The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan
Week 7: Chapter 6 — Remembering Who You Are: Sabbath as Identity
Read Chapter 6 of The Rest of God. Primary Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:12-15; Galatians 5:1.
Previewing Week 7 of The Rest of God
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 12-week guide when you’re ready.
Buchanan makes a striking move in this chapter: he connects Sabbath to freedom and identity, arguing that the Sabbath commandment in Deuteronomy is rooted not in creation but in the Exodus — in liberation from slavery. Consider: what does your relationship with rest reveal about whether you truly believe you are free?
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Buchanan notes that the Sabbath commandment appears twice in the Pentateuch — in Exodus 20 (grounded in creation) and in Deuteronomy 5 (grounded in the Exodus from Egypt). What is the significance of both foundations, and what does each one add to our understanding of Sabbath?
2.In Deuteronomy 5, God tells Israel to remember that they were slaves and that he brought them out. Buchanan argues that Sabbath is meant to declare: 'You are not a slave anymore.' How does this reframe what we are doing when we rest — or refusing when we refuse to rest?
3.Buchanan says that workaholism is a form of slavery — we become enslaved to our to-do lists, our productivity, our need to prove ourselves. Do you recognize this pattern in yourself? What does it feel like?