John Steward of Jesus
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Sabbath

(3-08-04)
Don't be afraid to jump into this pool of water. It's been a favorite
place, probably going back to the earliest history of swimming.

I have never been much of a swimmer. On my first attempt I developed a fear of water. I'll tell you the story sometime if you really want to listen, and we have the time. Over the years I have overcome it enough to get along and not fear falling into water. I can swim across all the swimming pools I know of, probably several times across most. But I'd never win any awards or attract attention from spectators, at least not favorable attention. But I get by. If the purpose of being able to swim is to survive in water, I do o.k. If the purpose is to meet the written standards, win red ribbons, or swim for miles, I'm out.

If the purpose of swimming in this pool is to determine what the Old
Testament written code required, the answer which has seemed most consistent to me is that it was from sunset to sunset marking the seventh day, which to the best of my understanding was and is what some people (including me) generally call Saturday.

If the purpose of sabbath keeping was to free people from the monotony and compulsive addiction or enslavement to the relentless repetition of sleep, eat, and work, as has sadly been the record of much of human history, then I have no concern regarding the time of day or the day of the week when deliberate celebration of this freedom occurs. The ideal is perhaps the continuous or eternal day of rest in which one never feels enslaved or under compulsion, but finds joy and energy from moment to moment in the willing service of his liberating Lord. If this spirit of continuous rest is not present, it may be well to periodically or regularly commit to the discipline of a specified time when well defined limits are kept on "work" activity.

This is quite informal and wouldn't contribute much to the books of rules and regulations for swimming. But, as I said, I'm not much of a swimmer. Up to now, I'm satisfied with my feeling of survival. But I'm open to learning about dangerous waters I'm not aware of. Or even marvelously therapeutic pools of mineral water in places I haven't heard of.

John

(3-10-04)
Now that we're in the pool we may as well stay for a good swim.

Leviticus 25:1-5
The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: '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 sabbath of 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."

What is the number of year 2004 in the seven-year sequence?

I haven't heard of many farmers observing the sabbath year. Why is the sabbath day taken more seriously than the sabbath year?

John

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