Exodus chapter 20 verse 9 says six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work This year marks the 130th annual Labor Day holiday in the United States of America. In the past, we've discussed the history of Labor Day and a Christian perspective on that history, as we can be thankful that the extremes of what's called laissez-faire capitalism and Marxist socialism were both defeated in favor of a lawful capitalist form of free market economy and employment. which is based upon biblical principles and the biblical work ethic. Now, there's no denying that Labor Day is closely connected to the union and workers' rights movements. And most of today's larger unions have become an arm of the Democrat Party and funnel huge amounts of money and energy into electing leftists to political office, which results in the support of abortion, otherwise known as the murder of unborn children, sodomies, LGBTQ movement, gun control, and other wicked agendas. But I don't believe we should allow those wicked forces to control the Labor Day holiday narrative because the fact still remains that this holiday is one for all American citizens and one in which all of us can celebrate as we see fit. And so my family chooses to spend time together on Labor Day. We pray before our meal and thank God for the nation in which we live and are able to work with a great deal of freedom and safety on our jobs. We choose to emphasize the importance of a biblical work ethic and point out these things to other believers who many times, sadly, have no idea what the Bible actually says about the matter of labor, hard work, and ethics in business and as an employee. Many give little thought to the fact that the whole matter of labor and employment is a major result of the fall, as we read in Genesis 3, 17-19. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it, Cursed is the ground for thy sake. In sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns also and thistles shalt it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground. For out of it wast thou taken, for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Since then, it has been a fact of life, if you live, you work. For example, Psalm 104.23 simply says, man goeth forth unto his work and to his labor until the evening, end quote. And if a man won't do that, there are consequences, as Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 3.10, for even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. But while the Bible warns about laziness and an unwillingness to work and earn your wages, the Scripture is filled with encouragement and blessings for hard-working, God-fearing men and women. Psalm 128, 1 and 2 says, Blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord, that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands, happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. And many times you see phrases like the beginning of Proverbs 14.23 that says, in all labor there is profit. Or Ecclesiastes 5.12, the sleep of a laboring man is sweet whether he eat little or much. And Jesus indicates that there's a connection between the laboring man and those who are willing to repent toward God with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. As you think of these words in Matthew 11, 28, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. It's interesting, Jesus doesn't say, and you lazy gluttons as well. So, there's some food for thought and words to meditate on as we leave you with one final exhortation from the Apostle Paul for this Labor Day holiday in 2 Thessalonians 3.12. Now, them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work and eat their own bread. What an amazing improvement there would be in this world if everyone just followed that simple commandment and exhortation and followed the biblical teaching on labor.