The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah. (NLT)

This verse is set in a scary period in the history of the people of the kingdom of Judah. They were conquered by the Babylonians, the wall around Jerusalem was torn down, the Temple was burned, everything else of value in the city was destroyed or carried away, and the people who weren’t killed outright were dragged back to Babylon to serve as slaves/prisoners for 70 years. It turns out that during the 430 years prior to this, the people of Judah had ignored the direction God gave them in the Law as stated in Exodus 23:10-11: “Plant and harvest your crops for six years, but let the land be renewed and lie uncultivated during the seventh year. Then let the poor among you harvest whatever grows on its own. Leave the rest for wild animals to eat.”  

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The reference to the prophet Jeremiah in the verse is a reminder that he foretold this happening in Jeremiah 25:10-12: “I will take away your happy singing and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard. Your millstones will fall silent, and the lights in your homes will go out. This entire land will become a desolate wasteland. Israel and her neighboring lands will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years. “This verse even parallels a promise made by God in Leviticus 26:34-35 about what would happen if the people rebelled against the Law: “Then at last the land will enjoy its neglected Sabbath years as it lies desolate while you are in exile in the land of your enemies. Then the land will finally rest and enjoy the Sabbaths it missed. As long as the land lies in ruins, it will enjoy the rest you never allowed it to take every seventh year while you lived in it.”

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So why is the Sabbath so important? It is meant to be a period of rest and goes all the way back to Creation in Genesis, when God rested on the seventh day after creating the whole universe and everything in it during the prior six days. This concept also carries through in the “Sabbath year” discussed above. There is an interesting parallel here between the sabbath for the land and the sabbath for us as individuals. If God takes rest so seriously that he even provided a way for the LAND to rest when the people had neglected that, how much more seriously does he take our rest? The message is not just about the importance of resting but is also an acknowledgement that God is God, and we aren’t. We can only find our true rest by trusting in him to provide for us.  

The Sabbath, like all of the Law, finds its true purpose and completion in Christ. It is intended to direct us to Christ as our ultimate rest and salvation. As Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-29, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

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No amount of attempts by us (like vacations, streaming entertainment, or social media distractions) can offer genuine rest. True and lasting rest for the soul is found only in turning to Christ and embracing his guidance and provision. Being excessively busy often reflects a desire to “be our own God.” When we believe we can achieve significance through our own scheduling, we are trying to fulfill what only God can provide and seeking to be what only God is: all-powerful and ever-present. Therefore, observing the Sabbath serves as a regular and timely reminder that we are not God.  

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I often forget this message and am thankful for reminders like this verse to help bring this concept back to mind. As King David penned in Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” See! God even acknowledges the land with the second part of this! First by people (nations) and then by all of creation (throughout the world). Take the time to rest in the Lord and acknowledge that he’s got this.

Dear God, thank you for who you are. I often get too busy to rest in you and acknowledge that you are God, and I am not. Forgive me for trying to handle it on my own. You have provided every good and significant thing in my life, and I want to rest in you. Amen.