Questions from a Seventh-day Adventist Friend: Bro. Dante Gabuya
1. If the seventh-day in Genesis 2:2-3 was a continuing period and not a literal day, why did the writer use verbs in the past tense (rested, blessed, sanctified) before the inception of sin?
Answer:
I didn’t say that there is no literal seventh 24-hour day on that creation account. Of course, there is a 24 hour day after 1-6 days of creation. My point is, that particular account did not put any significance on that literal 24-hour 7th day because it was only the 2nd day of existence for Adam and Eve so it's not even the 7th day for them on earth. The use of verbs in past tense refers to the creative activity of God during the 6 days of creation, so He ceased or desisted from His work.
The emphasis in Genesis 2 is all about the “Sabbath-rest” (not Sabbath DAY) experience of perfect fellowship between God and man before the entrance of sin. The use of This “Sabbath-Rest” of grace was intended by God from creation to eternity (the reason why no “evening-morning” formula). But when sin entered the scene this perfect “Sabbath-rest” was lost. But God continued to pursue His perfect plan of redemption and willingness to restore the creation “Sabbath-rest” among his creation so he gave the weekly 7th day Sabbath to the Israelites as a reminder or sign of His promise that someday, that original “Sabbath rest” of perfect fellowship will be restored by eliminating forever the sin that destroyed that wonderful relationship between God and men. This perfect relationship initially happened when Christ died on the cross to make an atonement for our sins (Rom. 5:11). Jesus offered this “Sabbath-rest” as “rest of our souls” in Matthew 11:28-30. Ellen White associates this “Sabbath rest” with the “rest of grace” which is daily, instead of weekly physical rest.
2. When did God really bless and sanctify this supposed continuing period, during or after resting?
Answer
God blessed and sanctified that perfect creation 7th day from the time of creation to eternity. God promised someday to restore it by providing his people a sign or token in the form of the weekly Sabbath when God made a covenant with Israel in Sinai. So the actual 7th 24 hr day in Genesis is done but the “Sabbath-rest” or Sabbatismos remains. Your questions were even answered in Hebrews 4:3-6:
“Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, They shall never enter my rest.’” And yet HIS WORKS HAVE BEEN FINISHED SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD [Genesis 2:2-3]. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God RESTED from all his works.” And AGAIN in the passage above, he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” Therefore since IT REMAINS FOR SOME TO ENTER THAT REST, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience.”
Hence, although God finished (“rested”)His works of creation that time, entering His “rest of grace” remains (the reason why no evening-morning formula) available even today. It can be entered through “faith” not by ceasing from laborious work every 7th day as the weekly Sabbath. Ellen White says:
“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. ... Let us labor, therefore, to enter into that rest, lest any man falls after the same example of unbelief.” [Hebrews 4:9, 11] The rest here spoken of is the REST OF GRACE, obtained by following the prescription, “Labor diligently.” Those who learn of JESUS His meekness and lowliness find rest in the experience of practicing His lessons.“ 16LtMs, Ms 42, 1901, par. 12
Also, the SDA Bible Commentary, in support of Ellen White, explain further, what “rest of grace” means:
“We enter into God’s “rest” when we “consider” Jesus (ch. 3:1) and listen to His voice (chs. 3:7, 15; 4:7) when we exercise faith in Him (ch. 4:2, 3) when we cease from our own efforts to earn salvation (v. 10) when we “hold fast our profession” (v. 14), and when we draw near to the throne of grace (v. 16). Those who would enter into this experience must beware of “an evil heart of unbelief” (ch. 3:12), of hardening their hearts (chs. 3:8, 15; 4:7). They must strive to enter into God’s “rest” (ch. 4:11).” SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, p. 423
Note that in both cited references from the SDA books, nothing is said about the need to keep the weekly 7th day Sabbath side by side with that sabbatismos kind of rest. Rather, the weekly 7th day Sabbath given to the Israelites in Sinai was only a symbol/shadow, i.e, Christ, our true Sabbatismos.
“Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration, or A SABBATH DAY. These are a SHADOW of the things that were to come; the REALITY, however, is found in CHRIST.“ Col. 2:16-17, NIV
And Christ offers this “Sabbath-rest of grace” to anyone including us!
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find REST FOR YOUR SOULS.” Matthew 11:28-29, NIV
3. If the sabbath in Exodus 20 was a commemoration of this terminated rest due to the inception of sin, are you telling us that when the Exodus sabbath terminates at sunset, we are also to remind ourselves that sin begins again for the succeeding days?
Answer
That “terminated rest” of God was not ended by the “evening-morning” formula not even by sunset (the reason no mention of evening-morning formula)but by the entrance of sin. Where did you get that idea in Genesis? I guess it’s just a product of your playful imagination. Exodus 20 focuses on the event during the Sabbath rest between sunset (Friday) and sunset (Saturday). Nothing is said about remembering the entrance of sin. Although we know the fact that in many instances, many SDA’s even Pastors, are committing sins or disobedience in keeping the Sabbath holy before sunset. But I didn’t say it's one way how they commemorate the entrance of sin. Besides, Genesis didn’t claim that sin entered during sunset that time.
4. If this is not your line of thinking. what was the purpose of the commemoration of that continuing-but-terminated rest through the seventh-day sabbath in Exodus 20?
Answer
That God will someday put an end to sin and restore that original and perfect Sabbath-rest with His creation in the new heavens and new earth
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5. If you are right in this that God established the 24-hour Sabbath in Exodus 20 just to commemorate the non-24-hour rest in Genesis for the people of God, why are you NOT COMMEMORATING this rest in Genesis through the seventh-day sabbath rest today when you say that this Genesis rest remains?
Answer
Because, the 24-hour weekly Sabbath in Exodus 20, already served its purpose as “a tutor until Christ came” (Gal. 3:24-25). Christ is “the end (telos-goal) of the law (Rom. 10:4) The Sabbath is just a “shadow” and the reality is Christ (Col. 2:16-17). The type met the antitype. Christ now is our sabbatismos (Heb. 4:7, 8-10) and we will ultimately experience the original, Edenic rest in heaven someday with the absence of sin. We can experience this heavenly-like sabbatismos rest of soul even while we are here on earth.
6. If the Genesis rest was LOST and TERMINATED due to the inception of sin as you implied it, why did God say that this "REST REMAINS" for the people of God in Heb 4:9 and not "REST IS RESTORED" for the people of God?
Answer
Because the “rest of grace” from God remains available and does not change. It is His promised rest. Heb. 4:1-6 says:
“Therefore, since A PROMISE REMAINS OF ENTERING HIS REST, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest,’ ” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.” Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience.”
God cannot break His own promise, whatever He wills even from the beginning of time.
Titus 1:2
“In the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, PROMISED BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF TIME.”
Therefore, the sabbath-rest in creation did not cease to exist. It only temporarily affected His creation but God’s grace remains operational in many ways throughout history and cannot be defeated by sin. That is why the Bible says
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Romans 5:20
“But where SIN ABOUNDED, GRACE ABOUNDED much MORE!”
7. If this rest of grace in Genesis was lost, how can people in the Old Testament avail something which is no longer available to them?
Answer:
Like what the Bible says, Hebrews 4:1:
“A promise remains of entering his rest.”
This promise of rest is even available during the time of Joshua and the Israelites after the death of Moses and symbolized or represented by a literal weekly Sabbath, but they failed to enter it due to unbelief.
Hebrews 4:2
“For we also have had the GOOD NEWS proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.”
Hebrews 4:6
“Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who FORMERLY had the GOOD NEWS proclaimed to them did not go in because of their DISOBEDIENCE.”
Take note that this “sabbath-rest-perfect-fellowship with God” is called “Good news” or the gospel. This gospel of reconciliation with God was preached to the ancient Israelites was illustrated by the means of rituals or ceremonial laws including animal sacrifices in the tabernacle. But they performed it not in faith pointing to the coming Messiah. The grace of God was working thru this system of worship at that time
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Therefore, the rest of grace since creation (Heb. 4:3-6) can never be lost. It was the sinners like you and me that was lost. Praise the Lord! the abounding grace of God still remains since the creation of the world continues to seek for the lost.
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