The Sabbath. Exodus 31:12-18 All this would have caused a big commotion in the Israelite camp, with the sound of hammers, saws, and workmen's calls echoing day after day where the work was happening. But on the seventh day, there was only silence in the camp. No shouts of instruction, no sounds of laboring people, no buzzing voices discussing the project. There was only silence as the busy workers rested.
This subject directly relates to God's holiness and forms a covenant bond between God and His people. This day was designated for physical rest and for reflecting on the deliverance from Egypt by the Deliverer. As they ate the Sabbath portions of manna, they were to consider how the Lord is His people's Provider, Sustainer, Guardian, and Guide. Some mental and spiritual reflections are far more important than the work we do. “Think on these things, and the God of peace shall be with you.”
But isn't it more important to complete the work quickly? Why waste time? The connection we have with the Lord is much more vital than what we do for Him. His work in our hearts matters more than the work we do externally. Fellowship and communion with God focus our attention on our relationship with Him instead of what others expect of us or what can be seen as the result of our efforts.
Watching Israel from a distance, surrounding nations would wonder at the silence of a vast tent city full of people for an entire day. From as far away as Jericho, the inhabitants of the Middle East observed the progress and activities of the Israelites. The people of God had to trust that God would preserve and protect them on that day of rest. The eerie silence might have worried those watching from afar. They would see the cloud and fire, but no activity as the sign of rest between God and His people continued hour after hour throughout the entire Sabbath.
God was refreshed by rest at the end of the six days of creation, and He was passing on this identical refreshing rest as a sign to His earthly people. During rest periods, we can reflect on what has been done and prepare our minds for the work ahead. This tends to challenge each laborer to consider who God is, where he fits in God's plan, how he has been doing—if he has been giving his best to the work—and what is reasonable to expect in the next six days of labor. Rest for the body also provides rest for the soul and spirit. Then, we are able to be more effective as we move forward in the "calling wherewith we have been called."