“And the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give you, then the land shall keep a sabbath to the Lord. 3 Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather its fruit; 4 but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath to the Lord. You shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard. 5 What grows of its own accord of your harvest you shall not reap, nor gather the grapes of your untended vine, for it is a year of rest for the land. 6 And the sabbath produce of the land shall be food for you: for you, your male and female servants, your hired man, and the stranger who dwells with you, 7 for your livestock and the beasts that are in your land—all its produce shall be for food.” Leviticus 25:1-7 NKJV
“What shall we eat in the seventh year, since we shall not sow nor gather in our produce?” 21 Then I will command My blessing on you in the sixth year, and it will bring forth produce enough for three years. 22 And you shall sow in the eighth year, and eat old produce until the ninth year; until its produce comes in, you shall eat of the old harvest.” Leviticus 25:20-22 NKJV
God our provider,
We meet You as Jehovah Jireh, God our provider in Genesis 22:14 when You God provide Abraham with a ram to sacrifice in place of his son. You had planned to provided the ram before Abraham set off. You are not like me Lord, down to the last minute, grabbing what I may need or lets have everything ready just in case! And you ask Your people to cease from farming and take a years rest every seven and You will provide.
This echo’s the sabbath rest. Creation, the land gets a rest every seventh year. Did it reminded Israel that history is moving toward an ultimate Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:9-10)? Did it remind the Israelites to be generous as the produce was free to servants foreigners and wildlife and that year. Debts too were to be cancelled each sabbath year ( Deuteronomy 15:1-11).
Today we recognise that this was also good farming practice. A years rest meant restoration of nitrogen, pests and diseases die off and the unharvested growth rotts down to good mulch feeding the soil. But You God, the designer and creator, know this! And You provided the answer to the question, knowing they would ask it. How will we live?
You God are no man’s debtor. Jesus talks about the cost of following You but then He talks about those who do, receiving a hundredfold and eternal life (Matthew 19:27-30). Yes, we have to work but yes we need to take rest and we can trust You God to provide. As You remind us, tomorrow has enough worry for itself just live with today’s concerns and trust (Matthew 6:34). And You cancelled all debts at Calvary. What a provision.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen
Worship Saturday 7th February 2026
I love the enthusiasm.
Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Jireh
My provider
His grace is sufficient
For me, for me, for me
Jehovah Jireh, My provider
His grace is sufficient for me
My God shall supply all my needs
According to His riches in glory
He will give His angels, charge over me
Jehovah Jireh cares for me, for me, for me
Jehovah Jireh cares for me
Lyrics: Maria Watson