There is a great panoply of patterns, acrostics, designs and prophecies the Lord has placed in His Word. Because the Bible was written by about forty different men, most of whom did not know each other, and written over a period of about 1,500 years, there is little possibility of collusion between authors. But by the direction of the Holy Spirit, the Lord clearly shows us the supernatural nature of His Holy Word, and confirms it by His signature by these designs on each page.

Yet another design found in the Word of God is the Sabbatical Design. This pattern is shown to us from the very beginning. The Creation that covered seven days is the basis for the Sabbatical Year, the Jubilee Year, and the Millennial Year. The Sabbatical Design has received little attention. Here is the basis for this design from Genesis chapter one:

Day 1 – The Lord began His Creation – The Beginning
Day 2 – The Lord separated the waters – Separated or Set Apart
Day 3 – The dry land appeared and seed produced after its kind – The Land and Seed
Day 4 – The Sun, Moon and Stars given for signs – Signs
Day 5 – Non-land creatures (birds and fish) that move through the fluid air or water just as spirits move about (Picture of spiritual things) – Spiritual
Day 6 – Man was created – Man and his actions
Day 7 – The Lord rested on the Seventh Day – Rest and Reprieve

As with the other patterns, the Sabbatical Design goes for seven instances, and then begins all over. For example, chapter eight begins the pattern again after the completion in chapter seven. (8=1, 9=2, 10=3, 11=4, etc.) And, as with other patterns and designs, some are easier to determine than others. The themes of Day 1, Day 4 and Day 7 are the easiest for me to see. (The examples from Acts which follow below cover all seven days.) Here are some examples from the Torah:

Genesis 7 – Reprieve – Noah and his family were saved from the Flood
Genesis 11 – A Sign – the Tower of Babel
Genesis 14 – Reprieve – Abram rescued Lot
Genesis 15 – Beginning – The Lord made a covenant with Abram
Genesis 18 – A Sign – Sarah was told she will give birth to Isaac
Genesis 28 – Reprieve – Jacob escaped the wrath of his brother, Esau
Genesis 29 – Beginning – Jacob married Leah and Rachel and began his family
Genesis 36 – Beginning – Esau fathered the Edomites, enemies of Israel
Genesis 42 – Reprieve – Jacob’s sons got food from Egypt
Exodus 4 – A Sign – Moses was given signs to show pharaoh
Exodus 11 – A Sign – The final plague against Egypt
Exodus 14 – Reprieve – The pursuing Egyptian army was destroyed
Exodus 29 – Beginning – Aaron and his sons were consecrated, beginning the priesthood
Exodus 32 – A Sign – The Golden Calf
Exodus 35 – Rest – Sabbath regulations were given
Exodus 36 – Beginning – Work on the Tabernacle was begun
Ezekiel 36 – Beginning – The beginning of redemption for Israel
Ezekiel 37 – Separated – The Dry Bones were resurrected, Israel was set apart
Ezekiel 38 – The Land – Gog was set apart to be punished for invading The Land
Ezekiel 39 – A Sign – Gog died in the wilderness as a sign to Israel – “then shall they know that I [am] the LORD their God” (Ezekiel 39:28)
Ezekiel 40 – Spiritual – The Millennial Temple

And, as with other patterns, the Sabbatical Design applies to the New Testament as well. The Book of Acts, having twenty-eight chapters, naturally falls into four sets of seven. I reviewed this book in view of the Sabbatical Design and was astonished! Here is what I found:

Chapters 1, 8, 15 and 22 demonstrate the Beginning. In Acts, the Beginning is always about spreading the Gospel; “you shall receive power” (1:4-8), the Church was scattered (8:1-8), the Church leaders accepted Gentile conversions (15:22-29), Paul’s conversion retold (22:6,11,14).

Chapters 2, 9, 16 and 23 contain the pattern of being Separated or Set Apart; Believers were set apart for salvation (2:37-41), Paul was the Lord’s chosen vessel (9:15), Macedonia was set apart for salvation (16:6-10), Paul chosen to be the Lord’s witness in Rome (23:11).

The third “day” of the design found in chapters 3, 10, 17 and 24, Seed and After Their Kind. These chapters show Christians saving others and producing After Their Kind; Peter’s second sermon (3:12-26), the conversion of Cornelius and his household (10:44-48), the conversion of Thessalonians and Bereans (17:4 and 12), Felix believed but rejected the Gospel (24:25-26).

In chapters 4, 11, 18 and 25, part four of the pattern, Signs, is clearly evident; the house was shaken after prayer (4:30-31), Gentiles received the Holy Spirit (11:15-16), Prophetic signs were given (11:27-28), Paul gave a sign to the Jews (18:6).

In chapters 5, 12, 19 and 26 there are so many Spiritual confirmations of the Sabbatical Design; Miracles were performed and the Apostles were freed from prison (5:12-19), an angel freed Peter from prison (12:7-11), an angel struck Herod with death (12:23), the Holy Spirit was received by the Corinthians (19:5-6), Paul performed miracles (19:11-12), Paul’s vision of the Lord Jesus (26:14-18).

Man and his (innately sinful) actions are shown in “day” six of the Sabbatical Design, found in chapters 6, 13, 20 and 27; false witnesses against Stephen (6:10-14), envious Jews stirred up opposition to Paul (13:45-50), Paul avoided Ephesus because of the actions in 19:23-29 (20:16), Paul warned against false teachers (20:29-30), The centurion would not listen to Paul (27:11).

The most blessed part of this design is “day” seven, Rest and Reprieve, found in chapters 7, 14, 21 and 28; Stephen was called to Eternal Rest (7:56-60), Paul’s reprieve from death (14:19-20), Paul was bound and rested from his missionary journeys (21:33), Paul and the entire crew of the ship found reprieve on the Isle of Malta (28:1-10).

As Brother Charles Capps used to say, “You need help not to see this!” God is in control! Praise His name for His wonderful Holy Bible.