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Category Archives: Rest

The Rest of Rest

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The rest of God is distinctively His own rest which He offers to share his people and through them with all the sons of men who enter into this rest by faith. While there were precursory aspects of that final rest to come (mainly in the divine rest provided by the inheritance of the land of Canaan), because it was not accompanied by the inward response of faith to the whole promise of God, of which this rest was just a part, the land of Canaan still awaits Israel and the people of God.

Christ became our Sabbath rest in the New Testament. We no longer have a Sabbath day.  We honor the Lord on the first day of the week because that was the example set by Old testament Israel and the early church, but there is no special significance to one day over another. Rather, everyday we strive to enter into the rest (from our works of righteousness and sin) with the hope of one day attaining on the basis of Christ’s righteousness. The believer can celebrate the Sabbath every day as a perpetual celebration of rest. Six days he has labored in his own selfishness, pride and sin, but God by His grace has given him rest. Now he can rest from his sin and find grace in the arms of Christ. The believer in Jesus is no longer trying to do something to impress God. He is resting in the finished work of Christ. As Hebrews 10:14 says, “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

Lastly, Jesus did not come to destroy, but to “fill up” the law and the prophets.  The Scribes and Pharisees had compartmentalized the commandments and missed their true meaning.  For example, they overlooked anger as long as they refrain from murder and justified lying by creating a hierarchy of oaths. Jesus pulled back their facade, and rather than relaxing the law, internalized, intensified and filled it up!  He equated anger with murder and lust with adultery.  Jesus fulfilled the true meaning of the Sabbath; “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28). Eternal, true rest from sin in the presence of God is what Jesus offers. Believers live in that perpetual Sabbath today with a longing for the eternal experience of the Sabbath celebration.

Rest: The Already but Not Yet

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While the rest promised to Israel was a definite immediate, it was also a promise of ultimate future rest. Rest is Yahweh’s gift to his people, from journeying or warfare, in the land of promise, Israel’s “resting place.” This theme constitutes a powerful affirmation of Yahweh’s continuing faithfulness and is a summary of his good gifts to his people. In no way is the image one of blissful inactivity; rather it is one of unhampered constructive activity that is to be fulfilled in this age, and the age to come.

The Garden Rest is also linked to the Sabbath rest. Such rest reorients a person’s values, taking attention off the workday preoccupation with getting and spending and onto God and spiritual realities.

In the Bible willingness to engage in such rest is nothing less than a covenant sign or “a perpetual covenant” and “a sign” between God and his people (Ex 31:16–17).

Yet another part of the symbolism of sabbath rest was that it pictured release from the bondage of Israel in Egypt (Deut 5:15). Rest is a form of freedom-from work, from human striving and acquisitiveness, from worldly preoccupations. If willingness to rest is a sign of commitment to God, it is elsewhere viewed as a freedom from anxiety. Moses paints a picture of “the beloved of the Lord” as someone who “rests in safety” and “rests between [God’s] shoulders” (Deut 33:12). Here is a picture of what rest ultimately involves in the Bible—a relinquishing of human self—assertion and a trust in God.

The soteriological use forms around the theology of the sabbath. In Gen 2:2–3 šābat (cessation from labor) describes God’s rest, but in Ex 20:11 the word nûah is used. Hence, man is not only to cease from his worldly pursuits (Ex 31:12–17; cf. Isa 58:13–14), but he is to enter into a state of victory/salvation rest (Josh 1:13; cf. Deut 25:19).

It is only the presence and favor of God that makes this rest (as well as martial rest) possible (Ex 33:14; cf. Isa 14:3, 7).

However, there is a “future sabbath” or “future rest” that awaits the New Covenant believer. As previously discussed, the understanding of rest is expanded by the book of Hebrews by the use of Psalm 95 to include an eschatological sense. Psalms 95 and 96 are a pair of royal enthronement psalms that speak of the future reign of Messiah over humanity and the earth. The promised rest in Hebrews is related to the Hebrew concept of  ׁ“sabbath”. The sabbath has the following meanings in the Hebrew Scriptures: (1) God’s rest on the seventh day of creation (Gen 2:2–3); (2) a day of the week in which to recall God’s role as Emancipator in bringing Israel out of Egypt (Deut 5:15); (3) an ordinance giving workers a rest (Ex 23:12); and (4) a sign of the Mosaic Covenant (Ex 31:13). Yahweh intended that man share in the creation rest (i.e., sabbath), but Adam’s fall occurred and the sabbath rest was forfeited. The way back to this rest is provided in the coming kingdom at Christ’s return.

 

Rest: The Almost but Not Yet

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After Israel arrived at Kadesh Barnea (along the southernmost part of the promised land), the Lord said to Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe, send one of its leaders (Numbers 13:1-2). So they went up and explored the land (13:21). After coming back, they confirmed that the land was good, saying, “it does flow with milk and honey!” (13:27). However, they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size (13:32). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them” (13:33b).

That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron (14:1-2b). And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt” (14:4). But [Joshua and Caleb], who were among those who had explored the land … said … “If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land… Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us” (Num 14:6-9b). But the whole assembly talked about stoning (killing) them (Num 14:10a). The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me?” I will strike them down” (14:11a, 12a). But Moses interceded for Israel and asked God for forgiveness (14:13-19). God replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless, … not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers” (14:20, 23a). The Lord said to Moses, “[Tell them], ‘In this desert your bodies will fall – every one of you twenty years old or more … who has grumbled against me. Not one of you will enter the land … except Caleb … and Joshua (14:29-30). Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert” (14:33).

The next day, the Israelites decided to enter the land anyway (14:40). But Moses said to them, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed! Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies” (14:41-42). Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up toward the high hill country … Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah (14:44-45).

The idea that God commanded Israel to take over an already inhabited land may be disturbing to some. The Bible’s claim that the inhabitants were extremely evil may help lesson that concern. The Bible is clear that particular people were enemies of God, not merely enemies of Israel. The battles for the “promised land” were part of God’s war, undertaken at a particular time in history according to God’s program of redemption.

However, the real point we are exploring is that Israel failed to enter into and enjoy the promised blessing of God, namely rest. As a result of their disobedience, Israel was forced to wander in the wilderness as a symbol of “work” as opposed to enjoying their rest.

In Psalm 95:7-11, the author writes: “For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. For forty years I loathed that generation and said, ‘They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.’ Therefore I swore in my wrath, “‘They shall not enter my rest.’” This psalm refers to the Israelites having to wander in the wilderness for forty years for provoking God after He delivered them out of Egypt. Because of their unbelief and continual rebellion against Him, God would not let them enter into His rest – the promised land, Canaan – which He had given to them for an inheritance.

Toward the end of the forty years they come to Meribah in the wilderness of Zin. They again are in need of water. They again ask Moses, “… why have you made us to come out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? Where there is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink?” (Numbers 20:5) They mistrusted God’s provision.

It was a lack of confidence in God that denied these people the rest of God. Hebrews 3:6 gives us a clue that this was the issue for the readers of the book of Hebrews. Here the writer says: “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm until the end.” It is the lack of assurance (confidence) that is the rest denied those who harden their hearts. The readers are told to “hold fast” (have a firm grasp) on, have glory in (“boast of”), hold firm to that confidence in God’s provision.

The writer of Hebrews quotes the Psalm 95 passage, citing the Holy Spirit as the ultimate author. He uses it as a warning to New Testament Christians against hardening their hearts toward the Holy Spirit, and forfeiting their inheritance of eternal rest (Heb 3:12 – 4:1, 11; 6:4-8; 10:26-31; 12:14-16). Rest for New Testament Christians refers to the quiet abode of those who will dwell with God in heaven – the eternal life that God has provided in Christ.

What befell the generation of Israelites who died in the wilderness is an Old Testament type of what will also befall New Testament Christians who fail God’s grace (1 Cor 10:5-12 and Jude 5 with Heb 3:12 – 4:1, 11). Despite all their blessings, an entire generation of Israelites died in the wilderness because of unbelief and so failed to enter their promised land, so New Testament Christians for their part are exhorted to take warning lest they fail also.

Rest: Promise and Partial Accomplishment for Israel

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One of the new provisions added to the expanding revelation of the Promise theme was the provision of “rest” for Israel. Rest was promised and fulfilled by God. “And the Lord gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hand.” (Jos 21:44) “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant. (1 Ki 8:56). God is seen as a promise and covenant keeping God; to be contrasted with a promise and covenant breaking people.

But this only yields a conundrum. If Joshua fulfilled the promised rest, what is 2 Samuel 7:1 claiming? How often was this state of rest fulfilled? Not only must we work with Joshua and David as the fulfillers of the promise but even Solomon was included, for he was named the “man of rest” (1 Chron 22:9; 1 Kings 8:56). Even later this same divine rest appears after periods of bloodshed and trouble in the reigns of King Asa (2 Chron 14:5, 6; 15:15 ) and King Jehoshaphat (2 Chron 20:30).

The promise of rest God accomplished by His presence. This was mostly fulfilled in the  Tabernacle/Temple. This can be demonstrated from Ex 33.14: “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest”; referring to the roaming tabernacle. Psalm 95:11, which is important to the author of Hebrews, belongs to this tradition. “Rest” here is a tangible good rather than a personal entering into God; so also in the closely related Psalm 81 (esp. Ps. 81:13–16). The psalm’s oath therefore sums up the covenantal blessings promised to God’s people – blessings of secure life in the land – which were bound up with God’s presence among them.

In spite of all the emphasis on the promised land as the rest of God for Israel, the spiritual element also is prominent. This finds expression whenever this rest is connected with the themes of the ark of God or the temple. Rest is where the presence of God stops (as in the wilderness wanderings, Num 10:33) or dwells (as in Palestine, Ps 132:8, 14; Isa 66:1; 1 Chron 28:2).

God had provided the people with rest; a means for demonstrating their willingness to follow His commandment and laws. (Exodus 16:4). However, even after direct commands concerning the gathering of manna on six days, and rest on the seventh day, some of the people refused to rest and went out to gather manna (Exodus 16:27). After their failure they were still provided with the physical rest of the Sabbath day. It says in Exodus 16:30 “So the people rested on the seventh day. This event took place immediately proceeding the failure at Masah and Meribah.” Even after failure to obey, God’s people had enjoyed the rest provided by the Sabbath day.

The people of Israel failed to ultimately enter into God’s rest (Hebrews 3:11). The people in the wilderness failed to enter into God’s rest because they hardened their hearts. The rest spoken of here is the rest provided by the land of Canaan and not the eternal rest yet to come. The Psalmist says the invitation to enter into God’s Rest is still open (Ps 95:11). And that was where the writer of Hebrews boldly announced that the “today” of the ancient promise was still open even in his day. Therefore, that ancient aspect of the promise doctrine can be ours by faith even now in these “last days.”

“Rest” in the New Testament

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The nature of rest from Old Testament to New has not changed per se, but rather it has been further revealed. In the words of Walter C. Kaiser, “This special rest which God called ‘my rest’ is an important aspect of the emerging promise theme in both testaments. Since Paul is bold to equate this promise with the gospel, especially the phrase ‘In thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed’ (Gal 3:8), it is no wonder that our writer is also bold to proclaim that the wilderness generation also had the same basic gospel proclaimed to them (4:2 ; cf 3:17 for the antecedent of “as well as unto them”). Thus, the correlation of some aspects of ‘my rest,’ promise and gospel are explicit.”

The frequent occurrences of God’s promises to give his people “rest” include all of the following ideas: a place to land on, a place of serenity, and cessation from effort. But they also include a fourth idea, and that is safety and security.

This is made clear by the several references to giving “rest from his/their enemies on every side” (Deut 12:10; 25:19; Josh 23:1; 2 Sam 7:1, 11; 2 Chron 14:7; Neh 9:28; Esth 9:16, 22; Isa 14:3). The sense is to get, or provide, relief from threat or attack. So God not only promises to give his people a place to settle, but he also promises to give them a place of security. It is this latter sense that is operative in the promises to the Transjordanian tribes that they may return to their home territories, once God has given their brothers rest (Deut 3:20; Josh 1:15; 22:4).

It is this same idea that occurs in connection with David’s and Solomon’s decision to build the temple: God has now given them the security and leisure necessary to such an undertaking (e.g., 1 Kgs 5:4).

Moreover, rest for God’s people is “from enemies” and “from threats” on “every side.”  This is especially apparent in the following verses: “When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security” (Dt 12:10; cf 25.19). “And the Lord gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hand” (Jos 21:44). “Now it came about when the king lived in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, that the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within tent curtains” (2 Sa 7:1). “Solomon sent back this message to Hiram: ‘You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD put his enemies under his feet. But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster’” (1 Ki 5:2). “And Asa did good and right in the sight of the Lord his God, for he removed the foreign altars and high places, tore down the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherim, and commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers and to observe the law and the commandment. He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah. And the kingdom was undisturbed under him. And he built fortified cities in Judah, since the land was undisturbed, and there was no one at war with him during those years, because the Lord had given him rest. For he said to Judah, ‘Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, because we have sought the Lord our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.’ So they built and prospered” (2 Ch 14:2).

“Rest” in the Old Testament

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The pattern of rest is in the Old testament is set God himself in Genesis chapter two when he rested from all he had created. This would later provide the basis for establishing the seven day work week in the nation of Israel under the leadership of Moses. Several times the doctrine of rest is restated to Israel in the levitical law.

God found rest to be so important that he prescribed and commanded it in the midst of other ceremonial and civil commands; elevating its importance to the same (if not more important) as the other laws through repetition. This rest was not only for people, but also for farmer’s land. Land was to be given rest every seven years as people were to rest every seven days.

In the book of Numbers it is rest that Israel is pursing in reaching the promised land. Unfortunately, they fail to enter into that rest because of their hardness of heart and lack of faith.

In the book of Deuteronomy land is promised to Israel after they wander in the wilderness. The picture of rest for Israel in the promised land is not one of boredom, but of rejoicing in safety: “But when you go over the Jordan and live in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and when he gives you rest from all your enemies around, so that you live in safety, then to the place that the LORD your God will choose, to make his name dwell there, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, and all your finest vow offerings that you vow to the LORD. And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male servants and your female servants, and the Levite that is within your towns, since he has no portion or inheritance with you.”

Again Moses writes, “ Therefore when the LORD your God has given you rest from all your enemies around you, in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”

Finally in the book of Joshua, Israel receives the promised rest. In Joshua 1:13,15 it says, “Remember the word that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land. until the LORD gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and shall possess it, the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.” Again in 11:23, “So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. And the land had rest from war.” And finally in 21:44, the writer clearly states that every promise of rest was fulfilled to Israel in the promised land, “And the LORD gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands.”

Rest was promised in Genesis to Abraham, but it was not actually fulfilled until the days of Joshua. Today, we have the promise of rest in Christ, but still look forward to our promised land and day of rest in the kingdom where we have eternal rest from our enemies (death and sin) and where Christ rules and reigns forever.

CyberChimps