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.
I love the title the ESV Bible gives this scripture: The seventh day, God rests.
I don't know who you are in life, you who are reading this, but I know who I am. I'm a wife of an extremely busy pastor, the mom of 3 kids with unending amounts of energy (especially the 3 year old), I'm a Pepsi addict, only as I age, the caffeine keeps me awake, I am one of infinite projects and ideas.....
God RESTS. Doesn't that sound lovely? I love rest. I love sleep. I love doing nothing.
And God blessed a day, made it holy, specifically so we would rest. And rest in Him. Exodus 20:8-10 says "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.
This means not just veg out in front of the TV, but reflect on Him, worship Him, once again hand our lives over to Him, focusing on resting in him. For as Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30 " 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
I find it hard to remember. Our Sundays are often full, so my husband takes Fridays as his personal Sabbath. I find it hard to find a day to set aside for God. I'm busy, life is hectic, and I run run run from job to job.
But Jesus says his yoke is easy, his burden is light. If we would just take the time to rest in Him, I'm pretty sure everything else will fall into place.
So when you find yourself exhausted, repeat this verse:
Be still and know that I am God. (psalm 46:10a)
1 comment:
I really enjoyed MacArthur's sermon on this passage today.
He pointed out that God's rest was not a rest of recovery, but rather that He simply stopped working. Creation was complete. And He delighted in His creation - like a painter who finished his painting and sat back to enjoy it.
I loved that he pointed out that this is the one day that didn't specify and ending. There was no morning and evening the seventh day. He said this was to show that God continued to delight in His creation until sin entered the world at the Fall.
I also loved this quote (keeping in mind that Saturday is day 7 and Sunday is Day 1)...
Saturday gives testimony to God as creator. Sunday gives testimony to God as Redeemer because of the resurrection...On the seventh day God rested because He had finished creation. On the first day Christ arose because He had finished redemption....One day for the creator, another day for the Savior.
Saturday is a perpetual witness that God finished creation and is the glorious God of creation. Sunday is a perpetual witness that God finished redemption and is the God of salvation.
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