Subversive Sabbath: The Surprising Power of Rest in a Nonstop World

by A.J. Swoboda

Creation was made to be at shalom, “peace.” Eden was created in a state of shalom as a world free of war, murder, cancer, and strife. In that place, the land, the critters, the plants, and the humans existed at peace with God and each other. Cornelius Plantinga offers a helpful definition: “The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight is what the Hebrew prophets call shalom. We call it peace, but it means far more than mere peace of mind or a cease-fire between enemies. In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness and delight—a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as its Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom he delights.”12 That shalom, however, was destroyed by human sinfulness and dominance over creation.