Holy Scripture begins with a workweek. Over the course of seven days, the Lord brings the creation into being, fashions its structures, fills its realms with life, and delegates aspects of its rule to appointed agents. Each successive day is numbered and punctuated with the refrain “and there was evening and there was morning …” and divine acts of assessment of his creations, both severally and collectively, are scattered throughout the account: “And God saw that it was good.”

Within the stable rhythm of the creation days, the creative work of God is richly varied in its form and its objects. God speaks and brings light into being; he separates light from darkness; he assesses his creation; he names his creatures; he makes an expanse; he charges and enlivens the earth to bring forth vegetation; he appoints sun, moon, and stars to be for signs and for seasons in the heavens; he blesses the fish and birds with fruitfulness and empowers them to multiply and fill the seas and earth; he creates humankind. And on the seventh day he rests, blessing and sanctifying the day.

The Bible’s story of labor begins in Eden – and its ending is still to come.