The Preparation Day and Shabbat

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

For the observant Jew, Friday is a special day. It's called the Day of Preparation. It's the day given to prepare for the Shabbat, the Sabbath. So observant Jews will often rush around to do their shopping, to finish up what they have to in order to prepare for, and enter the Day of Rest. Now when you read the Gospels, you come across an interesting phrase. It's written that Messiah died on the Day of Preparation. The day He completed what He had to do, and then said, 'It is finished.' God gave His people the Shabbat, the Day of Rest and Blessing, so His people might find peace, healing, and communion with God. This teaches us something very important. You need to prepare for blessing. If you want to enter God's presence, you have to take it seriously and even, yes, labor to enter it. You may even have to tie up loose ends, forgive that person, bless that other person, put away that other thing that has to go from your life. God has in store for you a Day of Blessing. But you need first to take a Day of Preparation.

From Message #487 - Prepare Ye the Way