Lesson 15
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Bible Study 1 - Genesis 2
SERIES 2: GOD AND THE GARDEN
LESSON 15: GENESIS 2:1-3 GOD’S REST IS THE MOST IMPORTANT REST
Genesis 2:1-3 "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."
INTRODUCTION
Now that we have covered the first chapter of Genesis and explored in detail the creation of “A World In A Week” we are going to now look at chapter 2 and focus on a few things in a little more detail. In the last study we quickly went through chapter 2 and focused on the 7th day of creation and then followed through briefly looking at what took place in the Garden as Adam and Eve lived in Paradise. Now I want to slow down and pick up some very important truths that will enrich our lives which God teaches us very plainly as led by the Holy Spirit. There may be some area that seem like it is a repeat, however, it is a recurrence. It is the same situation with more facts added to the subject matter. It will require you to be open to the Spirit to speak to you through the Word and apply what is said to your human comprehension and understanding of life as God reveals it. In some situations you may find some areas to be a challenge, in some areas you may find encouragement, in other area you may find conviction. However, in every area there must be the end result and resolve of obedience to God in our lives as we study together and continue Growing Together In Christ’s Love.
Do you ever get tired? A lady asked her maid, "Don't you ever do anything in a hurry?" The maid said, "Yes Mam, I gets tired real fast." A lady had an identity problem and an energy crisis at the same time. She didn't know who she was----- and she was too tired to find out.
We live in a day in which many of us really get run down. Well folks, the Lord has come to teach us to rest. To work is spiritual and to work is biblical, and we ought to work. However, to rest is also spiritual and biblical, and we ought to rest. Jesus said "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest."
I'm going to be talking about that rest, because we are not really ready to work until we have learned to rest. Right here, tucked away in the front pages of God's Book, we are going to learn a very wonderful lesson about Spiritual rest. I want us to learn something about how to rest in the Lord.
INTERPRETATION
I. LET’S BEGIN BY SEEING THE FIRST REST. The first time anyone rested was when God rested after He created the heaven and the earth. The Bible says that when God finished His work He rested on the seventh day. That brings up some very interesting questions. Why did God rest? Was God tuckered out? Was God tired? Did God wipe his brow and say, "I'm tired, I've got to rest a while"? Of course not, God doesn't get tired. Isa 40:28 “Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?” God never gets tired and God never gets perplexed. Well, if God never gets tired, then why did God rest? God's rest here is very similar to the rest we find in music. When you have a rest in music, that doesn't mean that the director is tired, it just means that it is time to pause, it's time for an emphasis, it's time to reflect, it's time to stop for a while and let what has already happened sink in. Therefore, when God rested it was because He had done something very wonderful to be reflected on. Here God teaches us something through His rest that we need to learn about Spiritual rest.
A college student went to his pastor. "Pastor, do you think there is life on other planets?” The Pastor said, "No, I really don't." He said, "You mean in all those millions and billions of stars you don't think there's life out there somewhere?" The Pastor said, "No, I really don’t." He said, "Well, why did God go to all of that trouble to make all of that?" The Pastor said, "What trouble? He just spoke and it was so. It was no trouble for God to make anything He made."
You see, God didn't go to any trouble when He made this world. He just spoke and it was so, so God wasn't tired. God created the heavens and the earth and when He did, He rested for emphasis, but He also rested so that He might teach us a very wonderful truth.
So let's just leave that very brief point and think not only about THE FIRST REST, but also:
II. LET’S GO ON TO SEE THE FORMAL REST. God took this day and formalized it and God told His people that they ought to rest on the seventh day also. Exodus 20:8-11 says, 8 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: 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: 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.” God took this first rest and formalized it and gave it to Israel as a day of rest. Actually there are two principles that are given in this text: the principle of work, and the principle of rest.
EXPLANATION
A. LET'S THINK OF THE PRINCIPLE OF WORK. God told His people that they were to work six days and then rest on the seventh day. Work is good and honorable, and the house of the Lord Jesus Christ was the house of a working man. Jesus knew what it was to work with His hands, Jesus was a working carpenters son raised in a working carpenters shop. Later on he entered into His public ministry, but whether it was mending plows or mending persons, Jesus knew what it was to work. We have come to the place in America today where people think that work is an evil thing and so many try to get out of working. A lot of people are trying to come to the place where they can get enough money so they can retire and not have to do any kind of work anymore. However, you're not going to get out of work, God wants you to work right on until the time you die. Your work may not be as hard and your work may not be as demanding or your work may not be the same kind of work all of your life, but work is a good thing. We have come to a place in America today where we want to make it easy for people not to work when they can work and ought to work. We say we want to help the poor and we ought to help the poor. There is a great deal said in the Bible about helping the poor and needy. Nevertheless, you cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it. The Government cannot give to some people anything except that which it first takes from other people. Anytime someone who can work receives something free without working for it, someone else must work for nothing without receiving anything in return. There is nothing that will break the spirit of a nation any more than for half the people to get the idea that they don't have to work and for the other half to get the idea that it does no good to work. Exodus 20:9 says, "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work...” Work is a very honorable thing. I'm not talking about not helping those who cannot work, those of us who can work need to be out there working so we can help those who cannot work. Nevertheless, everyone who can work certainly ought to.
B. LET'S THINK OF THE PRINCIPLE OF REST. Why are we to rest? We are to rest because we are body, soul, and spirit. What does rest do?
1. REST REPLENISHES THE SPIRIT. Did you know that your spiritual life can just run down, just like a battery can run down and your spiritual life needs to be recharged. That's the reason we meet to worship our Lord on this day - to recharge our spirit. Everybody has a tendency to run down, so God gave us a day of rest to replenish the spirit.
2. REST ALSO REFRESHES THE SOUL. The soul is our emotional, psychological, mental part. The soul is the mind, the emotion and the will. We need this formal rest to refresh our soul.
Sometimes people are like the man who swallowed a whole egg. He was afraid to move thinking it would break. He was afraid to sit still thinking it would hatch. He was all keyed up! However, he was too chicken to try to do anything
A lot of Christians are just that nervous and high strung. Some monkeys in the zoo had been known to have an emotional break down because they watch the people so long. That's the kind of generation we are sometime. We need to be still and rest a while. Jesus said, "Come ye apart and rest a while.” We all seem so busy don’t we? However, you know about all we have added to civilization is speed and noise. We get places quicker but sometimes we still don't know where in the world we are going when we get there.
God has given us this formal rest because: Rest replenishes the spirit. Rest refreshes the soul.
3. REST RESTORES THE BODY. Some say, "If I work 7 days rather than 6 days I'll get more done.” Well, you might, but not for long! Once there was a little couple who wanted to get married and they said, "Two can live as cheaply as one.” The person they were talking to said, "Yea, but only half as long." Let me tell you friends, you may be able to work more in 7 days than you can in 6 days but you'll do less. A wood chopper never wastes his time when he sharpens his axe. Therefore, God says, "Six days shalt thou labor, and one day you will rest."
INTERPRETATION
In the Old Testament, that formal day of rest was the Sabbath Day, the seventh day. The Christian Church from its conception and Christians as least as far back as Antioch worship on Sunday. We Christians do not worship on the Sabbath Day, the Sabbath Day is the seventh day. As New Testament Christians we worship on Sunday, which is the first day of the week, and the first day of the week is the Lord's Day. There has been a lot of confusion about this so I want you to listen closely to what I'm about to say.
God didn't give the Sabbath to Christians, but God gave the Sabbath to the nation Israel. Exodus 31:12-17 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, (now remember He is talking to the children of Israel) saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep (that is, the children of Israel shall keep His Sabbaths): for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations (that is, it is a sign between God and Israel); that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you (that is, I set Israel apart). 14 Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you (that is, the Sabbath is holy unto Israel): (listen to this!) 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.” (We have some people today who claim to be Sabbath keepers, but I wonder if they are supportive of verse 14 here.) 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. 16 Wherefore [the children of Israel] shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout [their] generations, for a perpetual covenant. (Now listen to verse 17 very carefully.) 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."
The Sabbath was not given to the church, the Sabbath was a sign between God and the children of Israel. The Sabbath was for the Old Testament Jew and it was not given to the New Testament Christian. We do not worship on the Sabbath which is Saturday, so don't call Sunday the Sabbath because Sunday is not the Sabbath Day. The Sabbath is Saturday, Sunday is the Lord's Day.
EXPLANATION
WHY DO WE WORSHIP ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK INSTEAD OF THE LAST DAY OF THE WEEK? We worship on the first day of the week because the Lord Jesus Christ came out of the grave on the first day of the week. That's the reason the early church worshipped on the first day of the week. I want you to remember these facts and put them in your Bible somewhere so no one will be able to come along and confuse you. (1) Mark 16:9 tells us that: Jesus arose on the first day of the week. (2) Mark 16:12 tells us that Jesus first met with some of His disciple on the first day of the week. (3) John 20:19-20 tells us that: Jesus met with His disciples 8 days later, on the first day of the week. (4) John 20:22 tells us that: The Holy Spirit was imparted to the disciples on the first day of the week. (5) John 20:21 tells us that: The disciples were commissioned to preach the gospel on the first day of the week. (6) The Day of Pentecost came on the first day of the week. The only scripture reference I'll give you for that is simply to show you that Pentecost means (50th), that is, after 49 days, on the first day of the week the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost. (7) Rev 1:10 tells us that: The Book of the Revelation came upon the first day of the week. (8) Acts 20:6-7 tells us that: Therefore, early Christians met to worship on the first day of the week. (9)1 Cor 16:2 tells us that: The offerings were laid aside for the work of the Lord on the first day of the week. (10) Sabbath breaking is never once mentioned as a sin for a Christian. (11) The Christian is never once commanded to keep the Sabbath. The last day of the week and the first day of the week are greatly contrasted in the Bible. (12) The last day of the week commemorates the finished work of natural creation. (13) The first day of the week commemorates the finished work of super-natural creation. (14) The last day of the week speaks of natural life. (15) The first day of the week speaks of Super-natural life. (16) The last day of the week speaks of life in Adam. (17) The first day of the week speaks of life in Christ. (18) The last day of the week commemorates the work of God's hand. (19) The first day of the week commemorates the work of God's heart. (20) The last day of the week is a display of God's power. (21) The first day of the week is a display of God's grace. (22) The last day of the week was given to Israel. (23) The first day of the week is given to the Church. (24) The last day of the week is a day of law. (25) The first day of the week is a day of love.
There are some we all know who are keeping Saturdays instead of Sundays and they may get insulted by what I'm going to say, but I speak to you out of a heart of love. Those who insist in keeping Saturdays rather than Sundays, are living on the wrong side of Calvary. Col 2:14 speaks of something that Christ did when He died on the Cross so I want you to listen to it. "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, That is, the written law which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; That is Jesus took those Old Testament ceremonies and just nailed them to the cross. Col 2:15 “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” That is, He just beat the devil, and through death He destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil. Col 2:16 “Let no man therefore” when there is a therefore" you need to find out what the "therefore is there for Because Jesus died on the cross, let no man “judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:” Our Bibles read "Sabbath days", but literally it is "of the Sabbath”. If anybody tries to condemn you about not worshiping on Saturday just read this verse to them and show them that this was nailed to the cross. Col 2:17 “Which are a shadow of things to come; The Sabbath was a shadow of something to come. “ But the body is of Christ.”
Right now in my study my body is casting a shadow on my desk, but which is more important, my body, or that shadow? The Sabbath was a shadow, but Jesus is the person who made the shadow. In the Old Testament they could dimly see the Lord Jesus because all they could see was the shadow. In the New Testament, the light was thrown upon Jesus and we see Jesus. Anyone who continues to try and keep the Sabbath are chasing shadows. The Old Testament Sabbath was a ceremony that was to picture, prophesy, and to teach us about that faith rest we are to have in the Lord Jesus.
Now that brings me to the third lesson we need to see. WE HAVE SEEN THE FIRST REST. God rested in order to teach us a lesson. WE HAVE SEEN THE FORMAL REST. In the Old Testament the day of rest was the Sabbath. In the New Testament the day of rest is the Lord's Day. John said, "I was in the spirit on the Lord's Day.” Now, let's get into the real meat of the study, and I hope you won't miss this. Whether you keep Saturday or whether you keep Sunday, if you miss this part of this study they you will miss it all.
INTERPRETATION
III. LETS LOOK TOGETHER AT WHAT I WANT TO CALL THE FAITH REST. Let me tell you what I mean by THE FAITH REST. There is a wonderful truth taught in the Bible called FAITH REST. That means that we simply trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and we are forgiven. In the Old Testament in Genesis 2:1-3 it tells us that God worked 6 days and then He rested and the first creation was finished. Guess what the Bible says, "If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creation.” Well, how was that new creation brought about? The Lord Jesus Christ worked and then He rested. You see, Calvary is the finished work of the Lord Jesus. In John 5:17 it tells us that Jesus said, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” Jesus worked, and when He had finished He said "It is finished" and then Jesus rested. What do you think Jesus is doing right now? Jesus is at the right hand of God and He is seated. He worked and then He rested.
EXPLANATION
Now pay close attention to me here. Jesus worked and then rested so that you and I might rest and then work. HERE IS THE DIFFERENCE IN LAW AND GRACE: In the Old Testament men worked for 6 days and then they rested on the last day. In the New Testament men rest on the first day and then work for 6 days. In the Old Testament men worked in order to rest. In the New Testament men rest in order to work. Don't ever call Sunday the "week-end" because Sunday is the "week-beginning." When you are in the House of God on Sunday, you are starting your week not ending it. I feel sorry for people who don't start their week with God. How you start has a lot to do with how you finish. You start your week by resting. Over and over again in the Book of Ephesians when you begin to read several chapters you find "sitting" mentioned. Then in the last part of Ephesians you find “walking” mentioned. In the Christian life we sit before we walk, that is, we worship before we work. We sit in Christ and then, it is not until you have rested that you are ready to work. It will be a great day in America when Christians learn that worship comes before work.
We rest in order to work! Therefore, Jesus worked and rested, in order that we might be given rest and work freely. In the Old Testament they worked 6 days and had to earn their rest. Friends, we don't have anything to earn, because it is all of grace! We just receive our rest, Jesus said, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." It's not the "week-end" it is the week-beginning. So in the Lord's Day, we commorate the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I think it is time we review what that finished work is all about. Sometimes we tend to let our theology get in a tangled web of legalism and we put grace on the back burner. When that last drop of blood fell to the ground, Jesus cried, "It is finished!” My friends that means everything that can be done has been done for a person to find grace in the eyes of the Lord. The secret of salvation is to learn that there is nothing for anyone to earn. Salvation is not a reward for the righteous but Salvation is a gift for the guilty. Salvation is not a reward of rest that you earn because of your works, Salvation is a rest that enables you to do your work. Salvation does not come to a person by all of his trying, but Salvation comes by simply trusting. The Bible says in Rom 4:5, "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" There are so many people who are trying to have a work Salvation. There are some who believe they are saved today because they think they are living right, but if they sin and live wrong tomorrow they are lost all over again and they have to start living right again in order to get saved again. I can think of no greater way to cheapen the blood of Christ than that. If you ask the average person how do you get to heaven, they will say, "Well, you live the best you can. You keep the 10 Commandments. You obey the Golden Rule. You go to church. You read your Bible and pray. You get baptized. You do this and do that.” Friends, you can try to do all or any of those things and none of those things can save anybody! The Bible says in Titus 3:5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”
APPLICATION
YOU SEE A PERSON ENTERS INTO A FAITH REST. They must just go to the Lord Jesus and say, "I can't Lord, you never said I could. You can, you always said you would. I'm going to let you do it, I just trust you, and I believe on you, I receive you. I enter into this faith rest - I am resting in your finished work Lord. Because I am resting in your finished work, now I am fit to work.”
There are 3 prepositions in Ephesians 2:8-10 and I want everyone to be sure they understand an learn. These are great verses because they tell us how a person is saved and they tell us how a person is not to be saved. Verse 9 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Just suppose the music director came upon a lot of money and he decided he was going to buy his Pastor a $30,000 car and give it to him. He dives up in that car and says, "Pastor, I want to give you this car.” The Pastor says, "Man, you can't do that, this car cost's too much money, how much did it cost.” The music director says, "Preacher it costs $30,000.” Then suppose the Pastor reached into his pocket and gave the music director a quarter and said, "Here, I'll help you pay for it.” Then suppose the Pastor goes driving down the street and someone stops him and says, "Hey Pastor, I like your new car. How did you get that?” The Pastor could say, "The music director and I bought this car.” In addition, you know, the Pastor would be absolutely right because the music director paid $29,999.75 and the Pastor paid $.25 for it, and he could say "Look what [we] did.”
Friends listen, when a person gets saved they will never be able to say "Look what [we] did," They can only say, "Look what [Jesus] did.” The Bible says in verse 9 "Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Nobody will ever be able to put their $.25 worth of self-effort to what Jesus did on the cross. Therefore, no one should ever insult God by thinking that they can earn their Salvation by some contribution they may try to make toward it.
Verse 10 says, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” If Christians will learn these three prepositions we will keep our theology straight and no false cult will ever get any of us sidetracked. They are "BY," "THROUGH," and "UNTO." “For [by] grace" "[Through] faith" "[Unto] good works"
We must rest before we work. God worked and rested that we might rest and work. That is the truth that is shown to us in Genesis 2:1-3. The great spiritual lesson is that a person must learn to enter into the rest Jesus provided. It is so wonderful when people stop trying and start trusting. People start out by saying, "Lord Jesus, in order that I might have the strength to work, I receive you as my personal Savior.” We can't trust in our good deeds. We can't trust in our good works. We can't trust in our efforts. All of those things will pass and fail. We can only trust the Lord Jesus who will never fail.
The Bible says, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." When a person does that, it is done, and they will be resting, resting…..resting in the Lord. I'm afraid that there are many who are going to miss that rest. What a shame that would be to miss that rest. (Here is the warning in the Bible now.) Heb 4:1-3 says, "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it."
When a person hears the Gospel, and mixes what they hear with faith, and they believe, and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, then and only then can they find rest unto their soul. Resting in Jesus, tis done tis done, the great transaction is done! That doesn't mean that we are not going to work. “I cannot work my soul to save. That work my Lord has done. But I'll work like any slave, for the love of God's dear Son.”
It is so simple to be saved that many people will miss that rest if they are not very careful. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Jesus worked and rested so that we might rest and then work. “For by grace are ye saved, through faith, unto good works.” Sometimes when a person dies we put on their grave marker, "Rest in peace." However, friends, it will take more than a grave marker to bring rest to any soul. If a person does not have that faith rest, they will never have that final rest. When there is that faith rest, there will be that final rest, and it will be: THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
DO YOU NEE SOME HELP?
To find more help in receiving Jesus Christ as your personal Savior please go to the Bible Study Title Page “ETERNAL LIFE.” Please send me an email and let me know about any decision for Christ you make so that I may pray for you. Feel free to send me any questions, comments, or responses you may have as well. For those who are already Christians I invite you to also please let me know of any decisions you make in your Christian life for Jesus. Please send me your questions, comments, or responses and let me know if the Bible Studies are helping you. [rfdenning1951@gmail.com]
ALWAYS REMEMBER!
The support of your local Church ministry and the ministry of your Pastor should be the first priority of your Christian life and your service to the Lord. Be faithful to prayerfully prepare and attend Sunday School and Worship Service this Sunday and participate in worship as your Pastor preaches the Word. Do not forget to give the Lord at least your TITHE through your local church from your gross income – that is your first fruits. Any other other giving is an offering to a ministry unto the Lord. Honor the Lord in all you do and with all that you have. Always remember that everything you have and all you are belongs to the Lord. It is on loan to you – so manage it well! There will be an audit one day! Make sure the Books Balance!