(1)
Thus
the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of
them.
(Note 1: Def: “finished”
= kâlâh = kaw-law'
= A primitive root; to end, whether intransitively (to cease, be
finished, perish) or transitively (to complete, prepare,
consume): - accomplish)
(Note 2: Def: “all” =
kol kol = kole, kole = From H3634; properly the whole; hence all, any or every)
Ref: Jam 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Sin may seem like fun while you are in it, but the eventual
end of sin is death, Spiritual and Physical. Though we cannot resist the
effects of physical death as our mortal body decays from its sinful state, we
can indeed resist, refuse, reject or better stated, repent from that sin and
avoid that Spiritual death. One can do this by putting their faith in Christ to
save them from the second death, also known as the spiritual death. See Romans 6:23.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev
21:8 But the fearful, and
unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers,
and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth
with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Death is the finished product of sin. Salvation is the
finished product of repentence and faith in Jesus Christ. See what Jesus said
about it.
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
The
work of Christ on Calvary was a Finished work, nothing else ever had to be nor
will have to be done to save sinners from Hell.
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Look
at what He said as He died on Calvary!
Ref: Joh 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the
vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
(Note 1a:
Greek - Finished = teleō = tel-eh'-o
= From G5056; to end, that is, complete, execute, conclude,
discharge (a debt): - accomplish, make an end, expire, fill up, finish,
go over, pay, perform.)
When God finishes a work it is finished!
God finished all of the heavens and earth on the literal six days!
Nothing progressive here, nothing evolved, it was all completed! We see the same thought more defined in
verse 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.
God rested from all his
work.
(Note 1: Rested = shâbath = shaw-bath' = A primitive root; to repose, that is, desist
from exertion; used in many implied relations (causatively, figuratively or
specifically): - (cause to, let, make to) cease, celebrate)
Remember on the sixth
Day, God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was
“very good”. When God beheld all that He had created, and declared it to be
very good, he did not need to relax because He was worn out! He “Rested” =
Ceased and Celebrated His Glorious Works!!
God in turn desires
His people to do the same:
Exo 20:8-11 Remember the
sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, 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, 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.
Heb 4:1-11 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. For unto
us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not
profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. we which have believed do enter into rest,
as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest:
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake
in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the
seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall
enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein,
and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time;
as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if
Joshua had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another
day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that
is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did
from his. Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall
after the same example of unbelief.
(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.
(Note 1: Sanctified = qadash = kaw-dash' = A primitive root; to be
(causatively make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally): -
appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate)
God sanctified The Sabbath – He did not say that we were to go to
church on the Sabbath, The Sabbath is Saturday, the seventh day. We don’t go to church based on the Law of
the Sabbath. We go to Church based on the Covenant in Hebrews 10.
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days,
saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I
write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where
remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of
Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through
the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having a high priest over the
house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with
pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without
wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider
one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 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.
The Redeemed are to hold fast the profession of our faith, we are
to be an encouragement to each other!! We are to assemble ourselves together!!
Not just once in a while, regularly! And more and more as time goes on… Perhaps
that is why we meet 3-4 times a week??
Why Sundays? To follow the example that was set before us…
And upon the first day of the week, when the
disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart
on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many
lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
The Bible is to be our guide in all matters spiritual. The patterns
set forth in the Bible are the patterns we should follow!
EX: Its kind of like when you buy a toy that needs to be assembled. When you get it home and open the box and find a thousand or more parts, you might want to look at the directions that come with it, or it may end up a lot different than it was intended. Which I am sure would not be pleasing to the person you were trying to please with it.
Similarly, if we fail to read and follow the diagram that was set
for us, the Church, we will not be pleasing to the one we are supposed to be
pleasing.