The works were finished from the foundation of the world…
For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day…
“And God rested on the seventh day from all His works.”
For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased
From his works as God did from His”(Hebrews 4:3,4,10).
Paul illustrates eternal rest by remembering the commandment of weekly rest. We know that the seventh day is Saturday.
By establishing it as a memorial to Creation, Christ did three things that he had not done with the other days: he rested from his creative work, blessed and sanctified it; that is, he set it aside for a sacred work.
On the one hand, the rest of God at the end of his creative work; and on the other hand, the repose of his people celebrating Creation and worshiping the Creator. If the people do not enter this rest, they disobey the Lord’s command. This cessation of work on the part of man is to meet in an intimate way with the one who ceased from his creative work.
And this encounter of rest and adoration is a foretaste of eternal rest. The entrance to the weekly rest is a sign of faith and obedience; and without these two, which are really only one, it is impossible to enter into eternal rest, just as impossible as it was for the unbelieving generation to enter into the rest of the Promised Land. Eternal rest is not accessible to those who openly reject weekly rest because deep down they are rejecting the Lord Himself and His redeeming grace.
Alcir Parizotto’s family lives in Pinto Bandeira, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. There, they have a peach farm. They learned about the Adventist message through a television program by Pastor Bullón. After two years of listening to the Adventist message on television, they went to the Central Church of Bento Gonçalves. Finally, they took and concluded the Bible studies, and were baptized by Pastor Herbert Boger.
His first harvest of peaches was his test of faith and fire, because the harvest is worked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Neighbors treated them like crazy when they found out that they would not harvest from Friday sunset until Saturday sunset. However, by God’s grace and a miracle, they finished their harvest along with everyone else, unaffected at all. They respected the weekly rest required by the Lord and worshiped God faithfully.
If we recognize Him as Creator, accept Him as Savior, and worship Him as Lord, we will soon receive Him as our Restorer; for those who live here in weekly rest will soon enter into eternal rest.
