We are in chapter twenty of Exodus with our word for today which is a phrase. שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֣ים֙ six days. It is used 15 times in the Old Testament, twice in our chapter. It is used for the first time in the context of God providing manna from heaven to feed the people. Exodus 16:26 שֵׁ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any. This first use of our word provides the context for Sabbath or the seventh day which is where we find most of the uses of our word related to. We have already looked at both words for Sabbath and Sabbath rest where we talked about how God is teaching the people to trust him and his word. We work six days then we stop from working and trust God that he will make what the work produced in that time be enough to cover all seven days. In our chapter for today God sets up the sabbath as part of the ten commandments. Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֣ים֙ Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work. For in שֵֽׁשֶׁת־יָמִים֩six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Did you notice that God makes a reference to creating the world in six days and resting on the seventh to be an example for us to follow? God brings up his work of creation again as an example for Sabbath rest. Exodus 31:17 For in שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed. We also see our phrase used to describe how long God’s glory appeared before he talked to Moses. Exodus 24:15-16 When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֑יםsix days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. Our phrase is used in the celebration of unleavened bread Deuteronomy 16:8 For שֵׁ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים six days eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day hold an assembly to the Lord your God and do no work. Our phase is used by God instructing his people in the battle against Jericho. Joshua 6:3, 14 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for שֵׁ֥שֶׁת יָמִֽים six days… So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for שֵׁ֥שֶׁת יָמִֽים six days. We also see our phrase used to describe the gate of the inner court related to Sabbath worship. Ezekiel 46:1 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The gate of the inner court facing east is to be shut on the שֵׁ֖שֶׁת יְמֵ֣י six working days, but on the Sabbath day and on the day of the New Moon it is to be opened.
But overwhelmingly it is used 11 times specifically contrasting the days of work with the day of rest. Here is a great example. Exodus 23:12 שֵׁ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed. Not only is the Sabbath a faith thing in that God is teaching us to trust him but it is also for our benefit. Work is a good thing so we work for six days but rest is also a good thing so that we and those we work with are able to rest and be refreshed. I find it interesting that in the New Testament we find a reference to Jesus going up on a mountain like Moses did after six days this time Jesus is transfigured to show his glory as God. Matthew 17:1-3 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
