{Word Study} Rest “Shabbat”

WORD STUDY – REST (SHABBAT)
Exodus 16:30: “So the people rested on the seventh day.”
Rest – Hebrew: shabat – rest, to cease, be still, to interrupt,
The word “rest” in this passage is “vayishevethu.”  From the root word “shabat” which means to rest and to cease.   We learn in Genesis 2:2 that God “rested” on the seventh day.  I mean all that creating into being must have worn poor God out, surly God needed a rest, I know I would have.  The English rendering for the word “shabat” as “rest” can be a little misleading.  It is not to rest to regain your strength, it is to “cease” from your activity or to interrupt your normal activity to accomplish something.  What are you to accomplish on the Sabbath?   Used here in Exodus you have a sort of play the word “yashev” which means to dwell, or sit down.  Shabot has a numerical value of 702.  The word “macoreth” also has a numerical value of 702 and means to “to bond.”   This time of “resting” is meant to bond with God.  You don’t bond with God by worrying or fretting over the pressures and problems of the past week. You bond with God by wondering through the Alphabet.
The word shabat is spelled “Shin, Beth, and Taw.”  In Hebrew every word is built upon a three letter root word.  Some words are interrelated when they share the same first two letters.  In this case the first two letters of Shabat are Shin, Beth.  All the other words that start with Shin and Beth will in some way related to the Shin Beth Taw or rest. There are twelve other words in Hebrew that begin with Shin Beth.   In other words we are to take one day a week and rest or cease from our normal activity to do twelve things.  When you celebrate the Sabbath next Sunday or Saturday or whichever day you celebrate the Sabbath, remember the twelve other Shin Beth words which tell you what you are to do or what God wishes to accomplish on this seventh day that you cease from your normal activity. It is sort of God’s version of the “Alphabet Love Song (A You’re Adorable).”
Shin Beth – Aleph – Shava’: God’s passion.  The first letter of the alphabet is Aleph and represents God. Shin Beth Aleph refers to God’s passionate love.  The first thing you are to do this on day of rest is to just sit back and let God love on you, enjoy and His passionate love.
Shin Beth – Beth – Shavav:  Kindle a fire.  The next thing you do on the Sabbath is Shavav which is to allow God’s passionate love to kindle a fire of love and affection for Him in return.
Shin Beth – Hei – Shavah: To take as captive, to be taken away as a bride.  When you and God love on each other he will take you as his personal captive, take you away as a bride to His bridal chamber to be intimate with you
Shin Beth – Chet – Shavach:  To sooth, calm, relax, and calm you nerves. When He takes you away as His bride and loves on you, you will become Shavach, the pressures and stresses of the prior six days will settle down, be soothed and you will find you frayed nerves calming down.
Shin Beth – Teth – Shavat: To measure.  Once in the bridal chamber God measures you examines you as a husband would examine and measure the beauty of his bride.
Shin Beth – Kap – Shavak: To mingle, interweave, have intercourse.  After a time of just enjoying the beauty of His bride, God will then share an intimacy with you as His bride.
Shin Beth – Lamed – Shaval: To grow.  During this time of intimacy God and you as His bride will grow closer together, more in love, more passionate with each other.
Shin Beth – Nun – Shavan:  To be tender, to be delicate. During this time of intimacy it will be time when God speaks tenderly to you as His bride. He will speak love talk. He will call you His dearest, sweetheart and other delicate names.
Shin Beth – Mem – Shavam:  To share hidden secrets, hidden knowledge.  When two lovers are being intimate together, speaking lovingly to each other, they cannot help but share their deepest secrets, sharing things that they would share with no one else. Thus during this Sabbath rest God will share the secrets of His heart with you as His bride.
Shin Beth – Ayin – Shava’:  To become satisfied, fulfilled.  After a time of sharing love, intimacy, and the secrets of each other’s hearts you as bride will feel this great, overwhelming sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.
Shin Beth – Sade – Shavats:  To weave or intermingle together to create something beautiful.  During this time of intimacy God and you as His bride will intermingle together, weave together to create something beautiful in your relationship.
Shin Beth – Resh – Shavar: To examine in order to make pure.  As the Sabbath concludes God will do a final examination of His bride and declare that you are indeed pure and holy before Him.
So as you conclude your celebration of the next Sabbath perhaps you can say the words of that old song called: “The Alphabet Love Song (A – You’re Adorable) with final words:  “U – make my life complete, V – means you’re very sweet, WXYZ – its fun to wonder through, the alphabet with you and tell you what you mean to me.”