The sabbath and marriage

• 1^st – The 7^th day of Creation… vs. 1-3 (3 points)
  • 1^st – The creation of the Sabbath… vs. 1-2
    • The heavens and the earth were finished – completed [כָּלָה]…
      • After the 6 days of creation – God saw that everything He had made was VERY good…
      • There was nothing else to be done – the work was completed…
      • So on the 7^th day He ended [כָּלָה] which He had made (asah)…
      • And He rested [שָׁבַת] – sabbath – a word that means to cease what you are doing / stop!
    • This is not to say that God was tired – He did not need a break…
      • God could have created everything in a single day – or a single moment for that matter…
      • God wanted to establish in the beginning the 6-day workweek!
      • Just as He worked 6 days to create the World – we are only to work 6 days a week…
      • The 7^th day is a day of rest – it came to be known as the Sabbath – the 4^th commandment!
      • Exodus 20:9-10 – “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work…”
    • Which day of the week is the Sabbath…
      • We still have the word in Ilonggo – Sabado means Sabbath – the day of rest…
      • Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath – from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday…
      • So you might ask – then why do we come to church on Sunday!
      • In the book of Acts the church gathered together on Sundays – Acts 20:7
      • Sunday was the first day of the week on the Jewish calendar…
      • They did this to remember the resurrection of Jesus – first day of the week – Luke 24:1
      • That is why we consider Sunday – the first day of the week – to be our day of rest!
  • 2^nd – The purpose for the Sabbath… vs. 3
    • God blessed the 7^th day and sanctified it…
      • Sanctified [קָדַשׁ] – to set apart / make HOLY – first time in the Bible (only time in Genesis) …
      • It was a day that was HOLY because it was the day God rested (sabbath)…
      • From all the work which He had created (bara) and made (asah)!
    • This gives us the PURPOSE of the Sabbath…
      • It was a day that God made HOLY – set apart – for Him…
      • A day to remember the WORK He had done in creating (bara) and making (asah) all things!
      • Many spend their lives in vain trying to fill their lives with worldly things…
      • But we were not created by God to work / or to wear the latest fashions…
      • God created us for an incredible purpose – we were created to know Him!
      • John 17:3 – “This is eternal life, that we may know Jesus!”
  • 3^rd – The requirement to keep the Sabbath…
    • According to the Law the Sabbath was required – 4^th commandment – Exodus 20:8
      • In Numbers 15:32 a man was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath day…
      • The punishment for his crime was to be stoned to death by the people!
      • There are RELIGIOUS groups today who would say YES – it is required…
      • The RELIGIOUS leaders were saying the same things in Jesus day…
    • The challenge was – the Bible said you could not work on the Sabbath…
      • But what constituted WORK – that is where the religious leaders stepped in…
      • They defined what God MEANT when He said you could not work – (39 do nots)
      • Jewish leaders teach that it breaks the Sabbath to – pick your nose…
      • According to Jewish teachers – even turning on a light is breaking the Sabbath…
      • Refrigerators in Israel know the day – and do not turn on the light on the Sabbath!
    • Yet Jesus would intentionally HEAL (work) on the Sabbath!
      • In total Jesus healed 7 times on the Sabbath – He did it to make a point!
      • Mark 2:27 – “He said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.’”
      • God did not create us to follow the Sabbath – He gave the Sabbath to us!
      • It was meant to give us a day to unwind – rest – recover…
      • Is it required – NO – but it is probably a really good idea…
      • If God who created us – gave us one day out of seven to rest – it is probably needed…
      • But it really does not matter which day – Sabado / Domingo / Martes!
    • The Sabbath points us to the TRUE REST!
      • Hebrews 4:9-10 – “There remains therefore a rest (Sabbath) for the people of God.  For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.”
      • We still have to work – meaning that we have not yet entered into THE REST…
      • The true Sabbath comes when we see Jesus face to face – when we are home!
      • The Sabbath was meant to point us to the hope of Heaven – Jesus!
    • The Sabbath is a SHADOW of Jesus!
      • Colossians 2:16-17 – “Let no one judge you… regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”
      • If you see the shadow of your best friend do you run up and hug the shadow…
      • Of course not – but the shadow does tell you your friend is close!
      • So let no one judge you about whether or not you take a day of rest…
      • The Sabbath was a shadow of Jesus – He is our true rest!
      • Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest… For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

• 2^nd – History of the heavens and earth… vs. 4-7 (3 points)
  • 1^st – This is the HISTORY of the heavens and the earth… vs. 4-6
    • HISTORY – literally the word generations – we might say genealogy…
    • The rest of the chapter will go back into the creation account with more details…
    • CREATED – bara – speaking of the FIRST day when God spoke the universe into existence…
    • So after the first day of creation – but BEFORE man was put to work in the garden…
    • First use of the word – plant of the field – not talking about creating plant life…
    • God is talking about before there was any FARMING – no rain / or man to till the ground!
  • 2^nd – The LORD God who made (asah) the EARTH (first) and the heavens… vs. 5/7
    • First use LORD [יְהֹוָה] – used 6519x in the Bible – [יְהֹוָה] the proper name of God…
    • It is thought to come from the Hebrew VERB – I AM – Exodus 3:14
    • Jesus picked up on this very same VERB in the New Testament…
    • I AM – the bread of life / the light of the world / the door / the good shepherd…
    • The idea is God is everything we need – all we need – just when we need it…
    • The LORD God (JHVH Elohim) want to meet our EVERY need today!
  • 3^rd – The LORD God formed man from the dust… vs. 7
    • Formed – meaning to squeeze into shape – think of clay being formed by a potter…
      • Out of the dust of the ground – God made MAN [אָדָם] out of dirt!
      • The word ground in Hebrew comes from the word for MAN (adamah)…
      • When Adam sinned – he was told he would return to the dust he came from – Genesis 3:19
      • Quite literally true – we are actually made up of the same 59 elements as dust!
      • We come from DUST and our bodies will all one day return to DUST – Ecclesiastes 3:20
      • Whether it takes 50 years (buried) / or 50 minutes (cremated) – the end is the same – DUST!
    • God breathed into the dirt…
      • What makes MAN more than the sum of the 59 elements that make up dirt…
      • The BREATH of God that is within him that gives him a living soul (being)…
      • The ONLY thing that makes us better than dirt – is the breath of God!
      • Which is why we focus so much on the Word of God – which is God Breathed!
      • II Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…”

• 3^rd – Garden of Eden… vs. 8-17 (3 points)
  • 1^st – The LORD God planted a garden in Eden…vs. 8-9
    • Eden [עֵדֶן]– the name literally means pleasure / luxury / delight (it was a NICE place) …
    • God made EVERY tree grow that is pleasant to the slight and good for food…
    • Including the Tree of LIFE and the Tree of KNOWLEDGE (more on this later / next week) …
    • And He put MAN [אָדָם] in the midst of the Garden!
    • God gave Adam everything he needed – nothing was lacking – it was PARADISE!
  • 2^nd – The four rivers that flowed from the Garden… vs. 10-14
    • As there was no rain – the garden had a river that watered all the plants and trees…
      • The main river parted once it left the garden and became four rivers (riverheads)…
      • Pishon – to increase – which skirts the land of Havilah (circle)…
      • Good GOLD in Havilah as well as Bdellium (tree resin) and the onyx (precious stone) …
      • The first century historian Josephus associated the Pison with the GANGES river in India…
      • Gihon – bursting forth – goes around the land of Cush (Ethiopia) – perhaps the NILE…
      • Hiddekel – rapid – goes towards the east of Assyria (Iraq) – TIGRIS river – Daniel 10:4
      • Euphrates – fruitful – a river that runs through modern day Turkey / Syria / Iraq…
    • The geography of the 4 rivers that the main river broke into is useless today…
      • The rivers / lands / even the Garden itself were all lost in the flood of Noah…
      • That has not stopped many from looking for the GOLD spoken of here…
      • It is a shame that men will try to use the Bible to find temporary wealth…
      • But they overlook the eternal treasure – Jesus – that the Bible is all about!
  • 3^rd – The instructions for the garden… vs. 15-17
    • God put man in the garden to tend (work / serve) and keep (guard / protect) it…
      • God gave Adam a job – he was to work and protect paradise (not bad as jobs go) …
      • God does promise to provide for us – give us food to eat – Matthew 6:26
      • But that does not mean we get to sit down and wait for the feast to arrive…
      • The most common way God provides – we work to put food on the table!
      • II Thessalonians 3:10 – “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.”
    • The LORD God commanded (first in the Bible)…
      • Every tree of the garden Adam could freely eat – there was NO lack of food…
      • BUT Adam was NOT allowed to of the Tree of the KNOWLEDGE of good and evil…
      • What was the tree of knowledge – it was not an apple – as it is so commonly portrayed… 
      • The tree brought the knowledge of good and evil – to eat of the tree meant certain death!
      • DIE is repeated twice here – DIE imperfect (you shall die) / DIE infinitive (dying)…
      • Because when Adam ate the fruit he immediately died spiritually (separated from God)…
      • And he also began to die physically – he would only live to be 930 and he died!
      • Because of the sin of Adam – we also are at risk of dying twice – we will all physically die…
      • But apart from Jesus we are at risk of the second death – eternal separation – Romans 6:23
      • The GOOD NEWS is that Jesus came so that we could have eternal LIFE – John 10:10
    • Why did God put the tree in the garden…
      • Why put this tree in a world that was VERY good – why even give Adam the CHOICE…
      • It all comes down to Love – there can be no LOVE with a CHOICE…
      • If someone came up to us with a loaded gun and told us to love them…
      • We would say yes – but in our heart there would be no LOVE – because there is no CHOICE!
      • True love requires a choice – so God gave man a choice…
      • Man could obey God (do not eat of the tree) or disobey God (sin)…
      • It is the SAME choice that we have today – do we chose to LOVE God – John 3:16
      • God will not force anyone to go to heaven – it is also their CHOICE
      • God also does not send anyone to hell – they choose it – the question is what we choose…
      • Do we choose to reject God – or take freely from the tree of life (the cross of Christ)!
      •  John 20:31 – “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

• 4^th – The creation of Eve… vs. 18-25 (5 points)
  • 1^st – It is NOT good… vs. 18-20
    • For the first time the LORD God said it is NOT good – Adam needed HELP…
    • God made every kind of animal and bird and brought them to Adam…
    • And whatever Adam called them – then that was their name…
    • Do not think horse / dog / cat – think John / David / Jen (personal names)…
    • God wanted Adam to see something he did not even know was missing – a HELPER…
    • But there was no companion found suitable for him!
  • 2^nd – The Lord caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam… vs. 21
    • He took from the side of Adam and he made the woman…
    • The word RIB is a poor translation – it more literally just means his side…
    • The woman was not taken from the head of Adam – to rule over him…
    • Or from the feet of Adam – that she should have to serve him…
    • Instead from the Lord God took from his side – because they were equal!
    • Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
  • 3^rd – The LORD God brought her to Adam… vs. 22
    • Notice that Adam did not have to go out looking for his wife…
      • If it had been left up to Adam – there were really not many choices…
      • If he had insisted on finding his own spouse – what were the options – MONKEY…
      • When he waited on God – went to sleep – God brought him the perfect one!
      • For those who want to get married – do NOT go and do your best to find THE ONE..
      • Fall asleep (with your desire to get married) and wait on the Lord…
      • He will bring you the perfect one in His own time!
      • I Corinthians 7:27 – “If you do not have a wife, do not [seek to] get married.”
    • Most people are called to be married – few are meant to stay single…
      • Yet there is a great advantage to not being married…
      • I Corinthians 7:32-33 – “He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord–how he may please the Lord.  But he who is married cares about the things of the world–how he may please his wife.”
      • When we are married much of our time and energy goes to our family…
      • When single we are freed up in our time and resources to serve the Lord!
      • But – if you are tempted by the idea of marriage – I Corinthians 7:2 
      • If you have dreamt your whole life about being married
      • If you think every time someone looks at you – they may be the ONE…
      • Then there is a good chance you are not called to be SINGLE!
      • Proverbs 18:22 – “He who finds a wife finds a good thing…”
    • Do not stir up love until it is time – Song of Solomon 8:4
      • Better to sleep in the Lord – then rush down a road that has only one end!
      • God has designed a physical progression to marital intimacy…
      • This is wonderful – and a gift of God – IN marriage – Hebrews 13:4
      • But if you are NOT married – it is better not to touch a woman – I Corinthians 7:1
      • Starting you down a road that will inevitably lead to sexual immorality!
  • 4^th – She will be called Woman… vs. 23 / 25
    • Then Adam said – this is bone of my bone / flesh of my flesh…
      • She will be called woman – because she was taken from man – feminine of [אִישׁ]…
      • God took something from Adam – because he was NOT good on his own…
      • Then gave back to Adam – and the result was a perfect unison – the TWO became ONE!
      • And they were both naked – man and his wife – and were not ashamed (nothing to hide)!
    • Here is one of the great truths of the Bible – the gift of Marriage…
      • God gave us marriage right in the beginning – before Adam and Eve sinned…
      • 1 – So that we would have friendship – it is NOT good for man to be alone…
      • Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 – Two are better than one / a threefold chord is not easily broken!
      • God knew that we do not do well on our own – we need help!
      • 2 – For Godly children – they are no longer two but one – fulfilled in children!
      • God created male and female so that we would have godly children – Malachi 2:15
      • Children who know / love / follow Jesus – by following their parents example!
      • 3 – To understand God – who uses 2 relationships to describe His love for us…
      • He calls us His children / He also calls us His wife…
      • It is through marriage we understand how much our Heavenly Father loves us!
  • 5^th – For that reason a man shall leave his mother and father and become one flesh… vs. 24
    • This speaks of the longevity of MARRIAGE – it is meant to last a lifetime…
    • When asked about DIVORCE – Jesus quoted this VERY verse – Matthew 19:4-5
    • The challenge in marriage – it involves two sinners!
    • Before we are married – we only have think about ourselves…
    • All the decision we make are the right ones – because we made them…
    • After marriage we needed to consider our spouse…
    • A good friend once told me – marriage teaches you humility…
    • Then God gives you kids to finish teaching the lesson!