“After resting upon the seventh day, God sanctified it, or set it apart, as a day of rest for man”. — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 47.
This is why Jesus can say, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27, NKJV).
Jesus could make this authoritative statement because He made or
created the Sabbath as the eternal sign and seal of God’s covenant with
His people. The Sabbath was not for the Hebrew people only, but for all
humanity.
Genesis indicates three things that Jesus did after He created the Sabbath day.
First, He “rested” (Gen. 2:2), giving us a divine example of His desire to rest with us.
Second, He “blessed” the seventh day (Gen. 2:3).
In the Creation narrative, animals are blessed (Gen. 1:22), and Adam and Eve are blessed (Gen. 1:28), but the only day specifically blessed is the seventh day.
Third, God “sanctified it” (Gen. 2:3) or “made it holy”.
SabbathNet
