God Works and Then Rests VS Man Rests and Then Works

 

God Works and Then Rests VS Man Rests and Then Works

Genesis 2:2 By the seventh day God had finished his work; on the seventh day he rested from all his work.

Genesis 2:3 God blessed the seventh day and set it apart as holy, because on it he rested from all his work of creation and construction.

Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day; set it apart as holy.

Exodus 20:9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

Exodus 20:10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, neither you nor your sons nor your daughters, neither your servants nor your female servants, neither your livestock nor the sojourners in your towns.

Exodus 20:11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and on the seventh day he rested; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. 

Item	God Works and Then Rests	Man Rests and Then Works
Meaning	God initiates all work, completes it fully, and then enters rest	Man first enters God’s rest, enjoys Him, and then works from that rest
Reason	God is the source, origin, and finisher of all things	Man is a created vessel designed to receive and cooperate
Metaphor	A builder finishes the house and then rests	Children move into a completed home and help from enjoyment
Way	Work → Completion → Rest	Rest → Enjoyment → Work
Function	Manifests God’s sovereignty, power, and perfection	Enables man to work with God, not by himself
Explanation	God worked six days and rested on the seventh because everything was finished	Man’s first day was God’s Sabbath—he began with rest
Result	God is satisfied and at rest	Man is supplied, empowered, and aligned with God
Mutual Relationship	God’s rest becomes man’s foundation for work	Man’s work becomes the expression of God’s rest
OT Example	God rested after creation	Adam enjoyed Eden before tending it
NT Example	Christ finished redemption and sat down	The apostles were filled before serving
Application	God does not need human effort to complete His work	Man must not serve God by self-effort
Burden	God desires to be honored as the unique source	God desires man to acknowledge his dependence
Prophesying Guidance	Declare: God has finished; I enter His rest	Declare: I enjoy the Lord before I serve
Conclusion	God’s work always comes first	Man’s rest must always come first
Relatd Scriptures	Gen. 2:2–3; Heb. 4:9–10; John 19:30	Gen. 2:15; Acts 2:1–4; 1 Cor. 3:9; Heb. 4:10

 

Spiritual Reminders: 

l   True ministry flows from God’s rest and enjoyment

l   Serving without rest leads to self-effort and frustration

l   Yielding to God enables empowerment and fruitful service

l   Reflect daily on God’s work, not your own labor

 

*Please refer to the 2025 Thanksgiving International Symposium on the All-Inclusive Christ as Revealed in the Gospel of Matthew, Part Five: Christ as the Giver of Rest