Biblical Theology for Transformation - 27th Posting

"For we who have believed enter that rest, as He has said, 'As I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest,' although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: 'And God rested on the seventh day from all His works.'"


-Hebrews 4:3-4


God created the world in how many days? And on the seventh day he....? What? Rested! We celebrate this truth as believers because we love what it signifies. Does God NEED rest? Duh! Of course not! So why does He rest? Answer: To be an example for us to rest and enjoy Him and His creation once a week as He did. A day to rest from our works and toils and to rest! Of course we love this truth. We are being given heavenly authority to STOP WORKING and take a break!

But is this really the primary reason that God rested on the seventh day? It is what we are most often told and learn as children and then never really take it any further as we grow up. Of course there is truth in the fact that God is setting an example on our behalf, but what is the example? Well, according to Hebrews 4:3-4, there is more to this "rest" that we may have learned in Sunday school.

Looking deeper into Hebrews 4:3, we have to first identify and define this word "rest". The unknown author is clearly referring to "eternal rest" when he uses the the term "rest".  How do we know that? Because in 4:8 the author wrote, "For if Joshua had given them (Wandering Hebrews about to enter the Promised Land) rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on." What does this mean? It means that when God told His people He had prepared a "rest" for them, He was not referring to the Promised Land. But, at the same time, He WAS referring to the Promised Land. God was clearly giving the people a physical rest and a place to rest and dwell when He handed them the land of Canaan (The Promised Land). But that was simply a physical picture of a spiritual reality that He was offering them eternal rest in His arms. We know this because the author of Hebrews says that God was not speaking of a physical rest because if He was, then the story would have been finished once the Jews entered the Promised Land. In Hebrews 4:8, the author tells us that Joshua did NOT take the Jews to their "rest" even though God called this land the place of rest. Obviously, God meant something else when He referred to "rest". He was speaking of a greater rest that He offered to all His people, an eternal rest.

So what about God's rest? Why did He rest on the seventh day of creation? If the reason is not primarily to set an example, then why?

Just as God gave the Israelites a physical picture of a spiritual truth, He does the same at creation. God gave the Israelites the physical land as a picture of the true, spiritual, rest that He offered them. In the same way, God rested from His works of creation as a picture of the true, spiritual rest that He offers us today. God's rest on the seventh day, was obviously NOT because He needed it, and it wasn't primarily just to set an example of resting. God's resting on the seventh day, and all subsequent Sabbath day rests, were designed to show us one thing, rather, one Person...Jesus Christ. IN CHRIST, we have eternal rest. Jesus is the center point of every single word in the Bible. He is the point, and all truths must be about Him and to His glory. Therefore, God's rest, according to the author of Hebrews, was a picture of how we will, like Him, rest from our works one day, eternally, not just physically on Sundays.

So why does this matter? It shows God's great desire from the beginning of time to provide us with eternal rest and security. It is God telling us that, before we even sinned, He planned for us a way out in love and grace through Jesus Christ. It also shows us that our physical rest is a time to reflect on our spiritual rest. Every time you get a chance to stop and break from your toil and work, use that time to remember the toil and work your Savior went through to give you an eternal rest. Use your rest to reflect on rest, and as you do, rest in what Jesus has done for you...honestly, it's quite relaxing and enjoyable.