”And on the Seventh Day” Genesis 2:1-7

Episode 2

“And on the Seventh Day…” Genesis 2:1-7

We come to the second Chapter of Genesis where we are introduced to some important subjects: the Sabbath, the garden of Eden, making of woman, and the institution of marriage. Before we get any further let’s turn our attention to an important principle of studying the Bible, the first mention principle.
The First mention principle – “that principle by which God indicates in the first mention of s subject, the truth with which that subject stands connected with in the mind of God.” – Dr. J. Edwin Hartill
“This is a law we gave long since noted, and have never yet found it to fail. The first occurrence of a word, expression, or utterance, Is the key to its subsequent meaning, or it will be a guide to ascertaining the essential truth connected with it.” – Dr. A.T. Pierson
Remember, Genesis is the book of beginnings. There are a lot of first in Genesis. Today, we are going to look at the first seven verses in Chapter two which focus on the Sabbath and a summary of the previous chapter, the creation.

I. Sabbath: v.1-3
a. The Creator and the Sabbath – v.1-3
· Verse 1,2 - It’s important to note two key things in these verses;
1. God did not command man to rest. God does not give the sabbath as a duty to Adam. He will not give the Sabbath as a duty to man until the book of Exodus (more on that to come.) Genesis 2:1-3 is about God Resting, not man.
2. God is not resting because He is tired or weary, He is resting because His work is finished. The Creation of the entire universe is now complete so God has set apart a day for His Rest. Note: Once sin enters the picture in Genesis Chapter 3 there is nothing else in the Bible regarding God resting. The Bible tells us that the Triune God becomes involved in man’s redemption.
· Verse 3 – God does two things to the seventh day;
1. “Blessed it”
2. “Sanctified” - set apart, consecrated.
Why? Because He rested from all His work. Rested - shaw-bath'; “to cause to cease, put an end to”
The finished work of God was absolutely perfect. “Thus the Heavens and the earth were finished”
“‘It is finished!’ the words rang out at the close creation as, on the cross, they rang out again at the close of redemption. There is a great satisfaction in surveying a finished work. God stood back, as it were, to cast an admiring, contented eye over the finished work of His hands.” – Dr. John Phillips
· We will look back at the finished work of God and this word “Resting”, but before we do let’s look at the Children of Israel and the Sabbath.
b. The Children of Israel and the Sabbath – Exodus 20:8-11
Exodus 20:8-11 8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10But 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: 11For 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 gives this to the Children of Israel, not Adam.
Exodus 31:16,17 “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17It 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.”
· Nehemiah 9:13,14 tells us the Sabbath was given to Israel
Nehemiah 9:13-14 13Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: 14And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:
Genesis 3:1-3 is not giving man the Sabbath it is God blessing and setting apart the seventh day because He Rested from His creation.
c. The Christian and the Sabbath (How does this apply to the Christian?)
· The Sabbath is a symbol of the believer’s Rest in Christ - Hebrews 4
Hebrews 4:4-10 4For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. 5And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. 6Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 7Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 8For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
· When God finished His work, He looked at it and saw that it was perfect, so He rested.
Romans 5:1 1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our LORD Jesus Christ:
· When Jesus died on the cross, He paid it all. He did all the work. When we believed and trusted in Him He saved us. It’s all been done. We can now rest in Him because we have been declared Righteous in the sight of God through the Blood of Jesus Christ.
· “Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe, sin had left the crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.”
· The Christian does not need to keep the Sabbath because of our Liberty in Christ.
Colossians 2:9-17 King James Version (KJV)
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.16 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:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”
· Jesus kept the Sabbath, why?
Matthew 5:17 17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
He fulfilled the law and came to redeem His people from the penalty and bondage of sin

II. Summary: v.4-7
In verses 4-7 we are given a recap of creation, a summary if you will.
a. The Center of Creation v.4
· Verse 4 – Notice something in this verse. In Chapter 1, we saw the name “God” 32 times in 31 verses. The Hebrew name “Elohim” which we talked about being plural. (Trinity) The Father the Son and the Holy Spirit. A plural noun that is almost always used with a singular verb or adjective. Three distinct persons but one God. In verse 1 we see the first mention of LORD. (Jehova God)
Jehova “A name for God used in the O.T. It refers to God as the One who keeps covenant and mercy with His People.” – Dr. David Cloud
“Here in the closing review of creation, the name Elohim is connected with the name Jehova (LORD). Jehova is the same God, only viewed as being in covenant relation with those He has created. The first appearance of the name Jehova follows the creation of man, for pre-eminently it is God’s redemptive name. As Elohim, He tossed the worlds into space; as Jeohva, He plans man’s redemption before ever He fashioned Adam’s clay.” – Dr. John Phillips
Ephesians 1:4-5 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
God planned man’s Salvation before the creation. This does NOT mean God chooses who will go to Heaven and who will go to Hell.
2 Peter 3:9 9The LORD is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
God is omniscient, He knows EVERYTHING. He knows who and who will not come unto Him, but it is His will that ALL be saved. John 3:16
“Predestination is based on God’s forknowledge and has more to do with what the Christian is predestined TO than who is predestined.” – Dr. David Cloud
1 Peter 1:2 2Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
Romans 8:29 29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
(before the foundation of the world….)
· Notice, in chapter 1 “God created the Heaven and the earth” but yet in chapter 2 it’s “The LORD God made the earth and the heavens.” We are the center of the universe here. God, before the foundations of the World planned our salvation.
b. The Condition of Creation v.5,6
· Verse 5,6 – it was a much different time then. Before the flood, men and women lived to be very old. There was no rain, there were dinosaurs. There is a lot of questions surrounding this issue, but remember in the story of creation, man is the center. God is preparing a home for man to live in and have dominion over.
Psalms 53:1 King James Version (KJV) The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
c. The Conclusion of Creation v. 7
· Man came from the ground. The same 15 or 16 elements that make up our bodies are found in the ground.
· I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139:14