June 7, 2026

UNIT 1 Work and Rest

LESSON: 1

Study Text: Genesis 1:1; 31 through 2:15; 3:17-19; Exodus 20:8-11; 31:12-17' Leviticus 23:1-44; Deuteronomy 5:12-15

Central Truth: God blesses the rhythm of work and rest.

KEY Verse-- Genesis 2:2 On the seventh day God ended his work which he had made: and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. (KJV).

On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work (NLT).

LET'S GET STARTED

People have struggled with finding the balance between work and rest for thousands of years. In fact, it's a theme often found in literature, movies, and music. It really is amazing how the theme of work and rest permeates our culture. Working too much or not working enough often provides the backdrop for the drama or comedy in entertainment. This lesson explores several Old Testament passages that show how God blesses the rhythm of work and rest. God set this pattern himself--both in creation and in the seasons of rest He built into Israel's feasts. May our hearts be open to accept that God's ways are always best.

DISCUSSION STARTER--Work and Rest in Entertainment

What are some books, movies, or songs that deal with the themes of work and rest? _______________________________________________________________________________.

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                                    PART 1--God's Example of Work and Rest

          God Rested                                     Genesis 1:1, 31 through 2:3

The Bible opens with the declaration that God worked: He "created the heavens and earth" (Genesis 1:1). The rest of the chapter highlights the various things God created, speaking to them into existence. At the end of the sixth day--the day He created human beings in His own image--He saw all He had made and deemed "that it was very good!" (verse 31). With creation completed, God "rested from all his work" on the seventh day (2:2). He chose to come to rest, blessing the seventh day and declaring it to be holy. In very simple terms, holy means set apart for a special purpose. God set apart that day of resting from usual labor. God's choice to come to rest after His work is the clearest example of how those created in His image are to balance their own rhythm of work and rest.

How does God's example of work and rest compare to the practice of many people today?

Follow God's Example                Exodus 20:8-11; 31:12-17

God's Ten Commandments to the Israelites include the instruction to keep the Sabbath day holy (Exodus 20:8). While most modern Christians don't follow the Sabbath legal code given to the Israelites (for example, observing Sabbath from sundown Friday until sundown Saturday), the Law reveals God's values. When you combine the value behind the Sabbath Law with God's example of resting from creation, God intention for all humans to follow a weekly rhythm of work and rest becomes clear. In Exodus 31-while giving instructions for the building of the tabernacle--God reminds His people to "be careful to keep my sabbath day" (verse 13). Even work on something as important as the tabernacle did not outweigh the requirements to rest.  The sabbath was a sign of the covenant that God had set the Israelite apart as His people. He wanted them to follow His example: "on the seventh day he stopped working and was refreshed" (verse 17). A holy people need a holy day to worship their holy God, so they might be refreshed by Him.

? Some people equate rest with laziness. Is there a difference? If so, what is it?

PART 2--God's Commands for Work and Rest

Work Is Not a Curse         Genesis 2:5, 15; 3:17-19

Some people think work is a result of the curse on humanity because of the Fall. Yet the Genesis account quickly corrects this Genesis 2:5 explains that God had not yet caused plants or grains to grow because "there were no people to cultivate the soul." After God formed man from the dust and breathed life into his body, He planted a garden. The man was placed in the Garden "to tend and watch over it" (verse 15). While work is not a curse, it was affected by the curse (3:17-19). The ground would be less productive and produce thorns and thistles. God told Adam that he would struggle to work until you return to the ground from which you were made; One day, the curse of sin will be removed (Romans 8:19-22). Until then, we should view our work as service to God, knowing that He will give us an inheritance as our reward (Colossians 3:23-24).

? How can our attitude toward work be part of our witness for Jesus?

Rest Reminds Us of God's Work         Deu. 5:12-15

In the retelling of Gods commands to the Israelites who are about to enter the Promised Land, Moses recounts the Ten Commandments. Observing God's commands is tied to His redemptive act of freeing the people from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:6). When Moses presented the commandment to observe the Sabbath as a "day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God" (verse 14), the rationale was that they had been set free (verse 15). God intended rhythm of work and rest is evident in this passage work for six days, and rest on the seventh day. As believers in Jesus, we have an advantage: we know our work for the Lord is never in vain and  that our rest is found in Him.

? How can Romans 14:5-9 help Christians decide how to observe God's command to rest?

PART 3-Religious Seasons for Rest

      Appointed Festivals             Lev. 23:4-8, 15, 21, 23-25

Besides the Sabbath, there were several appointed festivals that God's people were to celebrate each year (Lev. 23:4). The first was Passover, celebrated on the fourteenth day of the first month (verse 5). This feast reminded the Israelites of how God had delivered them from bondage in Egypt. God's redemption action on the night of the first Passover released them to live as a people called to serve Him and be His witnesses to the world. The day after Passover, the Festival of Unleavened Bread seventh days, regular work stopped. The people ate unleavened bread during this week, looking back to their ancestors' hasty departure from Egypt (Exodus 12:34). The Festival of Trumpets is when the people dedicated the coming year to God (verses 23-25). The festival included a day of rest from ordinary work and clearly emphasized to God's people then and now that all of their time belongs to Him, and He has first claim on it.

? How does balancing work and rest demonstrate trust in God? 

Day of Atonement             Leviticus 23:26--32

The Day of Atonement is the most solemn holy day on the Jewish calendar (Lev.23:27). You may know it by its Hebrew name, Yom Kippur. On this  day, the nation made amends with God for sin. Rules about rest were intensified on the Day of Atonement: peop[le were forbidden to do any work at all (verse 28). It was also a day of complete fasting along with humility, contrition, and soul-searching. Three times the passage (verse 26-32), God commands the people to deny themselves and to refrain from all work. God's judgment would rest on all who violated these commands. These stern regulations emphasized how sin kept the people from fellowship with God and how atonement by blood was required for reconciliation. The Day of Atonement looked forward to the day when Jesus would by "his own blood . . . once for all time" secure redemption forever (Hebrews 9:12). Only through Jesus do we find rest for our souls, because through Him we have peace with God (Romans 5:1).

? What can we do to show gratitude for the rest Jesus has made possible?

WHAT IS GOD SAYING TO US?

Human sin brought brokenness into the world--including in the areas of work and rest. God gave the Israelites specific commands in order to demonstrate a holy rhythm of work and rest. Now, thanks to Jesus' sacrifice, a healthy pattern of rest and work is just one of the blessings available for anyone who will trust and follow Him.

LIVING IT OUT

Identify one principle behind God's commands concerning work and rest and decide how you can apply it to your life.

DAILY BIBLE READINGS

        Monday: Gathering Manna. Exodus 16:4-5, 22-26

                 Tuesday: Sabbath instituted for Israel. Exodus 31:12-17

                       Wednesday: Holy Living and Sabbath Keeping. Isiah 56"1-7

                    Thursday: Jesus Ministers on the Sabbath. Luke 13:11-16

                         Friday: Paul Speaks on the Sabbath. Acts 13:13-16. 42-43

                    Saturday: Christians and sabbath-Keeping. Col. 2:8-17

RADIANT LIFE

Volume 107 Number 3 Mar. Apr. May 2026

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