Rest.
What exactly is TRUE rest?
Like all things, we have to come back to the source. God. He is the author of Life. Nothing really makes sense about our existence apart from Him.
In the book of Genesis, which literally means “in the beginning”, the word rest is first mentioned in the beginning of chapter 2.
It says:
“2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”
We see here that God was the inventor of Rest. Amazing.
Isn’t it crazy to first of all think that Our God Rests? The God, The Creator of the Universe and of every living thing, The God who is God. He actually… Rests..
This statement alone is incredible to me. I believe it shows us a glimpse into the character and nature of the infinite God. That Our God spends 6 days, each day creating layer upon layer, with wisdom, understanding and great joy. And after He is finished, he sets aside an entire day just to rest. And not only so, but he consecrates it as a Holy Day. He says that it IS holy, BECAUSE He Rested that day.
There’s a correlation here. Holiness and Rest. Hmmm….
I believe God is a God who loves to enjoy. He loves to enjoy not only his creation, but the intimate fellowship that comes with being at rest with one another. There is something that I feel like God has been trying to teach me this year about True Rest. True Sabbath. That Resting in Him, is something so incredibly important to Him. And if its important to Him, well I want to align myself with that.
I know that living in Korea, it can be hard. Actually, I’m not gonna lie, it has been freakin almost impossible at times to just be at rest. And I’m not saying that I have never had a day or a time where I have been unoccupied, but I am saying that at times its been hard to be still. And just know. Just know that He is God. And in that, I can rest. Not be so strung up, worried, and stressed out.
I believe Rest is the beginning of true fellowship. It is where we must start every single day. I believe rest is the place where we can actually hear the most clearly. I believe Rest is the place that God desires the most. For like any Good Father, God is most validated as Our Father when we are most at Rest in Him.
Interestingly enough, there was a man in the Bible who’s name was Rest.
His name was Noah.
It is from this name Noah where we get the Korean word “Noo-wuh”. which means to lie down.
Noah was a man who walked with God. He heard the word of the Lord to build an ark, and he was obedient to that word faithfully for the long haul.
I believe we are living in a time in History where God is really raising up a Noah Generation.
In the book of Matthew Jesus talks about the Last Days. He says, just as in the days of Noah when people were eating and drinking and being merry, so it will be in these last days.
Well, what does that mean?
I believe it means simply this. That we are seriously living in a day where the World is eating, drinking, giving themselves to the very pleasures of the world and all that comes with it. And just like in the days of Noah, it will be those who have heard the voice of the Lord, lived according to that and in a sense built an ark, that will truly be saved.
That just as people were just chilling and doing there thing in the days of Noah and then a flood came, so it will be with the Return of Yeshua the King.
Ladies and Gentlemen this is just reality. Its not what everyone wants to hear. Trust me I know. But this is reality. The word of God says it and I believe it. Its as simple as that. I dont need to be skeptical of my God.
So it’s interesting that Noah’s name actually means Rest in Hebrew. I believe Names have such significance. It’s as if they mark or speak of the Life of that person. Destiny.
So what does it mean for us to be a Noah generation? I believe it means that we are to be a Resting Generation.
Does that mean we are to be a generation that sleeps all the time.
NO!!!
But I believe it does mean that God is raising up a generation who will know the first and greatest commandment intimately not just conceptually. To love the Lord with all that we got.
A generation that will know what it means to rest with God.
A generation that knows the very heart beat of the Lord. A God who loves the world and every single person in it.
Apart from this heart piece, I believe it will be very hard for us to really see all that God has for us to see in the years to come.
In the book of Hebrews chapter 4, it talks about entering into the Sabbath Rest.
That we are to make every effort to enter into the Rest of God.
Sounds pretty funny huh? Strive and make every effort to Rest…
Actually I think it makes complete sense. I believe in the hour and the day that we are living in, this is actually our greatest battle. To rest in the Lord.
I believe we are so prone to really fall under the influence of all the busyness, business, and chaos. All the clutter, all the stuff, all the lights, camera and action.
I believe it makes perfect sense. We actually need to make every effort, jealously gaurd our alone time with the Lord, and just be at rest in Him.
This must be the starting place. This must be the place in which we abide day to day. Otherwise… we will run on fumes. Trust me.
If we are to truly be a people, a generation who really knows who are God is. There is no other way than to be at rest in Him as a lifestyle. To carry the true Shabbat of the Lord wherever we go that we may hear clearly, and be the expression of His heart towards the earth.
It all comes down to Jesus. He really is the Question and the Answer.
He holds all things together. He is the One and Only. The True and Faithful One.
Our Rest is a Person. He is our Sabbath Rest. There can be no true rest as long as we are constantly striving for perfection. Jesus is our Rest.
When He Said “It is Finished”
It was Finished.
All the Work was finished on that great and amazing day. And now we are living in His Sabbath Rest.
Thanks for Reading.
