God Rested from His Work for Good Reasons!
Genesis 2:1-3
Mar 2, 2025
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church of Ballincollig
I. Introduction and Review
A. We are studying the Book of Genesis, verse by verse
B. We just finished chapter 1 of Genesis
1. The most God-centred chapter in the entire Bible!
2. Describing the process of how God created everything – by His words!
3. It tells us WHEN God created everything – at the beginning in just six 24 hour days
4. And tells us WHY He created everything – for us to reflect Himself and His glory
C. Chapter two will give us more detail about the creation of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve
D. Nut… Sandwiched between the creation of the entire universe, and the description of the creation of Adam and Eve are three short verses that set one day above all others – the Sabbath.
II. Message
A. Genesis 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 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. 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.
B. God Stopped Working (Genesis 2:1,2)
1. It was the beginning of the seventh day – Saturday
2. Everything was Finished
a. Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them…
b. God had started His creative work on the first day, in Chapter 1, verse 1
c. And He worked for 6, 24 hour days, creating everything that exists
d. God had worked non stop for 144 hours, and then at sunset, He stopped.
3. Two important times that phrase “Finished” appears in Scripture…
a. Right after a perfect creation (2:1)
1) Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished…
2) Life was vibrant all over the earth!
3) The entire universe of stars and planets and galaxies were all in motion, and were beautiful to just sit and look at in their glory and colours
4) And so God stopped, and took a good look at it all and was pleased
5) Genesis 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
6) God had made no mistakes in all the universe. There was nothing to adjust, change, repair, or fix.
7) Everything was perfect
b. And then right after a perfect salvation, the words “It is finished” was declared on the cross by Jesus Christ in John 19:30! There was nothing left for anyone to add to Christ’s death for sinful men and women – it was perfect!
4. And so God stopped working
a. He didn’t stop being God, and He didn’t stop holding everything together
b. God’s rest simply meant that creation was complete –
c. He wasn’t busy anymore – He was finished.
C. Then, God Sabbathed (Genesis 2:2)
1. Genesis 2:2 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.
2. That means, He Rested, Stopped Working. He did no more creating after Day Six.
3. He didn’t need to rest
a. He didn’t crawl into a bed and go to sleep
b. God never grows tired - He is eternal
c. His power is limitless – from Him came all the energy contained in every atom throughout the universe
d. Yet the Bible says He rested from working, from creating, from making, building
4. He just stopped working and ‘Sabbathed’ – Rested on purpose, not because of need
D. Then God Sanctified the Seventh Day (Genesis 2:3)
1. Genesis 2:3 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.
2. God Set the Seventh Day as Special above all the other days
a. He “blessed” the seventh day – made it a blessing to us
b. And He blessed resting on the sabbath day
c. Oh how we all want our work blessed, but God blesses REST as well!
d. Psalm 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
3. And God declared that every seven days, people need to stop what they are doing and REST for a day.
a. Very few cultures throughout history ever took a day of rest seriously
b. People were constantly worked to death – slaves to masters, slaves to work
c. But for those of us who read and believe the Bible (especially the Book of genesis) we know that we were designed to work AND to rest – and do it in a cycle of 7 days
d. Six days work and one day rest from working
e. Most of you take that for granted
f. But look at your week – how many of you ACTUALLY have a day of rest???
4. So, God rested as our example
a. So, God set the example for us in Genesis 2:1-3, to not just work, but to also rest
b. Exodus 20:10,11 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: 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. [MADE IT HOLY]
5. And Sanctified the Seventh Day – made it a holy day
a. Made it specially clean
b. A day to worship God, and get right with God, to enjoy being clean inside and out
c. That’s why we dress up when we come to church
E. Two Important Days in a Week
1. All cultures have a 7 day week
a. No matter what nation, tribe or culture… Except the French!
b. The French tried to change the length of the week to 10 days and failed!
c. 1792 became year 1 for the French
d. The clocks were changed to 10 hours sunlight and 10 hours of darkness
e. The week became 10 days long, and the day of rest for people was on the 10th day
f. Prophetically, this new calendar lasted only TEN years and then was abolished!
g. The French people were worn out – not made to work that much
2. But, From the beginning, we need a cycle of 7 days
a. Six days to work the fields, the jobs, the markets
b. And one day to rest from working
3. Two of those 7 days stand out
a. Sunday always has been the FIRST day of the week – that was Creation Day
b. Saturday has always been the LAST day of the week – the day of REST
c. We Christians know which one is now more important of the two…
d. Sunday
e. Because it is the day Jesus arose from the grave – on the FIRST day of the week!
f. Luke 24:1-3 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
g. Some cults focus on the Sabbath and try and use people’s confusion, like Seventh Day Adventists
h. But we Bible believers know the First Day is greater now!
i. The cross and the resurrection changed everything!
F. The Meaning of Rest
1. Exodus 34:21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest (NO MATTER HOW BUSY YOU ARE] thou shalt rest.
2. A forced BREAK from work
a. No exertion or labour or work
b. No toiling
c. No cooking, no working, no travelling
3. To simply Relax, and do very little
a. It means, No worrying, no panicking, no bitter thinking, no arguing, no fighting
b. The Sabbath was to be a time when you laughed, and rejoiced, and praised God
c. No stress at all
d. You don’t have to sleep to be at rest and to stop working
e. Just breathing. Enjoying moments without stress
f. Just being still – sitting and pondering, thinking, being at peace with your own thoughts (the modern person hates silence). Can’t go to sleep.
4. When was the last time you actually experienced REST?
5. Some of you are resting TOO much and need to WORK!
G. The Importance of Rest (Mark 6:31)
1. Jesus told His disciples to “come apart and rest a while” – rest is important
2. Rest is the ability to be refreshed naturally, weekly, as if going on a holiday every week
3. There are three parts of you that need rest: Physically, Emotionally, Spiritually
4. Areas of life that need to rest:
a. Your BRAIN needs to rest
1) Social media won’t let you rest – it will keep you listening to more and more podcasts, scrolling through more and more pages…
2) Your constant over thinking, worrying and anxieties and fears won’t let you rest
3) But your brain needs to just breathe, and shut down, and be still!
4) Too many of you are angry, uptight, frustrated because you are allowing people, and things and problems to enslave every thought
b. Your BODY needs to rest
1) Mark 6:31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
2) So obvious!
3) Burn out is real. Ulcers, indigestion, heartburn, reflux is usually because the body is never allowed to rest and recover from the previous day’s stress!
c. Your SOUL and your spirit needs to rest
1) Matthew 11:28,29 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
2) Deep rest
3) God speaking to Moses when he was so stressed out about leading all of israel, day after day… Exodus 33:14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
d. Your EMOTIONS need to rest
1) 1Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
5. You can forfeit, lose, miss-out on God’s rest by rebellion in your own heart, bad attitudes, grudges, bitterness, anger, wrath, obsession with revenge!
6. AND by ignoring your need to just rest!
7. If you are not regularly resting, it is because:
a. You do not see rest as a commandment – you just get it whenever you feel it necessary
b. You are addicted to staying up late watching something on your phone – and it is robbing you of time with your spouse, or of your sleep
c. Many of you are addicted to Playing games on your phone, constant texting, watching videos, watching the TV, etc…
d. I guarantee you that most of you are addicted to your phones so much that you will find it very hard to obey God’s commandment to rest
e. Folks, If you are not resting, it WILL hurt you – and I guarantee you, it already has
f. You need to push through the struggle to rest, to restore the normal rhythm of one day of rest every week, and 6-8 hours of rest every night!
H. The Importance of the Sabbath to the Jews
1. All cultures have a 7 day week
2. But the Sabbath, last day, 7th day is special to the Jews of the Old Covenant
3. It is the 4th commandment (Exodus 20:8-11)
a. Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
b. Exodus 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
c. Exodus 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:
d. Exodus 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.
4. The Sabbath is Specifically for the Jews
a. Exodus 31:12-13 “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 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.
b. 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.
c. 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.
d. 31:16 Wherefore THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SHALL KEEP THE SABBATH, to observe the sabbath throughout THEIR generations, for a perpetual covenant.
e. 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.”
f. Did you notice all the emphasis on THE JEWISH PEOPLE keeping the Sabbath?
1) God says the Sabbath is a sign, a signal, to the rest of the world that the Jewish people belong to God and are obeying God
2) It is for all generations of Jews (31:13) “throughout YOUR generations”
3) It is a perpetual covenant (31:16) – will never end
4) It reminds them that God sanctified THEM, and set THEM apart from the world
5. We need to understand that there's no record in scripture of ANYONE ever keeping the sabbath for the first 2,500 years of history until Exodus chapter 20.
a. It wasn't until God gave the law to Moses for Israel that God gave the Sabbath as a sign between him and Israel, to "sanctify" them - to set them apart from other nations.
b. Which means God had no expectation that other nations keep the sabbath – only Israel
6. If you think Christians need to be Sabbath keepers like the Jews were, consider this:
a. If someone broke the Sabbath – if they worked instead of rested on Saturday… they were to be executed! “every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death”
b. So, If you cook on the sabbath, you are breaking the Sabbath – you always have to prepare food the day before
c. If you buy or sell on the sabbath, you are working and breaking the Sabbath
d. If you mow the grass, mend a fence, build a shed, you are breaking the Sabbath
e. If you knitted, or sewed, you were working
f. And that means you should die!
7. And, on top of all that, instead of being a day of rest, the Pharisees wrapped the day with impossible extra commands that made the day an intolerable burden.
a. The Pharisees thought, the more rules and laws the better!
b. They couldn’t write a letter, or a note on Saturday
c. No one could move a piece of furniture (I like that custom)
d. AND, no one could heal anyone – what a shame – you had to wait until tomorrow!
e. People became afraid to even move around a room on the Sabbath
f. Jews are told they have to tear their toilet paper on Friday in advance of the Sabbath!
8. The trust is, the Jewish people today need to enter into True Sabbath Rest – they haven’t experienced God’s Rest yet! (Hebrews 4:9) There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. [TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE, NOT TO CHRISTIANS]
I. What is the Sabbath to New Testament Believers?
1. Having a Sabbath Day is not a bad thing – it actually is very, very good
a. We still have seven-day weeks
b. Saturday is still the seventh day of the week
c. The commandment still HAS to be obeyed – it is part of the Law of God
d. Don’t misunderstand me…
2. Thankfully, Jesus obeyed it perfectly FOR the believer
a. He kept ALL the requirements of the Law for every believer
b. Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
c. Romans 10:1-4 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
d. Matthew 3:13-15 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
e. Christ’s attitude towards the law was NOT of disrespect nor to abolish the law of God. He never broke the laws of God and kept them his whole life
f. Jesus kept the Sabbath for ALL Jew and Gentile believers
g. Jesus is our righteousness
h. We Christians rest, not on a special day, but in a special Person.
1) Our rest is not a ritual, weekly rest but a deep rest.
2) We rest where God rests – in Christ and His finished work on the cross.
3) Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath – He is greater than the Sabbath
3. Christians do NOT need to keep the Sabbath to be right with God
a. Once the gospel of the grace of God was revealed to Paul, and once Gentiles began to be part of the body of Christ, NOT ONE WORD was ever spoken to Gentile believers by God or the apostles or elders that they should keep the sabbath.
b. As a matter of fact, in Acts 15, when some Pharisees were telling Gentile believers they had to keep the law, the apostles NEVER told the Gentile believers to keep any of the law, but that of they did four things, they would "do well" - and the Sabbath wasn't one of them.
c. Colossians 2:16,17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
d. People who try to put Gentile believers in bondage to the sabbath are just modern day Judaizers who don't understand God or His words.
e. Christians are neither Jews or Gentiles.
4. But, we still need a day of rest and worship
a. We need to rest, but we are not under the expectations of the Sabbath Laws
b. We now can choose any day to rest, or to worship
c. Romans 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
d. It should be Saturday. Make Saturday your day of rest – yes you may have to work Saturdays, so you need to have another day when you
e. But it can be any day. Mine is Monday
f. We choose Sunday, because it was the end of the Sabbath, and the end of the Law for the Jews, and the day Jesus arose from the grave!
5. And so do Animals and Crops needs their own Sabbaths
a. Every seven years is supposed to be a Sabbath year of rest for your fields
1) Leviticus 25:4,5 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.
2) We call it crop rotation, but the fields were supposed to lie empty and unplowed and unplanted for an entire year to give the land REST
b. Farm animals need to rest every week as well (Deuteronomy 5:12-14) Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: 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, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
J. There is More to the Sabbath than just Saturday Rest
1. The Sabbath is a picture / an example of our rest in Christ
a. There is no more work to be done to be forgiven, righteous, justified
b. Jesus does not tell us to work hard at being spiritual, but to come to Him and experience perfect rest, deep rest, all the way down to your soul! Jesus makes us spiritual! Walking with Him, loving Him, trusting Him
2. The Sabbath is a picture of no more wanderings
a. Of the Jewish people entering into the Promised Land
b. Arriving into the will of God (Hebrews 3 and 4)
3. And, the Sabbath pictures the Future Millennial Kingdom of the Messiah – an entire thousand years of rest for this world, after 6,000 years of toil and labours through history
4. Plus 3 more!
III. Application - How to Rest Like God Did
A. Make a day, every week, your day of rest
1. The Sabbath is to be taken VERY seriously – even by Christians
2. I recommend Sunday be your day of rest from your job, from all the things you are so busy doing
3. Switch off the world, RTE, the friends, the housework
4. Enjoy your family
5. Have time just for yourself
6. Go for walks, bird watching, go to the sea and just sit and watch the waves
7. Read a book, read your Bible, pray for as many people as possible
B. Make yourself rest – it is commanded by God
1. Force yourself to rest – sounds contradictory, but it is necessary to do at first
2. I know it is hard – your body has been trained wrongly since your youth
C. Put away everything that is a distraction for the day - Seriously!
1. If you have your phone constantly by you, you probably will peek at it ALL DAY, and throughout the night
2. When you get into bed… GO TO SLEEP
3. When you are with people, SPEND TIME WITH THEM
4. Talk with each other, Play games, Listen to each other
5. Sit and encourage each other with your presence
D. Make sure the day is all about Jesus – not you
1. Go ahead and Rest on Saturday – do very little then
2. But get up early, come and assemble together on Sundays, Worship and serve the brethren
3. Sunday is NOT my Sabbath – it is usually my businest day – and that is okay
4. Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men
E. Worship God all that day – enjoy GOD
1. The Jews knew they needed to gather together to draw close to God as a people
2. We need that too
3. Praise God – it is commanded 132 times in the Psalms
4. That is why Paul commands in Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
5. Exhorting, encouraging each other to be ready for Jesus coming back!
F. Step down from being in charge that day - Stop being God – stop managing everything
1. You may have to do that at work
2. But on your Sabbath, step off the throne, and learn to rest in God’s care
3. Trust God to take care of the world, and your problems, and your worries
4. Jesus taught this truth while sleeping in a sinking ship in a storm
5. By-the-way… Confess your worrying, anxiety, obsessions as sin, and ask God for REST – to help you TRUST the outcome into God’s hands!
G. Be thankful
1. Philippians 4:6,7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
2. Being thankful for EVERYTHING opens up rest in us
3. Unthankfulness burdens all of us, and defiles us
4. Most people have no idea how freeing it is and how restful it is to start looking around and be thankful for everything
5. People who gossip, murmur, complain are not resting
H. And Forgive EVERYONE - This is the biggest rest-robber
1. Unforgiveness – holding a grudge – carrying a weight you cannot bear
2. Every Sabbath, examine your heart for ANY unforgiveness, and forgive
IV.Conclusion - So, why did God rest from His work?
A. To show His work is perfect and needs no adjusting, no improvements
B. To give us an example of working, and then resting
C. To force us to reset, and prioritize all the right things, every week
D. To show us what Christ would one day give us all the way down to our soul – rest
1. There is no rest to the wicked (Isaiah 57:20,21) But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
2. Only Jesus can bring rest to your soul!
E. To give us a pattern for the future kingdom of Christ – it is coming!