The subject of rest is an on-going theme in the Bible. Gen.2:2-3 says, “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 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.”

By resting on the seventh day, God set an example for people to follow. The Lord was so adamant about this principle that he included it in the 10 Commandments that he gave to the Israelites. Ex.20:8-11 says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

The writer of Hebrews takes this principle of rest and ties it to our faith in Jesus. Some would not enter God’s rest because of their disbelief (Heb.3:18-19). Yet the promise of God’s rest remains for those who have faith in Jesus and exhibit that faith with their obedience. In chapter four of Hebrews God’s rest is equated to the salvation we have in Jesus Christ. Here the New Testament harkens back to the Old Testament by reminding us of how God rested after creation. Here the readers are exhorted not to fall short of God’s rest by failing to persevere in the faith. 4:11 implores, “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.”

The next verses are well-known Scriptures— “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (4:12-13). Taken in context, these verses say that our decision to either accept or reject God’s rest, the salvation offered to us through Jesus, is readily known by God.

The Scripture then urges us to “…hold firmly to the faith we profess. (v.14). V.15 brings us to this conclusion— “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

To sum up what the Bible says about rest for God’s people, it seems that we could say that there are three levels of rest.

First, there is the physical rest that we all need. Studies show that our bodies need time to recuperate from the work week, and that people who get sufficient sleep each night are much better off than those who don’t.

Second, there is the aspect of spiritual rest, which only comes through the salvation that we have been offered through Jesus. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt.11:28).

Finally, there is the ultimate rest we will find in eternity. Let’s enjoy every level of rest that God offers us through his Son Jesus Christ!