314. Enter into Rest
Hebrews 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall inter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. Hebrews 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Believers in Christ enter into rest. Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob promised rest to the children of Israel after delivering them from slavery in Egypt; they would enter into His rest in the land flowing with milk and honey. God would give them the land, but they would have to possess it. Possessing = believing; entering = believing; coming to Jesus = believing. Believing in Jesus is resting; or better, it is receiving and enjoying the rest provided by God.
“Resting” is granted to those who labor and are heavily burdened. Resting is granted to those who labored in slavery. Resting is granted to those who struggle against sin, strive to be good, labor to succeed, try hard to do good works. Sin, Death and the Devil are extremely cruel slave masters: they force hard labor upon us, give no rest and comfort, wear us out and wear us down for no reward, and, on top of that, the end result of slave labor is cruel torment and painful death, despair and eternal suffering. Then Jesus comes with Good News: “I will give you rest.” Jesus fulfills the promise given in the “type” of Israel entering the rest of the Promised Land.
God created the universe in six days and rested on the Seventh Day. After God’s work of redeeming people He invites us to enter into rest, His rest. God made the work and God made the rest. He did the work for us and He gives us His earned rest from His work. Life is toil, trouble and hard work because of the curse upon Adam and all descendants. But then God went to work to give us rest. The actual work that we are engaged in is fighting against Sin, Death and Satan. This work is constant and we need a break. Jesus gives us a break. We trust in Christ, and so we rest in Him. “Cease striving, and know that I am God.” It really means relax; God has already done all the hard work, in fact, “the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” God planned it all out and carried it all out unto completion. Then He graces us with rest in the midst of work and struggle, toil and trouble. We take hold of the promise by relaxing in Christ and His finished work. Our rest and salvation was determined in God’s mind at Creation; it was executed in the death and life of Jesus; and it will be forever finished at the Last Day.