"...this is the rest that will cause the weary to rest..."
What is this ‘rest’ that is spoken of in the Word of God?
Is it peace? Many think of peace as an absence of turmoil or being able to ignore the situation.
Is it assurance? Many express assurance as, “I know I will be healed some day.”
Is it a knowing? Many know what the word states and can even quote it or memorize it to tell others but remain bound to their efforts.
Is it a revelation? Even a revelation of the spirit is subject to our will; to have the spirit speak directly to us does not remove our choice.
Is it a feeling of freedom? Unless that feeling is the fruit of having believed the word it will not be a lasting reality, only a feeling that was connected to an inspiring thought or feeling experienced in the moment.
Is it contentment? Often contentment is confused with faith and is expressed as, “I’m just waiting on the manifestation.”
Is it quiet and calm? Quietness and calmness are thought of as the passive fruits of the rest, yet, Jesus cast out the money changers and overthrew the tables and drove out the animals, with a whip he had made, and never left the ‘rest’ of God.
Is it joy? Many work hard at being joyful, are quick to laugh and very lighthearted but inside are suppressing contrary feelings and thoughts of lack or insecurity.
‘The rest’ as related to us in Hebrews chapters 3 & 4 is simply believing the word of our Father. Believing the word to the point that we see there is nothing on our part required to obtain anything. A feeling of having been satisfied, as one would feel after a large holiday meal. Accepting with all your heart that you don’t need anything. That what Jesus did for you is enough and that you possess all that he has done for you, even though the natural world may be presenting contrary evidence. The ‘feelings’ of rest are a fruit of belief and include peace, assurance, a knowing, revelation, freedom, contentment, joy, quietness and calm, which are manifested by the spirit dwelling in you, and not dependent on your circumstances.
Hebrews 4:10 “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.”
What is entering into His rest? According to Hebrews 4:10 it is ceasing from our own works or efforts in trying to accomplish something, just as God ceased from His works.
Why did God rest? There was nothing left for him to do, he believed (knew) it was done, it was enough, nothing else was needed. The plan that he had for mankind and his Son, our Savior, was complete in every detail, he did not miss anything. In addition, he planned all this to not interfere with man’s free will. The plan included every possible response to the choices of man without deviating from his original design. That is what made it possible for God to be at rest, He saw it all done before he said “…let there be…”.
Dictionary definition of ‘rest’:
#1 Verb– cease/stop work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself or recover strength; be placed or supported so as to stay in a specified place
#2 Verb– remain or be left in a specified condition (you can be assured Jesus did it all)
#1 Noun– an instance or period of relaxing or ceasing to engage in strenuous or stressful activity; an object used to support something (armrest)
#2 Noun– what is remaining of the whole (the rest of the inheritance); the remaining part (the rest of the saints)
The word sabbath means rest, to cease, a cessation or intermission. The word is actually a transliteration, since there is no word in English that it translates to. It was used by God to declare a time of no work whatsoever. Many of the feasts in Israel had such days, which were a type and shadow of Christ fulfilling all the law, where there is nothing left for man to accomplish – they could just rest.
On the day of atonement if anyone in Israel was caught working, stranger or Israelite, they were cut off from the nation. This signifying that when Christ was offered there was no work required from man for their redemption or reconciliation, and that work would keep them from experiencing the benefits of the atonement. See Exodus 31:12-18; Leviticus 16 & 23.
Jesus said: “…come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest…” Matthew 11:28
Jesus accomplished everything for us that we lost through sin so we can rest. Mans desire to ‘do’ something comes from a sin consciousness and a perception that we are not complete. That thinking was sown into us by the devil. The devil knows that getting us into works will make our faith void, Romans 4:14. Any attempt to do a work for something Jesus already accomplished is to say that he did not do enough for us or that our Father didn’t think of everything. That thinking will stop us from receiving because it is unbelief. When we are “doing” to get, we are not believing that Jesus did it all.
Jesus plus nothing equals everything. Jesus plus anything equals nothing.
It’s called a rest/Sabbath because there is nothing left for us to do but rest. When our heart accepts/believes the word of truth that it is finished, then we feel no need to do anything, just freely enjoy all he has done. When one buys a new car there’s nothing more to do but enjoy driving it. One will maintain the car but there is nothing they must do to make it perform its designed function. They are no longer wondering “…will my car start this morning? Will it break down on this long trip? What is going to break next?” All of those thoughts of uncertainty melt away and are replaced with joy, peace, confidence, etc., all because they believe that the new car is complete with no defects. If something should unexpectedly malfunction they have a written warranty from the manufacturer that will remedy the issue without worry or fear.
When Christ said it was finished, in John 17:4 and 19:30, he was saying there was nothing else to do. When we accepted what he did for us, we were made a new creation, 2 Corinthians 5:17. This new creation has a ‘written warranty’, like the new car. If something malfunctions we use the provisions in the written warranty (God’s Word) to remedy the issue. When Christ accomplished everything it even included deliverance from all issues after we are made new.
So, even though sickness or disease may come upon us, Christ conquered that, too. We can by faith just exercise our rights given in the warranty and because we believe that Jesus already defeated that, we simply rest that it is resolved.
Entering into our rest in Christ is simply believing the good news of our Fathers word that Jesus has done it all for us, there is nothing left for us to ‘do’!
The only ‘doing’ is laboring in His word, not to try to get something, but to discover what He has done so we can believe it, Hebrews 4:11,12.
John 6:29 “…this is the work of God that you believe on him whom He has sent”.
Mark 9:23 “…all things are possible to him (or her) that believeth…”
Ephesians 1:3 “…(our Father) who hath blessed us with all spiritual in the heavenlies in Christ.”
Romans 8:32 “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”
“For we which have believed do enter into rest…”, Hebrews 4:3.
“So we see they could not enter into the rest because of unbelief”, Hebrews 3:19.
“And you are complete in him….”, Colossians 2:10.
Choose to believe that Jesus did it all for you, that nothing is missing, nothing left for you to do but to rest in what he did.
Have a good rest!
To connect all the dots from the Word of God on this topic of resting watch the video series
“Entering the Rest of God”