The Rest
What do we think of when we think of “rest?”
(Slides)
3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,
“As I swore in My anger,
They certainly shall not enter My rest,”
although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”;
5 and again in this passage, “They certainly shall not enter My rest.”
Five Questions We Will Answer Over the Next Two Weeks:
1. What is God’s Rest?
2. Who is the “we who have believed”?
3. Why do some NOT enter?
4. What does it mean that His works were finished from the foundation of the world?
5. What is the Significance of the reference to Genesis 2:2 where God rests on the seventh day?
- What is God’s Rest?
Guzik:
This quote from Psalm 95:11 demonstrates that this rest is God’s; it is His rest.
God finished His work of creation long before Israel came into Egypt or before David wrote Psalm 95 (Genesis 2:2).
Yet, although the works were finished from the foundation of the world, He still spoke of “My rest” — demonstrating that God still has this rest.
Point: The Rest is a place prepared BEFORE sin entered the world. It BELONGS to God, it is his domain. (This is why HE controls who gets in and who doesn’t, not us.)
Henry:
We enter into a blessed union with Christ, and into a communion with God through Christ;
in this state we actually enjoy many sweet communications of pardon of sin, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace and earnests of glory, resting from the servitude of sin, and reposing ourselves in God till we are prepared to rest with him in heaven.”
Point: The concepts of grace, glory and joy that we taste here are Earth are but a shadow of the full experiences we will partake of when we are in His Rest, removed from sin.
(Has anyone here witnessed a historical event in person? Something we all know about, but you were actually there?
Story of Laura’s friend Jeanette going the other way during the O.J. Simpson chase to her HS graduation.
2. Who is the “we who have believed”?
Guzik:
We who have believed do enter that rest: This is in contrast to the previously mentioned ones who did not enter into God’s rest.
Unbelief keeps many out of God’s rest; faith (we who have believed) guides God’s people into this rest.
Henry:
The apostle confirms the happiness of all those who truly believe the gospel; and this he does…
He illustrates and confirms it that those who believe are thus happy, and do enter into rest.
POINT: Those who have been called to the gift of faith, are those who are compelled to believe, compelled to submit, compelled to surrender, compelled to testify, glorify and thus enjoy Him forever.
Romans 8:29-30
29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
3. Why do some NOT enter?
Can anyone answer this in one word?
Unbelief.
P. Hulsey:
The biblical meaning of unbelief is refusing to be believe in God and his word. Unbelief is a lack of faith.
Some people refuse to be convinced. Jesus said that if people would not listen to Moses in the prophets, then they would not believe even if someone rose from the dead to confirm the reality of God and his word. (Luke 16:31).
Even supernatural miracles will not convince someone who refuses to be convinced (John 4:48).
Close:
Let’s stop here for this week. Next week will will look at the the last two questions:
4. What does it mean that His works were finished from the foundation of the world?
5. What is the Significance of the reference to Genesis 2:2 where God rests on the seventh day?
And we will the close next week with some overall conclusions from the passage.
Pray/QA