Bootstrap
Don Fortner

“There Remaineth a Rest”

Don Fortner July, 26 2010 6 min read
1,412 Articles 3,154 Sermons 82 Books
0 Comments
July, 26 2010
Don Fortner
Don Fortner 6 min read
1,412 articles 3,154 sermons 82 books

In "There Remaineth a Rest," Don Fortner discusses the theological doctrine of spiritual rest as it pertains to the believer's experience in Christ. Fortner argues that the Old Testament types of rest, represented by the Sabbath and the land of Canaan, point to a greater fulfillment found in Jesus Christ, the true Joshua who leads His people into a lasting spiritual rest. He references Hebrews 4:5-10 to underline that while the Israelites failed to enter God’s rest due to unbelief, Jesus provides rest for those who believe, thereby realizing the covenant promise that some must enter into this rest. The significance of this doctrine lies in its assurance of salvation for the elect, emphasizing faith as the means of entering into a perfect rest—a rest already begun in the life of believers and culminating in eternal glory.

Key Quotes

“The type must be fulfilled. The Lord Jesus Christ our great Joshua must and shall bring God's Israel into the blessed rest of eternal salvation every one of them.”

“Today is our day, the day of grace and salvation. This seventh verse specifically speaks of this gospel day.”

“Christ is our Sabbath. We rest in him by faith and by faith alone.”

“He that is entered into his rest he also hath ceased from his own works as God did from his.”

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: it was...: Or, the Gospel was first preached Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day 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. Jesus...: That is, Iosuah There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. rest...: Or, keeping of a Sabbath For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. - Hebrews 4:5-10
“There remaineth a rest”

    The seventh day rest was a typical day of rest. And the land of Canaan was a typical land of rest. The unbelieving Jews did not enter into Canaan but turned around and wandered in the wilderness until they died. They never entered into God’s rest.

    Some Must Enter

    The multitudes perished in the wilderness, but the Word of God did not and could not fall to the ground. Canaan must be inhabited by Israel. Israel must possess the land of God’s promise. Therefore, God raised up Joshua (the type of Christ) to do what Moses (the type of the law) could never do. And Joshua led the chosen nation into the land of promised rest.

    Don’t miss this. – The type must be fulfilled! The Lord Jesus Christ, our great Joshua, must and shall bring God’s Israel into the blessed rest of eternal salvation, every one of them. The covenant promise must and shall be fulfilled. Some must enter into rest (vv. 5-6).

    Today

    “Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (v. 7). Nearly four hundred years passed between Joshua’s day and David’s day; but the Word of God was the same. And the day in which God speaks to us, “Today,” is our day, the day of grace and salvation.

    This seventh verse specifically speaks of this gospel day. God set this day as the day when chosen sinners would enter into this true rest which he promised by faith in Christ. Today, this gospel day, is the day of salvation; now is the accepted time. We have nothing to do with the legal, typical rests (sabbath days) of the Old Testament. We now possess what those days only pictured (Col. 2:16-17).

    Joshua and Jesus

    “For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day” (v. 8). Joshua’s name was changed from Oshea (“Let God save”) to Joshua (“God shall save”), when he was sent to spy out the land of Canaan (Num. 13:16).

    The law may bring us into a dry, thorny, desolate wilderness, where we may pray for a Savior and cry, “Let God save.” But the gospel brings us into the land of rest and gives us a Savior, Jesus, who is Jehovah our Righteousness!

    Joshua is here called “Jesus” because his name in the Old Testament means exactly the same thing as Jesus in the New Testament, of whom he was a type. Yet, even the rest he gave in Canaan was only a typical rest and spoke of another, more glorious rest.

    The Rest that Remains

    “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God” (v. 9). The word “rest” here is “sabbath” or “a sabbath keeping.” This rest is Christ our Sabbath, the sabbath rest we find in him. Those sinners chosen of God in eternal election, for whom Christ died, and to whom faith is given, those who believe on the Son of God do enter into a spiritual rest. It will be perfect rest in glory; but it is begun here. Heaven is but a perfection and a continuation of what he begins in our hearts when he brings us to faith (John 6:37-40).

    All the sabbaths of the Old Testament, all those sabbaths required by the law of God in the days of carnal, ceremonial worship, were designed to portray this glorious gospel rest and the rest of heaven that shall follow. Ours is a sabbath without end.

    As the Lord God ceased from his works (Gen. 2:2), so God’s elect, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, have ceased from our works, when we trust Christ. That is what the law of the seventh day sabbath portrayed.

    God also required Israel to keep a seven year sabbath, during which the ground rested from its slavery, curse, and toil, portraying that rest which shall soon come to God’s creation and his people (Rom. 8:20-21).

    Then, the law required a seventh seven year sabbath, every 49 years the whole land celebrated a year of jubilee. During that time all debts were discharged! -- All mortgages were cancelled! -- All bondmen were set free! -- And all that had been lost was restored!

    Do you get the picture? Christ is our Sabbath. We rest in him by faith, and by faith alone! That is exactly the interpretation the Holy Spirit gives us in verse 10. -- “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his.”

    This verse very clearly applies both to Christ and to his people. The Lord Jesus Christ had a work to do in preaching the gospel and in obtaining the salvation and redemption of his people. This work was given to him and he finished it. He ceased from these works, never to do them again. He is seated in heaven, having entered his rest (Heb. 10:5-14), just as we are told God ceased from the works of creation when he had finished them.

    This is exactly what every believer does when he comes to Christ. We cease from a religion of works and rest in Christ.

Extracted from Discovering Christ in Hebrews by Don Fortner. Download the complete book.
Don Fortner

Comments

0 / 2000 characters
Comments are moderated before appearing.

Be the first to comment!

Joshua

Joshua

Shall we play a game? Ask me about articles, sermons, or theology from our library. I can also help you navigate the site.