Rest for the righteous
Rest for the righteous
Hebrews 4:1-11.
Key verse: 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 enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
The concept of rest is widely misunderstood. Some believe it means a total cessation of every effort, while this may be true in a way, it is not a complete truth from the scriptural angle. Scriptural rest from the text above speaks of cessation from inner turmoil and unfruitful labors of the world. Think of anything that brings any contriving conflict to a man, that destabilizes the promises of God as written in the Word, and renders a man’s work unacceptable before God, all of these are what this state of rest obliterates- Hebrews 4:10 AMP For the one who has once entered His rest has also rested from [the weariness and pain of] his [human] labors, just as God rested from [those labors uniquely] His own.
This rest is a covenant, and God has already fulfilled His part of the covenant, therefore, any man who comes fulfilling His assigned portion will find this rest fulfilled in His life– Hebrews 4:3 As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
The text also speaks of “a labor to enter His rest”- Hebrews 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest. This is the part to complete the prerequisite of entering that state of rest. Our labors involve anything we do to disband unbelief from our hearts, be it prayer, word study, fellowship with saints, ministry engagement, etc. When we consistently keep to these labors, we will surely find God’s rest and tranquility in effect in our lives. The ultimate aim of this rest is to bring us freedom from the trident enemy of sin, Satan and the flesh- Luke 1:74-75 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
Lastly, there is a warning we must keep closely: Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. There’s a need for a continuous mixture of faith and God’s words in our hearts to produce the abiding fruit of righteousness. Any other mixture will kill the instructions of the word of God and leave us open to the enemy to pluck off and destabilize.
