Our Rest Is Blessed

*Our Rest Is Blessed

Ge 2:1 ¶ Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested (shabbat) on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested (shabbat ) from all his work which God created and made.

*I. After Creation God Rested and then “Blessed and Sanctified” His Rest

A. God blessed His Day of Rest

1. The Work was DONE

B. God sanctified His Day of Rest

1. Set apart this “‘rest” as something He had DONE

2. When something is sanctified it is “set apart” as for God

Sanctified means this is a “God thing”

*II. God Commanded His People to Honor the Sabbath (day of rest)

Ex 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

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:

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.

07673. tbv shabath, shaw-bath'

Search for 07673 in KJV

a primitive root; to repose, i.e. desist from exertion; used in many implied relations (causative, figurative or specific):--(cause to, let, make to) cease celebrate, cause (make) to fail, keep (sabbath), suffer to be lacking, leave, put away (down), (make to) rest, rid, still, take away.

*A. Breaking the Sabbath was a serious offense

Nu 15:32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.

33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.

34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.

35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.

* “There is no mercy under the law”

* “The purpose of the Law is to bring every man to a knowledge of our sin and our spiritual separation from God”

* “The Law does not bring us Life but death”

* The Law is “one’s attempted work” for righteousness

Rom 10:3 For they (Israel) being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

* III. As with all Types and Shadows of the O.T. this “Rest” points us to Our Rest in Christ

Heb 4:1 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.

*A. Let us “fear” vs1

B. There is a “promise" of us “entering into His rest"

C. Don’t come “short of this promise"*

*IV. Warnings and Exhortation Concerning this “Rest” in the N.T.

*Heb 4:1 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. Vs1

A. Let us “fear” vs1

B. There is a “promise" of us “entering into His rest"

C. Don’t come “short of this promise"

*V. This “Rest” is the GOSPEL Vs2

2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

A. This is the GOSPEL and it is found in “His rest" v2

B. God’s Word must “be mixed with faith” if we are to receive this “rest”

*VI. This Gospel is a “Finished Work” of Redemption, Reconciliation, and Righteousness

* 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 the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

A. Those of us who “have believed” have entered into His REST

B. The Work is Finished!

* Joh 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

Joh 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.