He Rested on the Seventh Day

The Announcement in Genesis 2:1-3 of Something That Never Stopped

This post is for paid subscribers. If you’d like to have complete and unending access to the huge archive of biblical theology articles, consider becoming a paid subscriber and supporting the work that goes into this site. For a few days, subscriptions are 50% off! Here’s the link you’ll need: https://mitchchase.substack.com/cbc1d864 Your support is greatly appreciated!

It’s the second day of 2025, and people all over the place are reading Genesis. Sure, some Bible-reading plans may have readers in other books for the time being, but most people who are reading through the Bible are currently in its first book.

The first literary unit in Genesis extends from 1:1–2:3. The chapter division is rather unfortunate, since 2:1–3 tells about the seventh day that follows days one through six in 1:3–31.

The writer says, “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation” (Gen. 2:1–3).

My assertion in this article is that Genesis 2:1–3 tells us something that God did and that he never stopped doing. And understanding this can be paradigm-shifting.