Tag: genesis-21-3

Take a Sabbath day for God’s sake! No going through the motions, not honoring the Sabbath with pretense and deceptive words, nor with hearts while encased in cement of our sins. Genesis 2:1-3

Genesis 2:1-3 English Standard Version

The Seventh Day, God Rests

2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

After creating the heavens and the earth, God gave us the example of taking a rest, and he blessed the seventh day of the week as holy.

Does that mean God was exhausted like we can be at the end of a week of work?

No, God has infinite power and energy; he doesn’t need rest as we do. Psalm 121

God paused because he was finished creating.

We are limited and finite in our power and energy, however, so we all need to rest from our work.

To help us, God built into the rhythm of our world the gift of a day of physical and spiritual rest.

Does God’s gift of a day of rest mean that we can use this rest for whatever purpose we like?

No, at the very heart of taking a day of rest is the deliberate pause to confess that God is our Creator, sustainer, and provider.

The fourth commandment reminds us that we depend on God to provide rest for us.

However, if we use that day of rest merely for our own delight, we act as if the day belongs to us because we have earned it.

When we honor God’s gift of rest as the commandment directs us to, we acknowledge that only in God do we find authentic the rest we truly need.

Sabbath rest is very deeply rooted in the biblical narrative, beginning with the creation account and extending through the teachings of Jesus and the apostles.

The Sabbath is a day set apart for rest and worship, serving as a sign of the covenant between God and His people.

Creation and the Sabbath

The origin of the Sabbath is found in the creation account in Genesis.

After six days of creation, God rested on the seventh day, sanctifying it as a day of rest. 

Genesis 2:2-3 states,

“And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing, so on that day He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation He had accomplished.”

The Sabbath in the Mosaic Law

The Sabbath was codified in the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai. 

Exodus 20:8-11 commands,

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.”

The Sabbath was a sign of the covenant between God and Israel.

As written in Exodus 31:16-17 :

“The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it as a lasting covenant for the generations to come. It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.”

Sabbath Observance in Israel

In ancient Israel, the Sabbath was a day of rest and worship, marked by the cessation from labor and a focus on spiritual matters.

Violations of the Sabbath were taken seriously, as seen in the account of a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath in Numbers 15:32-36, who was put to death for his transgression.

Prophetic Insights and the Sabbath

The prophets often called Israel back to proper Sabbath observance, linking it to social justice and spiritual renewal.

Isaiah 58:13-14 emphasizes the blessings of honoring the Sabbath:

“If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, the LORD’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words, then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Jesus and the Sabbath

In the New Testament, Jesus’ approach to the Sabbath was revolutionary.

He emphasized the spirit of the law over the letter, challenging the Pharisaic interpretations that had burdened the people.

In Mark 2:27-28 , Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Jesus performed several healings on the Sabbath, demonstrating that acts of mercy and necessity were in keeping with God’s intent for the day.

His actions highlighted the Sabbath as a time for restoration and refocusing, aligning with the deeper spiritual rest that He offers.

The Crucifixion, the Creation, and the Meaning of Sabbath Rest

As we consider those events leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus, there is a moment that regularly gets overlooked. That moment is Saturday, the Sabbath day, and it is easy to miss because nothing really happens on that day.

 Yet the fact that nothing happens is exactly what makes it beautiful and worth our attention.

So Much Work, So Little Time

In our 24/7 world, there is pressure to squeeze productivity out of every second.

We have a task-based mindset that pushes us to do more in less time so that we can do more later in the time we have now freed up.

It seems that the technology we use to make our lives easier and more efficient only creates new tasks to be done, leaving us frazzled and stressed.

Not only that, but the ability to ‘unplug’ from the world has become more and more difficult.

Working from home, once considered unusual and ineffective, has become the norm even for those who go to a building to work.

School is done over the internet virtually.

Even when we are ‘off,’ our devices and the internet are calling to us and reminding us there are more tasks to be done, more that needs our attention.

Yet God sets Genesis 2:2 squarely in front of us to deal with.

This pattern of rest, established and practiced by God Himself, is not in the Bible as a ‘maybe’ statement, but a resounding command, life-defining rhythm echoing throughout the centuries and through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Saturday: The Day God Rested, Again

On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. – Luke 23:56

Most of us are familiar with the events of Holy Week, the week starting with Palm Sunday and leading to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

The crucifixion was Friday, the resurrection was Sunday, but what happened on Saturday?

Well, nothing really. Jesus was laid to rest before the beginning of the Sabbath and rose again after the Sabbath. So on Saturday, nothing happened, or did it?

God’s timing is never a mistake.

Everything Jesus did was a fulfillment of prophecy, including his crucifixion in relation to Passover, his resurrection on the feast of first fruits, and it is not surprise that the ‘Silent Saturday’ in between is filled with purpose as well.

Just as God ‘rested from the work He had done’ after the creation of the world, it makes perfect sense Jesus, following the rhythm established by the Father, also ‘rested’ after the ‘work he had done’ in securing a new creation and the redemption of humanity.

Even as Jesus laid in the tomb, prophecy was being fulfilled and the ordinances of God satisfied.

Why We Must Learn to Wait and Rest

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! – Psalm 27:14

This Silent Saturday echoes the moment of rest from Genesis.

The work was done, it was finished, and then came a day of quiet.

Because the work is finished, we too can rest in Christ.

When Jesus died, the hope of his followers was also on the verge of death.

From their perspective, the one who they followed and believed in had died like a common thief.

Yet when it seemed nothing was happening, things were happening, things had happened:

“And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city, appeared to many”. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe, said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”’- Matthew 27:51-54.

In our waiting, God is working.

He is working in ways we will never see nor know, and give us rest in him as we prepare for what is to come, and as we seek to focus on him and him alone.

This day of silence between the crucifixion and resurrection, this Sabbath day of rest, was to be followed by the most important event in history.

The Roman guards were put in place to make sure that the tomb of Jesus stayed closed and that no one would move the stone from the outside.

In the quiet, in the Saturday silence, they could never have anticipated that its ‘dead’ occupant was soon to be living fully capable of opening it from the inside.

The Sabbath in the Early Church

The early church grappled with the observance of the Sabbath, especially as Gentile believers joined the predominantly Jewish community.

The apostle Paul addressed this issue in Colossians 2:16-17 , stating,

“Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.”

The shift from the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday) to the Lord’s Day (Sunday) in the Christian practice reflects the resurrection of Jesus, which occurred on the first day of the week.

This transition underscores the new creation inaugurated by Christ’s victory over sin and death.

Theological Significance of Sabbath Rest

Theologically, the Sabbath rest points to the ultimate rest found in Christ. 

Hebrews 4:9-10 speaks of a “Sabbath rest for the people of God,” indicating that believers enter into God’s rest through faith in Jesus.

This rest is both a present reality and a future hope, as Christians anticipate the eternal rest in the presence of God.

The Sabbath rest, therefore, is not merely the cessation of physical labor but a profound spiritual reality inviting believers to trust in God’s provision, reflect on His creation, experience the peace, restoration coming from abiding in Him.

Talking about It …
  • What do you think it must have been like for the disciples the day after Jesus died? Now, 2000 years later, what would it be like for us to live in the moment?
  • Why is it so difficult for us to wait on God when we know that he is faithful and his promises are true?
  • What are some ways that we can rest in Christ? Should take our rest in Christ?
  • How can we be at peace when we can’t see, know what God is doing behind the scenes? 
  • What steps can we take this week to make sure that we are studying, praying the Scriptures, about our following God’s rhythm of Sabbath rest in our life?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying …

How Great Are Your Works

A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath.

92 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
    to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
    and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
    to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
    at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

5 How great are your works, O Lord!
    Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
    the fool cannot understand this:
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
    and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8     but you, O Lord, are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord,
    for behold, your enemies shall perish;
    all evildoers shall be scattered.

10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
    you have poured over me[a] fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
    my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.

12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
    and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
    they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
    they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the Lord is upright;
    he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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How deep is deeply Rooted in Christ? On the seventh day God was finished with his work which he had made, so he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. Genesis 2:1-3

Genesis 2:1-3 Complete Jewish Bible

2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, along with everything in them. 2 On the seventh day God was finished with his work which he had made, so he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 God blessed the seventh day and separated it as holy; because on that day God rested from all his work which he had created, so that it itself could produce.

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

How often have you uttered any of these statements in the last few moments minutes, hours, days, weeks or months?

“I’m tired.”

“I need a break.”

“I could really use some time off.”

“I wish I had just one more hour of sleep.”

Or even,

“I am so ready for a vacation.”

For some, like my wife, it might be, “I could use a long vacation right now.” 

These statements are indicators you need rest.

The challenge is we live in a world that often runs at an exhausting pace, and the last thing we want to do is rest because we feel there is so much more to do.

While you might think there is something more noble in that, the truth tells us something different. God, in his infinitely greater wisdom, commands us to rest, and the benefits of rest are not just a luxury, they are really a necessity.

Exodus 20:10-11 Complete Jewish Bible

10 but the seventh day is a Shabbat for Adonai your God. On it, you are not to do any kind of work — not you, your son or your daughter, not your male or female slave, not your livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you inside the gates to your property. 11 For in six days, Adonai made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. This is why Adonai had blessed the day,  Shabbat, and separated it for himself.

As we consider this weighty topic, I want to be both spiritual and practical because, for as you will see, lack of rest is clearly not in your best interest.

What are the effects of lack of rest?

Sleep deficiency is linked to many chronic health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. Sleep deficiency is also linked to a higher chance of injury in adults, teens, and children.

What happens to the body if it doesn’t rest?

Higher stress levels

It all comes back to cortisol, the stress hormone: Sleep deprivation may raise cortisol levels, which can contribute to weight gain, heart disease, anxiety, signs of aging and so much more.

Can you get sick from lack of rest?

Yes.

Lack of sleep can affect your immune system.

Studies show that people who don’t get quality sleep or enough sleep are more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus, such as a common cold virus.

Lack of sleep also can affect how fast you get better if you do get sick.

What happens to your brain when you don’t rest?

Studies indicate that lack of sleep leads to neurological damage in the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in learning and memory.

God Established the Principle of Rest

Before God ever established the law, he established a principle of rest.

Unlike us, God did not need to rest, because he does not get tired.

He rested because he was setting a standard for us to follow.

Later on, when God gave the law, he further solidified this principle.

Exodus 23:10-12 Complete Jewish Bible

10 “For six years, you are to sow your land with seed and gather in its harvest. 11 But the seventh year, you are to let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor among your people can eat; and what they leave, the wild animals in the countryside can eat. Do the same with your vineyard and olive grove.

12 “For six days, you are to work. But on the seventh day, you are to rest, so that your ox and donkey can rest, and your slave-girl’s son and the foreigner be renewed.

The Physical Implications of a Lack of Rest

Find yourself tired or exhausted?

It could be you are violating the principle of rest.

It is a lot easier to do that now.

If you go back in time, most businesses used to be closed on Sundays.

Not anymore.

Beyond that, studies have shown we are sleeping less and working more.

Even when we take time off from work, we don’t even know how to enjoy that properly.

Consider these statistics from Forbes.

  • 54% of people work while on vacation.
  • 59% of people struggle to switch off from work while on vacation.
  • 63% of people feel anxious if they don’t check their work-related messages while on vacation.
  • 86% of people receive relaxation-disrupting calls and messages from colleagues while on vacation.
  • 54% feel guilty if they work while on vacation.
  • 47% feel guilty if they don’t work while on vacation.
  • One in four admitted that their boss demands them to work on vacations.
  • 34% of people choose to work while on vacation because they love their job. However, 29% do so out of fear of losing it.

This lack of rest ultimately can have physical, emotional, and mental health implications. Within that same article, they mentioned two alarming statistics.

  • 70% of people have experienced mental health issues due to overworking, with 43% suffering from anxiety and one in eight turning to harmful substances.
  • Two-thirds of workers have experienced alarming physical health issues, such as chronic pain and a weakened immune system, caused by overworking. 

Further medical research has connected a lack of rest to several serious issues, including obesity, depression, heart failure, and even dementia.

Employees that don’t get enough rest are far more likely to be unfocused, miss days of work or get injured on the job.

With all these potential consequences from a lack of rest, clearly God knew what he was doing when he commanded us to rest.

He was looking out for our overall well-being.

Lack of Rest Has Spiritual Implications

Matthew 11:28-30 New American Standard Bible 1995

28 “Come to Me, all [a]who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is [b]easy and My burden is light.”

Lack of rest goes beyond just affecting job performance or health.

There are also some serious spiritual consequences that can result from a lack of rest.

Sometimes as Christians, we treat busy and tired as a badge of honor.

If you are extremely busy and exhausted, you must be doing something right.

While it could be true, have you considered it might do more harm than good?

Here is a simple truth I want you to consider.

A tired Christian is a vulnerable Christian.

If you ever watch sports, pay attention to what happens to athletes when they get tired.

They may have lots of energy, fight, and enthusiasm when the game starts.

However, when the game lingers on and fatigue sets in, you may notice their energy levels drop.

The strength and passion they had at the beginning diminishes.

When this happens, they can be a little less focused and pay less attention to details.

They may also lose the will to win.

When you are tired, you are more likely to give up, give in, or give out.

This same principle applies spiritually.

When you are tired, you become more prone to temptation, you may lose patience with other people, which can easily badly damage relationships, and spending time in prayer and in the word becomes less of a priority.

You just may not have the energy to do it.

That’s why you become vulnerable and why rest is so important.

There is a saying that I heard that says fatigue makes cowards of us all.

By ignoring your need for rest and pushing yourself beyond that, you are setting yourself up for failure.

Lack of rest is not a badge of honor but a recipe for disaster.

When you violate God’s principle of rest, as you can see, it comes with some potentially severe, even lethal consequences.

Jesus Spoke and Reiterated the Need for Us to Rest

When Jesus walked the earth, he was cognizant of the need for us to rest.

Going to work, whether secular or sacred, can drain us and we need to recharge.

You cannot pour from an empty cup.

Jesus even recognized this with his disciples.

In Mark’s gospel, Jesus commissions his disciples and sends them out to work.

“Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits” (Mark 6:6-7).

“So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them” (Mark 6:12-13).

The disciples went out and did this ministry work.

When they returned, look at what Jesus tells his disciples.

“Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. And He said to them, ‘Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’ For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves” (Mark 6:30-32).

The disciples worked so hard they did not even have time to rest or eat.

Jesus told them to stop, get away from the people around you, rest, and eat.

The disciples followed his instructions, got in a boat, and went on a cruise to a deserted place.

How many times have you worked through lunch, skipped a meal, or given up sleep because there was a sudden onslaught of work you needed to finish?

That might be okay for a brief period, but Jesus recognized that is not a good long-term strategy. He clearly defines there is a time to work and a time to rest.

My friends, you do not differ from the disciples.

You need times where you get away from the busyness of life and rest for a while. Take your cue from Jesus and do what the disciples did. Go on a retreat.

Final Thought

As long as you live, there will always be a time to work and a time to rest.

This is the principle and cycle that God established for us from the beginning, and if you violate that principle, eventually you will most assuredly give out.

You will have no strength left, nothing left to offer, cup is empty, you can’t pour anything from an empty cup, so stop believing you can “fake it till you make it.”

Acknowledge that it is okay and wise to rest.

Proverbs 3:5-8 Complete Jewish Bible

5 Trust in Adonai with all your heart;
do not rely on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him;
then he will level your paths.

7 Don’t be conceited about your own wisdom;
but fear Adonai, and turn from evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and give strength to your bones.

God established rest as a principle and then a command. Jesus reinforced that idea. Now you need to incorporate rest into your life. There will always be more to do, but if you don’t get proper rest, then you might not be around to do it.

19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of[a] all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember,[b] I am with you always,[c] to the end of the age.”

Praying …

The Lord Is My Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.[a]
3     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness[b]
    for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,[c]
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6 Surely[d] goodness and mercy[e] shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell[f] in the house of the Lord
    forever.[g]

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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