Sabbath | On The Seventh Day
God created the world out of nothingness, speaking everything into being and demonstrating His divine rule over all creation and His loving nature to create things according to His glory. For six days, God made all of creation from the structure and organization of the universe to the details of the individual cells. When we consider the vastness of all of creation, we can stand in awe and wonder that all things were created in six days. For God, the work of creation came about naturally out of an abundance of God supreme ability. He effortlessly calls things into being out of nothing and brings life to the universe. Then after the work had been completed out of the infinite sufficiency of God’s being, God rested from His work looking at the completeness of everything that had been done.
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 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. 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. (Genesis 2:1-3, ESV)
The idea of Sabbath often becomes misunderstood as an obligation for humanity rather than something intended for mankind to enjoy. On the other end of misunderstanding is simply that this day is one of naps and laziness. Both of these miss the point of what God intended with the Sabbath. The Sabbath had been given to mankind as a means of our enjoyment of the fullness and presence of God to achieve more than our ability allows us to. Furthermore, we cannot fall into the temptation of thinking that God needed the Sabbath in the same manner that we need rest. God does not need rest but gives rest to the weary so that we might find our restoration and enjoyment in Him. The Sabbath serves as a testimony to the goodness of God over all creation as we submit to the will of God over all aspects of our life, just as He rules and reigns over all creation.
A Monument to The Rule of God Over All Things
At the end of the six days of creation, God set apart the seventh day and made it holy. The purpose of the seventh day was to be fundamentally different than the other seven days. For the Sabbath to be describe as Holy and set apart would imply that the seventh day, its activities, and purpose remained fundamentally different. This is not to say that the remaining six days were unholy, but rather the set apart nature of the seventh day made it one that a follower of God would abstain from work in pursuit of the spiritual and holy. The sabbath is a day meant to be in pursuit of God and His purposes. Sabbath proclaims the sovereign reign and rule over all creation by standing in the presence of God. It was God who brought all things into existence and then rested from His work on the sixth day. Similarly, we too need to work hard as unto the Lord for six days and be willing to rest on the seventh in a day that we have set apart as holy and in pursuit of the things of God. This is not to say that the other six days are unholy, but rather that their divine purpose is one of working unto the Lord whereas the Sabbath is meant to worship the Lord in our rest.
The Sabbath, though, is not a day of punishment for people who did not get all their work done. The Sabbath is a day of resting in and trusting in the Lord. Our day of rest is meant to be a day of blessing for mankind. Resting in the presence of God is a source of blessing for mankind. We enjoy the Sabbath by understanding that we have been welcome to come into the presence of God. Although, the High King and sovereign ruler of all creation stands over all things that have been brought into existence, He loves the world in such a manner as to draw people to Himself in the enjoyment of presence. The Sabbath is design for worshipping God. We are blessed as the people of God to be able to worship Him by resting in His presence. We trusts that God will provide for us in our rest. We know that God will restore us from the fatigue of our work as God who reigns over all creation and over all work. Sabbath should never be viewed as a chore or a task but is a restful reminder than the sovereign God rules over all things and give us
The Rest of God
Yet, we cannot fall into the temptation that God needed the rest on the seventh day. As mankind, we are often reminded of our need of God and the lack of our ability by our need to rest. This need for rest comes as the reminder of our own limitations and our need for God. However, God, when He set apart the seventh day as a Sabbath rest did not feel fatigue from the creative process or rest from His position over all creation. “He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:3-4, ESV) God does not sleep nor does God need to sleep. God does not need to recharge or gain back energy. To do so would mean that God could be conquered and the throne of heaven could be overthrown simply by working too hard. God, resting on the seventh day was a testament to the complete work of God in creation. Nothing else had been needed in order for the world to be complete. The
Throughout scripture, it becomes clear that the Sabbath is made for mankind’s enjoyment and worship of God, not because even God Himself had grown weary at the end of creation. God is fully self-sufficient and able to do all things within Himself so that we might rest in Him. He is infinite in nature and without end. Thus, as we rest in our own Sabbath we can rest in the assurance that God does not slumber or stop watching guard during this day. Rather, God continues to rule and reign over all aspects of creation and safeguards and protects His people out of the abundance of His love. Sabbath trusts in God’s ability to continue to rule and reign even when the rest of the world sleeps. Find your enjoyment in trusting the rule and sovereignty of God enjoy to cease from your own striving, even the work that we do as unto the Lord, and rest in His presence, knowing that God holds you fully in His hands.
About The Author
Daniel Burton is the founder of The Gospel Outpost. He is passionate about discipleship and seeing people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out more about him, check out his Author Page.
