked. One of their kings went as far as sacrificing his own son (see 2 Kings 16:3)! They believed that if they did the right thing and said the right words they would get whatever they wanted. When God did not act as their cosmic vending machine they tried out other gods. But as they abandoned God they also abandoned the goodness, righteousness, and love that comes from God. Eventually, God intervened and gave the land Sabbath rest from them! If we do not “rest” or cease from our sins they will eventually destroy us, too. Holding grudges, never forgiving and always demanding our own way drives people away and destroys relationships. Or the high of constantly pursuing pleasure wears off so we pursue more pleasure. Whatever it is the question becomes: are we resting in God’s forgiveness, grace and loving provision that comes freely or are we unrelentingly pursuing what we don’t really need which will eventually lead to our demise?