The Lord’s Sabbath rest signifies His rest from creation. There is a promise that this world was never intended to last in its state, but was intended to be glorified. The Lord does not enter his sabbath rest because he is tired, but because he publishes the assurance of truly resting in the shalom, wholeness, of the Lord’s kingdom. Adam was supposed to enter it, but he failed. Israel transgresses like Adam, and they fall short in the wilderness.
Hebrews uses Israel’s history as a lesson for us. Israel tested the Lord in the wilderness. They wanted the Lord to prove himself. The Lord swore that they would not enter his rest. The thing to remember is that this group all saw the same exodus. They saw the same Lord work out his plan of redemption in the exodus, the provision of manna, and making water sweet. The problem is that Israel grumbled.
Hebrews warns us that if we deny Christ, then we too run the risk of failing to enter the Lord’s rest. You see, Joshua did not give them rest because the promise of rest still stands. This is the warning that if we deny Christ, if we deny the power of the living and abiding word, then we face the potential consequence of death.
The author emphasizes the importance of striving to enter God’s rest, which is not just physical rest but dwelling in the full glory of heaven. It is true that striving is work, but it is also an eagerness. So, we should not see this as a burdensome task. It is rather longing and living in such a way that we want to see our Lord. We are eager for the reunion because we perceive Christ’s significance.
When we gather together for worship, we taste heaven’s glory and reorient our lives in Christ. We should press forward in Christ, knowing we have the abundance of life in Him. So, the striving is not proving our worthiness to receive Christ, but it is our working in the Spirit with an eagerness to please our priest, longing for his return. Let us be a people who strive to glorify Christ as we realize the power of living in God’s shalom.
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