Genesis 2:1-3 Day of Rest CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
On the seventh day, God rested from his work. That’s not because he was worn out. Rather, he ceased his work of creation. There are two things that need to be pointed out about this day. First, it pictures the “day of the Lord,” when Christ will reign on the earth for 1000 years. Second, it shows why God chose the seventh day as the sabbath day of rest for the Jews, when Moses gave the law.
CHRIST’S MILLENNIAL REIGN
Each day of creation is a literal 24-hour day. You know that because each is defined as an evening and a morning. According to 2 Pet. 3:8, each of the creative days stands for a 1000 year period in history. So, we should find 6000 years to match the 6 days of the Lord’s “work”, followed by a 1000-year period of “rest,” to match the seventh day.
Adam was created around 4000 BC. So, we had approximately four (4) 1000-year periods of history before Christ. Following Christ’s first coming, we have had two (2) more 1000-year periods of history. Therefore, the 6000 years of “work” should be just about done and we should be entering the 7th 1000-year period any time now. That 7th 1000-year period would match the day of rest in Gen. 2, and therefore would match the peaceful reign of Jesus Christ for 1000 years found in Rev. 20.
Literally, the 1000-year reign of Christ goes right out into eternity without end. Consequently, we find no mention of the evening and the morning on the 7th day in Gen. 2, because this day in history will have no end. The sun will not set on that day (Mal. 4:2; Matt. 13:43; Rev. 21: 22,23).
THE SABBATH
God blessed and sanctified the 7th day in Gen. 2, but He was careful not to call it the sabbath in Gen. 2. God did not give the sabbath as a day of rest to man until he gave Moses the law. That’s because the sabbath is a sign between God and the Jews (Ex. 31:13). God gave it to the Jews in Ex. 20: 8-11, where God called the 7th day the “sabbath day.” The Lord shows us that no one knew about the sabbath until God revealed it to the Jews. Neh. 9: 13,14 clearly show that God made the sabbath known to the Jews on mount Sinai when He gave the precepts, statutes and laws to Moses.
The reason that Christians don’t keep the sabbath is that we are not under the law (Gal. 3:23,24). Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week (Jn. 20:1; Matt. 28:1). Subsequently, Christians began meeting on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). They were also instructed to take up their collections on the 1st day of the week (1 Cor. 16:1,2).
Anyone trying to put you back under the Old Testament law and force you to keep the sabbath to be saved is not a Christian. He is trying to be justified by the law and is fallen from grace (Gal. 5:4). No one, in this age, can be saved by keeping the law (Gal. 2:16). He must trust the Lord Jesus Christ to save him plus nothing.