THE ONLY SATISFACTORY REST
By J. O. Corliss
PHYSICAL rest is a much desired boon to wearied muscles, as the world at large well understands. But refreshing as such ease may seem, when life's duties again press, relief must be sought anew, with no more hope of permanence than before. This is but the lame experience of life in general, summed up in few words. With some, indeed, the ordeal becomes almost unbearable as these same duties grow heavier with advancing years, until all gladness fades, and they long for the quiet of the tomb. But for all these there is light at hand. The Saviour extends a most gracious invitation: "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." The nature of this promised rest is revealed in the words that follow: "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." Matt. 11:28, 29. The soul rest here vouchsafed is the only real rest with satisfying consequence. With the mind at ease by such process, bodily weariness is forgotten. This is not to say that with soul ease one could not have bodily weariness, but that such rest will modify and make bearable all opposing misfortune. Of the essence of this soul grant, one may get a glimpse by a brief consideration. It is this: Christ promises nothing that He does not have for bestowal. It is therefore His own rest that He accords to personal applicants. But in honor of the eternal Father this is designated as "God's rest." It was this rest that the Israelites, who had been released from Egyptian slavery, could not enter because of their unbelief. Heb. 3:9-11, 18, 19. In the fourth chapter of the same book, it is explained that the rest which that people failed to participate in was that which God enjoyed on the seventh day of creation week, when He rested from all His works. Verses 3, 4. NOT FROM PHYSICAL WEARINESS
But God's rest on that occasion was not from physical weariness; for as all well know, "the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary." Isa. 40:28. It must therefore have been a soul rest—a satisfaction of delight—which was His in view of the response to His creative fiat, that produced an Eden world in which companionable creatures, formed in His own image, might live. His was, however, an undefinable joy, because of the impossibility to fathom the understanding of the Almighty. Yet it is just this sort of rest that is offered to those who will come to Christ, and learn of His ways, which are but the legitimate fruit of His infinite mind operation. The foundation word used in the scripture under consideration to express God's rest on the first seventh day, really means to "rest down, or thoroughly cease." But in speaking of the rest now remaining to God's people, the original word for "Sabbath" is used (Heb. 4:9), which strongly indicates that the promised comfort to be given the Lord's children through Christ, is to partake of the same unspeakable joy that rested in the breast of Jehovah when He ceased from all His creative work in man's behalf. This thought is also forcibly emphasized by the verse following, which says that whoever shares in God's rest, does so because he has ceased from his own works, as God did from His. ISRAELITES FAILED TO ENTER
The Israelites failed to enter the rest provided for them, because of unbelief; and therefore the inspired Word exhorts all to live by faith, lest any fail of success from the same cause. Israel hoped for righteousness by what they did, so failed for lack of faith. Rom. 9:31, 32. Righteousness, then, is not obtained because of something rightly done, but by receiving in faith the "Lord our righteousness" (Jer. 23:6), and thus being right, because of His indwelling. In this way faith was counted to Abraham for righteousness. Rom. 4:3. What he did afterward, in the way of performance, was but the seal of righteousness that had before been conferred on him in response to his faith in the word of Jehovah. Verses 10, 11. In other words, what one does is simply the outgrowth of what he really is, for the reason that righteousness bestowed as the gift of God's grace, prompts the receiver to do the very things that are in harmony with the mind of Him who is the righteousness of every true believer. So then, doing does not bestow righteousness, but as in Abraham's case, simply becomes the seal, or inscription, of the righteousness already possessed. Then as God's preparatory creative work anticipated man's good, so when that was done, He rested from all His work, in faith that His eternal purpose would be met through Jesus Christ. On this ground, those seeking rest must cease from their own preparatory work as God did from His, and so rest in the word of promise given through the Lord Jesus. This well done, one can confidently say, with the sweet singer of Israel: "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever: forsake not the works of Thine own hands." Ps. 138:8.