We live in a busy society. Everyone is often engaged in some sort of action or activity. From workaholics, to busybodies, it is practically impossible in our technologically savvy world to not be drowned in noise and “stuff” to do. Irrespective of who you are, you get sucked into the busyness of life. Always chasing after something; the bigger contract, the next promotion, the penthouse, the next investment, the better degree, the next vacation, FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), etc. These things keep us occupied. Now, I don’t want you to read this and think that I am against achievements and accomplishments. Not at all, to be so would be hypocritical as these things are good and God calls us to excellence anyway. However, what I am pointing out is that we have lost ourselves in the pursuit of those accomplishments or the lack of these and have forgotten to rest in the process. The concept of rest came from God in the very beginning. Genesis tells us that God rested on the seventh day from all His creation work. From then, He instituted the Sabbath as a day of rest, holy, which was an act of worship for His people. The Sabbath was to be for God. Not respecting the Sabbath was grounds for death (Exodus 31:14). I often wondered, what was it about the Sabbath that the God who does not slumber nor sleeps decided to rest? Why have an ordinance on that specifically? I don’t know exactly but based on what I understand from the bible part of it was to signify fulfilment; complete satisfaction in Him.
The author of the book of Hebrews quotes Psalm 95 which refers to the rebellion that happened during Moses’ time by the Israelites in the desert of Meribah (Exodus 17:1-7) where many quarrelled with God complaining about being thirsty. Their complaint was not well received by God at all as the bible says they “tested God” which was not right because they had seen what the Lord had done, how He had delivered them with “a strong hand and an outstretched arm” from the Egyptians. This contention caused God to declare the powerful statement “so I declared an oath in my anger, they shall never enter my rest”. As Hebrews points out, this rest referred to entering the Promised Land, which is the accomplishment of what God had said to Abraham. Essentially entering the rest of God is living the accomplishment of His prophecy, His word. Because of the people’s unbelief, many died and did not see the accomplishment of God’s word in the flesh. God is very sensible to His works; He knows what He does is excellent, perfect and glorious. The least He expects of us is to simply be truthful about who He is and what He does. When we do not believe God, it says loudly that we call God a liar and that is not something God does tolerate. No wonder, those who do not believe cannot enter His rest.
Fast forward many years later, the promise to enter God’s rest still stands today. God’s word does not change. He promised salvation to all who would repent and believe in His One and only Son who died on behalf of sinners to give them access to God and restore the broken relationship with the Father. Jesus, being the priest of the Most-High God in the order of Melchizedek secured a salvation that could not have been made possible by any other man. Jesus ensured we could enter God’s rest. Our only requirement is to believe in him and in what he did. By believing that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died and rose again, that he is seated at the right hand of the Father, that he has cancelled the written code with its regulations that was against us, that he was found worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, that he purchased men for God with his blood, that he has made those he purchased to be a kingdom and priests to serve God, etc. we get to enter God’s rest. We get to see the accomplishment of God’s great plan of salvation and actually live the reward of it all. No wonder belief is very critical in God’s kingdom! That is the currency that allows us to partake in all that the Lord has done. Our physical eyes cannot see yet but our spiritual eyes, the eyes of belief are able to see the tangibility of God’s promises. Just as Abraham in his old age believed God for a son and the promise of having many descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and to be given Canaan as an inheritance, we too are convinced that the word of God will be accomplished, that we have eternal life, that it will be manifest and the time will come when we will fully enter His rest just as God Himself rested from all His work. On that day, our faith will be sight and we will know in full (it’ll probably take us eternity).
I am genuinely humbled by the fact that God himself rested from His work and wanted us to partake in that blessing so much so He turned it into an institution for our own good and for His glory. Aside from being replenished, one thing about resting from one’s work is that we are now fully devoted to have our mind and focus on our Maker which is what we were created to do. I pray the Holy Spirit makes these truths resonate with you deeper and prompt you to seek to enter God’s rest.
A Word Aptly Spoken 