And Then God Rested I. Introduction and review A. We have completed the study of Chapter one which is a chronological study of the creation account II. Gen. 2:1-3 A. We saw last week that in part this passage conveys to us that the creative process stopped at this point in time B. God rested, but why? 1. Did God rest because He was tired? 2. Did He need to recuperate or recover from His activities? 3. Isaiah 40:28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. 4. What does it mean to rest a. Rest in English has 39 meanings in Dictionary.com b. In Hebrew rest is tb;v' shabath {shaw-bath'} (1) Meaning: 1) to cease, desist, rest 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cease 1a2) to rest, desist (from labour) 1b) (Niphal) to cease 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to cease, put an end to 1c2) to exterminate, destroy 1c3) to cause to desist from 1c4) to remove 1c5) to cause to fail 2) (Qal) to keep or observe the sabbath Page 1 of 7
(2) we should understand this word not to mean sleep or recuperate, but to cease one activity and start to do another c. The reason that He rested was because He was finished d. Here the word is best understood to mean ceasing what you have been doing and doing something different. (1) it is a change of pace (2) it brings balance to a person e. His creative work now being accomplished God now wanted to enjoy His creation (1) the statement made in verse 1:31 is instructive (a) (b) and behold, it was very good. it is a statement that conveys delight and personal satisfaction (2) one could contend that God was participating in a rest of satisfaction 5. There is something more to this rest though a. It was to serve as an example b. Consider Heb. 4:3-9 [Faith Rest Life] C. Would we all also agree that God intended from that example to proclaim the Sabbath as a day of worship? 1. No 2. What day did Adam and Eve worship on everyday III. Documentary Hypothesis Page 2 of 7
A. It came about from the minds of two Higher Biblical Critiques Messrs. Graf and Wellhausen B. O.T. made up of multiple sources edited by Ezra or later with the information of all of these sources being woven together to complete the O.T. C. These two chapters [Gen. 1&2] were major contributors to this theory 1. Why 2. Seen as two accounts of the same events a. See verse 4 3. Chapter 1 uses on the name Elohim 4. Chapter 2 uses Yahweh Elohim D. They misunderstand the Hebrew mind, culture, linguistics and the like 1. It is common for the Hebrew to give a chronological account of events first 2. And then go back and give greater detail to the listener [or reader] on parts of the account that the one relating it believes to be important E. They don t understand the names of God 1. Elohim is the name of the Creator, Triune God, Who has the power and might to accomplish these creative acts 2. The name Yahweh is a special relative name that God uses when describing a special relationship as He establishes here with man a. E.g. Exodus 6:2-3 God spoke further to Moses and said to him, "I am the LORD; and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself Page 3 of 7
known to them. F. This account was written by only one man, while in the Spirit, and under the inspiration of God. IV. Genesis 2:4-17 A. Why would God think it important to relate to us His system for watering the vegetation which would cover the earth 1. It tells us that there was no rain at this time 2. The land was hydrated by a mist, vapor or fog which would water the earth at night B. The creation of man 1. He was made from dirt, that is his physical being 2. But not like the rest of the animals a. The word used here is intended to convey the idea of a hands on forming b. With the rest of the animals God created or spoke and they came into being, but there was not the intimate involvement 3. His soul and spirit, God placed into him by breathing into him the breath of life 4. Best way available to describe what God did in the Hebrew language at that time 5. Immediately before that his body was a lifeless cadaver C. Next God prepares a place for Adam to live 1. It was a garden Page 4 of 7
2. It was in the area of Eden, wherever that was 3. And it was in the eastern portion of Eden 4. It also appears that God intended Adam to eat the fruit of trees 5. And as the gardener, that was what he was tending 6. God also planted two special and unique trees a. The tree of life (1) see Rev. 22:1-2 (2) it had special properties (3) if you ate of it you would live forever physically (4) its leaves heal (5) it bears a different fruit every month b. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil (1) this tree imparts to the eater the knowledge of good and evil (2) I also believe it to be real and not symbolic 7. God then speaks of the four rivers a. We can t really know, in my opinion b. J.S. thinks he knows 8. God specifically instructs the man not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (1) does He instruct the woman? V. Gen. 2:18- A. Genesis 2:18 Then the LORD God said, It is not good for the man to be alone; I Page 5 of 7
will make him a helper suitable for him. 1. So did God immediately make a woman 2. No He had Adam name the animals a. Cows bull and heifer b. Sheep ram and ewe c. Horses stallion and mare d. Pheasants cock and hen 3. Why would God do this? B. Why did He make Eve from part of Adam 1. Neither would ever be complete without the other C. There is one Hebrew word used to describe the making of the man and another to describe the making of the woman a. hn'b' banah {baw-naw'} (1) Meaning: 1) to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to build, rebuild 1a2) to build a house (ie, establish a family) (2) The meaning is one of being built from a plan or schematic or blueprints b. rc;y" yatsar {yaw-tsar'} (1) Meaning: 1) to form, fashion, frame 1a) (Qal) to form, fashion (2) to fashion free form, as an artist creates without a plan, but Page 6 of 7
seeing the end result in his mind c. Which word did God use for the man and for the woman and why D. God chose to make the woman both similar to the man and different from the man Why? 1. So they could share companionship and have a relationship Page 7 of 7