Sunday: Sabbath and Creation
Of all the Ten Commandments, only the fourth begins with the verb “Remember.” It’s not, “Remember, you shall not steal,” or “Remember, you shall not covet.” There is only “Remember the Sabbath day. …”
The idea of “remembering” presupposes history, presupposes that something happened in the past that we need to, well, remember. When we remember, we make connections with the past, and “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” marks a straight line back to the Creation week itself.
Read Genesis 1.26-27 and Genesis 9:6. What do these verses teach us about how special we as human beings are, and how radically different we are from the rest of God’s earthly creation? And, too, why is it so important that we understand this distinction?
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When we remember creation, we remember that we are created in God’s image, something that is not said about anything else depicted in the Creation account. It’s obvious that, as human beings, we are radically different from any other creature on the planet, regardless of how much DNA we share in common with some other animals. And, contrary to popular mythology, we are not mere advanced apes or more highly evolved versions of some primeval primate. As humans, made in the image of God, we are unique among all that God created on this world.
How does the Creation story remind us of our relationship to creation? Genesis 2:15, Genesis 2:19.
Realizing that God also created our world reminds us of our responsibility to creation. We are to “have dominion” over creation. Having dominion does not mean exploiting it. We are to rule as God’s regents. We are to interact with the natural world as God would.
Yes, sin has marred and messed up everything, but this earth is still God’s creation, and nothing gives us the right to exploit it, especially to the detriment of other human beings, which is so often the case.
| Besides honoring a memorial of God as the Creator, in what ways can Sabbath keeping help us to be more conscious of our need to be good environmental stewards? |
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We often fall into the trap of arguing our case and all too often our arguments end up bing a "my argument is better or bigger or more eloquent than your argument". Few of us have more than a rudimentary knowledge of the second law of thermodynamics, yet is discussions about God's creativity I often hear it quoted as though it was the argument to end all arguments. Most debaters would not know how to read a book on thermodynamics or even understand the formulas and expressions that describe the principles in detail. If we want to win the argument, we need a different tactic.
If we want to win the argument about who created us, then we need to live like we were created by a loving God. If we want to win the argument about the resurrection of Jesus, then we need to live like Jesus is living in our hearts now. And if we want to win the argument that Jesus is coming again, then we need to let Jesus come into our lives now.
Mine is a question that I was asked but I referred that I may search and give feedback too next Sabbath. Was Eve created on the first week of creation or after the first week of creation?
Just thinking a'it was very good' would come when all perfect creatures were in place. That would include Eve.
Jason, what does Genesis 1:26-28; 2:1-3 tell us concerning this question?
Hi Jason,
I believe that Eve was created on the same day as Adam because in Gen 1:27-29 the LORD created mankind - male and female, from His instruction it is clear He is addressing both of them telling them to be fruitful and multiply
Also in Gen 2:3 on the seventh day it tells us that God had finished His work of creation.
Gen 1:26-28 ISV Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, to be like us. Let them be masters over the fish in the ocean, the birds that fly, the livestock, everything that crawls on the earth, and over the earth itself!" (27) So God created mankind in his own image; in his own image God created them; he created them male and female. (28) God blessed these humans by saying to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it!
Jason, you may want to read Dennis Prager’s commentary, or a portion thereof, regarding the creation week. He is a radio talk show host, Jewish scholar and Director of Prager U where you might find some answers. He explains quite thoroughly the context and the order according to the Hebrew language and liturgy. In Prager’s commentary on Genesis, Chapt 2:4 he says,
“Many modern Bible scholars regard this verse as the beginning of “the second creation story”, which they believe often contradicts the “first” creation story in Genesis 1. But there are contradictions only if one views this as a “second creation story”, rather than something else entirely —providing further insights into creation and most importantly, to offer a much more detailed description of the creation of the human being.”
Repeating oneself for emphasis and clarity is often used throughout the Old Testament.
The Scriptures record that ‘Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, fish of the sea, cattle and every creeping thing’ - as well as man. So what makes the difference between man and other creatures; why has man been put ‘in charge’?
All bodies are made from the same material – the substances found in the ground of this Earth, but man’s body is formed in the Image/likeness of his Maker(s) and given the capacity to recognize his maker and assess things related to God’s Creation.
I think that man’s stewardship over God’s Creation is his highest calling; everything is precious in the Creator’s sight, and we are called as stewards to further His creation's well being.
This stewardship/care-assignment extends to and includes everything we come in contact with. God called us to ‘tend and keep’ not just nature in its physical manifestation, but to establish a ‘care-taker’ relationship with all creatures and His natural Creation.
This is what comes to mind when I ‘remember to honor God's Sabbath day’.
Remembering involves recalling and reflecting upon something for a particular purpose. One purpose is to keep something fresh in your mind so that it is more likely your intentional focus. This counters the risk of your subconscious directing you instead by some other 'default' focus that has been conditioned during your life.
When you consciously and intentionally take the time and expend the effort to recall and reflect, your attitudes, thoughts and behaviours are more likely to head in the direction you are aiming for them to move in.
What is is about Sabbath that you want to intentionally focus on? For me it is fundamentally that life does not viably exist apart from (a) being ongoingly connected to our omni-benevolent God as the only Source of the breath of life and (b) living in harmony with beneficence/self-renouncing love to all people and creation. Ultimately, I look forward to the day when this is once again fully restored throughout creation so that there is no more suffering, pain or sorrow for people. Each Sabbath is one week closer to that eventual point.
I think this is why some people try so hard to disprove the continued validity of the Sabbath which points to the Creator because they don't want to admit they are dependant on the LORD for the spark of life with which He created humans. They do not know that the LORD in His mercy allows them during this time of probation to continue living even though they reject Him. The time is coming when the door of probation will close and their choice to be disconnected from the Source of Life will be final.
I agree with your point Shirley that most people are unfortunately unaware that life is not a 'default-state/reality' that exists independently apart from God - even though it may seem like it. Hence, to them, Sabbath as an ongoing reminder of our absolute need of God doesn't seem particularly relevant.
When I get an appropriate opportunity to ask people whether they think we are self-sufficient beings or whether we are dependent upon someone or something beyond/outside of ourselves, most admit that is not a question they have even considered before.
The first angel's message (Revelation 14:7) seems to be directly relevant to this issue.
At the end of each day of creation God prounounced every He had made "good" - the animals, the flora and fauna the stars and planets - and everything else. Of course He added something special after forming man on His own image. So if God declared "very good" after He made us, it is our sacred duty to take care of ourselves by observing the Sabbath rest God weaved into the plan for our utmost benefit. Notwithstanding, sin has marred that very good state of God's perfect handiwork but as best as lies in our power, we are commanded to take care of ourselves, each other and the rest of God's creation. It's still an astounding wonder and marvel to the human mind how we were so fearfully and wonderfully made.
I agree, at the end of each day God stated that it was good except the second day; there is no mention of being good, and neither the 7th day if you consider it as part of creation.
The question above asking how we are radically different from the rest of creation caused me to think past the typical answer I would give. What came to mind for me was the fact that only Adam and Eve were warned not to eat from “the tree”. That tells me that the other creatures did not have the power to make that kind of choice. It also tells me that because of that fact, God told Adam & Eve to take care of this earth and all that lives in it. They made the wrong choice, and now the entire earth is suffering because of that. Sin has a domino effect and we are seeing it unfold before our eyes.
Sabbath rest was instituted as part of the 7-day creation primarily for God. Man was made for the Sabbath to acknowledge God as the creator and mainly for spiritual rest and worship. To rest from our labors during the Sabbath came after sin as part of the curse; for God pronounced that man will eat by the sweat of his brow, meaning that he has to work for his food instead of just harvesting fruit from the trees of the garden that God planted. As if God has anticipated that man will sin so resting from work being tired is an added benefit for man until we are brought back to paradise restored where we will never get tired or be working for food.