I. Introduction and Review
A. We are studying the Book of Genesis, verse by verse
B. We just finished chapter 1 of Genesis
- The most God-centred chapter in the entire Bible!
- Describing the process of how God created everything - by His words!
- It tells us WHEN God created everything - at the beginning in just six 24 hour days
- And tells us WHY He created everything - for us to reflect Himself and His glory
C. Chapter two will give us more detail about the creation of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve
D. Sandwiched between the creation of the entire universe, and the description of the creation of Adam and Eve are three short verses that set one day above all others - the Sabbath.
II. Message
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” - Genesis 2:1-3
A. God Stopped Working (Genesis 2:1,2)
1. It was the beginning of the seventh day - Saturday
2. Everything was Finished
- God had started His creative work on the first day, in Chapter 1, verse 1
- And He worked for 6, 24 hour days, creating everything that exists
- God had worked non stop for 144 hours, and then at sunset, He stopped
3. Two important times that phrase “Finished” appears in Scripture
a. Right after a perfect creation (2:1) - Everything was perfect
“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” - Genesis 1:31
b. Right after a perfect salvation - the words “It is finished” was declared on the cross by Jesus Christ in John 19:30!
4. And so God stopped working
- He didn’t stop being God, and He didn’t stop holding everything together
- God’s rest simply meant that creation was complete
B. Then, God Sabbathed (Genesis 2:2)
“And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” - Genesis 2:2
- That means, He Rested, Stopped Working. He did no more creating after Day Six.
- He didn’t need to rest - God never grows tired - He is eternal
- He just stopped working and ‘Sabbathed’ - Rested on purpose, not because of need
C. Then God Sanctified the Seventh Day (Genesis 2:3)
“And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” - Genesis 2:3
- God Set the Seventh Day as Special above all the other days
- And God declared that every seven days, people need to stop what they are doing and REST for a day
- So, God rested as our example
- And Sanctified the Seventh Day - made it a holy day
D. Three Important Lessons About Rest
- We need physical rest - every evening, and every 7 days
- We need a rest deep in our souls - not religion but a rest only Jesus can give you
- There is a rest coming to this world that will last 1,000 years - the Millennium
E. Two Important Days in a Week
- All cultures have a 7 day week
- From the beginning, we need a cycle of 7 days
- Two of those 7 days stand out - Sunday (the FIRST day) and Saturday (the LAST day)
- We Christians know Sunday is now more important - because Jesus arose on the FIRST day of the week!
F. The Meaning of Rest
“Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest…” - Exodus 34:21
- A forced BREAK from work
- To simply Relax, and do very little
III. Conclusion
A. God rested on the seventh day not because He was tired, but to establish a pattern for us
B. We need physical rest
C. We need spiritual rest in Christ
D. We look forward to the coming millennial rest
E. Have you found rest for your soul in Jesus Christ?
For more information, contact Bible Baptist Church of Ballincollig at www.biblebc.com