The Promise of Rest

A series on the book of Hebrews:
Christ is greater than Moses and leads to a better rest
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Hebrews 3:1-4:13 

[When you first start to follow Christ, often it’s done with great excitement. It’s like falling in love when all you can think about is the other person, and you want to tell everyone you know. But then life settles in and can push out those feelings. The day-to-day pressures of living can dull your enthusiasm. In this series, we will look at how the author of Hebrews tried to counteract falling out of love with Jesus.]

  

In 2022, my wife and I went to Disney World with our daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren – seven of us total. Because it was during Disney’s Halloween celebration, we dressed up as the “Seven Dwarfs”. I was “Sleepy”.

 

Someone in our family observed that each of the Seven Dwarf characters fit the person portraying them. Even though I’ve been known to fall asleep almost anywhere, I have no idea what they’re talking about.

 

Throughout Scripture, God has promised rest to his people. Moses led Israel out of slavery to the border of Canaan, the Promised Land of rest. But they were afraid to take possession because of the people already living there. They didn’t believe that the Lord could defeat them, so they rebelled.

 

As a result, they never entered God’s rest of the Promised Land.

 

¹⁸ And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? ¹⁹ So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.     NIV

 

Just like the Israelites who didn’t enter God’s rest, the Jewish Christians that Hebrews was written to, were about to do the same thing. All they could see were the struggles they had to face and the problems that seemed insurmountable.

 

Therefore, the author reminded them that the Lord still offered his rest to those who have faith and believe. So, he called on them to do everything that they could to enter God’s rest. Then he admonished them to be careful and to help one another.

 

¹² See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.       NIV

 

Finally, he reminded them who God was; that God knew what was in their heart; that it was impossible for them to hide their thoughts or struggles. The same is true for us today.

 

¹² For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.             NLT

 

We face the same pressures, temptations and decision today as the Jewish Christians did back then. Will we decide to enter into his rest? Will we keep our eyes on the prize? Will we finish well? Here is Jesus’ promise of rest for us.

 

²⁸ Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.              ESV    Matthew 11

 

Copyright 2025 Joseph B Williams

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