God finished His work in six days and "rested" on the seventh day. Does God need rest?? No, of course not. But He established the pattern of man's work week and his need for a day of rest. Later, the Mosaic Law sticks to this pattern, setting up the Sabbath as a day of rest. Jesus confirms the need for rest in Mark 2:27 when He says, "The Sabbath was made for man..." But it gets better...What is so cool about this is how it sets up an understanding for the Jews about Christ. They were used to working hard six days of the week and resting on the seventh. But they were also used to making multiple sacrifices in order to make atonement for individual and collective sins. They "worked", believing that sacrifices would atone for sin. (We will see a few chapters later that Old Testament people were not "saved" by their sacrifices.) But the writer of Hebrews in chapter 4 discusses an amazing concept....that Jesus IS our Sabbath rest.
"There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works as God did from His." Heb. 4:9,10.
In other words, EVERY DAY is the Sabbath that we rest in Christ from our works. God's "rest" is entering into the plan of God and His work. So we don't work for our salvation, because of Jesus, our Sabbath rest, but in obedience, we go about the work of the Father. The Hebrew word for rest is "shabath" which means "to cease", "to put an end to". Christ put an end to our "works". I love that. The pattern set in Genesis for future generations, thousands of years later, to get a clear understanding of "rest."
Another thing I notice about chapter 2 is how it goes into more detail about the Creation week. And I see how the phrase "Lord God" ("said", "caused", "formed") is used 11 times, which is different from the phrase "God made" in chapter 1. Why is that? In Hebrew, Lord is "Jehovah" which means "self-existent" and the "I AM THAT I AM".....Wow. And God is "Elohiym" which means "supreme God" (when used with "the" as in "the Lord God"). So.....
"Jehovah Elohiym"....The self-existent, I AM THAT I AM, supreme God....very intense isn't it?
Maybe God wants us to see His authority in the hierarchy of His Creation. He planted, He made, He took, He said, He caused, He formed, He commanded. I think He makes a statement here....I AM in charge. I AM has all authority.
Living it today: God is in control, all powerful, sufficient for every need today. Walking by faith, in obedience is resting in Christ's work on my behalf. I am NOT working to save myself. I am following His lead in my daily walk with Him....a GREAT adventure! Love you!!
"There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works as God did from His." Heb. 4:9,10.
In other words, EVERY DAY is the Sabbath that we rest in Christ from our works. God's "rest" is entering into the plan of God and His work. So we don't work for our salvation, because of Jesus, our Sabbath rest, but in obedience, we go about the work of the Father. The Hebrew word for rest is "shabath" which means "to cease", "to put an end to". Christ put an end to our "works". I love that. The pattern set in Genesis for future generations, thousands of years later, to get a clear understanding of "rest."
Another thing I notice about chapter 2 is how it goes into more detail about the Creation week. And I see how the phrase "Lord God" ("said", "caused", "formed") is used 11 times, which is different from the phrase "God made" in chapter 1. Why is that? In Hebrew, Lord is "Jehovah" which means "self-existent" and the "I AM THAT I AM".....Wow. And God is "Elohiym" which means "supreme God" (when used with "the" as in "the Lord God"). So.....
"Jehovah Elohiym"....The self-existent, I AM THAT I AM, supreme God....very intense isn't it?
Maybe God wants us to see His authority in the hierarchy of His Creation. He planted, He made, He took, He said, He caused, He formed, He commanded. I think He makes a statement here....I AM in charge. I AM has all authority.
Living it today: God is in control, all powerful, sufficient for every need today. Walking by faith, in obedience is resting in Christ's work on my behalf. I am NOT working to save myself. I am following His lead in my daily walk with Him....a GREAT adventure! Love you!!
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