Psalm 132: 13-17: For the LORD has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling, saying: “This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread. Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy. There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.
One of the central messages of the book of Hebrews is its presentation of our Lord Jesus as the author of eternal salvation to those who obey Him (Hebrews 5: 9). Those who obey Him are also those that have reposed their faith in Him. God the heavenly Father, in order to bring many sons to glory, saw it fitting to make our Lord Jesus, the author of eternal salvation, perfect through suffering.
In His suffering, He took on the form of man, He was made lower than the angels, He who knew no sin became sin and was made to taste death for everyone (Hebrews 2: 9-10). For without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin, so the suffering of the Captain of our eternal salvation was necessary so that with man’s sin being abolished by the shed blood of Christ, God is able to raise many sons (those who obey and believe) unto glory.
When our Lord Jesus was raised from the dead by God’s awesome resurrection power (Ephesians 1: 19), He ascended into heaven and sat at the right hand of God. To be seated means rest after an accomplished work. Book of Ephesians in chapter 2 verse 6 made us know that God has raised us up together with Christ and made us to sit together with Him in heavenly places. That Christ is seated at God’s right hand shows that God was pleased with His sacrifice. The redemption plan for man and its execution was perfect and complete, hence the author of our salvation can be seated. Just like God the Father rested on the seventh day after His works of creation, so also our Lord Jesus rested after His work of salvation. To be seated is to be at rest, and if man for whom Christ came and died have been made to sit together with Him in heavenly places, it means that the salvation of Christ is to bring ultimate rest for our souls.
The central theme of God’s salvation therefore is rest for our souls, and this has a purpose. The word of God in the book of Hebrews reveals that there remains a rest for the people of God (Hebrews 4: 9). The people that were once called, that is the children of Israel under Moses, could not enter into this rest because of unbelief. And why unbelief, because they were not prepared to obey. As we read earlier, Jesus Christ is the author of eternal salvation to those who obey Him. So obedience is fundamental to our faith and faith is vital to our salvation, which is rest for our souls.
Rest depicts a state of authority, a state of dominion, a state of restoration, a state of sufficiency, a state of completion, a state of glory. We saw a shadow of this state of rest with the people of God in the wilderness, that is the nation of Israel. They had the pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day (Nehemiah 9: 12); Manna came down from heaven for them for food (Deuteronomy 8: 16); water came out of the rock for their thirst (Deuteronomy 8: 15); their clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet for forty years (Deuteronomy 29: 5). Also, the Lord God subdued all their enemies round about and made their fear and their dread (God’s fear and dread) fall on their enemies. God permitted no one to do them wrong saying: ” touch not my annointed and do my prophets no harm” (Psalm105: 15). Their was none also feeble amongst them in their forty years in the wilderness. The people of God were in a state of rest, days of heaven on earth as it were, but they could not enter into that rest even though it was provided for because of unbelief.
The purpose of God’s salvation, which is, rest for our souls, is that our eyes might be set on Him and that we might give Him true worship. This was the reason why God liberated them from Egypt in the first place (Exodus 10: 3). The purpose of Christ’s salvation is no different. It is for the reason that our souls should be at rest that we might worship God in spirit and in truth so that God might be made known to the nations by the church, His peculiar people. God has chosen Zion, the church, as His place of rest. He wants to dwell amongst His peculiar people (Psalm 132: 13-17). Apostle Peter in the epistle 1Peter 1: 9 declares: “Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls”. It is our responsibility to obtain, enter and retain this state of rest for our souls through obedience and faith in Christ.
Rest does not mean absence of trials and temptation but that in the face of such trials and temptation rest for our souls is assured because we are steadfast and immovable in the face of the shifting circumstances. Joseph obtained rest for his soul at the end of his trial, he was elevated into a position of authority and power. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego obtained rest in the face of the burning furnace. They knew that the God they professed was sufficient for them. The trial they faced was real, but they remained steadfast, immovable. This people and many more like them in the Bible found rest for their souls by reason of their obedience and faith in God.
If we are not at rest in the face of trials, then our trust in the God of our salvation is not complete. Our salvation, our redemption in Christ, is complete, assured and secured by the blood covenant. Since the Captain of our eternal salvation is at rest, we in Him should also have rest for our souls. Just as God laughs at His enemies and had them in derision, we too should scoff at every trial the enemy might throw at us. Our obedience and our faith in Christ is vital to our salvation, which is rest for our souls.
In this new year and the years ahead, it should be our goal to enter into this state of rest that we might show forth the praises of God, who in Christ has called us into glory and virtue. The word of God is fundamental in all this for in it, we find instructions for our obedience and by it, faith comes.
