Work Six Days and Rest on the Seventh

The commandment of YHWH specifically tells the children of Yisrael that they are to work six days.

Shemoth (Exodus) 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart.  “Six days you labour, and shall do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath¹ of יהוה your Elohim. You do not do any work – you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. Footnote: ¹There are other Sabbaths, but this is the weekly Sabbath. “For in six days יהוה made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore יהוה blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart.

This part of the commandment eliminates observance of any other Sabbath established by man. For example, an individual cannot observe the Sabbath on the seventh day as well as the Christian day of rest on Sunday, the first day of the week. There is no distinction between the seventh day and the first day in this situation. All Yisrael is to work the first six days and rests on the seventh day.

Bereshith (Genesis) 2:2-3  And on the seventh day Elohim completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And Elohim blessed the seventh day and set it apart, because on it He rested from all His work which Elohim in creating had made.

Work is to be done on the first day of the week and is to be treated the same way as the rest of the week except for Shabbat. Elohim completed all of His work in the first six days. Yisrael is to follow His example and complete their work in the first six days. The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible defines the root word for ‘complete’ as used in Bereshith 2:2-3 as:

1242) Lk% (Lk% KL) ac: Complete co: Vessel ab: Whole: The pictograph k is a picture of the bent palm representing the bending or subduing of the will, the l is a picture of a shepherd staff or yoke. Combined these mean "tame for the yoke". An animal or land that is tamed has been worked and is complete and ready for use. Taming include; construction of holding pens, putting the soil to the plow, harvesting of crops, milk or meat. One eats once the harvest is complete. (eng: whole; cell; cellar)

The specific Hebrew word is Strong’s #3615 and it is defined by the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible as:

H) Elk% (Elk% KLH) ac: Complete co: ? ab: ?

V) Elk% (Elk% K-LH) - Complete: To bring something to its completion. [freq. 206] (vf: Paal, Pual, Piel) |kjv: consume, end, finish, fail, accomplish, done, spend, determine, away, fulfill, faint, destroy, left, waste| {str: 3615}

N^m) Elk% (Elk% K-LH) - Failing: Something that is incomplete. [freq. 1] |kjv: fail| {str: 3616}

h^f1) Elkm% (Elkm% MK-LH) - Completion: [freq. 1] |kjv: perfect| {str: 4357}

When something is completed such as a project, test, or task, there is a sense of relief. Our project is done and now we can take a sigh of relief and relax for a time. This is the sensation we are designed to experience on Shabbat. Nothing is hanging over our heads, needing attention. The Hebrew word translated as ‘labour’ is defined by the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible as: (Strong’s #5647)

2518) Dbo% (Dbo% AhBD) ac: Serve co: Servant ab: Service: A work performed or made for another out of obligation, requirement or gratitude. (eng: obey)

V) Dbo% (Dbo% Ah-BD) - I. Serve: To provide a service to another or to work at a profession. [Hebrew and Aramaic] II. Do: [Aramaic only] [freq. 318] (vf: Paal, Niphal, Hiphil, Hophal, Pual) |kjv: serve, do, till, servant, work, worshipper, service, dress, labour, ear, make, go, keep, move, wrought| {str: 5647, 5648}

N^m) Dbo% (Dbo% Ah-BD) - Servant: [freq. 808] |kjv: servant, manservant, bondman, bondage, bondservant, sides| {str: 5649, 5650, 5652}

N^f3) Tfdbo% (Tfdbo% AhB-DWT) - Servitude: A forced service. [freq. 3] |kjv: bondage| {str: 5659}

a^m) Dbom% (Dbom% MAh-BD) - Service: [Hebrew and Aramaic] [freq. 2] |kjv: work| {str: 4566, 4567}

b^f1) Edibo% (Edibo% Ah-BY-DH) - Service: [Aramaic only]  [freq. 6] |kjv: work, affair, service| {str: 5673}

c^f1) Edfbo% (Edfbo% Ah-BW-DH) - Service:  [freq. 141] |kjv: service, servile, work, bondage, act, serve, servitude, tillage, effect, labour| {str: 5656}

d^f1) Edfbo% (Edfbo% Ah-BW-DH) - Servant:  [freq. 2] |kjv: servant, household| {str: 5657}

For six days, Yisrael is to provide service to another or work at a profession and on the seventh day, they are not to provide service to another or to work at a profession. The Hebrew word translated as ‘work’ is different and is defined by the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible as: (Strong’s #4399)

1264) Kl% (Kl% LK) ac: Walk co: Message ab: ?: The pictograph l is a picture of shepherd staff, the k is a picture of the palm of the hand. Combined these mean "staff in the palm". A nomad traveled on foot with a staff in his hand to provide support in walking as well as a weapon to defend against predators or thiefs. (eng: walk - with an added w)

D) Kal% (Kal% LAK) ac: Walk co: Messenger ab: ?: One who walks for another.

a^m) Kalm% (Kalm% ML-AK) - Messenger: [Hebrew and Aramaic] [freq. 216] |kjv: angel, messenger, ambassador| {str: 4397, 4398}

a^f3) Tfkalm% (Tfkalm% ML-A-KWT) - Message: [freq. 1] |kjv: message| {str: 4400}

k^f1) Ekalm% (Ekalm% M-LA-KH) - Work: As a message through action. [freq. 167] |kjv: work, business, workmanship, goods, cattle, stuff, thing| {str: 4399}

On Shabbat, Yisrael does not need their staff to support them in their walking and they do not need their staff for protection. This becomes more significant as we examine the ‘rest’ of YHWH Elohim promised to His people. The actual word is translated as ‘work: as a message through action.” We can honor Shabbat with our lips. It is easy to let words flow from the mouth but what about our actions? What do they tell our Creator? Yehudah (Judah) was allowed to go back to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) after being in Babylon for a time, but they were trampling on Shabbat.

Nehemiah 13:15-21  In those days I saw in Yehudah those treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, and figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Yerushalayim on the Sabbath day. So I warned them on the day they sold food. And men of Tsor dwelt there, bringing in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Yehudah, and in Yerushalayim. Then I contended with the nobles of Yehudah, and said to them, “What evil matter is this that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?  “Did not your fathers do the same so that our Elohim brought all this evil on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Yisra’ĕl by profaning the Sabbath.” And it came to be, at the gates of Yerushalayim, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day. And the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares spent the night outside Yerushalayim once or twice, and I warned them, and said to them, “Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I lay hands on you!” From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath.

The Hebrew word for ‘burden’ is defined by the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible as: (Strong’s #4853)

1314) Xn% (Xn% NS) ac: Lift co: Standard ab: Refuge: The pictograph n is a picture of a seed representing continuance, the x is a picture of a thorn representing the idea of grabbing hold. Combined these mean "continue to grab hold". The tribal flag that is hung from a horizontal pole and lifted up high and seen from a distance.

E) Axn% (Axn% NSA) ac: Lift co: Burden ab: ?

V) Axn% (Axn% N-SA) - Lift: To lift up a burden or load and carry it. [Hebrew and Aramaic] [df: aVn] [freq. 659] (vf: Paal, Niphal, Hiphil, Hitpael, Piel) |kjv: bear, take, bare, carry, borne, amourbearer, forgive, accept, exalt, regard, obtain, respect| {str: 4984, 5375, 5376}

N^f2) Taxn% (Taxn% NS-AT) - Gift: [df: taVn] [freq. 1] |kjv: gift| {str: 5379}

a^m) Axnm% (Axnm% MN-SA) - Burden: [df: aVm] [freq. 66] |kjv: burden, son, prophecy, set, exaction, carry, tribute| {str: 4853}

a^f1) Eaxnm% (Eaxnm% MN-S-AH) - Burden: [df: haVm] [freq. 1] |kjv: burden| {str: 4858}

a^f2) Taxnm% (Taxnm% MN-S-AT) - I. Burden: [df: taVm] II. Cloud: A cloud of smoke as lifted up from the fire. [df: taVm] [freq. 15] |kjv: burden, mess, collection, flame, gift, oblation, reward, sign, lift| {str: 4864}

b^m) Aixn% (Aixn% N-SYA) - Chief: The leader of a family, tribe or people as one who carries the burdens of the people. [df: ayVn aVn] [freq. 132] |kjv: prince, captain, chief, ruler, vapour, governor, cloud| {str: 5387}

d^f1) Eafxn% (Eafxn% N-SW-AH) - Wagon: A vehicle for carrying burdens. [df: hawVn haVn] [freq. 1] |kjv: carriage| {str: 5385}

ac^m) Afxnm% (Afxnm% MN-SWA) - Respect: In the sense of lifting one up. [df: aVm] [freq. 1] |kjv: respect| {str: 4856}

Burdens or loads we carry physically or mentally can weigh heavily upon us. They are our responsibilities to be completed in the first six days. On the seventh day, we do not carry any burdens… we complete our responsibilities to ourselves and others. When a merchant is selling products on the seventh day, they are working. The commandment to observe Shabbat, states that even the strangers within the gates of Yisrael are to observe the Shabbat on the seventh day. Even if we are not working and we purchase a product on Shabbat, we are encouraging merchants to do business on Shabbat… we are encouraging them to trample on Shabbat.

 Most of us do not live in the land of Israel today so we cannot close our gates on the merchants as Nehemiah did in his time. But if we were living in the land of Israel under the authority of Messiah Yeshua, would those merchants be selling their products on Shabbat? Would the local movie theatre be open for business or would restaurants be serving food? Would you be able to purchase gas for your car? We would have to prepare for Shabbat by collecting all the food we need at the grocery store before Shabbat. We would have to fill our gas tanks before Shabbat if we are going to need our car to attend Shabbat services. If we practice the events of Shabbat even though we are not living in the land today, YHWH will see our actions and see our desire to live in the land of promise under the authority of Messiah Yeshua. The confession of our mouths and hearts will coincide with the actions we do on Shabbat which is to rest. The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible defines the Hebrew word for ‘rest’ as: (Strong’s #5117)

1307) Hn% (Hn% NHh) ac: Guide co: Rest ab: ?: The pictograph n is a picture of a seed representing continuance, the h is a picture of a wall that separates the inside from the outside. Combined these mean "continue outside". The shepherd would guide his flock to a place of water. Here is water for drinking as well as green grass for pasturing. Once the flock arrives, they are free to rest after the long journey. A guided journey to a place of rest. A sigh of rest. (eng: night - from the German nocht, as the time of rest)

A) Hn% (Hn% NHh) ac: ? co: Rest ab: ?

N^f2) Thn% (Thn% N-HhT) - Rest: [freq. 8] |kjv: rest, set, quietness, lighting| {str: 5183}

h^f1) Ehnm% (Ehnm% MN-HhH) - Gift: What is brought to another. [Hebrew and Aramaic] [freq. 213] |kjv: offering, present, gift, oblation, sacrifice, meat| {str: 4503, 4504}

C) Hna% (Hna% ANHh) ac: Sigh co: ? ab: ?: A sigh of rest.

V) Hna% (Hna% A-NHh) - Sigh: To sigh or groan out of a desire for rest. [freq. 12] (vf: Niphal) |kjv: sigh, groan, mourn| {str: 584}

N^m) na% (Hna% A-NHh) - I: In the sense of sighing or breathing. [Aramaic only; The plural form of this word meaning, we, is anhnaor anhna] [df: ana hna] [freq. 20] |kjv: I, me, we| {str: 576, 586}

N^f1) Ehna% (Ehna% AN-HhH) - Groan: The expression of burden and the desire for rest. [freq. 11] |kjv: sighing, groaning, sigh, mourning| {str: 585}

f^m) Ihna% (Ihna% AN-HhY) - I: In the sense of sighing or breathing. [The plural form of this word meaning, we, is fnhna, fnhn and fna] [df: ykna yna] [freq. 29] |kjv: I, me, we, ourselves, mine| {str: 580, 587, 589, 595, 5168}

F) Hne% (Hne% HNHh) ac: ? co: Rest ab: ?

N^f1) Ehne% (Ehne% HN-HhH) - Rest: [freq. 1] |kjv: release| {str: 2010}

H) Ehn% (Ehn% NHhH) ac: Guide co: ? ab: ?

V) Ehn% (Ehn% N-HhH) - Guide: [freq. 39] (vf: Paal, Hiphil) |kjv: lead, guide, bestow, govern, put, straiten| {str: 5148}

J) Hfn% (Hfn% NWHh) ac: Rest co: Rest ab: ?: A place of quiet and rest from burdens, work or enemy.

V) Hfn% (Hfn% NWHh) - Rest: [freq. 64] (vf: Paal) |kjv: rest, cease, confederate, down, lay, quiet, remain| {str: 5117}

N^m) Hfn% (Hfn% NWHh) - Rest: [freq. 4] |kjv: rest| {str: 5118}

a^m) Hfnm% (Hfnm% M-NWHh) - Rest: [freq. 7] |kjv: rest| {str: 4494}

k^f1) Ehfnm% (Ehfnm% M-NW-HhH) - Rest:  [freq. 21] |kjv: rest, comfortable, ease, quiet, still| {str: 4496}

L) Hni% (Hni% YNHh) ac: Sit co: Rest ab: ?

V) Hni% (Hni% Y-NHh) - Sit: [freq. 75] (vf: Paal, Hiphil, Hophal) |kjv: leave, up, lay, suffer, place, put, set, down, alone, bestow, pacify, still, withdraw, withhold| {str: 3240}

Shabbat is a quiet day to rest from our burdens and responsibilities. It is a day to rest from our work and our enemies. The same Hebrew word translated as ‘rest’ is used in the following passage:

Debarim (Deuteronomy) 12:8-10 “Do not do as we are doing here today – each one doing whatever is right in his own eyes¹. Footnote: ¹See Jud. 17:6 & 21:25.  “Because you have not yet entered the rest and the inheritance which יהוה your Elohim is giving you.  “But you shall pass over the Yardĕn, and shall dwell in the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you to inherit, and He shall give you rest from all your enemies round about, and you shall dwell in safety.

Israel is to inherit the Promised Land where they will be given rest from their enemies and shall dwell in safety. They would have to “pass over” the Yarden (Jordan) river to inherit this land. The word ‘Hebrew’ means “one who has crossed over to the other side.” The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible defines the Hebrew word for ‘pass over’ in this verse as:

2520) Rbo% (Rbo% AhBR) ac: Cross co: ? ab: ?: The crossing over or passing through a land or water to gain access to the side beyond. [from: rb - filling a land] (eng: over; ford - with the exchange of the f and b; ferry)

V) Rbo% (Rbo% Ah-BR) - Cross: To cross over a river or cross through a land. [Hebrew and Aramaic] [freq. 573] (vf: Paal, Niphal, Hiphil, Hitpael, Piel, Participle) |kjv: over, pass, through, go, away| {str: 5674, 5675}

N^m) Rbo% (Rbo% Ah-BR) - I. Side: As being across from the other side. II. Beyond: Across the other side. [Hebrew and Aramaic] [freq. 91] |kjv: over, pass, through, go, away| {str: 5676}

The word ‘Hebrew’ is Strong’s #5680.

H5680 עברי ‛ibrı̂y   ib-ree'  Patronymic from H5677; an Eberite (that is, Hebrew) or descendant of Eber: - Hebrew (-ess, woman).

The root of the word ‘Hebrew’ is Strong’s #5677.

H5677 עבר ‛êber  ay'-ber  The same as H5676; Eber, the name of two patriarchs and four Israelites: - Eber, Heber.

The root of the word ‘eber’ is Strong’s #5676, the same word used in the passage in Debarim (Deuteronomy) 12:8-10.

H5676 עבר ‛êber  ay'-ber  From H5674; properly a region across; but used only adverbially (with or without a preposition) on the opposite side (especially of the Jordan; usually meaning the east): -  X against, beyond, by, X from, over, passage, quarter, (other, this) side, straight.

A Hebrew is one who has crossed over to the other side.” They will cross over the Yarden to inherit the land of promise and will be given rest from their enemies. The actual word ‘Shabbat’ is related to the Hebrew word for ‘repentance.’

1462) Bs% (Bs% ShB) ac: Turn co: Seat ab: ?: The pictograph s is a picture of the two front teeth representing pressing, the b is a picture of tent. Combined these mean "Press to the tent". A place of dwelling as the place returned to. A turning back or away from someone or something. A captive is one turned away from a place of dwelling. (eng: shove)

The letter ‘taw’ in the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible is defined as:

“Taw: The Ancient picture t is a type of "mark", probably of two sticks crossed to mark a place similar to the Egyptian hieroglyph of two crossed sticks. This letter has the meanings of mark, sign or signature.”

Shabbat is the sign of return. Hebrew people cross over from a life of sin to a life of obedience. The first sign of repentance is observance of the Shabbat on the seventh day. It is an action of entering into His rest. Observance of Shabbat is specifically mentioned in the following passage.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 56:6  “Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to יהוה, to serve Him, and to love the Name of יהוה, to be His servants, all who guard the Sabbath, and not profane it, and hold fast to My covenant –

The sons of a foreigner who join themselves to YHWH will guard Shabbat and not profane it. They have crossed over into the house of Yisrael and bear the sign of the covenant… a sign of repentance… a return to YHWH. They will enter His rest unlike the people discussed in the book of Hebrews.

Hebrews 3:7-4:11 Therefore, as the Set-apart Spirit says, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tried Me, proved Me, and saw My works forty years.  “Therefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’  “As I swore in My wrath, ‘If they shall enter into My rest...’ ”¹ Footnote: ¹Ps. 95:7-11. Look out, brothers, lest there be in any of you a wicked heart of unbelief in falling away from the living Elohim, but encourage one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened by the deceivableness of sin. For we have become partakers of Messiah if we hold fast the beginning of our trust firm to the end, while it is said, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” For who, having heard, rebelled? Was it not all who came out of Mitsrayim, led by Mosheh? And with whom was He grieved forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter into His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they were unable to enter in because of unbelief. Therefore, since a promise remains of entering into His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the Good News was brought to us as well as to them, but the word which they heard did not profit them, not having been mixed with belief in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter into that rest, as He has said, “As I swore in My wrath, if they shall enter into My rest...” And yet His works have come into being from the foundation of the world. For somewhere He has said thus about the seventh day, “And Elohim rested on the seventh day from all His works,” and in this again, “If they shall enter into My rest...” Since then it remains for some to enter into it, and those who formerly received the Good News did not enter in because of disobedience,¹ Footnote: ¹See 3:18. He again defines a certain day, “Today,” saying through Dawiḏ so much later, as it has been said, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Yehoshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. So there remains a Sabbath-keeping for the people of Elohim. For the one, having entered into His rest, has himself also rested from his works, as Elohim rested from His own. Let us therefore do our utmost to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.¹ Footnote: ¹See 3:18.

This particular incident is discussed in the following passage:

Bemidbar (Numbers) 14:1-24  Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Yisra’ĕl grumbled against Mosheh and against Aharon, and all the congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Mitsrayim! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!  “And why is יהוה bringing us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become a prey? Would it not be better for us to turn back to Mitsrayim?” And they said to each other, “Let us appoint a leader, and let us turn back to Mitsrayim.” Then Mosheh and Aharon fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl. And Yehoshua son of Nun, and Kalĕḇ son of Yephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their garments, and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land.  “If יהוה has delighted in us, then He shall bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which is flowing with milk and honey.’  “Only, do not rebel against יהוה, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread. Their defence has turned away from them, and יהוה is with us. Do not fear them.” But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the esteem of יהוה appeared in the Tent of Meeting before all the children of Yisra’ĕl. And יהוה said to Mosheh, “How long shall I be scorned by these people? And how long shall I not be trusted by them, with all the signs which I have done in their midst?  “Let Me smite them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.” And Mosheh said to יהוה, “Then the Mitsrites shall hear it, for by Your power You brought these people up from their midst, and they shall say to the inhabitants of this land they have heard that You, יהוה, are in the midst of these people, that You, יהוה, are seen eye to eye and that Your cloud stands above them, and You go before them in a column of cloud by day and in a column of fire by night.  “Now if You shall kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of Your report shall speak, saying,  ‘Because יהוה was not able to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He killed them in the wilderness.’  “And now, I pray, let the power of יהוה be great, as You have spoken, saying,  ‘יהוה is patient and of great kindness, forgiving crookedness and transgression, but by no means leaving unpunished¹; visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.’ Footnote: ¹This is confirmed in Ex. 34:7 and in Jer. 30:11.  “Please forgive the crookedness of this people, according to the greatness of Your kindness, as You have forgiven this people, from Mitsrayim even until now.” And יהוה said, “I shall forgive, according to your word, but truly, as I live and all the earth is filled with the esteem of יהוה, for none of these men who have seen My esteem and the signs which I did in Mitsrayim and in the wilderness, and have tried Me now these ten times, and have disobeyed My voice, shall see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor any of those who scorned Me see it. “But My servant Kalĕḇ, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me completely, I shall bring into the land where he went, and his seed shall inherit it.

They disobeyed the voice of YHWH and He would not allow them to enter into the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey. The ‘rest of YHWH’ will be accomplished when the children of Yisrael inherit the land of promise forever and are living in true peace and safety. The work of YHWH will be complete at the end of 6000 years and then there will be a ‘rest’ for 1000 years for those who complete their work in six days and ‘rest’ on the seventh day as our Creator commands in His Torah. They desire to enter the ‘rest’ of YHWH and rehearse it every week. It is an everlasting covenant between YHWH and the children of Yisrael.

Exodus 31:16-17  ‘And the children of Yisra’ĕl shall guard the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant.  ‘Between Me and the children of Yisra’ĕl it is a sign forever. For in six days יהוה made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’ ”

Shaul (Paul) says the Shabbat of YHWH is “a shadow of good things come” in the following passage:

Colossians 2:16-17 Let no one therefore judge you in eating or in drinking, or in respect of a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths – which are a shadow of what is to come – but the Body of the Messiah.

Let us cease from our labors on Shabbat and enter the “rest” of YHWH Elohim… a mere shadow of what is to come.