God rests from his work of natural creation 

            Gen. 2:1 "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And 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. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." 

            God created the heavens and the earth in six days and he rested on the seventh day.  One of the great evidences of creation is that all nations on the earth observe a seven day week.  This could not have happened by chance or happenstance.  God, himself, established the week based on his time table for the creation of the heavens and the earth. 

            The outline of the Sabbath is laid out for us in this passage of scripture.  The Hebrew word for Sabbath is used in the above passage, only it is translated "rest."  Seven is the bible number for completion.  The above passage shows the "completed work of God" in creation and His "resting" from that completed work.  Later, at Mt. Sinai, God will establish the law of the Sabbath.  The basis of the Sabbath is that God worked six days and completed his work of natural creation and then he rested from that completed work on the seventh day. 

            Under the Old Covenant, the observation of the Sabbath was to give honor to God for having completed the work of natural creation and then resting from that completed work on the seventh day.  All that observed that Sabbath day were given honor to God for having completed the work of natural creation and resting on the seventh day.  This became the pattern that was to be observed under the law: six days work, then rest on the seventh day.  This was a timely rest based on a timely creation. 

            "God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it…"  Certainly for man to rest one day a week was a blessing from God.  The word, sanctify, means to set apart.  God set apart the day to be observed as a day of rest and for man to give honor and glory to God for having created the heavens and the earth. 

            Today, we rest in an even greater work than creation of the heavens and the earth.  We rest in Christ's finished work of redeeming us from our sins.  This is the Christian Sabbath: to rest (cease from our works of trying to get right with God) in the finished work of Jesus Christ who redeemed us from our sins on the cross of Calvary.  This gives honor and glory to Christ for his work of redemption. 

            For one not to rest on the Sabbath day under the Old Covenant was to fail to give the proper honor and glory to God for His work of natural creation.  Likewise, for one to continue to try to establish his righteousness by some works system fails to give honor and glory to Christ for what he has already accomplished for us in the work of redemption.

Creation of the woman 

            Gen. 2:18 "And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him."  …21 "And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." 

            God created man as a social creature.  Most men and women dread loneliness.  Most of us want social interaction.  While there may be the occasional hermit, this is abnormal.  While most animals desire some social interaction, yet not like man desires social interaction.  Man likes his mind and his senses to be stimulated.  Certainly God knew what he had created and the nature of the creature he created. 

            God created the woman from a rib of Adam.  She was made of the very same substance that the man was made of.  Some have suggested that God made the man superior to the woman.  This cannot be.  They are made of the same substance.  The woman was made from the rib of man.  As Adam declared she was "bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh."  Thus, whatever the substance the man was made of so was the woman. 

            She was designed to be an help meet for him.  Notice the phrase is "help meet" not "help mate."  The word, meet, means suitable.  While she was designed to be an help meet for him, we learn elsewhere where he is also a help to her: 1 Pet. 3:7 "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered."  Thus, the man and the woman are in life's struggles and life's pleasures together and work together for the common good of the family.

            It would seem the significance of the woman being taken from the side of man is that she is to be at his side.  If she was to be his head, then it would have been appropriate that she be taken from his head.  If she was to be his servant, then it would have been appropriate that she be taken from his feet.  She was taken from his side next to his heart. 

            The man and the woman are complements of one another.  The nature of the woman is a complement of the nature of the man.  Most men are not very good at conversation, but are better at listening and logic.  Most women are very good conversationalists and more emotional creatures.  Their being together brings out the best of each and together that complement makes for greater ability than each would have separately.