“Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as He promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises He gave through His servant Moses.” –1 Kings 8:56, NIV

This year, the American TV series, The Young & Restless, marked its 50^th Anniversary, having amassed more than 12,500 episodes.

For three decades, it has been voted the highest-rated daytime drama, based on the “disturbing realization” by its creators that “young America had lost its innocence.”

The concept of ‘rest’ is not easy to define but it can be best understood by considering its opposite, ‘restless,’ which denotes ‘unsettled,’ ‘unstable,’ and disorderly” or someone in a state of confusion and perplexity.

Yet, ‘rest’ is a fundamental concept in the Bible.

Indeed, in the Old Testament, the Sabbath – symbolizing rest – was described as “a sign” between God and His people forever.  

“For in six days, the Lord made heaven and earth and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed” (Exodus 31:17).

Of course ‘resting’ here does not mean that God ceased from His work of sustaining and maintaining the universe.

In the New Testament, ‘anapausis,’ the Greek word for ‘rest,’ means ‘to cause to cease’ (as from our own works as a way of gaining acceptance from God).

The Sabbath ‘rest’ was instituted for the benefit of man, meant to cause man (or the land) to be “refreshed” and to provide true freedom from turning work into tyranny, and freedom to put work aside to enjoy fellowship with God, our neighbors, and our loved ones.

‘Rest’ would thus mean that God’s people would enjoy His blessings and live together in unity and free from fear of being assaulted (see Jeremiah 31:2; Hebrews 4:8–11).

But most importantly, Old Testament ‘rest’ was prophetic, shadowing the New Testament Messianic age of redemption through our Lord Jesus.

“For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall you be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength…”

ISAIAH 30:15

In our meditation today, we reflect on Solomon’s prayer during a ceremony to dedicate the magnificent temple.

From Solomon’s words, we note that rest is a gift from God; it’s God who gives rest to His people.  

Please mark the tense here: “who has given rest to His people.”

Indeed, Solomon came to the realization that all of God’s promises to His people, right from the Abrahamic covenant, got their fulfillment during the decades when his father David and himself were on the throne.

From the next few verses, there are a few important things that the Word of God teaches us about rest.

First, rest is the evidence of God’s presence (verse 57).

Secondly, rest is a result of loving obedience to God (verse 58).

Thirdly, rest is manifested in God’s providence (verse 59).

Fourthly, rest gives credence to God’s sovereignty over creation and the nations/gentiles (verse 60).

Lastly, rest is guaranteed by perpetual commitment to follow Christ all the days of our lives (verse 61).

Rest is achievable because the Bible says “there remains a rest for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9).

That means that one can be a child of God and still not enjoy ‘rest.’

“For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall you be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength…” (Isaiah 30:15).

“Come to me and I will give you rest,” says the Lord Jesus!

Prayer:

Almighty God, I declare that I will not be restless. I will revel in the gift of rest and not a single word will fail of all the good promises You have given through Your Word.  All will surely come to pass. For the glory of Your Name, Amen!