To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date sent: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 13:42:20 -0600
Subject: HF050 - An Undisturbed Resting Place
Hebraics,
This is Bible Study HF050 - An Undisturbed Resting Place.
There is a prophecy that speaks of the rest to be found in Jesus
Christ. Isaiah 32:17, says, "And the work of righteousness will be
peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence
forever." Paul may have had this in mind when he spoke of the rule
of God's kingdom as being righteousness, peace, and joy in the
Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)
In this study we want to look at the rest that is given to believers.
Recall Jesus said, "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."
(Matthew 11:28,29)
We need to reach back into the Messianic promises for a look at
the 'rest' that was promised to believers in Christ Jesus. For
example, when Jacob prophesied over his son Judah, he said, "The
scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from
between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to Him shall be the
obedience of the peoples." (Genesis 49:10)
The Targums even have 'Messiah' in place of 'Shiloh.' But the old
Greek translation ends the prophecy with, "and he is the
expectation of the nations." The 'he' is God's Messiah. And it is
true that the legend of Messiah can be found in all the nations.
And finally, the ending can also be translated, "Until he whose it is
comes." Shiloh was a name for Messiah. But the heart of this prophecy is
found in the statement, "to Him shall be the obedience of the
peoples."
The Hebrew for obedience is 'yaggahah'. This word speaks of an inner
submission of the soul, or the resting heart. The obedience results in a
tranquility of the inner man.
The resting heart is what happens when a person truly comes to
know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Peter speaks of this,
when he says, "Your adornment must not be merely external . . .
but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable
quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of
God." (1 Peter 3:3,4. "Quiet" is the Greek 'hesuchios',
which literally
translates as 'tranquil'.)
Let's continue with the prophecies. When Noah was born, his
father prophesied over him, saying, "This one will give us rest from our
work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the Lord
has cursed." (Genesis 5:29) But Noah wasn't the rest giver. That would
belong to the Lord alone.
When Moses complained to the Lord about his having to care for
the peoples, the Lord said, "My presence shall go with you, and I
will give you rest." (Exodus 33:14) Why does this sound so
familiar? Jesus spoke these exact words. He said, "Come to Me,
all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."
(Matthew 11:28) The Voice that spoke to Moses is heard again in
Jesus Christ. (Wondrous mystery the incarnation.)
Then we have a prophecy that is misunderstood by certain folk
today. Isaiah 28:11,12, says, "Indeed, He will speak to *this people
through stammering lips and a foreign tongue, *He who said to them, 'Here
is rest, give rest to the weary,' and, 'Here is repose,' but they would
not listen." (Pay particular to the words noted with an *.)
The emphasis of this prophesy is not on a 'foreign tongue.' It isn't the
'languages' that signify the rest. The rest as to do with the Messiah.
This prophecy gets turned on its head when an improper emphasis is placed
on 'stammering lips and a foreign tongue.' The prophecy has a direct
fulfillment on the day of Pentecost, 33 A.D.
The purpose of speaking in other languages on the day of
Pentecost was to draw attention to the Rest Giver, that is Jesus
Himself. Notice again how the Isaiah prophecy directs itself to *this
people. The "this" people were the Jewish peoples who be gathered in
Jerusalem during the festivals of Passover and Pentecost.
The Isaiah 28 prophecy tells you who the prophecy will be about. It
is about, *He "who said to them, 'Here is rest, give rest to the
weary.'" The rest giver is Jesus. Jesus is the one who said, "I will
give
you rest." And the prophecy has to do with receiving Jesus Christ as Lord
and Messiah.
But then is the rest? The rest has to do with the finished work of
the cross. But the picture broadens when we understand that the
rest has more than one factor to it. First of all, the rest actually comes
from the rule of Christ in our hearts. This is why Paul said that we are
to let the "peace of Christ rule" in our hearts. (Colossians 3:15)
This
ruling peace is the sure sign that Christ is in charge of the affairs of
our heart. (This reaches back to the Genesis 40:10 prophecy of the
'tranquil' heart.)
But there is a second and an even more important factor to the rest
that is found in Jesus. The reason it is more important is because
the second factor speaks of our identification with Christ Himself.
The Scriptures tell us that Christ has taken His place in the
heavens, far above all rule and authority, and that He rules over all. The
Scriptures tell us that He is waiting until all His enemies are made a
footstool for His feet. The Scriptures tell us that there is no more work
to be done with regard to the redemption program of God. It is simply
finished!
How does this relate to us? When a person turns from their sins
and turns to Jesus, there is a spiritual dynamic that takes place in which
God places this person positionally in Christ Jesus, where He is now. This
means that the victory and rest that Jesus now enjoys, is the rest that is
given to believers. The writer of Hebrews says that we enter into His
rest. Paul adds to this in saying that we have been "made complete" in
Him. (Colossians 2:10)
This is what the term 'the finished of the cross' has its deepest
meaning. The work of redemption is finished. There is nothing to
add to it, there is nothing to take away from it. But we have to
understand that the work of the cross is not our work. It is God's
work. God has taken all the human effort out of His salvation in
Christ. This is why there is only one thing left for men to do in order to
be saved. It is summed up in the statement, "Believe in the Lord Jesus,
and you will be saved." (Acts 16:31)
But a problem remains. God's salvation in Christ strikes at the
deepest part of the human psyche, which is pride. Man is so use
to making his own 'fig leaf' garments, that he is often unable to
accept the covering that God has provided in Christ. It smarts when
man can't contribute to his own salvation. But the Lord left nothing
undone. God provided a covering. The clothing of skins in the garden of
Eden was a picture of the covering to be provided for us in Christ.
Put these two factors together, that is, the rule of Christ in our
hearts, and our full identification with Him in the finished work of the
cross, then you have what is called 'the Rest.' The rest is the full
victory of the cross inscribed in our hearts. We have been seated with
Christ in the heavenlies.
The rest that is found in Jesus is the most awesome part of our
salvation. This is what puts false religion and works righteousness
out of business. And so we hear again, "And the work of
righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness,
quietness and confidence forever." (Isaiah 32:17)
Think about it. The study is open for discussion.
Shalom in Christ,
Buddy
Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org
"See to it that no one comes short of the grace
of God; that no root of bitterness springing up
causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." (Heb12:15)