God’s rest is not an idle relaxing but an active enjoyment of communion with his creation.

God creates so that he may rest. This rest is continual, for in Psalm 94:11 God speaks of his rest as something that exists continually in which he does not allow sinful people to enter. His rest, therefore, is continuous even as he ‘works’ in the world through his Holy Spirit.

Physical work is what man was made for; for it reflects God’s creative image. The rest is an enjoyment of God’s presence–a communion with him in the midst of the creation. This communion revives the spirit and gives meaning to the earthly work.

God spoke of the land in the Old Testament as being his rest for that was the place where he called his people so that he might dwell among them. In this we see a parable of our own spiritual walk. For we also were slaves to sin just as the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. And God has called us out of slavery to that new Creation and promised Land which is the body of Christ. This new creation is the one that all others have only been a shadow of; we now have the reality!

So Luther was right (surprise!); The purpose of the Sabbath rest was for the people of God to have a time set aside to commune with the Word of God; for it is this Word which gives rest to the soul through an eternal abiding in the Son.