Exodus 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
When God set apart the Seventh Day it was after He Himself had worked for six, and then rested. Shabbat is therefore, “primordial” in a real sense, something established from the beginning of time. This makes the pattern of working six days and resting on the seventh something fundamental to human existence, and something exceedingly blessed.
Resting on Shabbat serves multiple purposes. First, it acknowledges and honors the rhythm of creation itself. By mirroring God’s pattern of work and rest, we align ourselves with the order He established. Second, it’s a weekly reminder that we do not have endless sources of energy in our mortal frame, but need time to recharge physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Some have wondered why we don’t send out a Worthy Brief on Saturday or Sunday. We decided this because we all need a break from the cares of this world, and from the bad or sad news our briefs inevitably report week after week. The weekend pulls our focus out of worldly affairs and allows for a different emphasis, one of relationship, refreshment and renewal of body, soul and spirit, for us and our families.
We also believe and have experienced that resting one day a week enables us to actually accomplish more in six days of work than if we go nonstop for seven days. This pattern not only boosts productivity but also enhances the quality of our work and life.
When we observe the principle of a Shabbat rest, we demonstrate our trust in God’s provision, tangibly expressing faith that God will take care of our needs even when we are not working. Our faith and reliance on Him are built up reinforcing the truth that our primary source of strength and sustenance is not our own effort but God’s goodness.
In a world that often glorifies constant busyness and productivity, Shabbat stands as a counter-cultural practice that emphasizes the importance of rest and reliance on God. It’s a sacred time that refreshes our bodies, renews our spirits, and realigns our focus on what truly matters — so enjoy God’s stress management program instituted from the beginning .. until Monday, Shabbat Shalom!
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy Devotions. This devotional was originally published on Worthy Devotions and was reproduced with permission.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Joseph interpreted dreams and revealed their meaning to those around him, and so Pharaoh gave him the name, Tsofnat Paneach (Zaphnathpaaneah) which means the “Decipherer or Revealer of Secrets”. Yeshua, (Jesus) at his first advent as “Mashiach ben Yosef” also came revealing secrets; not as an interpreter of dreams, but as one who disclosed the secrets of men…
Being hated without cause is an aspect of Messianic prophecy that applies to both Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David. Just as Joseph was hated by his brothers, and David was hated by Saul without cause, is it any wonder that Yeshua (Jesus) was hated by the world without cause…
Another interesting correlation we draw from Mashiach Ben Joseph is how Joseph was the object of his father’s (Jacob) love, just as Yeshua (Jesus) was loved of our Heavenly Father. This preference Jacob had for Joseph was unequivocal, and it was also pretty controversial among his brothers.
Continuing this study of Mashiach Ben Yosef (Messiah “Son of Joseph”), I want to focus on another aspect of the rabbis’ understanding; that Mashiach ben Yosef will come first, and prepare the world for the Kingdom of the Lord.
Another aspect of Mashiach ben Yosef, is that the world would resist his authority.
When Joseph told his family of his dreams, they were outraged at the suggestion that their younger brother would reign over them. They simply had no idea that God would make Joseph exactly the kind of ruler they needed.
When Joseph became ruler over Egypt, his name was changed, and his identity was altered so that he no longer appeared or lived as a shepherd son of Israel from the land of Canaan, but as an Egyptian Prime Minister. The transformation was so thorough that when his ten brothers arrived in Egypt he was totally unrecognizable to them. This true story beautifully illustrates Mashiach ben Yosef (Yeshua/Jesus at His first coming), and contains a prophetic picture pointing to Yeshua and His Jewish people living today as we approach the Second Coming.
Joseph, the son of Jacob grew up caring for flocks, a shepherd boy,(Genesis 37:2). While we might have a romantic view of an easy pastoral life among sheep and goats, the main responsibility of a shepherd was to protect the flock against hungry predators (wolves, lions, etc.) looking for an easy meal, actually quite a dangerous job. The shepherd loved his sheep; and Joseph was a good shepherd.