GOD’S REST
INTRODUCTION
I found in scripture a rather vivid description of God's rest.
TEXT
In Psalm 132:14, God says of Zion, "This is my resting place."
CONTEXT
Psalm 132:11-18; ¹¹The LORD has sworn in truth to David; He will not turn from it: "I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body. ¹²If your sons will keep My covenant and My testimony which I shall teach them, Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore."
¹³For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place: 14 This is my resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it. 15I will abandantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. 16I will also clothe her preists with salvation, and her saints shall shout shout aloud for joy. 17There I will make the horn of David grow; I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed. 18His enemies I will clothe with shame, but upon Himself His crown shall flourish."
Why do we bother about the subject of God's rest? We bother about it because it has a biblical foundation. The Biblical foundation of God's rest is simply that "God rested." In Genesis 2:2-3 the Bible says, 'And on the seventh day God enden His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.' Now we know that God rested, but how do I know that man can find rest, seeing that after God's rest Adam sinned and was cursed to toil in vain? There is a prophetic testimony that there is a way in which God's rest can be found. In Jeremiah 6:16, Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' "
Where is the way, and whom shall we ask? Jesus Christ testified that He is the wat, if we ask anything He will do it, and He gives rest - it is God's rest because Jesus Christ came to do the works of His father. In John 14:6, Jesus said to Thomas, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." In John 14:14, Jesus said to His disciples. "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." In Matthew 11:28, Jesus Christ said, "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." In John 5:19, Jesus answered and said to the Jews who wanted to kill Him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner."
What more ought we to know? There is an Apostolic testimony that entering God's rest, is promised, still remains, was not exhausted when Joshua settled Israel in Canaan, was denied to disobedient people, was entered into by those who believe, is similar to what God did in the beginning, and requires the diligence of those who enter. In Hebrews 4:1, 3, 5, 5, 10 & 11: '...a promise remains of entering His rest...' '...we who have believed do enter that rest...' '...those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience...' '...if Joshua had given them rest, then He (the LORD) would not afterward have spoken of another day' '...he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His' '...be diligent to enter that rest...'
Although the old Zion is no more, and not a stone was left standing upon another when the Old City of Jerusalem was destroyed, yet a stone rejected by the builders remauns today, a precious, tried, foundational, and chief corner stone, among those who believe. It pleased the Father that the fullness of the dolhead should dwell in Him bodily. The father was pleased with Him. The Father abundabtly blessed His provision. Those clothed with salvation praise Him who made them priests unto God. His saints shouted for joy as He entered Jerusalem on the advent of His work of redemption. His horn has been made to grow in salvation. His light lights the lives of men. He truimphed over His enemies. His crown flourishes in resurrection. This is Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who is of the seed of David, and He is greater that Zion.
In summary, Our Heavenly Father God is the foundation of rest. In Jesus Christ, He has pointed out the person to both ask for the old paths, the good way which leads to that rest, as well as to give that rest.