Olam Habah is a Hebrew phrase that is employed to speak of the time when Messiah obliterates all evil, liberates Israel from oppression, and reigns as King over all the world. This has been a long standing Jewish belief, which, no doubt, Christians share as well. Despite the fact that the “last days” were inaugurated at Jesus’ first coming, we still wait in anticipation of the full manifest Kingdom of Messiah, which is olam habah. May it come soon!
In the meantime, God has given mankind a very specific something that not only foreshadows this world that is to come, but also allows us to experience it in the here-and-now. This something is the Sabbath.
And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. [Genesis 2.2-3]
and,
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. [Hebrews 4.8-11]
The Sabbath [as God intended] is a weekly picture and potential experience of olam habah. With this in mind, Jesus’ statement “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath” makes more sense, huh? In other words, Jesus is King of the Kingdom [olam habah]. Simply put, the Sabbath was designed in the fabric of the universe to testify to the fact that YHWH is King. So those who rest as God did on the Sabbath, literally witness to this reality. Not to mention the fact that the Sabbath was made for man, and it is refreshing to the soul [cf. Mark 2.27].
Consider this – God spent six days creating. Creating what? A place for man to dwell, with the intention of dwelling with him [earth; cf. Genesis 3.8]. The seventh day God said his work was complete, so he blessed that day and made it holy. Given this “pattern,” if you will, the progressive work and revelation of God’s redemptive history perfectly fits this mold. What has God been in the business of doing ever since mankind sinned in the Garden? Creating the same thing he did in the beginning; a place where he can dwell with his people [cf. Revelation 21.3]. When this work is complete, the real rest will be ushered in – his Kingdom [cf. Hebrews 4].
On top of these things, consider also this observation:
There is no biblical indication that [the blessing God pronounced upon the Sabbath in creation] has ever been or will ever be revoked. God initiated and blessed the Sabbath in the garden of Eden before the fall of man, and it is a part of the perfect creation that God saw and called “good.” Like heaven and earth, it exists independently of any covenant between God and mankind. It makes sense that after the fall, God would seek to restore this gift that he had “made for man” as a part of of the plan of redemption. [1]
Does the consistency of the Scripture seen [a bit] here seem logical? Also, does it not seem strange [or illogical] that the fifth commandment [in the Ten] is the only one that is typically considered as meaning something contrary to what it says explicitly?! Perhaps some good, hard, and honest reflection can take place upon this matter.
Let’s not live below our calling; below our privilege.
[1] Eby, Aaron. Boundary Stones (Marshfield, MO: FFOZ, 2008), 74.
