God established resting’s importance in the beginning: after He created all mankind would need, He rested, blessing and declaring that day holy Gen.2:2). God wasn’t tired from work but was rejoicing over His lasting work: the work in us, for us, and through us continuing throughout time.

On the sixth day, He’d created humans, who started living life by resting with God on the seventh day, becoming one with God in the resting and relationship, dwelling together amid all His accomplishments. Unlike the previous days, there’s no mention of evening and morning completing the seventh day; God’s Sabbath rest is eternal, enduring forever without night, alluding to Christ’s finished work.

And from the beginning, all religious activities were shadows of the coming reality, the core, the import of what was to come: Jesus (Col. 2:16-17).

Jesus resounded God’s call to rest with Him, to return to God’s original, relational intent: “ Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Put My yoke upon your shoulders—it might appear heavy at first, but it is perfectly fitted to your curves. Learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. When you are yoked to Me, your weary souls will find rest.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Mt. 11:28-30). He is the full measure of rest we’re to enter, the continuous light and day of eternity, the eternally open gate without any night (Heb. 3:17-4:9, Rev. 21:25). God’s always intended we rest fully in Jesus.

Beloved, only one of Creation’s days were given a name: “Sabbath”. And “Sabbath” in Hebrew stems from “return to the seat [the rest] and learn.” So return. Rest. Learn. Weekly, we’re reminded of rest’s essential and militant nature, for resting in Christ’s finished work is our act of resistance to the world’s kingdoms and to the lies assaulting our lives. Rest is an act of reclamation and redemption, bringing God’s restoration and relationship into this world.

Today, every day, God’s calling us to lie down in green pastures and rest with Him.