Belief Enters God’s Rest – Michael Edwards
And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they were unable to enter. Heb 3:18-19 BSB
The Israelites were saved and set free from captivity by the blood of the lamb they placed by faith on the doorposts in Egypt. But they were unable to enter God’s rest because of unbelief.
If we have placed our faith in Jesus, believe and confess that Jesus is Lord, a multitude of scriptures promise us we are saved. By faith trusting the blood of the lamb as God instructed, what the Israelites did in Egypt was an Old Testament picture, a shadow of the true reality found in the Lamb of God, Jesus, who takes away the sins of the world. We are living in that reality and set free by Jesus one sacrifice for all sins for all time, but find ourselves in the wilderness, just like the Israelites did after being set free from Pharoah, a picture of Satan.
The Israelites believed God enough to trust the blood of the lamb, but they lacked a belief that God would fully take care of them in the here and now. If they had continued to walk by faith further down the path, believing all of God’s promises, they could not have avoided His rest. But they began to walk by sight, viewing their problems as greater than God’s promises.
Isn’t the same true for us at times? We walk by sight instead of faith.
Jesus told us repeatedly to not doubt, fear or worry. He told us it is finished. He promised that God would provide for all of our needs amidst the trials and tribulations we encounter in this world. If we are not experiencing God’s rest, I would suggest we are in unbelief too.
God promises His rest in the here and now awaits all who believe. Do you believe Him?
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matt 11:28 BSB
