After His six days of creation, God “rested” on the seventh. This was the pattern God instructed His chosen to follow by working six days and resting on the sabbath or seventh day. These six days of work were necessary due to the curse man brought upon himself when he sinned by disobeying his Creator in the garden of Eden. “Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it…… In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread.” (Genesis 3:17,19). None the less, God commanded a sabbath day of rest from any labor each week.
The book of Hebrews adds clarity concerning this “rest“. Speaking of the disobedience of Israel while traveling through the desert toward the promised land Paul quotes God from Psalm 95, “So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest“. (Hebrews 4:3). Here, the promised land is what God referred to as His rest. But even though they eventually entered the promised land, they never entered His rest due to their disobedience. Then Paul adds this: “Since therefore it remains that some must enter it (God’s rest) and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:6) “For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest (sabbatical) for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” (Hebrews 4:8-10).
Since this rest yet remains to be entered by God’s people what and when is it? Note, this rest is a sabbatical or seventh day event. And it’s a day when we will have ceased from our works just as God did after six days of creation. It is not spoken of as the time when we come to a belief in Christ or the sleep of death as a Christian. Paul points to a specific time when we will enter this rest and cease from our labors: “…. that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels….” (2Thessalonians: 1,5-7). It’s clear from this scripture that we will enter God’s rest when Jesus returns to set up His kingdom. His kingdom, the 1000-year millennial reign of Christ is the rest spoken of for God’s people.
It follows that if this seventh day rest is 1000 years, then the first six days also must be comprised of 1000 years. This informs us of the nearness of the Lord’s return. 2000 years from creation to Abraham, 2000 years from Abraham to Christ, and the last 2000 years till His second coming. The first six days are nearly completed! For more info on the timing of Jesus’ return read the article “Discerning the Time of Jesus’ Second Coming.” Discerning the Time of Jesus’ Second Coming – Google Docs
Jesus said the fields are white unto the harvest and we need to work while we are still able. An amazing rest is coming when we will be like Adam and Eve in the pre-fall garden of Eden. I can’t wait!
Maranatha, Jim
I couldn’t agree more – well into the six days and near the Lord’s return. But here’s another thought on the fourth commandment. I based the five part sermon series, The Jealousy of God¸ (audio on our web page), on the first four commandments. When I came to thee fourth commandment (Ex. 20:8-11), I called it the “forgotten commandment” among many of us Christians. Would we reason that because we are not “bound by Law” that we can use the name of the Lord in vain, steal, commit sexual sin, etc. with impunity?. But somehow, we gloss over this command. And without getting into the obvious, most of us have been employed in jobs we’ve had to work on Sunday, or the “Which day is the sabbath”? argument, I think you see the point. And, yes, I am just as guilty as the next, but something to keep in mind on the next ‘sabbath’.