Why did God rest on the 7th day ?

[Lou Newton]

Here is a copy of an email I received from Glen :

God rested on the seventh day of creation (Genesis 2:2)
The Lord's rest of Genesis 2:2 (HCSB) is the same as the cloud resting over the tabernacle in Exodus 40.
³⁴ The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ Moses was unable to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud rested on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁶ The Israelites set out whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle throughout all the stages of their journey. ³⁷ If the cloud was not taken up, they did not set out until the day it was taken up. ³⁸ For the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and there was a fire inside the cloud by night, visible to the entire house of Israel throughout all the stages of their journey.

From Exodus 13:21 the cloud is the symbol for the presence of YHWH. The resting of the cloud represents his place of dwelling above the Tabernacle and not a rest in the sense of reclining or recovering. The Book of Hebrews in 4:1-4 offers a similar commentary on the word rest in Genesis 2:2.
¹Therefore, while the promise to enter His rest remains, let us fear that none of you should miss it. ² For we also have received the good news just as they did; but the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith ³ (for we who have believed enter the rest), in keeping with what He has said:
So I swore in My anger,
they will not enter My rest.
And yet His works have been finished since the foundation of the world, ⁴ for somewhere He has spoken about the seventh day in this way:
And on the seventh day
God rested from all His works. (Genesis 2:2)

From these uses it is clear that rest refers entering into a relationship with God. In Genesis 2:2 God neither reclines nor recoups from His acts of creation, but He has prepared creation for man to enter into a relationship with Him or into His rest.
old scribe

[Lou Newton]

Here is a copy of an email I received from Glen :

Thanks Glen,

I look at it this way.

God rested from creating on the 7th day.

There is no end given to the 7th day in the scriptures like the other 6 days.

God says they will not enter his rest, so he is still at rest from creating, but NOT all work.

We enter His rest when we give our life to Him and trust Him to save it and stop working to save ourselves. We rest in Him.

God will create new heavens and a new earth when he returns at the end of this present age and a new age will begin, the start of the 8th day.

This present age will be completed then.

[Baruch]

Very cool study. I love how the Holy Spirit shows us different things from the same passages.

Often I'll search a word just because I want to see how it's used in more than one place. I already had a notion that the Lord meant rest like Lou mentions.

I have thought about the cloud off and one, but had not considered it in terms of God's rest, nor connected it to the relationship which we know we need to have with Him. That invites deep thought.

I will follow this post with some connections the Holy Spirit showed me when they turned up in a search on the Greek word for "rest" in the Septuagint, Gen 2:2. I'll put them in separate posts, according to theme.

[Lou Newton]

Thanks Glen,

I look at it this way.

God rested from creating on the 7th day.

There is no end given to the 7th day in the scriptures like the other 6 days.

God says they will not enter his rest, so he is still at rest from creating, but NOT all work.

We enter His rest when we give our life to Him and trust Him to save it and stop working to save ourselves. We rest in Him.

God will create new heavens and a new earth when he returns at the end of this present age and a new age will begin, the start of the 8th day.

This present age will be completed then.

Answer from Glen
Thanks,
I see it the same way. Before yesterday I hadn't made the connection between the rest of Genesis 2:2 and the rest of the cloud of Exodus 13:21.
I found this connection while working on the rest we come to upon faith in Christ, just as you believe.
Ages - I see this present age lasting until the 8th Day - just as you do. However "this present age" as used in the New Testament was the age in which they were living and not our age.

I see as the times from John the Baptist to A.D. 70 referred to as the "present age, "last times," "last days," "end of the age," "Day of Vengeance," "Day or Time of Visitation." The Book of Hebrews helps in understanding the Temple destruction as the end of the age. It seems important to make a distinction between the time period when the New Testament was being written as the ending of the Old Covenant while the New Covenant was replacing the old after its inauguration. So, both Covenants were in place from ???? either John to A.D. 70 or the start of Christ's ministry to A.D. 70, or The Resurrection/Ascension to A.D 70. I think acceptable theological points can be made for each of these periods of time. I prefer the the last because of the symbolism of the forty years from the Ascension to the destruction of the Temple matches with the Old Convent's forty years from Mt. Sinai to entering the Promised land.

8th Day followed the last of the three required pilgrim feast when all male Jews of 12 years and older were required to make offerings at the Temple.
The third pilgrim feast was the 6th, but the 5th, 6th, and 7th feasts came one after the other:
Feast of Trumpets- Rosh Hashana,
Day of Atonement - Yom Kippur (required participation),
Feast day, Tabernacles - Succoth,
These were followed by the Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly - Sh’mini Atzereth.
Or one can read The Revelation 21-22.

The feast days should be understood as follows:
Feast is the appointed time of the Lord for the Holy Convocation to rehearse the realty of spiritual life.
Feast days were the rehearsals for the truth so they would understand the Day of their Visitation.


PS from Lou - thanks for the reply Barry. I will look forward to your further comments

[Baruch]

It's well known that God rested from His works in Genesis, and later He commanded Israel to guard this holy day and do like He did.

Exo 31:12 And the lord spoke to Moses, saying, 13 You also speak to the sons of Israel! saying, Perceive, and guard my Sabbaths! For it is a sign by me and among you unto your generations, that you might know that I the lord am the one sanctifying you. 14 And you shall guard the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. The one profaning it, unto death shall be put to death. Every one who shall do work on it, that soul shall be utterly destroyed from the midst of his people. 15 Six days you shall do works, but the seventh day is a holy Sabbath rest to the lord. All who shall do work on the day of the Sabbaths shall be put to death. 16 And the sons of Israel shall guard the Sabbaths to observe them unto their generations. 17 It is an eternal covenant with me and the sons of Israel, it is an eternal sign. For in six days the lord made the heaven and the earth, and on the seventh day he ceased and rested.

It seems to me the best known meaning is that this commandment points to the finished work of God in Jesus Christ.

We can see that God took this very seriously. Every other day is common, profane; but the seventh day when He rested is holy and inviolate. Violation carried the death sentence. Men were not to do their own works, but the work of Yahweh which He commanded to set apart that day and devote it to God. God said it is an eternal covenant and an eternal sign.

Every one of these aspects, and surely many more, point to Christ.

[Baruch]

In contrast to the goodness of God, evil rulers would not give their people rest from their labor.

Exo 5:5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, now the people of the land are numerous; I shall not then rest them from the works.

2Sa 17:8 And Hushai said, You know your father, and his men, that they are exceedingly mighty, and their soul is very bitter as a bear being made childless in the plain. And your father is a warrior man, and in no way shall he rest the people.

These rulers were men. But the wicked rulers of the nations, the lesser gods placed over them (principalities, powers, etc.), ruled unjustly as well and did not give their people rest. We see this in Psalm 82, where God rebukes them for ruling unjustly.

There is a rest which God gives His people, in the land which He gave them for an inheritance. We see the following thing said frequently, where He gives them rest from their enemies round about. And this, too, points to Christ.

Deu 25:17 Remember as many things Amalek did to you in the way of your going forth from Egypt! 18 How he opposed you in the way, and beat your rear guard, the ones tiring in your rear, and you hungered and were tired. And he feared not God. 19 And it will be when ever the lord your God rests you from all your enemies round about you in the land which the lord your God gives to you by lot to inherit, you shall wipe away the name Amalek from under the heaven, and in no way should you forget.

Deu 12:10 But you shall pass over the Jordan, and you shall dwell upon the land of which the lord our God shall inherit to you; and he shall rest you from all your enemies round about; and you shall dwell with safety.

[Baruch]

I find this one completely amazing. I won't even try to explain it. It blows me away.

Ex 34:21 Six days you shall work, but the seventh day you shall rest -- in the sowing and in the harvest you shall rest.

Rth 2:7 And she said, I shall collect together please, and I will bring in the sheaves behind the ones harvesting. And she came and stood, from morning and until evening, she did not rest in the field a little.
Rth 2:8 And Boaz said to Ruth, Did you not hear, O daughter? You should not go to collect into another field, and you should not go from here; you join up here with my young women!
Rth 2:9 And let your eyes be unto the field where ever mine should harvest! and you should go after them. Behold, I gave charge to the servants to not touch you. And when you shall thirst, then you shall go to the vessels, and you shall drink from where the servants should draw water.
Rth 2:10 And she fell upon her face, and did obeisance upon the ground, and said to him, Why is it that I found favor in your eyes to recognize me, and I am a stranger?
Rth 2:11 And Boaz answered and said to her, By report it was reported to me all as much as you have done with your mother-in-law after the dying of your husband; and how you left behind your father, and your mother, and the land of your origin, and went to a people which you did not know yesterday and the third day before.
Rth 2:12 May the lord repay your work, and may your wage be full from the lord God of Israel, to whom you came to yield under his wings.

Gen 8:22 All the days of the earth, seed and harvest, chilliness and sweltering heat, summer and spring, day and night, will not be caused to cease.

[Lou Newton]

I find this one completely amazing. I won't even try to explain it. It blows me away.

Ex 34:21 Six days you shall work, but the seventh day you shall rest -- in the sowing and in the harvest you shall rest.

Rth 2:7 And she said, I shall collect together please, and I will bring in the sheaves behind the ones harvesting. And she came and stood, from morning and until evening, she did not rest in the field a little.
Rth 2:8 And Boaz said to Ruth, Did you not hear, O daughter? You should not go to collect into another field, and you should not go from here; you join up here with my young women!
Rth 2:9 And let your eyes be unto the field where ever mine should harvest! and you should go after them. Behold, I gave charge to the servants to not touch you. And when you shall thirst, then you shall go to the vessels, and you shall drink from where the servants should draw water.
Rth 2:10 And she fell upon her face, and did obeisance upon the ground, and said to him, Why is it that I found favor in your eyes to recognize me, and I am a stranger?
Rth 2:11 And Boaz answered and said to her, By report it was reported to me all as much as you have done with your mother-in-law after the dying of your husband; and how you left behind your father, and your mother, and the land of your origin, and went to a people which you did not know yesterday and the third day before.
Rth 2:12 May the lord repay your work, and may your wage be full from the lord God of Israel, to whom you came to yield under his wings.

Gen 8:22 All the days of the earth, seed and harvest, chilliness and sweltering heat, summer and spring, day and night, will not be caused to cease.

Amen, the story of Ruth is a whole subject in itself. Great story.

How about these words of Ruth:

Ruth 1 15 "Look," said Naomi, "your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her."
16 But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.
17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."

Has any mere human being ever spoke any words that were more beautiful ?

Ruth is one of my heroes. She is a example of a godly woman that very few rise to.

She is a leader among the people of The Lord Jesus. She did not lead by putting herself forward as a leader, but she led by her humility and servant attitude.

I do not know of a more Christ like human in all of scripture, history, or real life. She led by her Christ like example which very few even try to follow.

How many other women have had God name a book of the Holy Scriptures after them ?

How many other women have had God put their name in the genealogy of Jesus Christ ?

How many women can say that they have David and Christ as their grandchildren ?

NO OTHER WOMAN CAN MAKE ALL OF THESE CLAIMS EXCEPT RUTH.

And this is really amazing considering she was born of the nation of Moab. Here is the curse God put on Moab:

Deuteronomy 23 3 No Ammonite or Moabite or any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation.
4 For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse on you.#cr
5 However, the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you.
6Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them as long as you live.

Solomon built the temple and he was only the 4th generation from Ruth.

Truly anyone who trusts in Jesus to save them is forgiven of any curse or sin.

What a story of the redemption by our Redeemer.


Lou Newton

[Baruch]

Here is a copy of an email I received from Glen :

God rested on the seventh day of creation (Genesis 2:2)
The Lord's rest of Genesis 2:2 (HCSB) is the same as the cloud resting over the tabernacle in Exodus 40.
³⁴ The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ Moses was unable to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud rested on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁶ The Israelites set out whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle throughout all the stages of their journey. ³⁷ If the cloud was not taken up, they did not set out until the day it was taken up. ³⁸ For the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and there was a fire inside the cloud by night, visible to the entire house of Israel throughout all the stages of their journey.

From Exodus 13:21 the cloud is the symbol for the presence of YHWH. The resting of the cloud represents his place of dwelling above the Tabernacle and not a rest in the sense of reclining or recovering. The Book of Hebrews in 4:1-4 offers a similar commentary on the word rest in Genesis 2:2.
¹Therefore, while the promise to enter His rest remains, let us fear that none of you should miss it. ² For we also have received the good news just as they did; but the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith ³ (for we who have believed enter the rest), in keeping with what He has said:
So I swore in My anger,
they will not enter My rest.
And yet His works have been finished since the foundation of the world, ⁴ for somewhere He has spoken about the seventh day in this way:
And on the seventh day
God rested from all His works. (Genesis 2:2)

From these uses it is clear that rest refers entering into a relationship with God. In Genesis 2:2 God neither reclines nor recoups from His acts of creation, but He has prepared creation for man to enter into a relationship with Him or into His rest.
old scribe

I like this, Glen. The connections appear solid. When we enter into a relationship with God, we abide in Him, and He in us. In English, abide means to remain with, to endure, but also to dwell or reside. A dwelling place is an abode. The Greek (Septuagint) word for "rested" in Gen 2:2 means "to settle down, that is, (literally) to colonize" and figuratively to cease. Where God touches the earth is considered holy land; and He inhabits holy space.

Exodus 26 is devoted entirely to the design of the Lord's tabernacle, a remarkably elaborate structure. A lot of preparation went into sanctifying the congregation and the temple props (Exo 29-30). There was nothing like it. It was placed outside the camp, separate from the people.

The dark cloud also speaks of God's impenetrable mystery and holy of holies: Exo 20:21; Job 22:13; and His secret place: Psa 18:11; Psa 91:1; Col 3:3.

None can enter the secret place, the abode, His rest without establishing the proper relationship with the Father through the Son.

[Lou Newton]

I like this, Glen. The connections appear solid. When we enter into a relationship with God, we abide in Him, and He in us. In English, abide means to remain with, to endure, but also to dwell or reside. A dwelling place is an abode. The Greek (Septuagint) word for "rested" in Gen 2:2 means "to settle down, that is, (literally) to colonize" and figuratively to cease. Where God touches the earth is considered holy land; and He inhabits holy space.

Exodus 26 is devoted entirely to the design of the Lord's tabernacle, a remarkably elaborate structure. A lot of preparation went into sanctifying the congregation and the temple props (Exo 29-30). There was nothing like it. It was placed outside the camp, separate from the people.

The dark cloud also speaks of God's impenetrable mystery and holy of holies: Exo 20:21; Job 22:13; and His secret place: Psa 18:11; Psa 91:1; Col 3:3.

None can enter the secret place, the abode, His rest without establishing the proper relationship with the Father through the Son.

Thanks for the reply Barry.

We used to work for our salvation, but now we have stopped our struggle to try to earn it, We rest in Jesus.

Isaiah 40
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

NOTICE the order;

1 - we soar on wings like eagles

2 - Then we run and not grow weary

3 - the we walk and not be faint

When we are first saved we soar on wings like eagles we are so drunk with His Holy Spirit

Then we run to try to serve him

Then we come to rest in Him and walk instead of fly or run. We learn to trust in Him and have need to hurry

We leave the impossible to The Lord Jesus, we only concerned with the possible that he has asked us to do.

Lou Newton

[Baruch]

Thanks for the reply Barry.

We used to work for our salvation, but now we have stopped our struggle to try to earn it, We rest in Jesus.

Isaiah 40
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

NOTICE the order;

1 - we soar on wings like eagles

2 - Then we run and not grow weary

3 - the we walk and not be faint

When we are first saved we soar on wings like eagles we are so drunk with His Holy Spirit

Then we run to try to serve him

Then we come to rest in Him and walk instead of fly or run. We learn to trust in Him and have need to hurry

We leave the impossible to The Lord Jesus, we only concerned with the possible that he has asked us to do.

Lou Newton

Thank you, Lou, for this wonderful insight. I agree with this. I also agree with Glen's statement. There is a lot packed into the concept of the Lord's rest.

[Baruch]

I like this, Glen. The connections appear solid. When we enter into a relationship with God, we abide in Him, and He in us. In English, abide means to remain with, to endure, but also to dwell or reside. A dwelling place is an abode. The Greek (Septuagint) word for "rested" in Gen 2:2 means "to settle down, that is, (literally) to colonize" and figuratively to cease. Where God touches the earth is considered holy land; and He inhabits holy space.

Exodus 26 is devoted entirely to the design of the Lord's tabernacle, a remarkably elaborate structure. A lot of preparation went into sanctifying the congregation and the temple props (Exo 29-30). There was nothing like it. It was placed outside the camp, separate from the people.

The dark cloud also speaks of God's impenetrable mystery and holy of holies: Exo 20:21; Job 22:13; and His secret place: Psa 18:11; Psa 91:1; Col 3:3.

None can enter the secret place, the abode, His rest without establishing the proper relationship with the Father through the Son.

Isa 66:1 Thus says the lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth a footstool for my feet. What kind of house shall you build to me? and what kind of place for my rest?
Isa 66:2 For all these things I made by my hand, and all these are mine, says the lord. And upon whom shall I look upon, but only upon the humble and unassuming, and the one trembling at my words?

These questions posed by the Lord of course point to Christ, just as the temple made with hands and the preparations. The rest of Isa 66 provides a contrasting description of rest and unrest.

Joh 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
Joh 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
Joh 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

Heb 9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
Heb 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
Heb 9:9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Heb 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Heb 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
Heb 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

Seeing as how the temple made with hands, where the presence of God came to rest, was so elaborate and carefully maintained beyond anything else there was, this should greatly sharpen our sense of meaning transferred to passages like the following.

1Co_3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co_3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
1Co_6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?