Chapter 18
What Say the Scriptures? Continued

Other scriptural applications, extracts and reviews of the Fourth Directive’s text are to be found, exhibited, and seen here and there throughout the duration of the Bible’s Old Testament. While it is never again recited, as in Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15, it does turn up elsewhere in excerpts, “bits and pieces”.

To reach our particular objective, however, there only one satisfactory course can be. There is one and only one direct and straight route.

And in order to be taught, and to learn realistically about this event, God Almighty’s having “rested”, we must continue with our investigation of scripture’s reminiscences of Exodus 20:11 and 31:17. For each of these scriptures seems to speak of God’s “rest”, and acknowledge God’s “rest”.

And they speak of it selectively and equally specifically: They do it only after their accounts of creation.

They thus seem to sanction a context in which recall of God’s “resting” is authorized standard and conventional procedure. Such seems legitimately to be so admitted as biblical endorsement and scriptural acknowledgement. And thus a precedent and standard are provided, a precedent and standard, which useful are to us.

A. As Is Inferred Here

According to these verses and what they profess, an account of the completion of God’s creation schedule must properly include to tell of God, the Almighty’s having “rested the seventh day”:

(RSV Exodus 20:11) “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it”.

(RSV Exodus 31:16-17) 16“Wherefore the people of Israel shall keep the sabbath, observing the sabbath throughout their generations, as a perpetual covenant. 17It is a sign for ever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed”.

As is inferred here, God, the Almighty’s over-exertion and fatigue and his subsequent “rest” and bodily “refreshment” are both corroborated, or at least inferred. They admitted, and acknowledged are amidst this traditional account of creation. And these two extraordinary scriptures, furthermore, each cite, and recite the verbatim words of God1.

B. For More than One Reason

And in and of itself, this must tend to lend them elite accreditation. This must legitimize them, if anything does. Moreover, the fact, that these scriptures are the earliest to expound the sabbath’s origin and commencement predetermines their pre-eminent and expository rôle, their authority throughout the remainder of the Bible.

Also, they speak of the most important of natural history’s events, the earth’s construction and conception. They present authoritative account of creation. Being, furthermore, the first and only reminders of God’s creation agenda in all the books of Moses, all subsequent reference to this same agenda should reflect at least somewhat these earliest such accounts.

For more than one reason, then, all later scripture has ample inducement, justification and incentive to recall, and recite Exodus 20:11 and 31:17: Indeed, many a later passage should look back to Yahweh God’s having created, made, and fashioned the universe in six days, and his then having had his “rest” on the seventh day.

C. Key Elements

With these preceding observations in mind, then, let us now examine, and inspect some pertinent passages, which cite from both traditional “versions” of the Fourth Directive in Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15. For these particular scriptures each include certain elements, which offer, and which furnish yet another useful venue and informative perspective by which to consider, to discern, and to understand just what the meaning is of God Almighty’s having “rested” on the seventh day.

First, however, to facilitate recall, let us look once again at the two, differing Fourth Directive “versions” and renditions:

(RSV Exodus 20:8-11) 8“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; 10but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; 11for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it”.

(RSV Deuteronomy 5:12-15) 12“Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. 13Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; 14but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your manservant, or your maidservant, or your ox, or your ass, or any of your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your manservant and your maidservant may rest as well as you. 15You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out thence with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day”.

Each of these “versions” includes key components, prime elements and parts. Through which, their truths are conveyed, and distributed. Both incorporate these certain key elements essentially to clarify, expatiate, and verify.

D. Recall of These Key Elements

When later biblical authors make recall of these key elements for purposes such as practical application or understanding, their so doing frequently expounds such earlier scripture: Uses made of either a given passage or its elements can help elucidate the meaning and the use of that passage.

Its expressive application or its character of context or the scene of its recall can often serve as explanation, interpretation and clarification. And this equally could be useful in gaining understanding of what Scripture means, by recalling God “rested” in the wording of the Fourth Directive of Exodus 20.

If the final verse of the above latter “version”, Deuteronomy 5:12-15 is in fact interpretation and not alteration, a later scripture, pertaining to both could perhaps explain their connection: How is it, that Yahweh God’s having “rested the seventh day” is correctly recalled “as the Lord your God commanded you” (RSV Deuteronomy 5:12), by speaking afterwards of his “mighty hand” and “outstretched arm” (RSV Deuteronomy 5:15)?

When, for example, Jeremiah 27:5; 32:17 and Psalm 136:3-12 incorporate obvious key elements in both of the above Fourth Directive “versions”, one would logically expect to learn something of how such an interpretive transition is accomplished: On what scriptural, logical or semantic grounds does one explain interpreting God’s creating the universe in six days, and then “resting” in the seventh day, by telling subsequently of the same God’s leading Israel out of Egypt with a “mighty hand” and an “outstretched arm”?

For you will admit: This awaits explanation.

E. Examine

Upon reading these pertinent excerpts, however, one finds neither mention nor acknowledgement of both a key and cardinal element of the traditional Exodus 20:8-11 “version” and rendition. If you will, please examine the following passages…

(deMSby Jeremiah 27:5) “I made the earth, the human and the beast which are on the face of the earth by my great strength and outstretched arm; and I gave it to whom I pleased”.

(deMSby Jeremiah 32:17) “…Yahweh, behold, you made the heavens and the earth with your great strength and outstretched arm; nothing at all is too difficult for you”.

(deMSby Psalm 136:3-12) 3“Give praise to the Owner of owners, for his kindness is eternal; 4to the only one doing great wonders, for his kindness is eternal; 5to the one making the heavens by his understanding, for his kindness is eternal; 6to him who spread the earth upon the seas, for his kindness is eternal; 7to the one making great lights, for his kindness is eternal; 8the sun to rule over the day, for his kindness is eternal; 9the moon and the stars to rule the night, for his kindness is eternal; 10to the one who smote from the Egyptians their first-born, for his kindness is eternal; 11and he led Israel out from their midst, for his kindness is eternal; 12by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; for his kindness is eternal…”

Amidst all of these verses, key elements in each of the final verses of the above Fourth Directive “versions” are included.

Obvious recollection of both is their intended subject matter: Reminiscences of God’s having “made heaven and earth”, as well as his having led Israel out of Egypt by his “mighty hand” and “outstretched arm” are seen on display in each of these scriptures.

F. Alien and Inappropriate

Such a thing as God’s having “rested” per se, though, would plainly be alien and inappropriate here.

Is “resting” the drama

That God’s part plays?

Is “resting” the character

Which he portrays?

When scanning these words

Does God perform “rest”

While instead is his Almighty

“Work” manifest?

These are verses, which clearly describe a God, whose “kindness” as well as his might and omnipotence are nothing less than “eternal”, and allow no time for God’s seventh day “rest”.

G. Some, Rather Urgent Questions

This, nevertheless, raises some rather urgent questions: How can the authors of these scriptures make such manifest recall of the final verses of the two above Fourth Directive “versions”, while disregarding entirely the cardinal component and major key element of the earlier “version”, the “fact”, that Almighty God “rested the seventh day” (RSV Exodus 20:11)?

What figure of God

Amidst this above mould

Realistically shapes

What is so manifold?

For is “resting” the cast

Into which he immerses

And fashions his part

As above intersperses?

Why is it, that this key element is omitted from such scripture, which would seem to necessitate it? How can such obvious recollection of Exodus twenty’s Fourth Directive be made without mention of God’s having “rested”, while an altogether different and contrasting meaning is the much more observable and prominent display here?…

Deliberate what your discoveries here

Ascertain, and establish as all too clear

For within this biblical hemisphere

No “resting” of God can occur, or appear

But rather does he “your sanctification”

Maintain as continuous preoccupation

Of this is he the motivation

Exemplifies he its implementation

1Exodus 20:22 & 31:12

Posted in

Chapter 18
What Say the Scriptures? Continued

Other scriptural applications, extracts and reviews of the Fourth Directive’s text are to be found, exhibited, and seen here and there throughout the duration of the Bible’s Old Testament. While it is never again recited, as in Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15, it does turn up elsewhere in excerpts, “bits and pieces”.

To reach our particular objective, however, there only one satisfactory course can be. There is one and only one direct and straight route.

And in order to be taught, and to learn realistically about this event, God Almighty’s having “rested”, we must continue with our investigation of scripture’s reminiscences of Exodus 20:11 and 31:17. For each of these scriptures seems to speak of God’s “rest”, and acknowledge God’s “rest”.

And they speak of it selectively and equally specifically: They do it only after their accounts of creation.

They thus seem to sanction a context in which recall of God’s “resting” is authorized standard and conventional procedure. Such seems legitimately to be so admitted as biblical endorsement and scriptural acknowledgement. And thus a precedent and standard are provided, a precedent and standard, which useful are to us.

A. As Is Inferred Here

According to these verses and what they profess, an account of the completion of God’s creation schedule must properly include to tell of God, the Almighty’s having “rested the seventh day”:

(RSV Exodus 20:11) “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it”.

(RSV Exodus 31:16-17) 16“Wherefore the people of Israel shall keep the sabbath, observing the sabbath throughout their generations, as a perpetual covenant. 17It is a sign for ever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed”.

As is inferred here, God, the Almighty’s over-exertion and fatigue and his subsequent “rest” and bodily “refreshment” are both corroborated, or at least inferred. They admitted, and acknowledged are amidst this traditional account of creation. And these two extraordinary scriptures, furthermore, each cite, and recite the verbatim words of God1.

B. For More than One Reason

And in and of itself, this must tend to lend them elite accreditation. This must legitimize them, if anything does. Moreover, the fact, that these scriptures are the earliest to expound the sabbath’s origin and commencement predetermines their pre-eminent and expository rôle, their authority throughout the remainder of the Bible.

Also, they speak of the most important of natural history’s events, the earth’s construction and conception. They present authoritative account of creation. Being, furthermore, the first and only reminders of God’s creation agenda in all the books of Moses, all subsequent reference to this same agenda should reflect at least somewhat these earliest such accounts.

For more than one reason, then, all later scripture has ample inducement, justification and incentive to recall, and recite Exodus 20:11 and 31:17: Indeed, many a later passage should look back to Yahweh God’s having created, made, and fashioned the universe in six days, and his then having had his “rest” on the seventh day.

C. Key Elements

With these preceding observations in mind, then, let us now examine, and inspect some pertinent passages, which cite from both traditional “versions” of the Fourth Directive in Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15. For these particular scriptures each include certain elements, which offer, and which furnish yet another useful venue and informative perspective by which to consider, to discern, and to understand just what the meaning is of God Almighty’s having “rested” on the seventh day.

First, however, to facilitate recall, let us look once again at the two, differing Fourth Directive “versions” and renditions:

(RSV Exodus 20:8-11) 8“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; 10but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; 11for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it”.

(RSV Deuteronomy 5:12-15) 12“Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. 13Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; 14but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your manservant, or your maidservant, or your ox, or your ass, or any of your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your manservant and your maidservant may rest as well as you. 15You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out thence with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day”.

Each of these “versions” includes key components, prime elements and parts. Through which, their truths are conveyed, and distributed. Both incorporate these certain key elements essentially to clarify, expatiate, and verify.

D. Recall of These Key Elements

When later biblical authors make recall of these key elements for purposes such as practical application or understanding, their so doing frequently expounds such earlier scripture: Uses made of either a given passage or its elements can help elucidate the meaning and the use of that passage.

Its expressive application or its character of context or the scene of its recall can often serve as explanation, interpretation and clarification. And this equally could be useful in gaining understanding of what Scripture means, by recalling God “rested” in the wording of the Fourth Directive of Exodus 20.

If the final verse of the above latter “version”, Deuteronomy 5:12-15 is in fact interpretation and not alteration, a later scripture, pertaining to both could perhaps explain their connection: How is it, that Yahweh God’s having “rested the seventh day” is correctly recalled “as the Lord your God commanded you” (RSV Deuteronomy 5:12), by speaking afterwards of his “mighty hand” and “outstretched arm” (RSV Deuteronomy 5:15)?

When, for example, Jeremiah 27:5; 32:17 and Psalm 136:3-12 incorporate obvious key elements in both of the above Fourth Directive “versions”, one would logically expect to learn something of how such an interpretive transition is accomplished: On what scriptural, logical or semantic grounds does one explain interpreting God’s creating the universe in six days, and then “resting” in the seventh day, by telling subsequently of the same God’s leading Israel out of Egypt with a “mighty hand” and an “outstretched arm”?

For you will admit: This awaits explanation.

E. Examine

Upon reading these pertinent excerpts, however, one finds neither mention nor acknowledgement of both a key and cardinal element of the traditional Exodus 20:8-11 “version” and rendition. If you will, please examine the following passages…

(deMSby Jeremiah 27:5) “I made the earth, the human and the beast which are on the face of the earth by my great strength and outstretched arm; and I gave it to whom I pleased”.

(deMSby Jeremiah 32:17) “…Yahweh, behold, you made the heavens and the earth with your great strength and outstretched arm; nothing at all is too difficult for you”.

(deMSby Psalm 136:3-12) 3“Give praise to the Owner of owners, for his kindness is eternal; 4to the only one doing great wonders, for his kindness is eternal; 5to the one making the heavens by his understanding, for his kindness is eternal; 6to him who spread the earth upon the seas, for his kindness is eternal; 7to the one making great lights, for his kindness is eternal; 8the sun to rule over the day, for his kindness is eternal; 9the moon and the stars to rule the night, for his kindness is eternal; 10to the one who smote from the Egyptians their first-born, for his kindness is eternal; 11and he led Israel out from their midst, for his kindness is eternal; 12by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; for his kindness is eternal…”

Amidst all of these verses, key elements in each of the final verses of the above Fourth Directive “versions” are included.

Obvious recollection of both is their intended subject matter: Reminiscences of God’s having “made heaven and earth”, as well as his having led Israel out of Egypt by his “mighty hand” and “outstretched arm” are seen on display in each of these scriptures.

F. Alien and Inappropriate

Such a thing as God’s having “rested” per se, though, would plainly be alien and inappropriate here.

Is “resting” the drama

That God’s part plays?

Is “resting” the character

Which he portrays?

When scanning these words

Does God perform “rest”

While instead is his Almighty

“Work” manifest?

These are verses, which clearly describe a God, whose “kindness” as well as his might and omnipotence are nothing less than “eternal”, and allow no time for God’s seventh day “rest”.

G. Some, Rather Urgent Questions

This, nevertheless, raises some rather urgent questions: How can the authors of these scriptures make such manifest recall of the final verses of the two above Fourth Directive “versions”, while disregarding entirely the cardinal component and major key element of the earlier “version”, the “fact”, that Almighty God “rested the seventh day” (RSV Exodus 20:11)?

What figure of God

Amidst this above mould

Realistically shapes

What is so manifold?

For is “resting” the cast

Into which he immerses

And fashions his part

As above intersperses?

Why is it, that this key element is omitted from such scripture, which would seem to necessitate it? How can such obvious recollection of Exodus twenty’s Fourth Directive be made without mention of God’s having “rested”, while an altogether different and contrasting meaning is the much more observable and prominent display here?…

Deliberate what your discoveries here

Ascertain, and establish as all too clear

For within this biblical hemisphere

No “resting” of God can occur, or appear

But rather does he “your sanctification”

Maintain as continuous preoccupation

Of this is he the motivation

Exemplifies he its implementation

1Exodus 20:22 & 31:12

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