Israel as a nation did not enter into God’s rest (in Hebrew related to the word “Sabbath”). Never mind the Talmudic perversion, the Law of Moses itself could not grant that divine rest; it could only point out that such peace existed. Under Moses, peace with God was a matter of feudal submission to Him. Now that same submission and peace are found in Christ. This is what Moses and David both foresaw.
The writer pleads with them not to come up short of that peace. The nation in the wilderness did not listen to the good news of peace, did not yield to God’s sovereignty. It’s all connected to the Sabbath of Creation, but the nation of Israel rejected it. A whole generation died in the wilderness without seeing it. But that rest didn’t simply cease to exist; the door was still open. While Joshua brought them into the Land, they still didn’t find that rest, still would not fully obey. This is why David, several centuries later, was still calling prophetically for the nation to submit to God, quoting that passage where God swore that generation would die in the wilderness.
Don’t go back out into the wilderness, says the writer. Again, that Sabbath rest was not in the Law, but was indicated by it. When you enter the Christ’s rest, you are no longer under that Law, but under Him. You are joining God who rested after His works of Creation. Returning to the Law means you didn’t find the Sabbath rest of faith. The constraints of the Law were for those who had no faith.
The Word of God — Christ, the Living Word — is sharper than a sword. Like a butcher knife it can cut cleanly between bone and flesh. Just so, the Word can discern the commitments of your heart; He knows your most intimate secrets, the ones you keep from yourself. No High Priest in Jerusalem can minister to you like Jesus. Our Savior came down from Heaven, yet walked in our flesh, fully knowing everything we face.
Cling to the message of Christ and come boldly into the Father’s Presence. Everything we need to face the troubles of this life He will supply.
