Work - and Rest

Genesis 29

Just while I think of it, I want to throw this in. Jacob promises to work for Laban for 7 years in order to receive Laban's younger daughter Rachel as a wife. But Laban does the old switcheroo and marries Leah off to him.

Now this story isn't as clean cut as it seems. I thought that Jacob married Leah, then 7 years later married Rachel too. But that's now how it worked. Laban says that they had a culture of marrying off the older daughter first, so he rigged it so Jacob would get both.

Why am I bringing this up? Because I want to show that even back then, work had an understanding of payment, wages. And there was also the opportunity, then, of underpaying or ripping off hired workers. Genesis 31:41 is a classic example. And this is portrayed as an injustice.

Exodus 1:12-14

I've included these verses for two reasons. One is to set the context for future verses. Israel was enslaved by Egypt, and they were worked harshly, and long. Harsh work was one of the reasons that God called on Pharoah to "let my people go".

The second reason is to show that work can be gruelling and punishing. Because work has been cursed with painful toil, it can now be used to punish people.

Exodus 12:16

God commands that the Feast of Unleavened Bread last for a week, and that no work be done - either on the whole week of the feast, or on the two days on which an assembly is held (I think it's unclear - I should look that up somewhere). Why does he do this? Because he wants his people to focus on him, that is certainly one part. There are sacred assemblies for that - on the first and last day of the week. What about the days in between? I'll have to look it up and get back to it.

Well, I'm back - apparently, this is cleared up in Leviticus, which specifies that it's only the first and last day that are special assemblies and therefore are without work.

Exodus 20:8-11

It is here that God codifies the Sabbath rest. He wants a day set apart for himself, for his people to remember him. What does he want it set apart from? From work! It seems that, while God has no quarrel with work (he did invent it), he wants his people to keep work and God separate to a degree. Now that doesn't mean God isn't involved on the other six days of the week, on either side. God is obviously involved, but also the people would remember God because of the blessings he brings down on them. But once a week there is a special day, set apart from regular working routine, to remember God. No one works, not even animals.

I want to go into all the festivals and stuff, because there is more to say on this topic, but I don't have time. Remind myself to look at Exodus 23 tomorrow.