Yahweh Almighty created time with a cyclical periodicity. He celebrates every time period that He created and told us to, as well. He built in a pause for each period. He called this pause "Sabbath", designated as a "rest" or "ceasing". It is a time for man to back away from the close-up, rat-race, daily grind, everyday work and get a "big picture" view of his life. A time to look at forests instead of trees. A time to re-evaluate and meditate and plan. A time to spend with family and friends and Yahweh the Father and His Son. A time to feast and celebrate life and think and thank and praise his Creator and Sustainer. A festival. Praise the name of Yahweh! Psalms 135:1

Observing the Sabbaths that our Father created is an acknowledgment that Yahweh is Sovereign over all - over me - He is the Master - He rules over man's life. As long as man observes these Sabbaths, he will remember Yahweh, His Master. It is a time to stop and remember. Deuteronomy 8:18, 1 Chronicles 16:12, Psalms 20:7, Psalms 78:35, Psalms 119:55.

There are seven different Sabbath cycle periods. These periods are days, weeks, months, years, Sabbath of years, and millennia. Most have a 7th cycle pause, either during or after the 7th cycle,with one exception. That exception is a one or two day rest between every month. It seems that our Creator is NOT completely boring and predictable! Or, He is and we just don't understand yet.

While most Christians know about the primary, 7th day Sabbath that occurs after six days of work, few know about the other six Sabbath periods. Those who do, mostly believe they are extraneous, like a gall bladder or appendix that really "isn't required". "Our Creator didn't know what He was doing when He made them, so they aren't needed." Or - They were "only intended for Jews".

And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Mark 2:27

Our Creator made the Sabbaths (all seven of them) for MAN, not Jews. He had some reason in mind. They are NOT extraneous. The men who needed them during the time of the Israelites are no different than men now. If men needed them then, they need them now (even if they don't know it).

And he said unto them, That the Son of man is master also of the sabbath. Luke 6:5

If the Son of man is master of the Sabbath and nobody rests, He is master over NOBODY. By observing (keeping) the Sabbaths, we acknowledge His Lordship over us. The Son of man is master over the 7th day Sabbaths (each week) for a few people. He is master over the weeks, months, years, and Sabbath of years "Sabbaths" over almost no one (only a remnant). He will be master of the millennial Sabbath over the Elect (the overcomers, the saved who go to Heaven) while the majority are asleep in their graves.

The Greeks, in the 2nd century A.D., thought Jews were lazy because they insisted on having a "holiday" every seventh day. Somehow, the Sabbath concept changed from the idea of a "Holiday" or "festival" or a "day off" into a "burden". His people must restore it to being a "PLEASURE".

If you hold your foot back from the Sabbath,
    from doing your affairs on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a pleasure,
    the holy day of Yahweh honorable,
if you honor him more than doing your ways,
    than finding your affairs and speaking a word,
then you shall take your pleasure in Yahweh,
    and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth,
    and I will feed you the heritage of Jacob your ancestor,
for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14

If it isn't a pleasure and a delight, it isn't being observed at all, and might as well be ignored.

In ancient times, leisure was confined to certain classes; slaves didn't get days off. So, by resting on the Sabbath, we are reminded that we are free - NOT SLAVES!

During the week, we are slaves to our jobs, to our creditors, to our need to provide for ourselves; on Shabbat (Sabbath), we are freed from these concerns, much as our ancestors were freed from slavery in Egypt.

The purpose of this study is NOT to learn in depth about all these festival Sabbaths and their meanings. It is to demonstrate the timing cycles and periods and show that Sabbath includes MUCH more than just the 7th day weekly Sabbath. Yahweh made MANY vacations for man because He thought he needed them. Are you saying He was wrong? If you want to be a slave, then go ahead and work. If you want the freedom to rest and feast and visit and praise and think and remember, then study to find out how often Yahweh provided rest for YOU.