How does Genesis 1:13 connect to the Sabbath rest principle in Exodus 20:11? Setting the Scene Genesis 1:13 — “And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.” Exodus 20:11 — “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Key Observations • Genesis 1:13 closes the account of Day Three, marking a full, literal 24-hour cycle (“evening…morning”). • Each “day” in Genesis 1 follows the same pattern, underscoring six sequential, literal days. • Exodus 20:11 builds directly on that sequence: six real workdays followed by one real rest day. Connecting Threads • Pattern of Days – Genesis 1:13 provides the third occurrence of the “evening–morning” refrain, reinforcing the rhythm of time that God establishes. – This rhythm becomes the template for human work and rest in Exodus 20:11. • Literal Timeframe – The clarity of “evening” and “morning” keeps the definition of a “day” concrete. – Exodus 20:11 appeals to that same concrete, literal six-day framework to ground the Sabbath command. • Divine Example – On Day Three (Genesis 1:13), God is still actively working, shaping land and vegetation. – By Day Seven, His work ceases (Exodus 20:11 reflects this). – The movement from active creation (Day Three included) to divine rest models the weekly rhythm He passes on to humanity. Practical Implications • Work with purpose: God’s productive activity on Days One through Six—including Day Three—validates diligent labor. • Rest with conviction: Because each creation day is literal, the weekly Sabbath carries real, not symbolic, weight. • Remember origins: Every Sabbath invites reflection on the entire creation week, Day Three included, celebrating the order and life God spoke into being. Takeaway Genesis 1:13’s clear designation of a literal third day helps anchor the six-day creation referenced in Exodus 20:11. The same God who marked off evening and morning on Day Three commands His people to mark off a weekly day of rest, mirroring His own deliberate pattern of work and holy rest. |
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