Sabbath-Rest

Hebrews 1,11,12

1.Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 11.Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. 12.For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

The past 4 mornings last week, I was up very early (sometimes 3 am sometimes 6.30am!) and pretty excited to read the Davidic lineage from King Solomon to the part where there were no more kings. All because Leong Tien Fook (LTF) tipped us off something about no further kings until Jesus Christ. I’ve read the bible on this part before but because I was impatient, I always seem to get lost in the narratives and in the end it’s just a jumble of names. But the Holy Spirit gave me an idea and it’s so silly, I wonder why I never thought of it before!

So, for the first time I used the list of Kings in the Book of Matthew Chapter 1 to reference to the kings in 2 Chronicles. Now, I can clearly see where I was heading with all the names of the kings!I realized that what LTF said was there were no further kings AFTER the exile to Babylon.

Marvin last Sunday in his sermon talked about the number 10 signifying fullness in the genealogy in Matthew 1. I discovered the number 14 though I don’t know what it signifies!

Matthew 1:17
"Thus there were 14 generations in all from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the exile to Babylon, and 14 from the exile to the Christ."

I read and I read and I didn’t know where this was all leading to. Thanks to Leong Tien Fook’s class on the “Exposition of Hebrews – The Defense of Christian Hope”, I am beginning to piece it altogether now. Again, I am in awe how God guides when I seek and He does give me the answers! Praise the Lord!

LTF gave us some insight into what happened when God promised Abraham the promised land (Genesis 12:1-3, Genesis 22:18). God said that the Israelites would enter rest – rest from the enemies around them (Deuteronomy 3:20, Deuteronomy 12:9, Deuteronomy 25:19). LTF posed us a question. Did it mean that once the Israelites entered Canaan (the promised land), they would receive automatic rest? Nope. 1 Chronicles 22:9 and 2 Chronicles 15:15 showed that the Israelites only entered God’s rest when they sought God with their whole heart, with no other gods.

This is our God – it is clear He does not want us to idolize others be it man made gods made from clay or wood or for me, my children! He wants our total being - mind body and soul. Now, I know why God made me read about the 14 kings because each time they sought God, God blessed them and prospered them and they had rest from the enemies. But every time they did what was not right before the Lord, God would send his wrath upon them. Yet, every time, they repent, He is a loving Father and always hears them and rescues them.

LTF asked us to imagine that if Israel had obeyed God, they would not only have rest from enemies around them but they would also have rest from potential enemies within because they would have obeyed God and loved one another too! Also, he referred us to 2 Chronicles 6:41, 42, Psalms 132: 8,9 and showed us that Canaan was also God’s resting place, His dwelling place – He dwelt amongst His people. Imagine, if they had obeyed God they would have:

- Rest from the enemies around them
- Rest from enemies within them; and
- Rest from physical and mental labour at least once a week just as God did after 6 days of creation.

That would be a foretaste of heaven. That is the Sabbath-rest mentioned in Hebrews 4:1-13. Today, we can have Sabbath-rest and a foretaste of heaven when we seek after him with all our body, mind and soul. And we can do it today by just accepting the gift that God has given to us through Jesus’ sacrifice for us so that we can be “one” with God, so that we can be in right being (not right doing) and everything is alright between God and us.

Interestingly, Henry observed that what I am experiencing now is Sabbath-rest in the Lord! Some people say to me that they are amazed at my positive attitude, my sheer will power, my discipline. I say it is none of that, it is just a love relationship with God. It doesn’t take discipline or positive thinking to love God- just a humble heart in awe of a mighty God who is in control of everything. He makes it so easy for me. He gives me rest from the attack of the devil, the attack of the disease, rest within my mind when I gaze into His face and surprisingly physical and mental rest from labor too because I am not working currently (smug in my face). It’s like I am in heaven (err.. until the boys fight). And as my mind is renewed, my spirit within me also gives life to my mortal body. It’s amazing how it all works together.

Thank you Jesus for your atonement, your sacrifice. Thank you Jesus for appeasing Father God and taking upon Yourself all of God’s wrath and I praise you that You show that You are God when You were raised from the dead! Thank you Father God for being You, for showing You are a holy God and demonstrating that only You can forgive our sins and nothing we can do ourselves can make us right with you EXCEPT to just believe all that Jesus did! Thank you Holy Spirit for guiding me daily to renew my mind. All glory and honour to God!