Are There Verses on Resting in the Bible?
What do Bible verses say about resting? The concept of rest is so important that God made it a law to observe the Sabbath.
A Day of Rest
We need rest. Rest gives us perspective. It allows us to see the true issues and problems caused by physical and mental exhaustion.
Since my job is writing and creating, I can take my laptop anywhere and work 24/7 if I want (and sometimes I do!). But if I’m not setting boundaries on my work hours, I may never get a day off, and suddenly this hobby-turned-business becomes more of a chore than a passion and calling. I’m not helping anyone if my writing is tired and sloppy.
God knew that we required rest. Not just for our bodies, but for our minds.
The very first story in the Bible talks about our need for rest.
“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” Genesis 2:2-3
In Exodus, a day of rest was required by God’s law in order to refocus the Israelites on what was most important—living for God. This day was called “The Sabbath”.
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God…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.” Exodus 20:8-11
“You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.” Exodus 31:13
Sabbath Years
Another Sabbath tradition was implementing Sabbath years.
Moses was instructed by God to give these instructions about commemorating a Sabbath Year.
“When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord. For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest. Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you.” Leviticus 25:1-6
A FESTIVAL OF REST
In addition to the original Saturday and Yearly Sabbaths, the book of Leviticus includes festivals as special times of rest so that the people could atone for their sins or present food offerings as thanks to God. Check out these Bible verses on resting:
1. The Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread
“On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. For seven days present a food offering to the Lord. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.” Leviticus 23:7-8
2. The Festival of Weeks
“On that same day, you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.” Leviticus 23:21
3. The Festival of Trumpets
“On the first day of the seventh month, you are to have a day of sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present a food offering to the Lord.” Leviticus 23:24-25
4. The Day of Atonement
“Do not do any work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the Lord your God…It is a day of sabbath rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening, you are to observe your sabbath.” Leviticus 23:28,32
5. The Festival of Tabernacles
“On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord’s Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. For seven days present food offerings to the Lord, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the Lord. It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work…After you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days; the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest.” Leviticus 23:34-36,39
Punishment for Violating the Sabbath
The Sabbath Law was so important, that God punished his people when they didn’t keep it regularly. Prophets warned of God’s anger and judgment on those who ignored it.
“But if you do not obey me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.” Jeremiah 17:27
If this seems a little harsh, you’re not alone. I mean, Jeremiah predicts (and it comes true!) that Jerusalem will be destroyed in a fire from their enemies. So why does God make such a big deal over celebrating the Sabbath? Is he really this angry that we’re not taking weekend naps?
The point of the Sabbath isn’t just about resting your body, it’s about resting your mind and centering your focus back on spiritual growth, worship and transformation through God your father.
The prophet Ezekiel goes onto explain that the Sabbath was meant to keep God’s people grounded in him. Because they refused, their disobedience went beyond forgetting the Sabbath—they forgot their God.
“I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I, the Lord, made them holy. Yet the people of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws–by which the person who obeys them will live–and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths.” Ezekiel 20:12-13
What Jesus Had to Say About the Sabbath
The Sabbath is a commandment for our benefit. Jesus himself says that God created the Sabbath for us:
“Then he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.'” Mark 2:27
However, the Gospels are riddled with stories of Jesus ”violating” the Sabbath. So what does that mean?
“If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.‘” Matthew 12:10-12
“‘You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman…be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?‘ When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.” Luke 13:14-17
Let’s go back to the point of the Sabbath. If the point is to remember and honor God, then wasn’t that what Jesus was doing? The problem wasn’t that the Israelites were helping too much on the Sabbath that they were ignoring God’s law to rest, but that they were spending that time sinning–worshipping idols, being drunkards, etc.
The Pharisees in this passage are angry because they miss the point—God is about heart and motive, not about black and white rules. Jesus is also saying that he isn’t trying to disprove God—he’s enforcing the true nature of the law.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17
A Modern Practice of the Sabbath
It seems that if the point of the Sabbath is to constantly reassess and refocus our actions on the path God wants us to walk, then Jesus, in his perfection, didn’t need any redirecting, therefore, he never needed to stop ”working”. But we, as imperfect humans (sinners), need this weekly reminder as a discipline to true spiritual growth.
So how can we acknowledge the Sabbath today in our modern world?
Here are some ways to make the most of your Sabbath practice using even more Bible verses on rest:
1. Focus on praises and prayer
Following the example of David, make a practice of praise and prayer time during your weekly Sabbath.
A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day. “It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts!” Psalm 92:1-5
2. Listen to teaching
If you expect growth, then expect that you don’t have all the answers. Be open to being a lifelong learner. The easiest way to do this is to plug in with your local church community.
“For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.” Acts 15:21
“Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue as was his custom.” Luke 4:14-16
3. Set aside time to actually rest
Even God rested on the 7th day. Carve out some intentional time to rest. Lay down, stop working so that you can relax your mind.
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:9-11
4. Find a way to refuel and refocus for the upcoming week
A great way to have some quiet reflection time is by getting out into nature. I’ve benefited from this since I was a child, but if you want to take it a step further beyond walking outside, I’ve created a Self-Care Workbook to discover even more ways to rest.
Get creative with how you can implement these practices: You could even celebrate a Sabbath Festival Day for your family or brainstorm what a Sabbath Year would look like in your life!
You Might Also Like…
Before you go, check out more posts on what the Bible says:
- What the Bible Says About the Power of Mindset
- How to Create Your Own Prayer Walk Using the Psalms
- How to Slow Down and Be More Present in Your Day
Have a restful day!
