[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

From Mystery to Revelation?

The biblical book of Revelation has puzzled millions. Many consider it a sealed book that is impossible to understand. Others have read into it their own differing and conflicting interpretations. Among the many mysteries found in this remarkable book, are seven letters to seven church congregations in Asia Minor.

Why were these First Century congregations chosen among all the others extant at that time? Why were their messages a part of Revelation? And do they have relevance for us today? These are a few of the many questions people have regarding the letters to the seven churches, recorded in the second and third chapters of Revelation.

These messages have far more relevance for you than you might imagine, and you need to know what that is. So stay with me as I’ll answer these questions from the pages of this very book.

The Key to Understanding—A Gift from God?

A warm welcome to all of you from those of us here at Tomorrow’s World. Today I’m going to explain a great mystery found in that difficult to understand last book of the Bible—Revelation. Scholars have puzzled over the meaning of seven letters written to seven Asia Minor congregations, as recorded in chapters two and three, but you can understand as you will see on today’s program.

The book of Revelation is filled with symbolism: stars, candlesticks, multi-headed beasts with horns, trumpets, and much more. The number seven is significant as we read of seven messengers, seven churches, seven stars, seven golden candlesticks, seven trumpets, and seven last plagues. But there’s no end to the number of interpretations people have about this puzzling book, so how can you understand? And how can you know that your understanding is correct?

The answers to these critical questions are found elsewhere in this collection of writings that we refer to as the Bible. Consider Matthew 11:25;

“At that time Jesus answered and said, ‘I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes’” (Matthew 11:25).

And, as the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1,

“For it is written: ‘I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND BRING TO NOTHING THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRUDENT.’ Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1 Corinthians 1:19–20).

Paul then goes on to explain, beginning in verse 26,

“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise…that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Corinthians 1:26–27, 29).

So my dear friends, according to the Bible, it’s not a matter of human intellect, but of God choosing to whom He will reveal His message. This is further shown in chapter 2 beginning in verse 7,

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: ‘EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM’” (1 Corinthians 2:7–9).

If this is true, what hope do we have? The answer is found in the next verse:

“But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:10).

If we are to accurately understand the Bible, including the Book of Revelation, it must be revealed to us by God through the power of His spirit. Now, many people think they have the spirit of God, but do they? Do you? How can you know? Will we believe the answer found in the Bible? And if so, turn to Acts 5:32:

“And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

Professor William Ramsay wrote what is considered by many to be the definitive book on the letters to the seven churches. There is no doubt that he was a man of great intellect and knowledge, yet it’s evident that he failed to understand the fundamental reason these letters are in Revelation.

From God, Through Christ, to the Saints

Some people often wrongly assume that Bible scholars believe that the Bible is the word of God. But that is not the case for all. Human reason enters the picture and many begin to pick and choose what they believe to be true.

It is evident from reading The Seven Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia by Professor Ramsay, that he saw the book of Revelation as the work of the Apostle John. This is revealed in his opening sentence in chapter IV where he refers to the book as:

“[T]he Revelation of St. John” (p. 35).

Now, how is it that someone of his intellect could miss the truth revealed in the opening words of the book he is trying to explain? To be fair, he’s not alone, as even some who translated the Bible also missed the point that it is not the revelation of John but the revelation of Jesus Christ. Among them are the translators of the vaunted King James Version, [who] title the book:

The Revelation of St. John the Divine

The New King James Version has it corrected with the title:

The Revelation [not of John, but] of Jesus Christ

Now this is no small point as it reveals the mindset of many translators and scholars. Professor Ramsay clearly sees the book of Revelation as the work of a man, rather than inspired from God. Here’s what I mean with this quote:

In this work, Jewish in origin and general plan…

[T]here is inserted this episode of the Seven Letters….

There must have been therefore some reason which seemed to the author to demand imperatively the insertion of such an episode in a work of diverse character (p. 35).

Ramsay then goes on to explain that these letters were an afterthought, since other than the historical narratives of the Gospels and Acts, the remainder of the New Testament is made up of letters. Therefore:

In the subsequent development of St. John’s thought it is plain that he had recognized the inadequacy and insufficiency of the fashionable Jewish literary forms. It seems highly probable that the perception of that fact came to him during the composition of the Revelation, and that the Seven Letters, though placed near the beginning and fitted carefully into that position, were the last part of the work to be conceived (p. 36).

But far from an afterthought, the letters to the seven churches are central to the theme of the book, which is the Day of the Lord, which culminates in the return of Jesus Christ.

The opening words of Revelation are all important as they tell us where the message comes from, who opens our understanding to it, and who recorded it, and for whom it was recorded. If you have a Bible, I urge you to get it out and follow along. As we often say on this program, don’t believe us just because we say it. Believe us because you read it in your own Bible. So if you have your Bible, turn to the last book, the book of Revelation, chapter one, where we’ll examine the first two verses. There, we read the following:

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ…”

So Jesus, not John, is the one who opens our understanding to the message. He is the one who reveals it to us. But what is the source of that message?

“…which God gave Him…”

The message comes from God the Father and is revealed by Jesus Christ. But who is the message to go to? Is it the world in general? Or is it more limited than that?

“…to show His servants…”

Clearly, the message is for the servants of God. This is why the message is not generally understood, as we shall see. Notice next that it involves

“…things which must shortly take place.”

A careful reading of the book shows that much was written for the times far into the future, but it also records events [that] were soon to take place. We next find that this revealed message was to go to John.

“And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John….”

This is all in verse one, chapter one. The next verse explains that John was given three things to record. He was to take

“[T]The word of God…”

“…the testimony of Jesus Christ…”

and

“…all things that he saw.”

to the servants of God, but how does God define those servants in the book? This is the crucial question that is almost universally misunderstood. Yet, the answer is right in front of our eyes.

The True History of the Church of God—Revealed

But first, let’s review what we learned from Revelation 1:1–2. The message of the Revelation originates with God but Jesus Christ must open it to our understanding

The message of the entire book was to be given to the servants of God. And John was to record the word of God, the testimony of Jesus Christ, and all things that he saw.

So who are the servants of God? This may sound like a simple question, but the book of Revelation reveals a surprising answer. John was instructed to take the message to these servants and that is exactly what he did, as recorded immediately after the prologue, Revelation 1:4:

John, to the seven churches which are in Asia.

The seven churches in Asia Minor are synonymous with the servants of God. This is further seen in verse 11where the churches are mentioned by name;

What you see [That is all that he saw, not just the letters, but the whole of Revelation.] write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea (Revelation 1:11).

We next read in verses 12–16 that John recorded a vision of the glorified Christ walking in the midst of seven golden candlesticks with seven stars in His hands. What can these—the candlesticks and the stars—possibly mean? The answer is found in verse 20:

The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches (Revelation 1:20).

There were other church congregations in Asia Minor at the time, but there was something special about these seven. For one thing, they were all found on a mail route where the book would be taken from one church to another. Also, Christ is seen walking in the midst of them as they are represented by the candlesticks. Is it not clear by now that the seven churches of Asia Minor represent the servants of God down through time? This is confirmed at the end of the book where it uses “servants” and “the churches” interchangeably:

Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show [And notice this] His servants the things which must shortly take place.

That’s Revelation 22:6. Now notice verse 16:

I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches.

Far from being an afterthought, the messages to the seven churches are central to the theme of the whole book, which is the Day of the Lord, which culminates in the return of Jesus Christ.

The construction of Revelation is quite amazing when you take a closer look at it. The servants of God are synonymous with the seven churches, so:

Chapters 2 and 3: Tell us WHO God’s servants are down through
history.

Chapter 4: Describes the throne of God—the source of the
message.

Chapter 5: Shows the message on a sealed scroll is opened by the Lamb of God.

But getting back to the letters themselves there are three ways the letters apply.

#1: The letters describe seven attitudes (or spiritual conditions) found in seven real congregations.

The messages are a mix of positive reinforcement as well as warnings and calls to repent from the dominant attitudes found in each Church. But each of us are individuals and the general warning goes beyond a single congregation to all of God’s servants. So this is why we find this admonition at the end of each letter:

#2: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches (Revelation 2:7).

The messages, while most specifically to one congregation, also contain wisdom and warnings for all others. Then there is a third application for these letters, one that has intrigued scholars and students for centuries.

#3: The churches represent stages, or eras, through which true Christianity travels through the centuries.

That there are historical stages or eras, is seen when comparing the letter to the second Church, Smyrna, and the sixth church, Philadelphia. Let’s first look at Smyrna—Revelation 2:10:

“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Many Bible students are familiar with the day for a year principle found in the Bible. History reveals that there was a time of severe tribulation just as the scripture predicted. Notice the day for a year principle as it applied to ten years of persecution explained in Adam Clarke’s Commentary:

As the days in this book are what is commonly called prophetic days, each answering to a year, the ten years of tribulation may denote “ten years of persecution”; and this was precisely the duration of the persecution under Diocletian, during which all the Asiatic churches were grievously afflicted. (Adam Clarke’s Commentary [on Revelation 2:10], 1967, p. 1335).

That took place between 303 and 313 AD—over 200 years after John recorded these messages. Further, that persecution came on all the churches of Asia Minor, not just Smyrna. This message then cannot apply only to a single congregation during John’s lifetime, but also to an era in the Christian Church.

Now let’s look at the sixth church—Philadelphia. Here we find a clear reference to the time of the end as found in Revelation 3:10:

“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”

So the second church—Smyrna—saw a time of persecution, during the fourth century A.D. and the sixth church—Philadelphia—is in existence at the end of the age when there will be a time of trial upon the whole world. But there’s a problem. Where the evidence clearly shows a progression down through time, not all pieces of the puzzle appear to fit. So what might we be missing?

Eminent scholars are unable to connect the dots of the Christian church through all seven of the Churches of Asia Minor. Why?

A Warning for Believers in Our Time

We earlier referred to the introduction of this mysterious book in Revelation 1:1:

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—

things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John (Revelation 1:1).

The next few chapters give further clarification:

Chapter 4: Gives us the source of the message—God the Father on His throne.

Chapter 5: The message is found on a scroll with seven seals that
only the Lamb of God can open.

So we have the source and the one who reveals the message. But what about the servants of God that the message was to go to? That’s found in chapters 2 and 3.

Chapters 2–3: The servants of God down through the ages.

Now, why is this knowledge so little understood? The answer can be discerned from two other chapters in the book. Chapter 12 describes the Church of God as a small persecuted Church that had to flee from the large metropolitan cities of the Roman Empire through much of the last 2,000 years. Because this chapter begins with the physical nation of Israel, some assume it has nothing to do with the Church, but that it refers to the Church is clearly seen from the progression of the chapter from the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ all the way to the end.

We learn from verse 9 that Satan the Devil deceives the whole world. How can that be if the largest religion in the world is professing Christianity? We then learn that Satan will try once again to knock God off His throne, but he’ll be cast back down to this earth where he immediately goes out to destroy and to persecute the Church.

“Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child” (Revelation 12:13).

The woman, that is the Church, must then flee into the wilderness to be protected from the serpent who tries to destroy her, but not all members flee.

“So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth” (Revelation 12:15–16).

Notice carefully. This is not talking about physical Israel, but to true believers in Jesus the Messiah.

“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).

Chapters 2, 3, and 12 refer to the true Church of God, but chapter 17 speaks of another woman, a fallen woman—an apostate church. Some think they know who that is. She is called a mother of apostate women. Here it is in Revelation 17:5:

And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH (Revelation 17:5).

Now here is one of the most important questions you’ll ever be asked: If you can identify the “Mother of Harlots,” who are those harlot daughter churches? The reason so few can match the progress of the Church as shown in the seven letters to the seven churches of Asia is that they are looking for the Church in the wrong place.

But if one looks at the right place, there is a serious message for us. While the sixth era of the Church zealously proclaims the true gospel around the world and warns the world where it is headed, the very last era is marked by a lukewarm spirit, thinking they are okay. As a result, Christ will spew them out of His mouth into the great tribulation to wake them up. Now, I’ll leave you with one last question. Which attitude best describes you, my dear friends? Think about it.

Thank you for watching! To learn more about what happened to the church that Jesus Christ built, order your free copy of God’s Church Through the Ages by clicking the link in the description. And remember to subscribe to our channel so you can continue to learn the truth as given in the Bible. See you next time!

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Suffering Without Rest

Do you need a break? Are you feeling stressed, worn out, and overwhelmed? Let’s face it; we’re living in a world filled with ever-increasing demands on our time and attention. Children need to be fed, clothes washed, and bills paid. Commuting is stressful. And there’s on-the-job pressure, deadlines, and conflict. Many are working harder than ever, only to find it more difficult to make ends meet. And when they try to unwind, escapism often leads to addictions, anxiety, and more conflict. Our relationships suffer. Our health suffers. Real solutions seem beyond our reach.

If you’re suffering from the anxiety of living in the modern world, you’re not alone. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 18.1% of the population 18 or older suffers from some type of anxiety disorder every year. That’s 40 million adults (“Facts and Statistics,” ADAA.org, accessed June 29, 2021).

But it’s not just in America. According to the “Our World In Data” website, “Globally an estimated 284 million people experienced an anxiety disorder in 2017” (“Mental Health,” OurWorldInData.org, April, 2018).

Clearly, many of us are feeling overwhelmed.

Is this how our Creator designed our life to be? If we’re anxious and depressed, how can we get out of that discouraging and even dangerous cycle?

There is an answer. And people around the world are discovering it. Would you like to know a secret that can turn your life around?

There is a way to find peace in a troubled world. And today on Tomorrow’s World, we’re going to dive into that topic, to find the source of that peace.

Do You Need Rest Days?

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible. Many of us today are exhausted and overwhelmed. We need a break. But where can you find the real solution to the frenetic lifestyle of our world? Let’s talk about that today.

In a recent online article, speaker and writer Jim Burns asked the following questions:

Have you stopped enjoying life because you are too busy?

Are you exhausted most of the time?

Have you stopped developing new relationships?

Are your children showing signs of stress?

Mr. Burns then added, “If you answered ‘yes’ to most of these questions, you are experiencing overload” (“Are You Experiencing the Overload Syndrome?” HomeWord.com, June 21, 2021).

Does that describe your life right now? It does for many of us. But more and more people are turning to what might seem to be an unlikely solution. They are turning to the idea of a “sabbath.”

Do an Internet search and you’ll find out what I mean. Type in “Sabbath rest” or “Sabbath lifestyle” and you’ll discover pages of articles with advice for gaining peace and perspective, through this idea of “sabbath.” Here are some of the article titles I found in one Internet search:

“The gift of sabbath rest in an anxious age”

“How to Unleash the Power of Sabbath-Rest in your Life”

“Creating a Sabbath Lifestyle”

“How to Create a Sabbath-Simplicity Lifestyle”

And…

“The Case for the Sabbath, Even if You’re Not Religious”

What all these articles have in common are a deep yearning to pause from the busyness of the modern world. More and more people are finding this idea of a sabbath intriguing.

Once again, writer and speaker Jim Burns puts it this way:

“In the beautiful Hebrew language, the word for rest is sabbath. Sabbath is more of a lifestyle choice than taking a nap or a day off to get some things done around the house. Sabbath living is the constant choice to live with margin in our lives. Margin is the space between our load and our limits. Margin is our mental, emotional, and spiritual strength. It’s our reserves, our breathing room, our energy, our vitality. Unfortunately, few of us have much margin in our lives” (“Are You Experiencing the Overload Syndrome?” HomeWord.com, June 21, 2021).

This concept of “margin” is powerful, and very important. We do need “margin” in our lives. It’s the so-called white space on the edge of the pages of our lives. It means that not every moment is busy and accounted for.

So do you need a “sabbath” rest in your life? Do you need to cultivate a “sabbath lifestyle”? I think we can all see the benefit of down-shifting. We need time to slow down, instead of always working hard and playing hard. Wouldn’t it be nice to power-down occasionally, to a lower and slower gear?

One of the prime culprits of our stressed-out society is the pervasiveness of tech devices. Our devices can be helpful, but they can also become the source of great stress. A group back in 2003 started something called the “sabbath project.” One of the things they do each year is determine a “National Day of Unplugging.” The idea is, one of the things we must do is occasionally take a break from technology. They recommend having a “tech sabbath,” so to speak. And it’s true—we’ve got to unplug, from time to time. It’s good for our minds, our relationships, and our health. Consider the testimony of one family, an article that appeared on the Wired.com website:

“My family and I started going completely screen-free one day a week for what we called our Technology Shabbat. We read, journaled, cooked, had friends over, went for bike rides, played music, made art, and sometimes we just did nothing. A decade later, we’re still doing it every week… and it’s still our favorite day. It’s made the whole family happier and more balanced” (“Everything You Need to Enjoy One Tech-Free Day a Week,” Wired.com, October 10, 2019).

If we don’t have control of our devices, we’re headed for trouble. And this affects everyone. Here’s how one woman described her experience fighting against the tyranny of endless tasks, and how she began to find solutions:

“So many of us are tired. Between meeting the needs of those around us, running our homes, working, or waking up with children throughout the night, we find ourselves depleted mentally, physically and emotionally. This exhaustion leads us to turn our focus from the things that matter most to survival. If that’s you, God has prepared a very practical balm for your weariness. It’s called Sabbath…. If we want to experience all the fulness of living and being that God has for us, I believe we need an element of Sabbath rest in our week! Whether mothers, homemakers or working women—Sabbath was created to meet a deep-seated need in us” (“How to Unleash the Power of Sabbath Rest in Your Life as a Homemaker,” EmbracingASimplerLife.com, Accessed June 29, 2021).

We all need to see the value of resting, of having a sort of pause in our lives. We need a regular, weekly time to pause, just to keep a balanced mental perspective.

But you might say, “that all sounds well and good, but I’m too busy to stop. I have too much to do. This sabbath thing won’t work for me.” Think about that. It’s when you are overwhelmed when you need this help the most. And if you don’t get control of your life now, when will you?

What is the Original Day of Sabbath?

We all need to find some space in our lives. And people all over the world are discovering the benefits from having some downtime every week. Maybe you’ve taken this step and are experiencing new-found peace in your life.

The idea of a sabbath didn’t just appear out of thin air. It comes from the Hebrew word “shabbat,” in the Hebrew Scriptures, in our Bible. It means “to stop, pause, or cease.” It’s a rest from activity and labor.

If you have a Bible, turn with me to the very first chapter of Genesis. In Genesis 1, we find the account of God creating all the living creatures on earth, including the first man and woman. And then in Genesis 2:1, it says,

“Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Genesis 2:1–3).

Where did this idea of taking some time to rest after a period of work come from? Straight from the Creator God. He modeled that behavior right here in the beginning of the Bible. It happened at the dawn of civilization. In other words, the idea of “sabbath” has been around a long time.

But what about the word “sabbath”? The first time that word appears in the Bible is Exodus 20:8:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

“Sabbath” just means “cessation” or “rest.” So, “remember the sabbath day” just means “remember the rest day.” This is something God wrote into the Ten Commandments. Let’s read the rest of it, back in Exodus 20:

Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work…. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8–11).

So, God actually created a rest day at the beginning of Creation. He rested and His intention was that His children—that’s us—would also benefit from a weekly rest our whole lives. God wants us to work hard. And when the work is done, He wants us to take a well-deserved rest.

“Sabbath” is not just a vague idea. It springs from a specific event in history. It was created by God, at the beginning. And it applies to a specific day each week. We all need to be restored and rejuvenated. But why don’t we give ourselves permission to take a break?

Consider what one Internet author said about this question:

For some reason, though, we naturally interpret the Bible’s statements about Sabbath rest as more of a suggestion than a divine command. We think, “That’s a great idea, but I’m too busy.” This is true. I am busy. You are busy. Our culture is busy and it’s only speeding up… Our gas tanks are always on empty, and when we stop we are hardly ever able to put more than a few dollars in the tank. We are never full (“Ritchie: The gift of Sabbath rest in an anxious age,” Amarillo.com, June 2, 2016).

Think about that. We’re too busy to stop. We’re forever locked into a loop of exhaustion, never catching up. Are you tired of that cycle?

The writer continues:

But could it be that our lack of observance of the Sabbath is contributing to our weariness? Could our lack of Sabbath rest and worship potentially explain why we are an exhausted people? Could it be the ways we try to find rest never restore us because we were created to find our rest in God?… What better gift could we possibly receive than this Sabbath rest in our anxious age?

How many of us go from one frenetic task to another, until we collapse? Why don’t we just rest on a regular basis, on the schedule God set for us?

All too often, we don’t stop until we have to stop. And maybe that’s why God tells us, “This is mandatory—you have to take a break each week.” Because there’s always another load of wash to do, another space to clean, another report to submit. 

Have you noticed, all too often, we only do things that are good for us when we have to? Maybe we don’t exercise or take care of our health, until something causes us pain. We notice the effects of neglecting our health, and we decide, “Okay, I have to do this because it’s good for me.”

So, what about you? Wouldn’t it make sense for God to say, “Look, this is so important for you. I want you to have a healthy mental state. So, I’m telling you, you must take a break at the end of every week.”

The Sabbath Was Made for Our Good!

God in His mercy created and even scheduled that time for us. And since we often don’t do things unless we absolutely have to, He made it mandatory. And that’s good for us.

In the remaining time of this program, we’ll find there’s an even greater picture in regard to a sabbath rest.

Turn in your Bible to Colossians 2:16. In this verse, Paul wrote the following:

“So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come” (Colossians 2:16).

There’s much misunderstanding about this verse. Let’s just focus on one phrase. That is, “Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come.”

What the Apostle Paul is saying is that as good as sabbaths are for giving us a weekly rest now, they’re also symbolic of something greater to come. Many students of the Bible recognize there have been roughly 6,000 years of human history, and that the Bible predicts a coming 1,000-year millennial reign of Jesus Christ. If we apply the “day for a year” principle found in 2 Peter 3:8, the weekly seventh-day sabbath is a type of the coming millennium. In that sense, the seventh millennium corresponds to the seventh day of the week.

We find Scriptures that support this idea elsewhere in the New Testament. Let’s look at Hebrews 4:1:

“Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.”

He’s saying, the Israelites did not enter the Promised Land because of their disobedience. But we can enter God’s Kingdom, at Christ’s Second Coming, if we’re faithful and obedient.

Going on,

“For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: ‘And God rested on the seventh day from all His works’” (Hebrews 4:4).

He’s discussing the seventh-day sabbath established at the Creation when God rested.

“Since, then, it remains for some to enter His rest, and since those who formerly heard the good news did not enter because of their disobedience, God again designated a certain day as ‘Today,’ when a long time later He spoke through David as was just stated: ‘Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts. For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God’” (Hebrews 4:6–9, Berean Study Bible).

What does this mean? If we’re the people of God, the sabbath rest means something very important. It means we observe that weekly rest in our lives NOW. The Greek word here translated “sabbath” is “sabbatizmos.” It comes directly from the Hebrew word “shabbat,” which means the weekly Sabbath. Christians are to observe the weekly sabbath.

But it goes far beyond that. If the Sabbaths are a shadow of things to come, every seventh-day that comes around in the calendar is also a prophecy of a coming millennial Sabbath. That’s when God’s Kingdom will reign on this earth, at Christ’s second coming.

Notice what the writer warns us to do:

“For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:10–11, Berean Study Bible).

We’re reminded to live our lives in such a way that we may enter the rest of God’s Kingdom, at Christ’s return.

In other words, there’s hope for this tired and worn-out world. There’s a new world coming. And that new world, in contrast to this age, will be peaceful and full of hope. The violence and tension of this age will be no more. Notice how that coming world is described in Isaiah 32:16–18:

“Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places….”

The weekly seventh-day sabbath is symbolic of a coming millennial age of peace and prosperity.

There’s much more to say about the Sabbath. You can find many articles and programs about the Sabbath on our Tomorrow’s World website. What we’re focusing on today is the necessity of a break for people in this world. There is a better way. But in truth, we need not just a general idea of a pause in our life; we need the regular and mandatory rest designed by our Creator.

The True Purpose of the Sabbath—In This Life and Beyond

When Jesus was on this earth, He taught His disciples a lifestyle of peace and tranquility that did not depend on outside circumstances. Notice what He said in Matthew 11:28:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).

If you long for relief from the burdens of life, learn from Jesus Christ. He has the answers. He’ll give you peace, if you’re obedient to His will and respond to His love.

In this world, there are many things to worry about. But Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25:

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (Matthew 6:25–27).

He knows we’re working hard, because we have to. We’ve got to feed ourselves. We’ve got to take care of our family. And He says, “I’ll help you, if you look to Me.”

And notice what else He says, in Matthew 6:33–34:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

We can have peace of mind. God knows the anxiety this world produces. But He’s offering you a weekly sabbath. It’s a total break from work for a 24-hour period, week in and week out. Doesn’t that sound nice? Just imagine if every Friday at sundown you could leave your work behind. You could spend extra time with your family. You could read the Bible and meditate on God’s plan for you. You could go to church the next day with others of like mind, and fellowship with them. You could spend the remaining hours of the Sabbath not mowing the lawn or doing chores, but going for walks and reflecting on what you’ve learned.

That’s the way God designed the Sabbath. Not the way the Pharisees kept it, making it a burden. Jesus corrected the Pharisees on how they were keeping the Sabbath, as we see in Mark 2:23:

“Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. And the Pharisees said to Him, ‘Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?’” (Mark 2:23–24).

The Pharisees were trying to accuse Jesus and his disciples on how they were keeping the sabbath, but Jesus turned it around and explained the true perspective about the sabbath in verse 25.

“But He said to them, ‘Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat, except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?’ And He said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath’” (Mark 2:25–28).

The Pharisees had accused Jesus Christ and his disciples of keeping the Sabbath in the wrong way, but Jesus described the true perspective about the Sabbath. He is the Lord of the Sabbath, He created the Sabbath. He designed the Sabbath as a 24-hour period to throttle back and think about your life. The gift is yours for the taking.

So, do you need a break? Do you need some rest? The Sabbath isn’t just an idea of snatching some down time now and then. It’s a weekly gift from God, to refresh us and give us peace. And it’s a promise of a better world to come. The Sabbath is a gift God has given to an anxious world. Experience that gift for yourself.

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