A Theology of Sleep: Trusting in the Lord When You Are Most Vulnerable

By Marc Webb

“Marc Webb’s new book speaks of a very precious commodity to us all—SLEEP! It is a gift of God. It is a blessing that reminds us how great God is and how human we are. But this book is also a gift in teaching an overview of the biblical story from the biblical text on sleep. I promise, it won’t put you to sleep!” Bryant Wright, President of Send Relief

“Dr. Marc Webb had me hooked with the title of his book. As a big fan of sleep, including the occasional nap, I couldn’t wait to dive into what he discovered in Scripture about this gracious gift from God. I recommend Dr. Webb’s book, as he traces the God-given gift of sleep throughout the Old and New Testament.”

Todd Gray, Executive Director-Treasurer for The Kentucky Baptist Convention

“Among books on the work/rest rhythm, Marc Webb’s work studies the actual act of sleep in the Bible. His insights are both thoughtful and vulnerable concerning the causes and consequences of sleep – using sometimes unexpected biblical passages. This is an original and helpful resource in understanding such an important part of our lives.” Taylor Field, Send Relief Missionary and author of Upside Down Leadership

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9798385008643

Marc Webb

Sleep is an inherent part of who we are as humans, something we all need regardless of our age or background. It is vital for our bodies, health, and longevity. But sleep is so much more than just a physical benefit or part of our daily routine. Our nightly rest also carries immense ramifications for our spiritual lives. In A Theology of Sleep, author Marc Webb examines twenty-five different stories from the Bible in order to help us see and understand the lasting significance of our sleep. He explains how our continual need for rest profoundly reveals who God is, who we are as people, and why our trust should always be in the Lord alone. Marc Webb, D.Min., is the Senior Pastor of Victory Baptist Church, where he has served since 2012. He received both his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He currently resides in Shelbyville, Kentucky with his family.

Book preview

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Chapter 1

THE BEGINNING

OF CREATION

So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh.

—Genesis 2:21

There is a part of me that is both a blessing and a curse. I wish I could adjust this or turn it off somehow. Barring a miraculous change, this is something that will always stick with me, at least on this side of heaven. Maybe you experience this as well. My mind is always racing a hundred miles an hour. Even with my ongoing fatigue, I am always thinking, regardless of what I am doing, where I am, or who is speaking to me. I am very similar to the old adage about dogs. They will be perfectly fine and calm until a squirrel runs by. Then their minds scream, Squirrel! and they are off to the races. My brain does the same thing.

This is a blessing during the day when I have to think through complex situations or try to understand the deep intricacies of scripture. However, it is slightly a curse at night. This is one of the reasons why I have a hard time going to sleep. My mind is just as active at midnight as it is at noon. Certainly, my mind races when it comes to upcoming appointments and ministry responsibilities, but I also regularly ponder lingering questions about the Bible. I think, Did Adam and Eve have navels? What does the vision in Ezekiel 1 mean? Who are the Nephilim? Why is Paul’s martyrdom not mentioned in scripture? What do the symbols and figures in Revelation represent? These questions are just part of an average Monday for me.

Another question that I often ponder is Why did God create sleep? It’s obvious that we need sleep. The health and vitality of the human race are intricately dependent on it. But why did the Lord make us this way? Why could we not stay awake all the time, twenty-four hours a day? We certainly would be more productive if this were the case.

In answering these questions, we have to remember that the reality of human sleep is not a new, recent, or modern phenomenon. It can actually trace its origins all the way back to the very beginning of scripture. As Genesis 1:1 tells us, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. This statement not only introduces us to the storyline of the Bible and all the events that will soon come to pass (including sleep), but this verse also teaches us about God Himself. Never forget He is the purpose of the Bible. Everything points and leads to Him. God is neither a sideshow nor is He a random character in the trajectory of history. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end—the start, the finish, and everything in between.

Even more specifically, verse 1 reveals the everlasting nature of God. Before the foundation of time, before the creation of matter, before the formation of the entire universe, God already was and is. He was already independent and unbegotten. God was and continues to be eternal, unending, and unchanging. Moses writes, Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God (Psalm 90:2). Author and theologian J. I. Packer agrees with this conclusion and adds, Created things have a beginning and an ending, but not so their Creator … God did not need to be made, for he was always there. He exists forever … He does not grow older. His life does not wax or wane. He does not gain new powers nor lose the ones that he once had.¹ Regardless of what others may claim, creation is not about humanity, the animal kingdom, plants, or the various aspects of nature. Creation is about God and His everlasting existence.

From here, the opening chapters of Genesis continue revealing the objective reality of God. We begin to see how He is both real and a Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Now at this point, we have to pause and humbly acknowledge the difficulties that come with this doctrine. In our human minds, the Trinity is hard to grasp, and it serves as one of the most challenging truths in all of scripture to explain. Gregg Allison aptly states, When this doctrine is taught, an initial obstacle is the feeling that the Trinity is impossible to understand. In one sense, this idea is correct: the Trinity is a mystery, and even the best explanations fall short of reality.² However, this does not mean that we throw our hands in the air, wave the white flag, give up, and claim that trying to understand the Godhead is a futile effort. Instead, we submit our lives and knowledge to scripture. We believe what the Bible teaches. We affirm what we know and can comprehend. Then for the remainder of God’s mysterious nature, we humbly rest in His complexity and incomprehensibility.

In scripture, we are told time and time again that each member of the Trinity is individually divine. The Father is perfectly God, Jesus Christ is perfectly God, and the Holy Spirit is perfectly God. The Bible does not say that there are three gods; there is only one God. He has one nature or essence, and He exists in three persons. Each person of the Trinity shares the same attributes (omniscience, glory, holiness, perfection, etc.), but what makes them distinct from one another is their individual roles. For the Father, He is the ultimate source and cause of the universe. He chose to bring everything into being through the life and character of His Son. As it says in John 1:1–3, In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him [Jesus] all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. Beyond creation, we also know that the Father is the cornerstone of our salvation. As people, we are only forgiven, redeemed, and saved because of the Father’s plan and will to give up His Son on the cross (Ephesians 1:7). Thus, the Father is the initiator of these saving gifts, and Jesus is the one who accomplishes them.

Then, in moving to the third member of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is uniquely active. During creation, the Spirit worked alongside the Father and Son as He hovered over the waters (Genesis 1:2). Upon salvation, the Spirit is also given to us as a permanent gift, in order to lead, guide, and direct our very lives (Ephesians 1:13–14).

Despite these varying roles, there is no competition among the individual members of the Trinity; there is no selfishness, pride, or narcissism. In every conceivable way, the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit adore, revere, and enjoy one another. Even greater, they love one another (John 17:24; 1 John 4:16). In the words of C. S. Lewis, All sorts of people are fond of repeating the Christian statement that ‘God is love.’ But, they seem not to notice that the words ‘God is love’ have no real meaning unless God contains at least two persons. Love is something that one person has for another person. If God was a single person, then before the world was made, He was not love.³ For God to be love, He had to be a Trinity. Thankfully this is exactly what scripture reveals.

In returning to Genesis 1, we can see how this ever-existing, all-powerful, and loving Trinity worked together in unison and harmony to form the very universe that we live in. They did this through the spoken word. Before each day of creation, it tells us, God said, ‘Let there be light,’ or ‘let the land produce vegetation,’ and it was so. Within God’s voice and being, lie an infinite amount of authority and creative ability. All the Triune God has to do is speak, and He can form anything that He chooses and so desires (Psalm 33:9). God is the one who established the waters and physically set the oceans in place. By His word, He created lakes, rivers, streams, and creeks. He set their boundaries and formed the coastlands and beaches (Proverbs 8:27–29; Psalm 89:9). God spoke into existence every grain of sand, blade of grass, bug that crawls on the ground, bird in the sky, and beast that grazes in the fields. Not to mention, every star, planet, moon, and galaxy came into being because of God Himself.

What’s beautiful beyond compare is that the same thing can be said of you and me. On day six, the Triune God continued speaking and declared, Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground (Genesis 1:26). One chapter later, Moses fills in the gaps and explains how God accomplished this grand feat. He not only spoke but He also used sleep within this process. The Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man (Genesis 2:21–22).

Based on this text, it is clear that the Triune God caused Adam (the first man) to fall into a slumber. This fact reveals the immeasurable power and control of the Trinity. If the Triune God wants us to sleep, then He will make sure that it happens. We can try to fight Him, puff up our chests, or wrongly believe in our own autonomy and independence. But regardless of what we think about ourselves, we are just like Adam. We are finite creatures; we are helpless in the face of God. His might will always overpower us. If He wills something, then it will come to pass. If He has a purpose in mind, it will be done. Whether it is the crucifixion of Christ or making the first man go to sleep, God can do all things. Nothing is beyond Him or impossible in any way (Jeremiah 32:27).

In the end, this is why sleep will always serve as one of the main dichotomies between us and God. Sleep is what differentiates us and Him. Yes, we are made in the image of God, which is a significant blessing. But we are neither God, nor are we miniature little gods. We are humans. The main truth that exposes this fact is our sleep. As John Piper attests, Sleep is a daily reminder from God that we are not God.⁴ As humans, we need sleep and God does not (Psalm 121:4). God can also force us to go to sleep immediately, without delay, and we cannot force God to do anything.

Plus, the opening chapters of Genesis outline the ways in which we are deeply dependent upon God. Adam, outside of donating his rib, played no part in bringing Eve to life. He was largely a bystander. Adam slept while his wife was in making, that no room might be left to imagine that he had herein directed the Spirit of the Lord, or been his counsellor.⁵ Thus, the formation of Adam and Eve was not due to mere evolution, the random passing of time, a big bang in deep space, or the independent influence of humankind. Instead, humans were and continue to be the byproduct of God’s skill and divine aptitude. Man had life breathed into his lungs. Woman was formed while man was asleep. You and I today are knitted together in our mother’s womb by the proficiency and handiwork of God Himself (Psalm 139).

According to Psalm 115:3, Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. This is true not only across the pages of time and history, but it was especially true at the very beginning of everything. The Triune God solely caused Adam to rest so that His might could be displayed and He could do just as He pleased. Like Adam, you are not God and you never will be. The certainty and necessity of your sleep profoundly reflect this very truth.

Chapter 2

RESTING SECURE

As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep.

—Genesis 15:12

In the Old Testament, there are multiple individuals who are vitally important within the early days of Israel. Beyond Joseph, Moses, and Aaron, arguably the most significant and influential figure is none other than Abram (later called Abraham). In Genesis 11 and 12, he comes onto the scene with little background or fanfare about his life experiences and past. All we know is that the God of the universe spoke to him. Abram is commanded to leave his land and relatives behind and go to the place where God is going to show him. In order to motivate Abram and inspire him to follow this divine calling, God passes down three covenantal promises. He assures Abram that his future offspring will be numerous and made into a great nation. He will receive the land of Canaan and will experience wonderful blessings from the Lord (Genesis 12:1–3). Truly, what an overwhelming and joyous word to receive! But not everything is as it seems. There is a large wrinkle to contend with. Abram and his wife are advanced in years and they have no children. This reality would have instantly caused doubt and confusion to arise. Abram and Sarai probably scratched their heads and wondered aloud, How is all of this going to work? Lord, before we can have numerous descendants, we have to bear at least one child. We have to start somewhere. We cannot have countless offspring appear out of thin air. Aren’t we too old to have a son?

Fast-forward in time and we eventually come to chapter 15. It is here that God once again speaks directly to Abram and says, Do not be afraid. I am your shield, your very great reward (v. 1). Personally, I love this opening statement because it is not what you would automatically assume. We would expect the Lord to say, Abram, you should be afraid. I am the Maker of heaven and earth. I am full of all authority, might, dominion, splendor, radiance, righteousness, and perfection. I am the Judge who reigns over everything. Abram, you cannot even look at Me and live. Who are you in comparison to Me? You should be shaking in your boots this very night. The Lord doesn’t say any of this even though He had the right to do so. He simply declares, Do not be afraid.

The Lord shares this command because He means Abram no harm. He is bringing good tidings of grace and truth. The Lord wants all of Abram’s fear and doubts to dissipate and be replaced with calm, assurance, and everlasting peace. This is why He says, Abram, there is nothing to be scared of. I am your shield and treasure. I am your defender. I am the One who watches over you and protects you, as you follow Me.

After receiving these glorious truths, Abram is given a chance to respond. On the surface, it seems as if these opening greetings go right over his head. He does not react at all to God’s promise of protection, nor does he acknowledge the coming rewards of the covenant. Instead, he only has questions. Abram asks, Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus? You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir (vv. 2–3). In other words, God, what can You do? I’ve been in the Promised Land for a while, and my wife is still not pregnant. If You cannot hold up Your end of the bargain by giving me an heir, then, how can I know You are capable of giving me the other blessings that You have just described? Also, Abram subtly reveals his contingency plans if God somehow fails to grant him a child. He has promised his servant Eliezer his entire estate along with the rewards of the covenant.

As we read and hear these doubts, we have to be very careful. We should not heap a large amount of judgment and shame upon this ancient man. All too often, we are guilty of doing the exact same thing. I know in my life I have openly questioned God and asked Him plainly, What in the world are You doing right now? Why is all of this happening? At times, I have also been guilty of doubting the goodness, love, and provision of my Lord. Maybe you have found yourself in a similar place and prayed, God, why did You not answer my prayer? Why did You not give me what I asked for? Why are You taking so long? Where are You in the midst of this trial? Or we may even be like Abram and boldly tell God, You promised to help me, and I am not seeing You right now. Am I going to have to resolve this situation on my own?

Thankfully, in the midst of our doubts and uncertainties, the Lord is always patient. He is kind and loving even when we struggle with skepticism and fear. He is merciful even when we vent our frustrations, create useless backup plans, and question Him openly. Each day, the Lord is the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin (Exodus 34:6–7). This is why, in Genesis 15, the Lord responds to Abram with patience and repeats an earlier assurance. He reminds this patriarch that he will in fact have a male heir. To further prove His point, He leads Abram outside and declares, Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them. So shall your offspring be (Genesis 15:5).

Abram responds to this divine reassurance by believing in the Lord (Genesis 15:6). Instantly, right on the spot, all his worries disappear and in their place is a strong and steady faith. Abram believes and trusts that God will be faithful. He will live up to His word. He will fulfill what has been spoken. God will bring offspring, pour out blessings, and grant the promised land of Canaan. This belief is huge because of what it represents within Abram’s life. Through this newfound faith and confidence, Abram recognized how the Lord is trustworthy and reliable. He is placing everything on God’s shoulders and leaning wholeheartedly upon Him.

In witnessing this newfound belief, the Lord shares one final command. He instructs Abram to bring a specific set of animals. They are split into two pieces, and each half is laid on opposite sides of one another (except for the birds). In the middle of these carcasses is an open walkway. Even though this sounds rather barbaric and strange to our modern ears, God is actually being quite intentional. According to Jeremiah 34:18, "Those who have violated my covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of