by: Austin K. Dixon
Have you considered why it took the omnipotent God of the Bible 6 whole days to create the universe and 1 day of rest when he only has to utter “Let there be…” and there was (Gen 1)? If the 6+1 days of creation is not a question of capability for the omnipotent God, it must be a question of purpose and intent. So why a 6+1 week?
In our culture we think of a week as a 7 day period but in Scripture we see that there are other “weeks” that follow the same or similar 6+1 pattern. But lets begin by examining the Biblical origins of the week of days in Genesis 1-2. Here we see that God worked for 6 days and rested on day 7. The word used for “work” is מְלָאכָה (mel-aw-kaw; H4399) which Strong defines as a “deputyship (i.e. ministry); generally, employment (never servile) or work (abstractly or concretely); also property (as the result of labor).” So we can say that for 6 days God ministered through His creation (i.e. general revelation) which is supported by verses including Romans 1:20 and Genesis 1:14 which attest to creation testifying to who God is and what He is doing.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Romans 1:20 (NASB95)
When God “rested” on day 7, He described it using the Hebrew word שָׁבַת (shaw-bath; H7673). Note that we still use this term today in reference to the period from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday; the sabbath. Strong defines this word as a repose (i.e. desist from exertion). So on day 7, God desists from His deputyship or ministry. This is not to say God is no longer in control or present but likely that He brings to completion the works of His ministry and therefore stops exerting Himself to accomplish it. This fits with the creation testimony of Genesis in that God created for 6 days and declared it complete on day 7.
By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
Genesis 2:2-3 (NASB95)
A week of weeks (seven 7 day weeks; 49 day total) also occurs in Scripture when counting the days to the Feast of Weeks (Lev 23:15; Deu 16:9). It is worth noting that while we count 49 days, the holiday occurs on the next day making the total 50 days. Despite this being a “weekly” pattern, it does not appear to follow the 6+1 pattern of working for 6 days and resting for 1. I continue to study this feast and look for weeks of weeks in Scripture to determine if the 6+1 pattern occurs here or not.
While subtle, a week of months following the 6+1 pattern also exists within the Biblical calendar. The Biblical calendar consists of 2 calendars: a civil one for governing and a religious one for priestly duties (Exo 12:2). These calendars use the same 12 months and align in such a way that when you start a new year in either calendar, you have 6 months and then in the 7th month, a new year begins. This concept becomes more apparent when examining the prophetic implications of the two calendars. For example, the first month of the religious calendar is when the spring feasts and Jesus’ first coming (performing His priestly duties) occurs. Then in month 7 of the religious calendar (month 1 of the civil) we see the three fall feasts which correspond to Jesus’ second coming where He sets up His kingdom and rules; a civil action. And so for 6 months priestly duties and in month 7, a rest (i.e. 6+1).
The 6+1 pattern also occurs with a week of years (7 1 year periods; 7 years). Here God commands to sow, prune, and reap from the crops for 6 years, but on in year 7 to neither sow, prune, nor reap (Lev 25:2-7). So year 7 is a rest for the fields and for the livestock as they have all the crops as theirs to consume.
Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard.
Leviticus 25:3-4 (NASB95)
There is also a week of weeks of years (seven 7 year periods; 49 years total) which is similar to the week of weeks discussed above. In both cases you count 49 and then have the 50th be special. For year 50 (also called the year of Jubilee) not only are the fields not sown, pruned, or reaped, but property and people all return to their original owners (Lev 25:8-22). As with the week of weeks, this follows the “weekly” pattern but doesn’t seem to follow the 6+1 pattern.
It is also possible that a week of millennia (seven 1,000 year periods) follows the 6+1 pattern. There is ample scientific and Biblical evidence to suggest a young earth age of ~6,000 years; a topic for many other posts to address. But as we look at current events and see Israel back in its land it becomes more apparent that the “end times” are near. The culmination of this “end times” period is the return and earthly reign of Jesus and the binding of Satan for 1,000 years (Rev 20:1-3). In other words, God has ministered for 6,000 years through creation, prophets, nations, Christ’s first coming, the church, and the great tribulation. Then a repose of 1,000 years occurs where these prophecies are made complete by the return and rule of our Lord and Savior.
For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for [our] adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he [already] sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
Romans 8:19-25 (NASB95)
It is interesting that we can observe this 6+1 pattern in so many of the Biblical “weeks.” But a 6+1 pattern can also be found in other parts of Scripture. For example, the bowls, scrolls, and trumpets in Revelation follow a similar pattern of 6, a pause, and then the 7th. So keep an eye out for it as you study and bathe in the Word. While I do not know what to do with this 6+1 pattern, I find it interesting as it suggests design and purpose in the creation of the universe and God’s grand plan as declared across multiple scales of time.