Meaning of Sabbatical

The word “sabbatical” is obviously derived from the Old Testament Sabbath. The Sabbath was a period of time that involved ceasing from the normal work routines and resting joyfully in God’s provisions, (Num 10:10). Sabbath is often connected to the words feast and festival, (Lev. 23:2).

Though commonly used by the Jewish people in reference to a specific “day” it can also refer to a Sabbath “week”, (Deut 16:13-14), and a Sabbath “year” (Ex 23:10-11). A “double Sabbath year” called “Jubilee” is addressed by Warren Wiersbe in his Bible Exposition Commentary, “Of course, the people would need a great deal of faith to trust God for food for two years; but God promised to care for them. After seven Sabbatical Years, they were to celebrate the fiftieth year as a "Year of Jubilee" (Lev 25:8ff); and this meant trusting God for food for three years.”

Keil and Delitzsch, referring to Leviticus 23:23-25, describes the Sabbath “month”. “The seventh month of the year, like the seventh day of the week, was consecrated as a Sabbath or sabbatical month, by a holy convocation and the suspension of labor, which were to distinguish the first day of the seventh month from the beginning of the other months or the other new moon days throughout the year. For the whole month was sanctified in the first day, as the beginning or head of the month; and by the sabbatical observance of the commencement, the whole course of the month was raised to a Sabbath… a foretaste of the blessedness of life in fellowship with the Lord…”

A good explanation of the purpose behind a sabbatical (day, week, month or year) is found in the Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. “Sabbath contravenes any pride that may accompany human mastery and manipulation of God's creation. In ceasing from labor one is reminded of one's true status as a dependent being, of the God who cares for and sustains all his creatures, and of the world as a reality belonging ultimately to God.” Wiersbe in his OT Expository Outlines further says, “The weekly Sabbath not only reminded the Jews that they belonged to God, but it also showed God's care for the health of man and beast and the "health" of the land, (Lev 23:10-19).

Christ understood the stressful nature of the 24/7 ministry, (Mark 6:31-32) and provided a time of special rest for his disciples. John reminds us that Jesus had a habit of periodic withdrawing from the normal routine when he says Jesus “again” withdrew to be by himself, (John 6:15). Christ’s practice of spiritual retreats, coupled with the concept of Sabbath in the Old Testament leads to several observations.

Sabbatical is not a vacation time, nor a reward for faithful service, nor a response to burn out, and surely not a burden to be accepted. Rather sabbatical is a healthy time for resting, reflecting, rejoicing and reaffirming. It is a time to look back at all that God has done and just as importantly to look ahead to all he will do. It is a time of faith, when we entrust to God both the shepherd and the flock. The Old Testament Sabbath was to be a gift to the individual and to the national community. In the same way a pastoral sabbatical should be a grace gift that strengthens the pastor and blesses the local church.