Read Exodus 5 here or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph:
4:27-6:1 {s} …
Exo 4:18-6:1 {p+s} makes the following Chiastic Structure:
Let’s look at the C.1 Pair. Pharaoh’s objection to Moses’ request, was that going to worship YHVH made the people rest from their labor. Wow, wow, wow! Rest from labor is the Sabbath commandment! The enemy, enslaver, and oppressor drives us to work and denies us rest from labor, but worshiping YHVH, celebrating and feasting in thanksgiving to Him, means rest from our labor (and this connection is why so many feast days are also Sabbaths)! Rest from labor is not idleness, despite Pharaoh’s accusation, for “six days you shall labor and do all your work,” so there is that famous work ethic, “but the seventh day is the Sabbath of YHVH your God.” (Exo 20:9-10, the 4th commandment). The modern American church has been told that actual physical rest from labor on the seventh day has passed away … but who is the author of denying and dismissing rest? Not YHVH.
If there are questions, these are good resources:
Sabbath Index – Christine Miller
A Testimony from Pithom – Dr. Martin Anstey
Pithom, “House of Atum” – Dr. David Falk
Leave a Reply