The Bible tells us in Genesis 2:2 that “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.” This verse raises an important question – why did God rest on the seventh day after creating the heavens and the earth? Here are several key reasons:
1. To set an example for mankind to follow
God worked for six days in creation and then rested on the seventh. This set a pattern for mankind to labour for six days and then rest on the Sabbath. As Exodus 20:8-11 makes clear, the Sabbath was instituted because God Himself rested on the seventh day at creation. By resting, God was setting an example for His people to follow. The Sabbath was to be a day of ceasing work and focusing on the Lord.
2. His work of creation was completely finished
Genesis 1 repeatedly declares that God saw that what He had made was “good.” At the end of the sixth day, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). The creation work was entirely complete and perfect. Therefore, there was no need for God to continue working on the seventh day since His creative work was finished.
3. To enjoy what He had accomplished
The seventh day rest gave God the opportunity to enjoy what He had accomplished during the previous six days of creation. God looked over all He had made and declared it “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Just as we might relax and enjoy something we have worked hard to accomplish, God reflected on His creation with divine satisfaction and contentment.
4. To make the seventh day holy
The book of Genesis does not explicitly state this, but later Scripture reveals that God blessed and made the seventh day holy (Genesis 2:3). God set apart the Sabbath day at creation by resting on it. This established that the Sabbath was sacred and was to be remembered and observed by His people (Exodus 20:8-11). God’s rest on the seventh day sanctified that day.
5. To confirm His sovereignty over creation
By resting on the seventh day, God demonstrated that He rules over creation as its sovereign King. The cessation of creative activity showed that God’s work was completely under His control from start to finish. All of creation was subject to His divine command and existed to bring Him glory. His rest affirmed that He alone is the all-powerful Maker and Master of all things.
6. To reflect the final rest from sin in salvation
While this goes beyond Genesis 1-2, later Scripture shows that God’s Sabbath rest ultimately pointed ahead to the eternal rest that believers would have in Christ (Hebrews 4:3-11). When sin entered the world, rest was disturbed. But Christ came to provide eternal salvation and restoration of the rest originally intended at creation. The weekly Sabbath symbolized that saving promise yet to be fulfilled through Christ’s redemptive work.
7. To enjoy loving communion with mankind
When God had created Adam and Eve, He had intended them to share the joy and blessing of the Sabbath rest with Him. This would have been a time of close fellowship between God and mankind in the perfection of Eden. Tragically, sin intervened before this could happen. But God’s Sabbath rest still reflected His desire for intimate relationship with those made in His image.
In summary, God’s resting on the seventh day of creation established important patterns and principles for mankind while also revealing key aspects of God’s character and purposes. It highlighted the perfection of His finished work. It set apart the Sabbath day as holy. And it pointed ahead prophetically to the eternal rest that Christ would one day accomplish for His people. God’s rest affirmed His complete sovereignty as the wonderful Creator and loving Redeemer.
Objections to God’s seventh day rest considered
Some people raise objections about God’s seventh day rest at creation. Here are answers to some common questions:
Doesn’t this present God as getting tired?
Scripture makes clear that God does not grow weary or exhausted (Isaiah 40:28). When the Bible speaks of God resting, this does not imply that He was tired from His work of creation. As an all-powerful Spirit, God does not need physical rest. The rest simply means He ceased from the work of creation because it was completed.
Does this contradict God’s immutability?
The doctrine of God’s immutability (unchanging nature) means God is unchanging in His character and purposes. However, this does not mean God is static or inactive. The act of creation involved God energizing, creating, and accomplishing His will. His rest afterward was consistent with His nature and plan. It does not imply any contradiction with His immutability.
Does this show the Bible contains myth?
Some skeptics claim that the creation account in Genesis contains ancient myths and does not reflect actual history. They argue that the idea of God resting like a human sounds mythical. However, the literary style of Genesis shows historical narrative and not myth. And the doctrine of God’s rest is defined in terms of His divine purposes rather than human limitations. There is no justified reason to doubt the historical accuracy of this account.
Couldn’t God have used evolution over billions of years?
Some believe creation may have spanned billions of years of evolutionary processes before mankind appeared. However, the sequence in Genesis 1 of morning and evening days precludes such long ages. The creation week is framed in terms of ordinary calendar days marked out by the cycle of light and darkness. God’s literal seventh day rest precludes the possibility of the “days” being symbolic of evolutionary ages.
While there are sincere questions about God’s seventh day rest at creation, ultimately there are reasonable answers within the consistent revelation of Scripture. Close examination shows God’s rest fully harmonizing with His character and divine purposes.
Practical application and significance
God’s seventh day rest at creation has several important implications for our lives today:
We should set aside one day in seven for worship and rest
The Sabbath principle goes back to God’s pattern established at creation. Honoring the Lord’s Day is a practical way we can follow God’s design for life rhythm. Setting aside Sunday for renewing our spirit, serving God, and spending time with other believers is wise and healthy.
We can find comfort in ceasing from our work
Life today can feel anxious and non-stop in its busyness. God modeled in Genesis that there are appointed times we need to cease from our work and rest. We should not feel guilty during Sabbath rests but rather cherish the refreshment of spirit they can provide if kept in balance with other life responsibilities.
We should be good stewards of God’s creation
The creation account reminds us that all we have comes from God’s hand. The world does not belong to us but to Him. We have a responsibility to use the natural world wisely, not exploitatively. As God delighted in His handiwork, we too should honor the beauty and value of the environment.
The ultimate rest will come in Christ
Hebrews 4 makes clear that God’s seventh day rest pointed to the eternal rest that Christ would one day accomplish. By trusting in Jesus’ sacrificial work, we can cease from the endless striving for a right standing with God. We can enter God’s promised rest through faith in Christ alone.
We should keep the Gospel mission central
God’s creative work ended on the sixth day, but His redemptive work goes on as He draws people to salvation in Jesus. We must prioritize sharing the truth about sin, repentance, and forgiveness through Christ. Our mission is to proclaim until the God’s final Sabbath rest in the new creation.
The principle of the Sabbath established at creation remains vitally relevant today. As we follow God’s seventh day rest, we honor His pattern and delight in all that He has done. This strengthens our walk with Christ until the eternal Sabbath finally comes.
Key Bible passages
Here are some key Bible passages that provide additional insight into God’s seventh day rest at creation:
Genesis 2:1-3 – This passage in Genesis provides the primary account of God resting on the seventh day after finishing His work of creation in six days.
Exodus 20:8-11 – The Fourth Commandment references God’s rest on the seventh day as the basis for commanding Sabbath observance by His people.
Exodus 31:12-17 – God cites His own rest at creation as the reason Israel must observe the Sabbath day in perpetuity as a sign of His covenant.
Deuteronomy 5:12-15 – As part of the Ten Commandments, Moses again recalls how God rested on the seventh day after six days of creation.
Psalm 95:7-11 – This psalm praises God as Creator and calls God’s people to not harden their hearts as the wilderness generation did against His rest.
Ezekiel 20:12-16 – The prophet Ezekiel reminds Israel that Sabbath breaking was an act of rebellion against God who had given them the Sabbath at creation.
Mark 2:27-28 – Jesus declares that the Sabbath was made for man, pointing back to God’s establishment of the Sabbath at the beginning.
Hebrews 4:3-11 – The writer of Hebrews explicates how God’s seventh day rest ultimately pointed ahead to the eternal rest believers enter into by faith in Christ.
Revelation 22:1-5 – John’s vision of the new creation describes the reward of the redeemed as an eternal Sabbath rest in the presence of the Lord.
These are some of the key passages throughout Scripture that shed light on the meaning and implications of God’s seventh day rest at the end of the creation week.
Historical interpretations and commentary
Throughout church history, theologians and commentators have interpreted the meaning of God’s seventh day rest in Genesis 2:2 in several ways:
- Literal 24-hour day – Young earth creationists like Henry Morris have argued God’s rest signifies a literal 24-hour period, supporting six literal creation days.
- Metaphorical day – Old earth creationists like Hugh Ross believe the seventh day refers to a long age of God’s providential rest from creation.
- Anthropomorphic metaphor – Liberal scholars view God’s rest as a metaphor to portray Him in human terms for ancient listeners.
- Allegory of spiritual rest – Some like Origen saw it as an allegory of the believer’s spiritual rest in Christ.
- Covenant sign – Puritans like Thomas Watson saw God’s rest as instituting the weekly Sabbath as a sign of the covenant with His people.
- Example of work rhythm – John Calvin saw God’s rest pattern endorsing the human need for regular cycles of work and rest.
- Divine kingship – Herman Bavinck viewed God’s rest as asserting His divine kingship and ownership over creation.
While perspectives differ, most commentators affirm God’s rest completes His creative work, establishes the Sabbath, and reveals important aspects of God’s nature and purposes for mankind.
Conclusion
Genesis 2:2 provides a seminal passage of Scripture that has profound theological and practical implications. God’s rest on the seventh day at the completion of His creative work established the pattern of the Sabbath that He entrusted as a sign and blessing for His covenant people. It demonstrated that the Lord is sovereign King over all creation. And it pointed prophetically to the eternal Sabbath rest that the redeemed will enjoy with Christ forever. As we observe the principle of Sabbath rest in our lives today, we honor the holy God who delightfully made all things for His glory.