Should it be called inspiration, rhema, or an epiphany, it really doesn’t matter. For me it was the moment the Holy Spirit ‘turned on the light’. After struggling with the remnants of legalism for decades, in an instance God flooded me with an understanding of His grace that washed away doubts, guilt, fear, condemnation, and self-motivated morality. I realized that God completely accepted me when I received Christ based on what He did and not by me keeping man-made rules and traditions. One of the first blessings was entering His spiritual rest. Any form of legalism no matter how insignificant, wears us out spiritually which also indirectly affects physical and emotional rest.
God knew the value of rest for man. He even modeled it after the six days of creation. He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done (Gen 2:2). The Lord gave Moses the ten commandments one in which God set aside an entire day of rest for man. For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a sabbath of complete rest to the Lord (Ex 35:2). This pointed to the complete rest Israel could have in the Promised Land and the rest believers could receive in Christ. However, rest is not automatic. God delivered Israel out of slavery in Egypt and brought them to the borders of the Promised Land—their place of rest. But despite God’s promises, they refused to believe and enter because they were filled with fear.
The writer of Hebrews reminds Christians, So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God (Heb 4:9 NLT). Jesus offered rest. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS (Mat 11:28, 29). What is spiritual rest? The word rest Jesus used and the reminder of rest in Hebrews are both from the same root word, but with different prefixes and express two facets of rest. Jesus’ offer is not for a cessation of activity but an inward tranquility and calm during necessary labor. The people Jesus addressed were weary and heavy-laden because of traditions and man-made rules the scribes and the Pharisees imposed on the people for which Jesus condemned. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger (Mat 23:4). In contrast Jesus added, “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (11:30).
The word rest in Hebrews does mean the cessation of labor. The circumstances of the book clarify its application. Because of persecution and rejection from the Jews, the Hebrew Christian were considering renouncing their faith in Jesus the Messiah and returning to Judaism. The author in the strongest terms warned them of the consequences and reminds them even in the mist of their earthly troubles God’s rest was still available. They only needed to enter His rest by faith which they seem to have come short of it (Heb 4:1). Israel failed under Joshua to enter rest because of disbelief. David spoke of the rest that remained. Now the offer was made to the Hebrews and remains for all believers today.
Note several insights from these verses. Jesus didn’t say I’ll come to you. Rather He said, Come to Me. Hebrews even warns about not entering rest. If we aren’t resting, we are trying in our own effort. Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it (4:1 NIV). Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest (4:11 NIV). The word effort means endeavor, labour, or strive that seems like a contradiction—work hard to enter rest from work?” It does not mean the need to try harder or get busier doing more in order to earn rest. Spiritual rest comes by simply faith in the finished work of Christ. Rest is not doing nothing; it’s doing nothing God didn’t tell you to do and doing only what he told you to do. Abiding in rest is living in the present moment, not regretting the past or feeling anxious about the future with total trust He will care for you.
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me.” Again, note it does not say, “I’ll put my yoke upon you.” We must Take His yoke. Yokes linked two oxen together to share a load. Farmers always put young ox with an older and experienced ox that took the major of the load. The young ox learned from the older ox. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” The word easy better translates wholesome, serviceable, kind, and light also refers to the feathers of a bird. We learn to function from a position of rest. We cease from laboring to receive God’s acceptance and rest in inward calm and tranquility as we work to express our love to Him for what He did for our acceptance.
Sustaining Word for the Week: Are you weary? God’s promise of entering His rest still stands.