The consummation of rest is the rest in the new heaven and the new earth. All the redeemed ones as one Body will express the glory of God for eternity (Rev. 21:11, 23). Also, all the redeemed ones as one Body will reign for God for eternity (Rev. 22:5b). That will be the consummation of rest. Rest in Genesis 2 was simply a type; the consummation will be in the New Jerusalem. Everyone will be satisfied. Everyone will have rest because God Himself will be satisfied and God Himself will find His rest there. The church life today is a miniature of the New Jerusalem. The church life is a foretaste of that full taste. The consummate rest mainly includes two items: the expression of God's image and the exercise of God's authority.
If you read Genesis 1 carefully, you will see that after God created man He didn't tell him to do anything. God simply spoke about man's eating (Gen. 1:29).
According to the calendar of the Bible, a day does not start in the morning, but in the evening. I believe that man was made late on the sixth day. When man came out of God's creating hand, he immediately entered the seventh day. The seventh day was to God the day of rest (Gen. 2:2-3). God's seventh day was man's first day. This means that God had prepared everything for man's enjoyment. After man was created, he didn't join in God's work; he entered into God's rest. Hallelujah! Don't think that you must do something. God doesn't need you to do anything. God has plenty of riches and He wants you to come and enjoy them. Don't work! If you try to work, God will say, "Foolish child, I have no work for you to do, but I do have great riches for you to enjoy. Come, join Me in My rest. My sabbath day is your first day. I have worked for six days. Now, come and join Me in rest as your first day. Let us go together and rest." Man did.
I have spent a good deal of time to find out what man did after he was created. I found out that he did nothing but eat and rest. Isn't this wonderful! After people are saved, they always think that they must do something. Forget about doing. Come to eat Jesus. Come to be satisfied. Come to join God in His rest. God will say, "Little child, forget your doing. Forget your working. I have done everything. Now is My time to rest. Come to join Me in My rest."
In 1936, I was working in north China, very burdened for the Lord's work. The work was hard and testing and circumstances were difficult. I would ride by bicycle to the suburbs, throw it down, fall flat on the ground and cry, "Lord, help me!" I was bothered and tested. One day, before giving a message, the word came to me and said, "Do you know that man's first day is God's seventh day? God's seventh day was man's first day. Why do you labor so hard? Stupid child, give up. Throw away your work. Just come to Me and join Me in My rest." On that Sunday morning I gave a message that God's seventh day was man's first day. I told people, "Hallelujah! Today is my first day. For months I have been laboring very hard, but now I am throwing away my work. I will labor no longer. Today I have begun to rest with God. His seventh day is my first day." You may ask, "What about the day after the seventh day?" That was the first day of the week, the Lord's day, a new rest and a new sabbath. Praise the Lord!