On the seventh day He MADE THE SABBATH!
But the Sabbath was made, not by work, but by rest. What He ended on the seventh day
was the work of creation—that which was created by work!
On the seventh day He rested! He created the Sabbath by resting in that day.
Was He so fatigued He was forced to stop and rest?
Positively not, for God “fainteth not, neither is weary”! (Isaiah 40:28).
Yet, this was a real rest, because in Exodus 31:17 it is written: “… in six days
the Lord [Christ] made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested,
and [was refreshed].” Since He was “refreshed” by this rest, it was a real rest.
Yet He was not tired or weary! Why did He rest? To put His divine presence in that day!
He made the Sabbath day by resting, whereas He had made all other things by working!
He also“blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it” “set apart, for holy use or purpose.”
He set apart this day from other days—set it apart for holy use—for a day of physical
rest, in which His people may assemble and worship God!
But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes,
and they despised my judgments, which [if a man do], he [God] shall even [live in them]; a person
-so this says if someone keeps his Sabbaths, God would live in them.
Therefore what God did—and God did it by Christ—
was to make future TIME holy!
No man has power to make anything holy. God alone is holy—or whatever God has
made holy! No group or organization of men has authority to make future time holy!
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“Moses! Moses!” called God, “… put off thy shoes from off thy feet,
for the place whereon thou standest is HOLY GROUND” (Exodus 3:2-5).
God’s very presence was in that ground! God is holy !
God’s presence in that bush made the ground around it holy!
In the very same manner, God’s presence is in His Sabbath.
He rested on that first Sabbath to put His presence in that day!
This made it holy time! Four thousand years later, when this same “Logos,” or “Word,”
was made flesh—when He came as Jesus Christ in the human flesh—
He was still putting His presence in that same weekly recurring Sabbath—
He went into the synagogues as His custom was!
This is some good stuff. I like that the scripture you brought in related to the one we are exploring:
Exo 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
Exo 31:14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Exo 31:15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
Exo 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
Exo 31:17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever:
for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
As you have pointed out this scripture really sets in the reason for the Sabbath being a sign. It also indicates that what God did in creation was set as an example for humanity to follow.
This further makes sense when one takes into account that God on the 7th day Sanctified it. meaning as I am sure you know, He set it apart for holy use. Now God had already rested/ceased it stands to reason that this setting apart for holy use is for future use.
It also teaches something about the nature of creation, It was not 6 or 7 periods of time but 6 literal days is suggested hear. This is also the same for the commandment itself which finds its root in creation:
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
The same reason is given here for the Sabbath to be remembered, It is a pattern that follows God's example and is a reminder that it was made holy by God and set a part for holy use. and it states that the time period we are asked to follow is the same time period God used to create.
Great post, some good insights.
