ENTER GOD’S REST. Hebrews 4 God rested on the seventh day, the Sabbath, after completing His work. We find rest in the finished work He has done for us. That is the rest of satisfaction. Israel could have found rest in Canaan, but because of "an evil heart of unbelief," it missed the rest of a promised inheritance and died in the wilderness in unbelief. We can find rest in our souls today when we take on our yoke of identification with Christ. Our relationship with Him gives us the rest of confidence.
There is an eternal rest ahead of us as a result of the eternal life God has given us as a gift. The rest of complete salvation, past, present, and future, provides rest for our body, soul, and spirit. Those Hebrews who would not put their faith in Christ would never enter into rest in Christ, even though they were privileged people.
Believers in Christ have been given by our Lord a new heart, a new spirit-life, new desires, and a new nature because we are a new creation in Christ Jesus. To maintain our courage, hope, and joy in a believing heart, we need to be aware that around us, our enemies—the world, the flesh, and the devil— are actively working to harden our hearts. We need the help and fellowship of the Lord's people. We need to live by faith and testify to the reality of our faith. We need the concern of others and must constantly nurture our souls with God's word and specific prayer.