To Enter into God’s Rest
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What does it mean to enter into God’s rest, and where do we find this rest?
This is something that the faithful of the children of Israel sought earnestly for. However, and unfortunately, some of them never found God’s blessed rest.
Psa 95:7-11 states, “For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.”
Hebrews 3:11 states, “So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.” (Psa 37:7. 3 Godhead, 7 Gods eternal rest Gen 2:2, 1John 2:2, of Christ {in Israel of Gen 46:22, John 17:22}, in the 7 churches of the faithful.)
Hebrews 4:1-20 states, “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. 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. 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. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.”
This rest that remains for us, comes in none other then Jesus Christ himself. Jesus stated a very profound truth about himself that is very clue and key to his rest.
Matt 11:28-29 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
((Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest)) ((Ye shall not enter my rest))
The meaning of these two statements had eluded for me some time, and many others have felt the same feeling. Some however, have been content just to take a surface view of these two scriptures, and thereby, make no effort to look into them a little deeper, to try and find a richer, more fulfilling meaning.
I know Christ is my rest in God, but I only had a surface view in him as does others. If God has six steps or days to complete his work and then rest, there must somewhere, or somehow, be six steps or days if you would; to the seventh step and day, which is our rest in Christ. I thank God the Father through Christ for his revelation power through the Holy Spirit. Most of the time when the Lord reveals something unto me, it is all of a sudden and in a short period of time (Some time is a moment, or minutes), without any thought or concentration and of a prayer or knowledge of that revelation whatsoever. If God told the children of Israel in the old covenant, ye shall not enter my rest, what did he mean?
I know that mankind can find rest in Christ, but if God sticks to his plan in regards to order and operation, how do we take six steps to Christ and enter into his rest on the seventh as The Lord God did in Gen 2:2? One thing we must understand and that is GODS REST is ETERNAL, as GOD is ETERNAL!
For God’s plan teaches, 6 days God took to create the heavens and the earth and rested on the 7th. Six days a man works, and on the 7th he rests, 6 years to work your field and on the 7th year rest the lands. There must be an eternal order to observe here, that is hidden from natural mankind’s view. This order must also consist of 6 steps and the 7th being rest in Christ. It is not that God needed a rest, because his plan and work were completed by his word from the foundation of the creation.
In all God’s work there seems to be a lesson for mankind to learn. After the Holy Spirit has revealed this lesson, the end of the objective seems to be clear, which is none other than the completed work of Christ and rest in and by Him.
If God is a God of order, then his order could and should be recognized through the leading and teaching of his Holy Spirit (John 16:7-15), and declaring that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Through the old testament there are many shadows and copies of God’s eternal work. One prime example was the tabernacle of the old covenant. Heb 8:5 reads, “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.” There were many such shadows in the old testament. To name a few, Adam, Moses and Joseph. God’s intent, I believe, was to show unto the redeemed these steps that were mere shadows to us, to point to the way that leads to rest in Christ.
Before I go into these seven steps to rest in Christ, we would like to point out the seven steps to the fallen man first, which gives him total restlessness.
Adam had eternal life within reach (Gen 2:9), but chose to transgress Gods oral word of command (Gen 3:6,10). We must remember that Adam was formed from the dust of the ground, thereby revealing the weakness of the flesh by this spirit 2Cor 4:4, 1Tim 5:15. After the resurrection of Christ, Adam was given a new eternal lease on life (Luke 3:38, Matt 27:52, Gal 4:23,28,29, 1Pet 1:9-13).
(Fallen man’s seven step process of transgression. Which also occurred in 7 periods of time, day of Noah, day of Abraham, day of Moses, day of the Judges, day of David and Solomon’s kingdoms, day of the prophets, days of the New testament until the end of the world.)
1. This Adam and Eve transgression still persists in mankind’s heart today.
2. Noah opposite: Mankind in the Noah day step, stands totally in a state of doomed judgment, with the threat of total destruction looming over him, as was the inhabitants of the earth were, in the time of Noah. However, wherever mankind fails, God all the more succeeds, because there was a righteous witness there (2Pet 2:5) to show mankind the way of safety and salvation. Just as Noah’s message was rejected by the men of the earth at his time, the only thing left for them who had rejected God’s plan to the very end of their existing world, was total rejection of them by God and final destruction by God. Only Noah and his family were spared because of the grace that Noah had found in God’s love. So it is, with man at the coming of Christ. His fate will be sealed by God if he rejects the grace given by God through faith in Christ and Christ’s plan of safety and salvation. Just those that belong to the family of God through Christ will be spared. There will be sudden and total destruction left for them whose faith is not in the message and plan of salvation, of righteousness in Christ Jesus. So just as in the time of Noah, there looms over mankind the threat of total and sudden destruction, as he walks this earth not recognizing God’s love, grace, and redeeming power.
3. Abraham’s Opposite: Because of mankind’s lack of faith and trust in God, it has caused mankind to fall to low measures of inspirational insight and untruth. Scripture declares, without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith is believing without proof. The bible declares that faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. To come to the knowledge of any truth of God, it must be required by faith. We must trust God like a child trusts his father and puts his faith in his earthly father.
When I was a child, I thought that my father could scale mountains, swim faster than anyone else, fight better than anyone else, had all the money that I thought I’d ever need, was smarter than anyone else, stronger than anyone else and so on. In my mind I was convinced that my father was some kind of superman and no one could convince me any different. I had total trust and faith in him, without any proof that he was capable of any of the fore mentioned talents. This is the childlike faith that Jesus testified of, that we should possess. Jesus said in Matt 19:14; “But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus was not stating that the kingdom of heaven was full of nothing but little children, but that it must consist of the faith of a child.
So, what is the opposite of the Abraham day step you may ask. The Abraham opposite step consists of faith in the arm of man (Jer 17:5), and not faith in God almighty.
Men put their trust and faith in everything but God. We are quick to trust the efforts of mankind and his ways and devices, while all the time second guessing God, his truth and judgments. We pray and ask God to help us in certain areas of our life, and no sooner after praying get up and start about to correct the problem we are praying about by human means and wisdom. We are so quick to get up off our knees and never give God a chance to answer us, and or waiting for him to answer us later, or give us his direction. The bible says, acknowledge the Lord in all your ways and he will direct your path. I might add to that verse, that after acknowledging God, wait upon him for his direction. We pray and constantly flap our gums to the Lord about everything, but never sit long enough and quiet enough for him to talk to us. We trust in our money, cars, guns, leaders, home, books, our own efforts to save and change the people and world, but forget all about God. If mankind would just once put aside their own self and trust God in prayer and fasting, God would change things. We go about and act like we are going to live forever, even Christians, and forget that tomorrow is not promised. Jesus spoke about a certain rich man who built bigger barns to hold his wealth, but God demanded his life that night, and ask now who shall obtain all the wealth he stored up. We forget to live day by day in faith, but instead trust in our own efforts. We could go on and on about mankind’s lack of trust and faith in God, but I think that the point has been made, and that we trust more in mankind than God. Cursed is he that trusteth in the arm of flesh.
4. Moses Opposite: Moses was the law giver and taught the children of Israel how to walk according to the commandments that God had given him to give to the children of Israel. Mankind in his thoughts and heart has gone totally contrary and completely opposite to Gods holy laws and commandments. Instead of having no other God’s before God, mankind has sought out every foreign and false god, that he can find to worship and put before and ahead of the Almighty. Mankind worships gods of money, gods of material, gods of demons, gods of foreign nations, gods that cannot see, talk, or hear, or that cannot hear prayers or answer a prayer. Mankind has taken unto himself all kinds of images and idols to worship, in the forms of pictures of dead singers, living singers and actors, sports players, philosophers, kings, and has called them his hero or prince. Mankind has worshiped and treated as gods, his home, car, money, land, job, hobby, sports, fishing and the list goes on, by placing these things first and ahead of the God of Israel, who created all things (Col 1:16, Rev 4:11). Mankind has bowed down to them and worshiped these things, such as when a person goes to a rock concert and falls on their knees in tears, because they have touched the hand of a rock singer. By acts like these, they have provoked God to jealousy. Mankind has constantly used God’s name in vain. Every time you invoke the name of God for no good reason or righteous purpose that does not fit GODS plan, you vainly use his name. Mankind constantly profanes the Sabbath. Mankind never honors his father or mother, constantly kills by either physically, or by hating his neighbor in their heart. Mankind is constantly committing all kinds of fornications and adulteries, either the physical act, or with his eyes and spiritually in the heart against God. mankind robs and steals even if he does not need, just for the sake of stealing. Mankind is constantly lying or baring false witness against his neighbors. Mankind is forever coveting something that does not belong to him. Mankind’s state is in the total opposition to the commands of God. Mankind has and is breaking every eternal law of Gods Love, Mercy, Grace and compassion.
5. Judges Opposite: The judges were leaders raised up in Israel, for urgent appeals to God in times of crisis, whom through God threw off foreign oppressors and restored the land to peace. These men were men like Samson and Gideon, whom overcame the oppressor to restore the land of Israel back to them. Mankind of today, do not care to recover the territory that Satan has taken from them, instead, they are content with their condition, and even in many cases, approve of the life of sin that keeps them bound. Mankind goes about intentionally trespassing and breaking God’s holy commandments, never judging within themselves, to even try to see and or understand God’s Holy and eternal truth of John 14:6. Satan has robbed them of health, heart, body, mind and soul, and still, because of the darkness over their minds and heart they continue to be oppressed, depressed, and possessed by Satan. If only we could find in Christ, the knowledge to judge our own condition and recover back from Satan, that which he has taken from us, and restore back through Christ, that which has been robbed from us.
6. Proclamation Through Prophecy Opposite: These first 6 steps of mankind, thereby moving in the opposite direction to God’s truth, only shows mankind’s hopeless, helpless, fallen state and ruin. The prophets of old proclaimed God’s judgements of doom and destruction, or blessing, rest and peace. Mankind today, instead of proclaiming to himself and others, of the consequences of God’s wrath by ignoring his truth (John 14:6), and the present and eternal blessings by heeding God’s truth, mankind has gone about deliberately ignoring God and satisfying his own fleshes worldly desires. Mankind cheats, steals, kills, commits adultery and fornication, lies, deceives, causes wars, destroys nature and the earth, and many, many other sinful acts. Mankind’s desire today seems to be, to make champions and hero’s out of those who can drink the most, eat the most, kill the most, or the one that can do the most physical harm to another, during some of our so called, sports matches. Mankind makes hero’s out of such men as Billy the kid, Hitler, and many others and never once proclaim the wrong, that such as these have done, but exalts them and praises them because of their wicked deeds. We are living in the age where right has become wrong and wrong has become right. When a lawyer goes to court and gets someone off, who is guilty, by some small legal technicality, everyone pats the lawyer on the back because he has won and let the guilty go free (Which is Gods business, for his own reason (Rom 9:21), if the guilty goes free). Once the newspaper gets this story of how the lawyer has gotten off some very important so called, mob or drug boss, who is responsible for the death of many people, the paper proclaims his freedom by announcing his acquittal in the paper, than his friends treat him like a hero and throw a big party. Mankind’s heart has become totally wicked and the truth of God is one of the furthest things from his mind. Instead of proclaiming God’s truth, man constantly proclaims his evil deeds and lies.
7. Rest Opposite, Final Conclusion-Last Step: Jesus said “Come unto me all ye who are heavy laden and I will give you rest”. Mankind was not content to enter into God’s eternal rest (Psa 37:7. 3 Godhead number in Christ Col 2:9, 7 God’s seventh day of eternal Rest number, in the redeemed of the 7 churches of the outer man), that was once full of dead man’s bones. See Gods rest and why it is offered unto the redeemed in Gen 2:2 and 1John 2:2.
(Mat_23:27). AS I was writing this very thought about white washed tombs, I got up to perform my job. I was writing this revelation down on my job where God had given it to me. Yes, I have a little free time to write or read on the job. As I stood up and took a few steps. I stepped on the foot of a fellow employee named Carol, who just that day, was wearing a brand new pair of white tennis shoes to work. After looking at the dirty scruff marks, she replied in a joking, harmless manner, “Look at my nice white shoes now” and I jokingly said to her “The tops are nice and white and we are so careful to keep them that way, but turn them over and look how black and dirty the bottoms are. At that very moment the Holy Spirit showed me the lesson I was to record. Men of the old testament and even now were and are so careful to make things that are visible to others appear clean and white and in order, but this is not so with God. God’s intent is on purifying and cleansing us inside where the inner man of the soul and Spirit reside, to make the heart white as snow. For when the heart is white and right, then that which shows on the outside will be pure and righteous through God’s redeeming work, and not masked, as is the work of mankind. Again God was pointing to the way of righteousness that only comes through Christ and not through man’s failing efforts. Moses writes on the tablets of stone, again, an outward show pointing to the inward work of Christ in the heart.
Israel’s 5th Step (Judges 5th Head, Step 5): So far man has come through four steps in order to find his rest. Still not understanding, what exactly where and through what God has taken mankind through, thereby stepping through the Adam stage of being fallen from grace and the fellowship of God taken away from the thoughts of the mind. Mankind being condemned for their transgression with the threat of total destruction looming over them, as the world was in the days of Noah, but God still preserving a righteous line in Noah and a place of safety in the ark. Mankind walking in the realm of faith, hoping and waiting for God to keep and fulfill his promise of redemption through that same faith, mankind then learns of God’s holy laws and righteous decrees by the hand of Moses, and thus understanding, that mankind has broken these rules that must be rectified, in order for mankind to be rested and in communion and fellowship with his maker. Now he comes to the fifth step in God’s plan to bring him into prefect peace with God. This 5th step brings him to the part of choosing right from wrong, by God’s righteous judgments alone, in the Truth in God John 14:6. These judges of old, were to judge the sins of the other nations that did not know God. God allowed them to carry out his wrath on these sinful nations, by the hand of men such as Gideon and Samson. God used Israel to punish these people for their sins and the way they treated his holy people. These judges were not to judge Israel because Israel was supposed to be God’s holy people, cleansed and judged by God. In 2Chron 19:4 and 7 it reads. And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem and he went out again through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto the Lord of their fathers. And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city. And said to the judges, take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. Wherefore, now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it. For there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of person, not taking of gifts. s
The judges were at a time after Israel had received Gods laws. There is no point in going into detail concerning the judges, because everyone knows what a judge does, he makes rational decisions according to some law.
Before going into the sixth step of the prophets, we think at this time we should say something about the kings of Israel. The period of the kings overlapped the time of the judges and overlapped into the time of the prophets.
First, a judge was not necessarily a king, but a king could be a judge. Secondly, a prophet was not necessarily a king but a king could have prophesied. A prime example was king David, although he was not considered a judge or a prophet, yet he exercised both of these gifts. A judge or a prophet was especially chosen to minister in that office, and an earthly king at that time was not considered in that ministry per say. However, there is a few more matters to touch on in this thought. God’s intention always was to be Israel’s King and although he led them into the other steps and appointed these steps, the step of them having a king other them, was not Gods purpose, although he permitted it. God did not intend to lead them that way. But again, this shows God’s divine wisdom, because he used this mistake of Israel, also to teach a lesson. This, does not mean that God intended for us to make this mistake in the first place. This only shows that he can change things to make them useful for his purpose according to his foreknowledge (1Pet 1:2). We do not think that a kingdom with a mere man on the throne was a step leading to perfect completeness in OT Israel, because a mere man cannot be perfect and complete in anything, especially in God’s plan of redemption for mankind. God did not have to establish himself as king or be anointed as king, because he is King already, the King of the whole universe, with Heaven as his throne and earth as his footstool. Therefore we do not put the earthly man on the throne that was intended for God alone eternally. This manly kingdom was not totally ordered by God, only by his permitted will, not his perfect will. 1Samuel 8:4-7 says, “Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, and said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.” Mankind that has been darkened by sin, will always reject God. God’s plan was not to reject him as king in his plane, but to establish himself as king eternally, in our hearts and minds, and to lead us to the way of righteousness, peace and fellowship with God himself. Therefore, the earthly man as king does not fit the natural order of mankind’s development by God. God’s plan showed man his fall from the garden, his hopeless state in the times of Noah, to point to the way of faith in Abraham’s time, to show the way of the law to fulfill his righteousness in Moses’s time, to learn to judge what is right and wrong in the time of the judges. (The true King and God of Israel is seen in Rev 19:13,16 and 1Tim 3:16.
Israel’s 6th Step (Prophets 6th Head Step): The time of the prophets was a time after mankind has realized his condition and what God’s plan was for his recovery. Now he must proclaim God’s plan for his learning of God’s precepts and Gods mercy. This proclamation is the time of the prophets, who were holy men of God, moved by the Spirit of God, to proclaim what they have learned and what has been revealed to them by God concerning mankind, to point the way to the true rest (Psa 37:7. Matt 11:28.) and peace (Isa 9:6),that only can come from God alone. The prophets told of the holy judgments, God’s righteousness, man’s awful condition, the state of the creation, judgments on the powers of darkness, judgments on earthly kingdoms, personal judgments, national judgments, the way to salvation, the way to peace, the way to eternal life and the way to fellowship with God. We think we could go on and on about these prophetic messages, but if we can see the final outcome and purpose for these steps, then we have learned a valuable lesson. The very focal point, the very center, the very end, the very purpose, the very object of all God’s plan was to reveal to fallen man one thing, and we could sum it up in one word, and that word (Rev 19:13) would be Christ (Messiah). It is also important to touch on this conclusion which is Christ, and after saying that, it will bring us to the final step where we will speak more boldly about God’s intent and final purpose. We also know that man’s number is 6 (for he was crated on the 6th day) which falls just short of complete perfection of Gods rest number 7. Even after man has taken these 6 steps, he is still short of God’s purpose, because he must combine them in his heart and mind to enter into the seventh step of Christ, which becomes mankind’s rest in God. By using the third step which was faith in God and his plan through Christ, we can enter the final step of rest.
The unbelieving portion of the Jews at the time of Jesus, never left the 6th step, because they never applied the 3rd step of faith, that takes you into the 7th of Rest. Jesus told them that they always hear, but are never hearing, always see, but never seeing, their heart is waxed cold and callused. Darkness was over their eyes, this prevented them from seeing the truth in Christ, and thereby allowing and letting light into their hearts. Therefore, they never entered God’s rest because of their unbelief. We can use the failure of some of the unbelieving Jews as a yardstick to measure ourselves. If God spared not those unbelieving Jews, what will become of us if we do not apply faith to enter Gods rest?
So now we have shown man in the garden, though he was perfect in form yet he was incomplete in Spirit and truth (John 15:26), because, if mankind has been complete in spirit and truth, he would not have disobeyed God, but would have eaten from the tree of life, that was within his reach. We have shown mankind’s fallen state, mankind’s totally helplessly, lost state, because of the heart that is wicked and evil, because of his transgression in the garden, we have stated the way of faith, the way of God’s laws and precepts, that all lead to righteousness, the way of judging our conditions, and the way of prophecies through the proclamation of faith. Yet still short of God’s rest, peace, righteousness, fellowship and eternal life.
Final Rest
Israel’s 7th Step (Christ, 7th Head step, “Rest”): Now we come to the 7th and final step in the progress of mankind’s recovery, by God to bring mankind into his divine rest and peace. Oh! How rich and deep is this final step, which culminates in, all a searching soul has longed and hoped for. What is this final step, Christ himself!
Jesus said, come unto me ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Jesus himself is the rest sought after Matt 11:28, Jesus himself is the prince of our peace of Isa 9:6, Jesus himself is the way, truth and life in john 14:6, Jesus himself is the light of the world John 9:5, Jesus himself is the living word of God John 1:14, Rev 1:14, Rev 19:13, Jesus himself is the bread of life John 6:48, Jesus himself is God in the flesh 1Tim 3:16, born of a virgin Isa 7:14, Jesus himself is God’s precious sacrifice Heb 13:12, Jesus himself is the prince of life Acts 3:15, Jesus himself is the Alpha and Omega of God’s plan Rev 1:8, Jesus himself is the eternal King Rev 19:16. Jesus himself is the great high priest before God making intercession Heb 4:14, Jesus himself is the stream of living water John 4:14, Rev 22:1, Jesus himself is the Lamb upon the throne Rev 3:21, Jesus himself is the life giver through his Holy Spirit John 6:63, Jesus himself can change all things inside mankind and make all things new Rev 21:5, Jesus himself is the head of the body and church in which the Father has appointed him Eph 5:23, Col 1:18, Jesus himself is the blessed redeemer that will stand on a cloud and say “Come up hither” Rev 11:12. Shall we go on? I think not because Jesus has become all in all, and for all, in the plan the Father had from the beginning 1Pet 1:20.
Therefore, to enter the Fathers rest, we must go through the Son, Christ gives us rest from the fear of the final judgment of God, which is the second death. Christ gives us a blessed assurance from God through our faith in him, which was in the OT, alienation from God. Christ is the restoration of fellowship that was lost in the fall of mankind. Christ gives us rest from the hard rigors of the old covenant, with all of its external ordinances and laws that men had to force themselves to preform Col 2:9-17, Heb 8:13, Heb 10:9. Christ gives us a new start and new heart and a fresh look into God’s truth by the Holy Spirit 2Cor 3:3. Christ gives us an inward desire to seek God and his Holy ways John 16:13-15. Christ gives mankind rest from the hard pressing external forced judgment of the old covenant and gives us a desire to judge ourselves inwardly into his righteousness, by the sweet gentle leading and guidance of his divine Holy Spirit Acts 3:14, Heb 4:16. Christ gives us rest from the fear that comes from our enemy, like the fear that struck Elijah when he thought he was the only prophet left alive, but God said to him “I have reserved unto myself seven thousand that have not bowed a knee to Baal” 7 churches of Revelation. Christ gives us witnessing power like that of the Apostles, and named Stephen, Paul and Peter, just to mention a few Acts 1:8.
When mankind can see past his troubles and look into the eyes of the true and faithful servant Christ, and trust him for all, then man can find his rest in God Pro 3:5 Matt 11:28. God was content to lead man down this path of truth John 14:6.
If God holds true to his ways of order, then how else can Christ be the 7th step of God’s rest? We all know that God’s plan involves his order, that was maintained from the creation of the world (Or else, God would in Chaos within himself, as mankind is), but it is up to us to seek out this truth by comparing spiritual truths OT with spiritual truths NT 1Cor 2:13.
To conclude, Gods plan for mankind was finished before the worlds foundation Heb 4:3. It is not as though God needed to rest at any time, but that he could and would lead mankind into Alpha (6 steps of the beginning) to bring mankind unto the Omega (7th step of our rest in Christ on earth), which is the churches rest (Acts 9:31) in and through Christ, in God.
After being led myself through these steps by the Holy Spirit, it is quite clear how these can apply to the individual. We can log these also, as 7 steps to a man’s personal rest in Christ.
To enter into God’s Rest for The Individual.
(Step 1) Most of mankind without Christ, is still in the fallen state without eternal life dwelling in him. Mankind without Christ walks around in darkness, alienated from God the Father and without any fellowship with God. This is the fallen state that the first man Adam experienced after he was banished from the garden.. We as individuals must recognize this first step in our heart when we first hear the word of Truth.
(Step 2) We must recognize the sinful state that we are in, and the threat of the doom that looms over us, just as mankind and the creation was before the flood occurred, but in that we should always remember that God still has a faithful Witness and leader in Christ, to guide us who belong unto Christ’s. Just as Noah was a faithful witness and leader in his time. We should always consider our hopeless and helpless condition.
(Step 3) After the light of Truth has shined in our darkened hearts, then our faith springs up to point us to our sacrifice and Redeemer, Christ Jesus, making us perfect in His Word, that God has started by faith Heb 11:6, within us 1Tim 1:12. (The more you open you hearts window, the greater the light is in the room.)
Jesus as has been, OT Abraham was about to offer Isaac for a sacrifice through faith (bracket because he knew God could raise him from the dead, but Abraham’s intention was tested. God knew that Abraham would have plunged that knife into Isaac’s heart. So Abraham’s test and Gods intervention, proved Abraham’s faith and Gods attribute of Life and that God is of the living not of the death Mark 12:27.) God every restrained Abraham, because this Act of Faith pointed to the true sacrifice, which was God’s son Christ, whom God did rise from the dead, and Abraham took the ram which God had supplied and offered it, as a sacrifice, even this Ram was a symbol of Christ, Gen 15:9.
(Step 4) Let us say for the sake of understanding, that an individual is someplace, maybe church or at a Revival meeting where the word of God is being preached. if we think in this context here, then it will be easier to understand the message we are trying to conveying unto mankind as a whole. So in our minds we can see, stands the individual sinner recognizing his condition so far by what he is hearing, and begins to see in his heart by faith, how he has broken God’s laws and precepts, just as mankind in the garden, and the children of Israel have broken the laws of God before Moses had given them. Moses himself being a foreshadow of Christ in respect unto the Law Rom 10:4, and a lawgiver externally by Moses OT as Christ internally NT. Now this lonely sinner hears the message from some preacher, preaching about God’s word, and realizes that he has broken Gods eternal laws, externally and in his heart internally, as the Holy Spirit continues to draw him, to lead him to God’s finished work in Christ.
(Step 5) So here is the lost sinner sitting in his seat as the preacher preaches on being convicted in his heart, after hearing the truth and receiving the light of the Gospel, by some Holy Spirit driven preacher. Now he comes to the judging moment when he judges his condition, after recognizing it and pondering his condition in his heart and thoughts, he then compares in his heart all his sins against the truth of God’s Holy Word and law, and makes the final decision judging Gods Word to be totally true, right and Final, and himself as a lost person without God Mercy and Grace.
Can you imagine what this poor lonely sinner is feeling as he sits patiently waiting to hear his outcome by this preacher? Before we go on to the sixth step, we would like to make a point again concerning the period of the Kings. As we mentioned before, the period of the dogma of earthly kings, would blend into this period of the judges and Prophets. We believe this period was not part of God’s perfect plan, although he permitted it. We also do not think it would fit here. God is the Eternal King and his plan for the children of Israel was for him to be their King, but we know they rejected God as king, even though he was King of kings. However, their rejection of God as King did not nullify the fact that God was and still is King of the universe and all creation. It is the same with our poor lost sinner, God was King before he was saved, and God will be King while he lives a saved life, and God will remain king forever after the poor soul is redeemed. So there was no need here also to establish an Earthly King at this point with a mere man on a throne, as this poor sinners King. When a person is truly saved and translated into the kingdom of the Son, he recognizes Christ as king Rev 19:16, and does not go about to reject Christ, and or put a mortal on the throne in his heart. Col 1:13 says, God hath delivered us from the powers of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. Christ was King before our lost soul in this story was translated, and Christ will still be king after his passion. Therefore, with all due respect to that period as the Kings, we do not appoint this period as one of the seven steps, because it does not seem to fall in the order of Gods perfect will.
(Step 7) Now come to the prophetic time in our poor Sinners life, as he still sits in his seat meditating on, and receiving in his heart the things he has just been enlightened on, he, after coming to these first five steps, is convinced in his life that he is (1) A fallen soul from grace, the Adam step. (2) he sees that total destruction is over him if he doesn’t enter the Ark of Safety, which is Christ. He realizes that he must accept the master plan and message. This is the Noah period. (3) He finds in his heart a measure of Faith (Rom 12:3), springing up within his inner man, to receive this message of the sacrifice prepared by God. This sacrifice is none other than Christ himself, this is the Abraham step. (4) the Holy Spirit has brought to light his sinful condition and how much he has broken God’s Commandments, pointing to every little detail. His faith is steadily increasing as the burden of his condition becomes more evident to him and lays heavy on his heart, because of the Holy Spirit’s convicting power. This is the Moses step. (5) His burden and guilt feelings become so strong he can’t seem to hold down the Judgment of his condition any longer. He then at this juncture, sees his condition and judges himself totally guilty, and at the same time judges God’s ways of Truth to be true, and holy by Gods Commandments. Seeing that God’s ways are just and full of light and life in Christ, this is the judge’s step. By now his faith and expectation is grown to such a height hearing this message of hope, that his heart is pounding so hard with guilt, he can feel his heart trying to palpitate right out of his chest. He is so changed by this Revelation given him by God’s Holy Spirit, that he cannot restrain or contain himself any longer. (6) He jumped to his feet and opens his mouth and proclaims, the prophecies that have been revealed unto his heart, about the testimony of Jesus Christ (Lam 1:11, Hosea 1:11, Mark 1:1, Mark 1:11, 1Pet 1:11, 2Pet 1:11, Rev 1:11), is the Spirit of prophecy, in those ever refreshing, enlightening, restoring, cleansing, purifying words. Christ Jesus please save me, I am a hopeless helpless lost dinner, I accept you as my Lord and Savior ( through the perfect step of faith number 7 Rest in God.) This is the prophecy Proclamation confession step.
Final rest (Step 7) All of a sudden he feels that burden that was upon his heart lift, and feels the rush of holy cleansing by the blood of this sacrifice he has just learned about. There he stands, tears streaming down his face, head tilted toward Heaven, eyes open looking toward God’s holy mount. He’s standing there feeling the freedom that only comes from God through his son Christ. He feels who the son has set free is free indeed. Tears streaming, rejoicing because he has finally entered the seventh and final step, the rest that only comes through Christ. He is finally at Rest from the thought of being a fallen soul from Grace, at rest from the thought of the Lost Fellowship of the fall, that he has now been restored, rest from the thought of total destruction looming over his life, rest from the thought of not knowing what comes after death, rest from not knowing what the future holds for him, because of the veil that was over his eyes and heart because of the deceitfulness of sin, rest from the struggles that wages within his heart because of his not knowing what is right and what is wrong, rest from his lack of knowledge about God through Christ, rest from his inability to judge the correct way of Truth, for his way was always choosing the ways of destruction that leads to death. Rest from the not knowing the prophetic proclamation that would and could set him free. Jesus said “Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” After he has found his rest in God in these ways and many others, that we have not mentioned, he finally received his perfect completeness in the seventh and final step. Then and only then, can he find his rest and peace in Christ. He has found peace with God and peace in himself, because he has been given the Peace of Christ, that surpasses all understanding.
May we always praise and magnify the mighty name of our Lord. We thank God for this Revelation, and must I confess the feelings I was experiencing during these days at work where I received this message. I felt the changes by the Holy Spirit, and felt his leading and guidance all through this three day period, when he gave me this message. I experienced heartfelt emotions all through the 6 step period of mankind as a whole and during the time through mankind as an individual, but when I hit the 7th step of rest during the individual relating to Christ personal work in mankind’s life, it took all my strength to hold back the tears while I was working on my job, in the presence of my co-workers. God has given me many such Revelations, but this one has taken the long time to complete, and with a lot detail. I thank God the Father, through Christ my Lord for his revealing love, amen.