Bible Study What kind of rest?

[cyberjosh]

I was reading in 1 Chronicles 23:25 where David mentions a rest having been given to the people of Israel, and then following some cross references I began to see a theme of rest in the OT. However this rest, though perfectly fulfilled as promised during the Israelites' lifetime (that will be shown clearly below), was yet somehow different from another kind of rest that the Israelites did not enter into. What is this rest and why was it not fulfilled as apparently the other rest was?

Starting in 1 Chronicles 23:25 it says: "For David said, 'The LORD God of Israel has given rest to His people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem forever';"

In the preceding chapter it also says, "“Is not the LORD your God with you? And has He not given you rest on every side? For He has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the LORD and before His people." (1 Chronicles 22:18)

This apparently goes back to a promise in the Law of Moses in Deutoronomy which reads:

"You shall not at all do as we are doing here today—every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes— 9 for as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which the LORD your God is giving you. 10 But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety, 11 then there will be the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide." (Deuteronomy 12:8-11)

As you will see in the following verses this rest was indeed given to Israel:

-------------------------------

"The LORD gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand." (Joshua 21:44)

"And now the LORD your God has given rest to your brethren, as He promised them; now therefore, return and go to your tents and to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan." (Joshua 22:4)

"Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies all around, that the king said to Nathan the prophet, 'See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains.'" (2 Samuel 7:1-2)

"But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence." (1 Kings 5:4)

"Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses." (1 Kings 8:56)

-------------------------------

So we see clearly that the rest as promised by God was fulfilled to the very last word as given in the Law of Moses in the days of Joshua, David, and Solomon.

Yet somehow many years after those events one of the psalmists wrote:

"For forty years I was grieved with that generation,
And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts,
And they do not know My ways.’
So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’" (Psalm 95:10-11)

Wait a second.... the psalmist here is retelling the story of Israel's disobedience in the wilderness for 40 years before they even entered the land of Israel (before Joshua, David, or Solomon) and yet God here swore that they would not enter into His rest when clearly God gave them the rest that he promised in the Law of Moses. What is going on here?

And clearly as seen in the two passages above from Joshua the Israelites were given rest in the land as promised, and yet at this place in Hebrews we read: "For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day" (Hebrews 4:8). This is saying they were not given rest after all. This is further made clear in Hebrews 3:18-19, "And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief."

So then my question is: if they were not given rest then what kind of rest were they given as stated in Deuteronomy, Joshua, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, and 1 Chronicles? But more importantly, what kind of rest was not given as mentioned in Psalm 95 and Hebrews 3 & 4? If it was not (perhaps answering my first question) the physical rest in the land mentioned in the other OT passages, then what kind of rest was it that God yet had for His people?

 

[Cornelius]

We know that the whole generation who were in unbelief fell in the wilderness and did not enter the "rest". We know that their fruit (children) entered.

We too have a land to enter. Their land was called the Promise Land and ours is called the Land of the Promises whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, 2Pe 1:4

We must not be like Israel, we must enter into the Rest of Hebrews. We enter into it by having faith in the promises of God. When God say something is so, we must say it is so too. That is resting.

 

[cyberjosh]

Hello Cornelius,

Thanks for responding. You are correct, and I understand what you are saying, however that does not answer the specific question I am asking here. I'm asking what the distinction between the two kinds of rests are (because Israel did have a type of rest). And peculiarly, as I pointed out, Psalm 95:11 shows God making up his mind that they should not enter His rest before Joshua, Samuel, Kings, or Chronicles actually record that Israel had indeed received some kind of promised rest (perfectly fulfilled). This is indeed partly a question so that I can learn from it by the input of others, but it is also in part a prodding for others to look deeper into "the rest", and why we seem to see two different types of it in Scripture.

God Bless,

~Josh

 

[Cornelius]

So then my question is: if they were not given rest then what kind of rest were they given as stated in Deuteronomy, Joshua, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, and 1 Chronicles? But more importantly, what kind of rest was not given as mentioned in Psalm 95 and Hebrews 3 & 4? If it was not (perhaps answering my first question) the physical rest in the land mentioned in the other OT passages, then what kind of rest was it that God yet had for His people?

We have 1) Those who died in the wilderness through unbelief (they did not enter the rest)
We have 2) The next generation who did enter (the children of those who died) They received the promised rest.

But God is saying that the "rest" that came through Joshua is only a type and shadow. He wants His people to enter into the sabbatismos or "rest" of Hebrews.Heb 4:9 There remainethG620 thereforeG686 a restG4520 to theG3588 peopleG2992 of God.G2316

G4520
σαββατισμός
sabbatismos
sab-bat-is-mos'
From a derivative of G4521; a “sabbatismâ€, that is, (figuratively) the repose of Christianity (as a type of heaven): - rest.

This word is only used once in the Bible and it means to rest from your own works. This is when we stop trying to "save" ourselves in any situation, be it health, supply, protection, overcoming sin, or anything relating to our salvation-walk. We can only enter into our inheritance through grace. That means : all the promises have been "amened" at the cross in Christ. The gift of salvation from the curse has left God's hand already. We have know this and when we believe this is so we "sabbatismos" or rest.

Joshua could not give them this kind of rest. Only Christ can and we enter into it by faith.

 

[Theofilus]

I have not studied this particularly, but my understanding is basically the same as what Cornelius is saying. What God said about the people not entering His rest applied to the generation that left Egypt. Because of the golden calf incident, they did not get to enter the promised land. Out of that entire generation, only Joshua and Caleb eventually crossed the Jordan.

As for what Paul says, many prophecies and promises have more than one fulfillment. For example, Daniel's prophecy about the "abomination of desolation" was fulfilled when Antioch Epiphenes conquered Jerusalem and set up an idol of Zeus in the temple and desecrated the alter by sacrificing unclean animals to Zues. About 140 years later, though, Jesus talks about it as if it's still in the future. About 40 years after Christ warned his disciples to watch for the abomination of desolation, the temple was destroyed, and Daniels prophecy was fulfilled again. Some people believe that there will be a third abomination before Jesus returns.

I believe it is the same way with the promised rest - it has more than one fulfillment. The Israelites recieved physical rest from their slavery when they entered the promised land. But that rest was not complete. They still had to labor to survive, as we all do. It's part of the curse that we have to live by the sweat of our browes. Complete rest - the kind of physical rest Adam had in Eden - will come only when Jesus reigns as king from the New Jerusalem.

Similarly, Christ gave us spiritual rest. We are given rest from our slavery to sin when we come to him. But that rest is still only partial. We have to "fight the good fight" every day. Complete spiritual rest will come when Satan has been bound and Jesus rules the earth.

 

[Cornelius]

I have not studied this particularly, but my understanding is basically the same as what Cornelius is saying. What God said about the people not entering His rest applied to the generation that left Egypt. Because of the golden calf incident, they did not get to enter the promised land. Out of that entire generation, only Joshua and Caleb eventually crossed the Jordan.

As for what Paul says, many prophecies and promises have more than one fulfillment. For example, Daniel's prophecy about the "abomination of desolation" was fulfilled when Antioch Epiphenes conquered Jerusalem and set up an idol of Zeus in the temple and desecrated the alter by sacrificing unclean animals to Zues. About 140 years later, though, Jesus talks about it as if it's still in the future. About 40 years after Christ warned his disciples to watch for the abomination of desolation, the temple was destroyed, and Daniels prophecy was fulfilled again. Some people believe that there will be a third abomination before Jesus returns.

I believe it is the same way with the promised rest - it has more than one fulfillment. The Israelites recieved physical rest from their slavery when they entered the promised land. But that rest was not complete. They still had to labor to survive, as we all do. It's part of the curse that we have to live by the sweat of our browes. Complete rest - the kind of physical rest Adam had in Eden - will come only when Jesus reigns as king from the New Jerusalem.

Similarly, Christ gave us spiritual rest. We are given rest from our slavery to sin when we come to him. But that rest is still only partial. We have to "fight the good fight" every day. Complete spiritual rest will come when Satan has been bound and Jesus rules the earth.

This is a good posts and understanding about how things repeat :Ecc 1:9 That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Jesus demonstrated the "rest" when He went to sleep during the storm. Why could He sleep while the disciples panicked ? Was it just the fact that He was the Son of God , or did He demonstrate a principle when He did this? Why did He reprimand the disciples after He calmed the storm ? Luk 8:25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? Would they have slept too, if they had faith?

 

[Elijah674]

Rest?

The Eternal Covenant Documents it this way, but let use verse 7's third Command because Christ does in Mark 7:7, tell us not to take the Lords Name in Vain, huh? [Quote:]

Exod.20
[7] Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

[8] Remember the sabbath day, to keep [it holy.]
(just peace & rest huh? for 1000 years also? lets just read on..?)

[9] Six days shalt thou labour, and do [all thy]work:
(and work six days is also a command)

[10] But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

(and you teach what?? An Erternal immortal life of heavenly RESTING WELFARE? we even see that you must be teaching that ones cattle in heaven are resting!)

[11] For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

(and you think that you'ins teaching is from God??? And a 1000 year day even, as some falsely teach of doing nothing, is working 6 days?? Come on WAKE UP! Matt. 25)

And in Isaiah 65:21-25 we see what the saved ones will be doing while in heaven's 'country' (Earth recreated) for the [work/week!] & in Isaiah 66:22-23 we do see what the ones who do have Eternal life will be doing on the Lords Set Aside 7th Day Sabbath, + where that will be located.. BEFORE ME! (His Throne!)

--Elijah

 

[cyberjosh]

We have 1) Those who died in the wilderness through unbelief (they did not enter the rest)
We have 2) The next generation who did enter (the children of those who died) They received the promised rest.

But God is saying that the "rest" that came through Joshua is only a type and shadow. He wants His people to enter into the sabbatismos or "rest" of Hebrews.Heb 4:9 There remainethG620 thereforeG686 a restG4520 to theG3588 peopleG2992 of God.G2316

G4520
σαββατισμός
sabbatismos
sab-bat-is-mos'
From a derivative of G4521; a “sabbatismâ€, that is, (figuratively) the repose of Christianity (as a type of heaven): - rest.

This word is only used once in the Bible and it means to rest from your own works. This is when we stop trying to "save" ourselves in any situation, be it health, supply, protection, overcoming sin, or anything relating to our salvation-walk. We can only enter into our inheritance through grace. That means : all the promises have been "amened" at the cross in Christ. The gift of salvation from the curse has left God's hand already. We have know this and when we believe this is so we "sabbatismos" or rest.

Joshua could not give them this kind of rest. Only Christ can and we enter into it by faith.

Thank you Cornelius. That is a good commentary on this, and I think I understand this issue about the same way as you do. And you did make a good point about how the first generation did not receive the physical rest in the land but the next generation did. I somehow overlooked the generational application of the promise, and perhaps Psalm 95:11 is limited in scope to that same generation that was in the wilderness but the next generation did enter into the rest.

God Bless,

~Josh

 

[cyberjosh]

I have not studied this particularly, but my understanding is basically the same as what Cornelius is saying. What God said about the people not entering His rest applied to the generation that left Egypt. Because of the golden calf incident, they did not get to enter the promised land. Out of that entire generation, only Joshua and Caleb eventually crossed the Jordan.

As for what Paul says, many prophecies and promises have more than one fulfillment. For example, Daniel's prophecy about the "abomination of desolation" was fulfilled when Antioch Epiphenes conquered Jerusalem and set up an idol of Zeus in the temple and desecrated the alter by sacrificing unclean animals to Zues. About 140 years later, though, Jesus talks about it as if it's still in the future. About 40 years after Christ warned his disciples to watch for the abomination of desolation, the temple was destroyed, and Daniels prophecy was fulfilled again. Some people believe that there will be a third abomination before Jesus returns.

I believe it is the same way with the promised rest - it has more than one fulfillment. The Israelites recieved physical rest from their slavery when they entered the promised land. But that rest was not complete. They still had to labor to survive, as we all do. It's part of the curse that we have to live by the sweat of our browes. Complete rest - the kind of physical rest Adam had in Eden - will come only when Jesus reigns as king from the New Jerusalem.

Similarly, Christ gave us spiritual rest. We are given rest from our slavery to sin when we come to him. But that rest is still only partial. We have to "fight the good fight" every day. Complete spiritual rest will come when Satan has been bound and Jesus rules the earth.

Hi Theo,

Yes, I think you are correct about the possibility of a multiple fulfillment of this promise/prophecy and that would make good sense of this issue. It seems the first rest was a temporary or external physical rest, while (as you said) the ultimate fulfillment is a "complete rest" which is a spiritual rest. Also, in Hebrews 4:1-11 I was reading a commentary recently that pointed out both a present and future eschatalogical aspect of fulfillment that is present the "enter the rest" invitation, pointing out that the rest can be entered into now in the present, on a certain day called "Today" (vs. 6), however there is also still a future aspect in which we must continue to "make every effort to enter that rest" (vs. 11). This is an example of the common "now, but not yet" theological tension found all throughout the NT, including with the issue of salvation. So I think you are correct that we receive our spiritual rest presently when we come to Christ but that we will eventually receive the complete spiritual rest in the end if we overcome.

God Bless,

~Josh

 

[Jake]

I agree with Theo and Cornelius, and to add, we are in His "rest" right now as Cornelius pointed out, with our faith in Him, He is our Sabbath.

Cyberjosh,
You have brought up an interesting topic in your OP and as I was looking at the original language, the verses you provided do not contain the word "rest", in 1 Chron 23:25, it simply says "dwell". Please double check and not take my word on this. Here is a link to a good website with an interlinear Bible.

1 Chronicles 22:18 Hebrew Texts and Analysis

any thoughts?

 

[Cornelius]

Thank you Cornelius. That is a good commentary on this, and I think I understand this issue about the same way as you do. And you did make a good point about how the first generation did not receive the physical rest in the land but the next generation did. I somehow overlooked the generational application of the promise, and perhaps Psalm 95:11 is limited in scope to that same generation that was in the wilderness but the next generation did enter into the rest.

God Bless,

~Josh

Amen, that "generation" is a type and shadow of Christians who believe IN God, but who do not BELIEVE God.

That is why God allows us to be tested. Just like He tested Jesus in the desert. In a test the following happens

1) We run to the world's ways to save us from any disaster, sickness, need, danger, harm etc. The Bible calls this the "arm of the flesh" that we use to save us.Jer 17:5 Thus saith Jehovah: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from Jehovah.

then we have

2) Those who believe the promises of God regarding healing, protection, supply, overcoming sin, salvation from the curse, authority of the devil and demons. Those can enter into the "rest". They seize from their own human efforts, they do not have "insurance" because they have "assurance" They BELIEVE God.They get to enter.

We have to decide in which groups we want to be. Then we have to ask the Lord to show us how to get there.

 

[Nathan]

Josh,

I think what you have just laid out is the 'manifold' truth that is behind God's Sabbath.

What is interesting indeed is that they were given rest....but then....they were not. Huh?

What we do see is that in order to enter into the rest, the rest here on this earth, they actually had to fight. There was action to their rest.

But what is ultimately interesting is that even though some did enter, there still remains yet the Eternal rest for ALL Israel.

From the very first pages of the Bible we are given a plan for humanity. The plan is an eternal redeemer who gives rest to all who will trust and obey.

I could break out in a song here, lol, but I wont. There is a "3" fold theme inside of the meaning of the Sabbath. The spoken word, the earthly observance, and the eternal glory.

They all are interlinked, there is no separation of them except what we can see. But when approached from a spiritual view, we can see it.

Here is what I believe, we must approach them with the understanding that they are ALL apart of the eternal plan of God. Each and every part. To take one and try to understand the fullness is impossible. This is a good study Josh. Because, after all, this is the very first prophetical statement we receive from God Himself, which has not yet come true in its entirety.

Gen 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

Ahh the riches'.....