“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, “they always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.” So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest.” Hebrews 3:7-11 (NKJV)
In chapters 3 and 4 of Hebrews we are not talking about mere physical rest, as from work or exercise, but rest from the worry and stress of living life apart from God. Rest from “kicking against the goads” as Jesus said to Saul/Paul on the road to Damascus. Rest from not knowing whether or not we are in a right relationship with Jesus, and not knowing how to change that for the better. Also for the unbeliever, rest from the emptiness of not knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Though the rest that we enjoy as Christians is a wonderful blessing, there remains the Sabbath rest spoken about in Hebrews chapters 3&4. It is an eternal rest, a rest that can’t be destroyed by any power, it is the place prepared for Christians by our Lord and Savior. A place so awesome that it can’t even be imagined, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love Him.”
(1 Corinthians 2:9) It is a place prepared for those who are obedient to God’s Word, notice that I didn’t say for those who know God’s Word, but those who are obedient to it.
Adam and Eve were the first to be evicted from God’s rest; in one moment the perfect lives that they enjoyed with God vanished, and they were evicted from His presence for disobedience.
Our opening passage speaks of the failure of the Israelites to enter the promised land, and of God’s refusal to allow them in because of their disobedience.
Today, billions of people wander around in their self created deserts rather than to be obedient to God’s word. Hoping somehow to escape His wrath by some other way, than by loving Him and keeping His commands. Their efforts are futile and they will perish for eternity unless they repent.
