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Little Books #18

#18

THE WORD OF GOD

Scripture: Modified King James Version

The ‘Rest’ of God

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Jesus said, Matthew 11:28-30

28 "Come to Me all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you ‘rest’. 29 Take My yoke upon you [share with Me] and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find ‘rest’ for your souls, 30 for My yoke is easy, and My burden is light".

He also said another time, sadly, John 5:40

"You will not come to Me, that you might have life".

THE WORD OF GOD

Hebrews 3, 4, & 5 etc.

Look to Jesus Hebrews 3:1-4

1 Because of this, holy brothers and sisters, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, 2 who was faithful to Him that appointed Him, as also Moses was faithful in all His house. 3 For [or but] this Man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, just as he who has built the house has more honour than the house, 4 for every house is built by some man; but He that built all things is God.

Jesus is the Son in the ‘house’ Hebrews 3:5-6

5 And Moses verily was faithful in all His house [or church], as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken [about ] after[wards], 6 but Christ as a Son over His own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

There is a time for everything Hebrews 3:7-11

7 For this reason (as the Holy Ghost says, "Today if you will hear His voice, 8 harden not your hearts, as [they did] in the provocation [the rebellion], in the day of temptation in the wilderness, 9 when your fathers tempted [tested] Me, proved Me, and saw My works forty years [and still rejected Me]".

10 "Because of this [hardening of their hearts] I was grieved with that generation, and said, ‘They do always err in their heart; and they have not known My ways. 11 So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter into My [Sabbath] ‘rest’

This ‘time’ comes to every group Hebrews 3:12-15

12 Take heed [therefore], brothers and sisters, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it [also] is called ‘Today’; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said, "Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation".

Some rejected the call Hebrews 3:16-19

16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke [or rebel]. However, not all that came out of Egypt by Moses, 17 but with whom was He grieved [during that] forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

18 And to whom swore He that they should not enter into His ‘rest’, but to them that believed not?

19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief [which is rejection].

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A Message from History

The meaning of this ‘rest’ Ezekiel 20:10-11

10 For this reason I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. 11 And [there] I gave them My statutes [principles] and showed them My judgments [daily advice], which if a man [or woman] do, he [or she] shall even live in them [for obedience supplies protection].

The Sabbath is a sign Ezekiel 20:12-13

12 Moreover also I gave them My Sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctifies them.

13 But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They walked not in My statutes, and they despised My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. And My Sabbaths they greatly polluted. Then I said, "I would pour out My fury upon them in the wilderness to consume them".

But He couldn’t do it! Ezekiel 20:14

14 But I wrought [or changed that] for My name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.

They died as a result of their own actions Ezekiel 20:15-17

15 Yet also I lifted up My hand [making a solemn oath] to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands, 16 because they despised My judgments, and walked not in My statutes, but polluted My Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

17 Nevertheless My eye spared them from destroying them [personally], neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

God tried another group Ezekiel 20:18-20

18 But I said to their children in the wilderness, "Walk you not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols. 19 I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes, and keep My judgments, and do them. 20 And hallow My Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God".

Like father, like son Ezekiel 20:21-24

21a Notwithstanding [My advice] the children [who later went into Canaan] rebelled against Me [also]: they walked not in My statutes, neither kept My judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; [and] they polluted My Sabbaths.

21b Then I said I would pour out My fury upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness. 22 Nevertheless [again] I withdrew My hand, and wrought for My name's sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.

23 [But] I lifted up My hand to them also in the wilderness, [and stated] that I would [have to] scatter them among the heathen [after they were in the Promised Land], and disperse them through the countries, 24 because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, and had polluted My Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.

His ignored advice became lethal Ezekiel 20:25-26

25 For this reason I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live [My statutes were now of no use to them].

26 And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that opens the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the LORD.

They went after ‘other gods’ Ezekiel 20:27-28

27 Therefore, son of man [Ezekiel], speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD, "Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed Me, in that they have committed a trespass against Me".

28 For when I had brought them into the land [of Canaan], for which I lifted up My hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees [nice places for their kind of worship], and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering. There also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings.

Another lost generation Ezekiel 20:29-31

29 Then I said to them, "What is the high place where you go? And the name of it is called Bamah [High Place - a place of Pride] to this day". 30 Because of this say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD; "Are you polluted after the manner of your fathers? And commit you whoredom after their abominations? 31 For when you offer your gifts, when you make your sons to pass through the fire, you pollute yourselves with all your idols, even to this day. And shall I be inquired of [or worshipped] by you, O house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you [because you will not listen]".

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The cry of Jesus Matthew 23:37-39

37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets, and stone them that I have sent to you, how often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not [let Me]. 38 Behold, your house is left to you desolate! 39 For I say to you, "You shall not see Me from here on, till you shall say, ‘Blessed is He that comes in the name of the LORD’".

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

A Message to Christians

Let us learn from their choices Hebrews 4:1

1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His ‘rest’, any of you should seem to come short of it.

The gospel is for all Hebrews 4:2-3

2 For to us [the New Testament people] was the gospel preached, as well as to them [the Old Testament people]. But the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

3 For we which have believed do enter into ‘rest’, as He said, "As I have sworn in My wrath, if they shall enter into My ‘rest’", although [or because] the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

It is based on the seventh day Hebrews 4:4

4 For He spoke in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, "And God did rest the seventh day from all His works".

A plea Hebrews 4:5

5 And in this place again, "If they shall [or would only] enter into My ‘rest’ [but it's their choice]".

The call was repeated in David’s time Hebrews 4:6-7

6 Seeing therefore it remains that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief, 7 again, He limits a certain ‘day’, saying in David [or through the Psalms], "Today, after so long a time!" As it is said, "Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts".

It was not accepted Joshua’s time Hebrews 4:8

8 For if Jesus [the Joshua of the book of Judges] had given them ‘rest’, then He [the Spirit] would not afterward have spoken of another day [of opportunity in David’s time].

Will you accept it? Hebrews 4:9

9 There remains therefore a ‘rest’ [margin, the keeping of a Sabbath] to the people of God [today - i.e. in Paul’s time, 1,000 years after David, and about 30 years after the crucifixion].

The meaning of ‘rest’ Hebrews 4:10

10 For he that is entered into His ‘rest’, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from His.

It is not an easy thing to do! Hebrews 4:11-13

11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that ‘rest’, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief [as the people of the Old Testament]. 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest [or clearly understood] in His sight: but all things are naked and opened to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

Our High Priest knows how Hebrews 4:14-15

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession [and look to Him].

15 For we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities [or problems]; but [He] was in all points tempted like as we are, yet [remained] without sin.

How did He do it? Hebrews 5:7-10

7 … in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears to Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared, 8 though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered [experienced]. 9 And being made perfect [in the flesh], He became the Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey Him; 10 called of God a High Priest after the order of Melchisedec.

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Let us join Him Hebrews 4:16

16 Let us therefore come boldly to the ‘Throne of Grace’, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace [power] to help in time of need [especially to keep God’s Sabbath correctly as a sign of sanctification].

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Jesus was called of God Hebrews 5:1-5

1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained [trained] for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 Who [also] can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with [the same] infirmity [or nature as his fellow Christians]. 3 And by reason of this he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

4 And no man takes this honour to himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5 So also Christ glorified not Himself to be made a High Priest;
but He that said to Him, "You are My Son, today have I begotten You".

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Isaiah 66:22-23

"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before Me, says the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that, from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, says the LORD".

"Remember the Sabbath day,

to keep it holy".

Exodus 20:8

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