The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 5:17,
"My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working."
In Hebrews 4:3-4 we read, "... his [God's] works have been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "On the seventh day God rested from all his works.'" It is a quote from Genesis 2:2, "By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done."
From Genesis and the writer of Hebrews we see God resting from his works, and yet Jesus said God is always at his work (right up to the present day). The harmony between the two lies in a careful reading of Genesis 2:2 (which the writer of Hebrews points to), "Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." God's rest on the seventh day was a rest from his work of bringing the creation into being. That does not imply that God, when finished with his six days of creation, decided to take a divine nap.
As Ellicott's commentary points out, "The rest on the seventh day was the completion of the works of creation (see this stated emphatically in Genesis 2:2-3). It was not, it could not be, a cessation in divine work, or in the flow of divine energy. That knew nor day nor night, nor summer nor winter, nor Sabbath nor Jubilee. For man, and animal, and tree, and field, this alternation of a time of production and a time of reception was needed, but God was the ever-constant source of energy and life for all in heaven and earth and sea..."
God is very much active in his work, in his redemption of mankind, in the maintenance of the cosmos, in his provision for each and every one of us. "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew 6:26. We see the Son of God active in his work today as well, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." Hebrews 1:3. Also, "Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." Romans 8:34.
I never want to lose sight of the realization that every morning I wake up, God has to be actively engaged, working in his creation sustaining it. Every breath I take is a result of God being actively engaged to make it possible.
Here is a great error today: the thought that we, as mankind, are all on our own, that we are the only resource to keep planet earth and mankind's survival maintained. Really? We are such pipsqueaks! That is a God sized job and he is actively engaged in it! As Jesus taught, "Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" Matthew 6:27.
"My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working."
In Hebrews 4:3-4 we read, "... his [God's] works have been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "On the seventh day God rested from all his works.'" It is a quote from Genesis 2:2, "By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done."
From Genesis and the writer of Hebrews we see God resting from his works, and yet Jesus said God is always at his work (right up to the present day). The harmony between the two lies in a careful reading of Genesis 2:2 (which the writer of Hebrews points to), "Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." God's rest on the seventh day was a rest from his work of bringing the creation into being. That does not imply that God, when finished with his six days of creation, decided to take a divine nap.
As Ellicott's commentary points out, "The rest on the seventh day was the completion of the works of creation (see this stated emphatically in Genesis 2:2-3). It was not, it could not be, a cessation in divine work, or in the flow of divine energy. That knew nor day nor night, nor summer nor winter, nor Sabbath nor Jubilee. For man, and animal, and tree, and field, this alternation of a time of production and a time of reception was needed, but God was the ever-constant source of energy and life for all in heaven and earth and sea..."
God is very much active in his work, in his redemption of mankind, in the maintenance of the cosmos, in his provision for each and every one of us. "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew 6:26. We see the Son of God active in his work today as well, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." Hebrews 1:3. Also, "Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." Romans 8:34.
I never want to lose sight of the realization that every morning I wake up, God has to be actively engaged, working in his creation sustaining it. Every breath I take is a result of God being actively engaged to make it possible.
Here is a great error today: the thought that we, as mankind, are all on our own, that we are the only resource to keep planet earth and mankind's survival maintained. Really? We are such pipsqueaks! That is a God sized job and he is actively engaged in it! As Jesus taught, "Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" Matthew 6:27.
The arrogance of mankind!
The magnificence of God and the wonders of his majestic great works!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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