“The sabbath – the end of the work of the six days. the sacred text says that “on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done”, that the “heavens and the earth were finished”, and that God “rested” on this day and sanctified and blessed it. These inspired words are rich in profitable instruction:”
Obiter Dicta: The six days of creation story found in the Bible is located in Genesis 1:1 through 2:4a. This story was written by an author identified by scriptures scholars as the Priestly author. The priestly author lived during the Babylonian captivity and exile (c. 578 to 537 B.C.).
Genesis 1:1 through 2:4a is called the first creation story because it is followed by a second creation narrative which begins at 2:4b. The first creation story reflects the trauma undergone by the Priestly author and his audience in Judea-Jerusalem and in Babylon during the Babylonian captivity/exile. In order to cope, this author focuses on the need to maintain a cultural focus and an ordered life. This is part of the explanation of casting God’s creation in terms of a sequence, an order, of days. The purpose of such an explanation is to reinforce the traditions which support the physical and emotional and mental health of the author’s audience during its traumatic captivity and exile. Such traditions emphasize much needed work and the need for rest ensconced within life sequence and order (the days of creation) which do not need a lot of mental effort to be remembered and followed.
In short, the first creation casts God’s creation in terms of days because this ordered sequence provides a descriptive metaphor which the Priestly author can use to honor God, speak the truth, and support a hurting community