Exodus 16:30 Study Bible: So the people rested on the seventh day.

◄ Exodus 16:30 ►

So the people rested on the seventh day.

So the people rested on the seventh day
So the people
This phrase refers to the Israelites, the chosen people of God, who were delivered from slavery in Egypt. The Hebrew word for "people" is "עַם" (am), which signifies a community bound together by shared identity and purpose. In the context of Exodus, the Israelites are learning to live as a covenant community under God's guidance. This phrase reminds us of the collective identity and unity that God desires for His people, emphasizing the importance of community in the life of faith.

rested
The Hebrew word for "rested" is "שָׁבַת" (shavat), which is the root of the word "Sabbath." This rest is not merely physical cessation from labor but a spiritual act of obedience and trust in God. It is a recognition of God's sovereignty and provision. The concept of rest here is deeply tied to the creation narrative in Genesis, where God rested on the seventh day. This rest is a divine ordinance, a gift from God that allows His people to pause, reflect, and rejuvenate spiritually and physically.

on the seventh day
The "seventh day" is significant as it marks the Sabbath, a day set apart by God for rest and worship. The number seven in Hebrew culture symbolizes completeness and perfection, reflecting God's perfect creation. Observing the Sabbath was a sign of the covenant between God and Israel, as outlined in Exodus 31:16-17. It served as a weekly reminder of God's deliverance and provision, encouraging the Israelites to trust in Him rather than their own efforts. For Christians, the Sabbath principle continues to hold spiritual significance, inviting believers to find rest in Christ, who fulfills the law and offers eternal rest for our souls.

Persons / Places / Events

1. The Israelites
The chosen people of God, who were delivered from slavery in Egypt and are now journeying through the wilderness.

2. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to guide them and communicate His laws and instructions.

3. The Wilderness of Sin
The location where the Israelites camped and where God provided manna from heaven.

4. The Sabbath
The seventh day of the week, instituted by God as a day of rest and worship, commemorating His rest after creation.

5. Manna
The miraculous bread from heaven provided by God to sustain the Israelites during their journey in the wilderness.

Teaching Points

The Gift of Rest
God designed the Sabbath as a gift for His people, providing physical rest and spiritual renewal. In our busy lives, we should prioritize rest and reflection on God's provision.

Obedience to God's Commands
The Israelites' rest on the seventh day was an act of obedience. We are called to obey God's commands, trusting that His ways are for our good.

Dependence on God's Provision
Just as the Israelites depended on manna, we must rely on God's provision in our lives, recognizing that He meets our needs.

The Sabbath as a Sign of Faith
Observing the Sabbath is a demonstration of faith, acknowledging God's sovereignty and our trust in His care.

Spiritual Rest in Christ
The Sabbath points to the ultimate rest found in Jesus. We find true rest for our souls by coming to Him and laying down our burdens.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the concept of the Sabbath in Exodus 16:30 relate to the creation account in Genesis 2:2-3?

2. In what ways can we incorporate a Sabbath rest into our modern lives, and what challenges might we face in doing so?

3. How does Jesus' teaching in Mark 2:27-28 reshape our understanding of the Sabbath?

4. What are some practical ways we can demonstrate our dependence on God's provision in our daily lives?

5. How can we experience the spiritual rest described in Hebrews 4:9-10 in our relationship with Christ?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Genesis 2:2-3
The origin of the Sabbath, where God rested on the seventh day after creation, setting a precedent for the Israelites' rest.

Exodus 20:8-11
The Ten Commandments, where the Sabbath is established as a holy day of rest, reinforcing its importance.

Mark 2:27-28
Jesus' teaching on the Sabbath, emphasizing that it was made for man's benefit, not as a burden.

Hebrews 4:9-10
The spiritual rest that believers enter through faith in Christ, paralleling the physical rest of the Sabbath.

Sermons

Manna for the Soul	H.T. Robjohns	Exodus 16:1-36
The Manna of the Body	H.T. Robjohns	Exodus 16:1-36
Divine Provision for Daily Need	J. Urquhart	Exodus 16:13-31
The Manna - Regulations for Type Gathering and Using of it	D. Young	Exodus 16:16-36
The Law of the Manna	J. Urquhart	Exodus 16:19-36
The Manna and the Sabbath	J. Orr	Exodus 16:22-30

People

Aaron, Ephah, Israelites, Moses

Places

Canaan, Elim, Sin Desert, Sinai

Topics

Rest, Rested, Seventh

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Exodus 16:1-30

8131 guidance, results

Library

The Bread of God
'Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or no. 5. And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. 6. And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt: …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

September the Twenty-Eighth the Daily Manna
"I will rain bread from heaven for you." --EXODUS xvi. 11-18. And this gracious provision is made for people who are complaining, and who are sighing for the flesh-pots of Egypt! Our Lord can be patient with the impatient: He can be "kind to the unthankful." If it were easy to drive the Lord away I should have succeeded long ago. I have murmured, I have sulked, I have turned Him out of my thoughts, and "He stands at the door and knocks!" I yearn for "the flesh-pots," "He sends me manna," "Was …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Dining with a Pharisee. Sabbath Healing and Three Lessons Suggested by the Event.
(Probably Peræa.) ^C Luke XIV. 1-24. ^c 1 And it came to pass, when he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching him. [The Pharisees were an unorganized party, hence their rulers were such not by office, but by influence. Those who were members of the Sanhedrin, or who were distinguished among the rabbis, might fitly be spoken of as rulers among them. The context favors the idea that Jesus was invited for the purpose of being …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Beauty and Glory of the Risen Body.
We have seen in the foregoing chapters that, in the Beatific Vision, the human soul sees, loves, and enjoys God, and that her essential happiness consists in that unfailing, blessed vision. But, although the blessedness she now enjoys is far greater than words can express, it is not yet integral or complete, and never will be, except when she is again clothed in her own body, beautified, and glorified after the likeness of her Saviour's body. However, although her happiness is not yet complete, you …
F. J. Boudreaux—The Happiness of Heaven

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Tithing
There are few subjects on which the Lord's own people are more astray than on the subject of giving. They profess to take the Bible as their own rule of faith and practice, and yet in the matter of Christian finance, the vast majority have utterly ignored its plain teachings and have tried every substitute the carnal mind could devise; therefore it is no wonder that the majority of Christian enterprises in the world today are handicapped and crippled through the lack of funds. Is our giving to be …
Arthur W. Pink—Tithing

The Personality of Power.
A Personally Conducted Journey. Everyone enjoys the pleasure of travel; but nearly all shrink back from its tiresomeness and drudgery. The transportation companies are constantly scheming to overcome this disagreeable side for both pleasure and business travel. One of the popular ways of pleasure travel of late is by means of personally conducted tours. A party is formed, often by the railroad company, and is accompanied by a special agent to attend to all the business matters of the trip. A variation …
S.D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on Power

Epistle xvii. To Felix, Bishop of Messana.
To Felix, Bishop of Messana. To our most reverend brother, the Bishop Felix, Gregory, servant of the servants of God [246] . Our Head, which is Christ, to this end has willed us to be His members, that through His large charity and faithfulness He might make us one body in Himself, to whom it befits us so to cling that, since without Him we can do nothing, through Him we may be enabled to be what we are called. From the citadel of the Head let nothing divide us, lest, if we refuse to be His members, …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

How Subjects and Prelates are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 5.) Differently to be admonished are subjects and prelates: the former that subjection crush them not, the latter that superior place elate them not: the former that they fail not to fulfil what is commanded them, the latter that they command not more to be fulfilled than is just: the former that they submit humbly, the latter that they preside temperately. For this, which may be understood also figuratively, is said to the former, Children, obey your parents in the Lord: but to …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

1 to Pray is as it were to be on Speaking Terms with Me...
1. To pray is as it were to be on speaking terms with Me, and so by being in communion with and abiding in Me to become like Me. There is a kind of insect which feeds upon and lives among grass and green leaves and becomes like them in colour. Also the polar bear dwelling among the white snows has the same snowy whiteness, and the tiger of Bengal bears upon its skin the marks of the reeds among which it lives. So those, who by means of prayer abide in communion with Me partake, with the saints and …
Sadhu Sundar Singh—At The Master's Feet

Appendix viii. Rabbinic Traditions About Elijah, the Forerunner of the Messiah
To complete the evidence, presented in the text, as to the essential difference between the teaching of the ancient Synagogue about the Forerunner of the Messiah' and the history and mission of John the Baptist, as described in the New Testaments, we subjoin a full, though condensed, account of the earlier Rabbinic traditions about Elijah. Opinions differ as to the descent and birthplace of Elijah. According to some, he was from the land of Gilead (Bemid. R. 14), and of the tribe of Gad (Tanch. on …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Deity of the Holy Spirit.
In the preceding chapter we have seen clearly that the Holy Spirit is a Person. But what sort of a Person is He? Is He a finite person or an infinite person? Is He God? This question also is plainly answered in the Bible. There are in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments five distinct and decisive lines of proof of the Deity of the Holy Spirit. I. Each of the four distinctively Divine attributes is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. What are the distinctively Divine attributes? Eternity, omnipresence, …
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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