Genesis 2:3
Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
After the six days of creating, God took a rest. He didn't take a rest because He needed to. He didn't take a rest because He was bored. He took a rest to give us a pattern to follow. Everything in these first two chapters about creation is about a pattern and an example to us about God's order. Just like plants and animals are to produce after "their kind", so too, are we to are we to follow after God since we were made in His image. God has given us a pattern to follow. The root word in the above texted for "rested" is where we will eventually get the word "sabbath." Some would have us to believe that taking a rest on the seventh day is a Jewish Law and part of the Ten Commandments, no longer applicable to today's Christian. However, we ought to see that this is part of the character and nature of God, not part of a ceremonial or religious law. God has established a "rest" for the people of God. He not only rested on this day, He sanctified the day, the above text tells us. This is the first occurrence of the word or, concept, of sanctification in God's Word. God made this day holy. He made a distinction between the first six days and the seventh day. In one respect He made some time "normal" time and this time, "holy" time. The fact that God established "rest" is something we should dwell upon. Man's curse in chapter three will be toil and hard work, because he sinned. Yet, prior to the fall, God had established "rest." Note what one commentary says on this concept of rest:
(UBC OT) God blessed the seventh day, setting it apart from all other days by making it holy. From the premise that seven units symbolize wholeness or completeness, God’s sanctifying the seventh day certified that the creation was finished and perfect. In doing this God was expressing divine sovereignty over time. God separated time into ordinary time and holy time, for God did not want humans to become slaves to endless work. So humans are to rest one day in every seven in order to praise God and enjoy both the creation, the result of God’s labors, and the results of their own work. Holy time, therefore, adds meaning to activity done in regular time. Observance of holy time also refreshes the human spirit, adding a depth of meaning to life. God ties his deliverance of Israel out of Egypt into the observance of the seventh day (Deut. 5:12–15). Thus, on the Sabbath Israel worshiped the God of creation who was also the God of the exodus. In worshiping this great God regularly, humans exercise the spiritual dimension of being in God’s image.
Since the day of rest happened before the fall, it would be suggested that God designed the concept of rest and reflection over creation to praise Him, before man sinned. So, the day of rest was established before the sin of man is intended for us to take time away from our "creation" to reflect, refresh and rejoice over what God has done through us and with us. Take time to rest ... God planned it that way.
No comments:
Post a Comment