God’s Rest

God’s Rest

“For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: ‘So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest.’” Vs. 2-3. We experience all God’s Word when the Word is mixed with faith in us.

“Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Vs. 11-13.

As natural human beings we have to do with many people and many circumstances which we do not understand, thinking they are wrong. As natural human beings we then become restless and have no peace. However, we read that we only have to do with Him before whose eyes all things are naked and open.

We can learn from Israel after they had left Egypt. They came into great tribulations, and so they became restless. They did not understand that they had to do with God; they murmured against the miracles which God was going to perform. They always acted like this. In Numbers 13 and 14 we see the same thing. The spies returned, and they all agreed that the land was beautiful and fruitful, but then they spoke about the great giants. Compared to them they felt like grasshoppers, and so they began to speak ill of the land. They forgot God, but Joshua and Caleb had to do with God alone. If God was pleased with them, they would eat the giants like a piece of bread. Only these two from among all those who were over 20 years old when they left Egypt entered the land.

In Romans 5:1-5 we read that Paul rejoiced not only in the glory of God. He did that too, but not only that. He also gloried in his tribulations, “knowing that tribulation works patience,” etc. He had to do only with God.

The Word of God is powerful and divides between soul and spirit. If the soul—my senses—leads me, I will never enter into God’s rest. But if we melt together with the Word through faith and do not consider anything else, but rest in God’s Word and let the Word judge the thoughts and intents of the heart, then we are free from all suspicion and are at rest in all circumstances.