Questions from Our Readers

With a Sabbath Day’s blessing is meant a special blessing which the Lord often provides particularly related to His day. This is the reason why God’s children have a special love and desire for the Lord’s Day. Examples of such a blessing is an encouragement in the Lord’s ways and works, increase in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, or direction in whatever matter may beset us. Sometimes their heart longs after God as a deer longs after water brooks (Psalm 42). It is in this day and in the house of God that their soul is fed with the Bread of Life. There it often pleases the Lord to abundantly bless the provision of Zion and satisfy her poor with bread (Psalm 132:15). Do you also know of this desire? Especially in the Psalms we read of the longing of the psalmist to be in the courts of the Lord (Psalm 26:8, Psalm 27:4, Psalm 84:1-4). Also, in Lord’s Day 38 of the Heidelberg Catechism we can read why this day is a day of blessing because there I learn what the rest of the eternal Sabbath shall be and when and how this already begins here upon earth. Is it not interesting that in the explanation of the Sabbath Day, the Catechism does not speak a word about what is forbidden but focuses only on what is to be done that day? The Lord did not institute this day to be a heavy burden for Israel but rather as a relief or change of labor. There is enough to do so as to obtain a Sabbath Day’s blessing—not in a legalistic way of touch not, taste not, handle not, but in a positive way. Remember this, parents; speak well of this day of the Lord with your children. Let the beauty of the Lord and the pleasantness of this day come out in everything. It might be that your children will come to love the day because of the enjoyment of dwelling in the house of the Lord and the profit of inquiring in His temple (see Psalm 27:4).

Let us remember, then, that such a blessing is also obtained in the way of faithful use of the means. Sloppy church attendance hinders the obtaining of such a blessing. No preparation on Saturday can also hinder such a blessing. I remember how some years ago I served the congregation of Urk, a small fisherman’s town in the Netherlands. We arrived on Saturday morning and spent the weekend in the parsonage. When it was 6:00 PM on Saturday afternoon, we suddenly heard the church bells ring all over town, and there are many churches in Urk. I went outdoors and asked someone why the church bells were ringing. I was told that this was to inform the whole town that it was time to lay down the labors of the week and to prepare for Sunday. We can all learn from this, can we not? How many of us labor or are busy with various matters till late Saturday evening! Not to speak of other ways to spend the Saturday night—in all kinds of vanity and purposeless activities.

We read of John at Patmos that he was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day…” No doubt this referred to the first day of the week. In the New Testament this day became the day of the commemoration of the resurrection of Christ from the dead (see Acts 20:7 & 1 Corinthians 16:2). For the old and tried Apostle John, this day was observed in the midst of tribulation but filled with the desires of Psalm 92: “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most High: To show forth Thy lovingkindness in the morning, and Thy faithfulness every night; For Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through Thy work: I will triumph in the works of Thy hands.” Though far from the institutions of the Lord, his soul longed and even fainted for the courts of the Lord. His heart and his flesh cried out for the living God. The banishment to the dreary island where He was kept was, nevertheless, richly overshadowed by the glory of God and a comforting revelation of Jesus Christ. My friend, when that happens, though in a lowly station, the service of my Lord I will choose above all pleasures that sinful ways afford. John was in the Spirit. That means: all things were divinely placed in order to receive what the Lord was about to give. Then the soul is as a watered garden, prepared for communion with God in Christ. To be under the influences of the Spirit means that it is time for the Lord to work: “I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for He will speak peace unto His people, and to His saints” (Psalm 85:8a).

Of course, the blessings of which we wrote are not limited to the Lord’s Day only, for the Lord is free in what and when to give. However, bear in mind what one of our Dutch godly forefathers, Justus Vermeer, wrote in one of his sermons: “Jesus arose the first day of the week. Oh friends, this became for many the day of their resurrection. It also could become for you the day of your resurrection. To often think about the resurrection of Christ is very profitable, especially on Sunday, the first day of the week.” I would say, strive to obtain such a Sabbath Day’s blessing.

Send your questions to Rev. H. Hofman, 2339 Deer Trail Dr. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505, or hofman@premieronline.net.

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