Many times, you may feel overwhelmed. I know that there is so much going around our lives that we want to run away from. Those times you feel like locking up yourself and listening to no one; when you want to be isolated so you can think straight.
In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." The following verse also says "..and you will find rest for your soul." The soul refers to the mind, will, and the emotions. So Jesus is saying He will give us peace of mind. He will give us rest in decision making, and He will give us emotional stability. All these will influence every area of our lives in which the enemy may attack us. And in turn, with this kind of rest, there's ultimately physical rest because our lives will now be free of stress.
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When I read through scriptures in understanding the concept of “rest”, I am particularly wowed by the Psalmist’s prayer in Psalm 119:18 where he prays “O Lord, open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your Law”, the Law here being God’s words and commandments to a believer. I imagine the Old and New Testaments as the two lips of God to speak to us, with the New being concealed in the Old and the Old being revealed in the New. We cannot fully understand one without the other. But the difference between the Testaments must be clearly understood. In my analysis, it looks like we have the shadow in the Old Testament but the substance in the New Testament (Hebrews 10:1). The New Covenant, unlike the Old, is not of the letter but of the Spirit (2 Cor 3:6 Rom 7:6). In the OT the Law was written in tablets of stone, but now God writes it in our hearts of flesh (Jer 31:31-33; Heb 8:8-10; 2 Cor 3:3). The ceremonial part of the Law takes a spiritual meaning in the New Testament. For example, the Sabbath speaks of the rest Christ gives to His people here in our life and also in eternity (Mt 11:28; Heb 4:4-10).
Eternal Rest
- Sabbath of Genesis 2: 1-4, for this was God's rest and not man's The sabbath of Exodus 20: 8- 11
- The rest in the promised land, for both David and Paul spoke of a future rest long after these three rests (Hebrews 4: 7- 10)
- Rest in Christ (Mt. 11: 28- 30 Heb. 4: 3)
- Eternal rest in the next life (Hebrews 18, 5 1 Revelations 14:13)
The core of the OT is all about what God "demands" whereas the core of the NT is all about what God "gives." Praise the Lord we are not under Law but under Grace (Rom 6:14). Let us stand firm in the liberty, and not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage (Gal 5:1). In fact, those who attempt to be justified by Law have fallen from Grace (v4). Law and Grace cannot coexist. Ishmael and Isaac cannot dwell in the same house. An old cloth and a new piece should not be stitched together. The new wine cannot be kept in old bottles (Mt 9:16, 17).
By saying so we do not mean that the Old Testament is irrelevant to us today. Apart from the Law the OT contains prophecy, history and wisdom. "These were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come" (1 Cor 10:11). The OT must be read and diligently studied by every Christian, but the interpretation and application must be always in the light of the NT.
"The Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible, is the religion of Christ's Church!" (C.H. Spurgeon, 1834-1892)
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The Sabbath Rest
God (Jesus) worked for six days. On the seventh He took rest. This is best to be known as His 'PERSONAL REST'. The sabbath day was never intended nor created for Adam. GOD never commanded Adam to keep a day set aside for Him for worship. No, He never did. He created Adam to give him eternal rest. Meaning to enjoy and bask in the glory of His wonder, His splendor, His glory, His creation, His planet Earth with Him our GOD. What a union that would have been!
Adam lived a blessed and holy life, which was a state of bliss with GOD, trustful and obedient. He did not need to lift a finger to do any chores of burden. For all the hard work had all been but done. Remember GOD created everything not Adam. Thus ever so lucky, Adam walked and talked with GOD in the flesh in ecstasy in 'Eternal-Rest'.
When Eve was created. Adam and Eve, did not need to set aside a day for worship with GOD neither, for they had it continually. For GOD was with them, in them, and through them. This is where the notion forever on my mind is asserted, for this is how Adam and Eve lived everyday of their lives. Giving thanks, worship and praise to GOD.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV) says “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of GOD in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I feel this is exactly what Adam and Eve would have been doing consciously and sub-consciously: giving thanks, praise and worship in everything that they did.
So what is 'rest' in Matt 11:28? Jesus - GOD speaks of putting all your burdens of sin and placing them in the tabernacle of His heart. He will take your sorrows and woes away if you just TRUST in Him. We are plagued with a broken heart for the sins we commit forever asking 'I am ever going to be with you Jesus am I ever going to be enough'. Yes it is, your forever increasing TRUST in Him (some prefer Faith) is what washes all your sins away no matter how big or how small.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Now, when I repent a sin (change of mind) I am overcome with joy for I know my Trust in Him is strong. My Trust in Him is when I repent with my crying heart I am eternally forgiven. My woes and sufferings is placed in the Lords good and gracious hands. I can 'rest' in thought and knowing, that I am going home to be with GOD our Jesus. I then dream back to when Jesus first created Adam and Eve not only were their hearts at 'rest' but also their minds, bodies and souls were undeniably at 'rest' too. In the garden of Eden.
In finishing I'd like to assert the following verse:
Matthew 6:26 (KJV)
He is our Eternal-Rest.
So, why are they "...laboring and heavy laden..."? Let's go to the beginning of the chapter where John is in prison and he hears about the "...WORKS of CHRIST".
This is what John the Baptist was hearing about when he was in prison. So, John the Baptist began to question Jesus (see 11:2-3): "Are You the coming One, or do we look for another?" Yet, in his very own testimony (see John 1:31-34), he spoke of the revelation that was given to him from God, and he testified that Jesus is the "Son of God".
Again, we have to understand that John's world just got turned upside down. He was an Old Covenant Prophet and didn't understand the New Covenant that Jesus came to bring.....he didn't understand when Jesus was functioning under Grace.
Under the Covenant of the Law, YOU had to do something to be in right-standing with God; under the Covenant of Grace, Christ became that bridge to right-standing with God. Under the Old Covenant (of the Law), every year, the Jews had to make a sacrifice for their sins for the year. Under the New Covenant (of Grace), Christ became the last and final sacrifice for sins.
So, reading along in 11:4-6, Jesus responds to the messengers that John sent and told John not to be offended in what He's doing. He doesn't completely understand the true mission of Christ.
So, Christ told them to come to Him so that He can teach them and tell them what's about to happen. When they truly understand the grace that they are about to be under, they will rejoice in the finished works of Christ.
If you read Romans and Galatians, it talks all about the two covenants. The law, although perfect in every sense, was not able to redeem us from eternal damnation (Romans 7:7-12).
The Grace that was given to us is the "rest" that Jesus was talking about. Resting in His Grace.
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