Enter Into God's Rest
Last week I needed to cut down 2 trees to make room for a new drain field. At the end of the day, I truly needed physical rest. What a blessing rest is, especially when your whole body really hurts! This made me think about the gift of grace we have in eternal spiritual rest.
The concept of entering into God’s rest comes from Hebrews chapters 3-4. The word “rest” is used twelve times in chapter 4 alone. God is certainly driving home a point! What is this rest the Hebrew writer is talking about? How do we enter it? And how do we
fail to enter it? The writer to the Hebrews begins his discussion of God’s rest in chapter 3, where he references the Israelites wandering in the desert. In giving them the land of Canaan, God had promised them that He would go before them and defeat all their
enemies in order that they could live securely. All that was required of them was to fully trust in Him and His promises. However, they refused to obey Him and lived in unbelief. Instead, they murmured against Him, even yearning to go back to their bondage under the Egyptians. But let’s not be too hard on the Israelites. We need to ask ourselves, why do we keep going back to the bondage of sin and disobedience? Romans 8:2 tells us, “For the law of the Spirit of Life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” Like the Israelites, we hold onto our sinful nature, and unbelief, rather than trusting, obeying, and resting in Him.
Using the Israelites as an example of those who were not resting in God’s promise, the writer of Hebrews goes on in chapter 4 to make the application personal, both to the Hebrew Christians and to us: Hebrew 4:1, “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seems to have failed to reach it”. The promise that still stands is the promise of salvation through God’s provision – Jesus Christ. He alone can provide the eternal rest of salvation through His blood shed on the cross for the remission of sins. God’s rest, then, is in the spiritual realm, the rest of
salvation.
Faith, the author goes on to assert, is the key to entering God’s rest. The Hebrews had the gospel preached to them, just as the Israelites knew the truth about God, but the messages were of no value to them because those who heard did not combine it with faith (see Hebrew 4:2). Some had heard the good news of Christ, but they rejected it for lack of faith.
Hebrews 4:10-13 explains the nature of this faith. The kind of faith that enables us to enter God’s rest is a faith that first demands that we rest from relying on our own works, also known as self-righteousness. Paul drives home this point throughout his letters even going back to Abraham. In Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast”.
Hebrews 4:11, “make every effort to enter that rest” by choosing to depend solely on God, to trust Him implicitly, to yield totally to the promises of God through the free grace of His salvation. Why? So “that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience” We either trust ourselves to save us, or we trust God to do that through the once for all sacrifice of Christ on the cross, (Hebrews 7:27). By failing to trust God fully in His promises, we become disobedient and fail to enter the rest that is eternal life, just as the children of Israel became disobedient when they failed to enter the Promised Land.
Hebrews chapters 3-4 is encouraging us to let Christ alone who is our Good Shepherd take us into our spiritual Canaan where we will find rest, green pastures, and blessings. Unlike the Israelites whose unbelief prevented them from entering the Promised Land, we are to enter God’s rest by faith in Him.
The author of Hebrews closes chapter 4 with the significant role of God’s Word in our life. God’s Word is alive and active, powerful, and penetrating. It diagnoses our needs and points us to God’s power. It discloses the condition of our heart. It demands our obedient response. Hebrews 4:12, “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two -edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
May we rest in Christ alone for salvation, the founder and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Your brother In Christ, Jim Nelson
The concept of entering into God’s rest comes from Hebrews chapters 3-4. The word “rest” is used twelve times in chapter 4 alone. God is certainly driving home a point! What is this rest the Hebrew writer is talking about? How do we enter it? And how do we
fail to enter it? The writer to the Hebrews begins his discussion of God’s rest in chapter 3, where he references the Israelites wandering in the desert. In giving them the land of Canaan, God had promised them that He would go before them and defeat all their
enemies in order that they could live securely. All that was required of them was to fully trust in Him and His promises. However, they refused to obey Him and lived in unbelief. Instead, they murmured against Him, even yearning to go back to their bondage under the Egyptians. But let’s not be too hard on the Israelites. We need to ask ourselves, why do we keep going back to the bondage of sin and disobedience? Romans 8:2 tells us, “For the law of the Spirit of Life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” Like the Israelites, we hold onto our sinful nature, and unbelief, rather than trusting, obeying, and resting in Him.
Using the Israelites as an example of those who were not resting in God’s promise, the writer of Hebrews goes on in chapter 4 to make the application personal, both to the Hebrew Christians and to us: Hebrew 4:1, “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seems to have failed to reach it”. The promise that still stands is the promise of salvation through God’s provision – Jesus Christ. He alone can provide the eternal rest of salvation through His blood shed on the cross for the remission of sins. God’s rest, then, is in the spiritual realm, the rest of
salvation.
Faith, the author goes on to assert, is the key to entering God’s rest. The Hebrews had the gospel preached to them, just as the Israelites knew the truth about God, but the messages were of no value to them because those who heard did not combine it with faith (see Hebrew 4:2). Some had heard the good news of Christ, but they rejected it for lack of faith.
Hebrews 4:10-13 explains the nature of this faith. The kind of faith that enables us to enter God’s rest is a faith that first demands that we rest from relying on our own works, also known as self-righteousness. Paul drives home this point throughout his letters even going back to Abraham. In Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast”.
Hebrews 4:11, “make every effort to enter that rest” by choosing to depend solely on God, to trust Him implicitly, to yield totally to the promises of God through the free grace of His salvation. Why? So “that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience” We either trust ourselves to save us, or we trust God to do that through the once for all sacrifice of Christ on the cross, (Hebrews 7:27). By failing to trust God fully in His promises, we become disobedient and fail to enter the rest that is eternal life, just as the children of Israel became disobedient when they failed to enter the Promised Land.
Hebrews chapters 3-4 is encouraging us to let Christ alone who is our Good Shepherd take us into our spiritual Canaan where we will find rest, green pastures, and blessings. Unlike the Israelites whose unbelief prevented them from entering the Promised Land, we are to enter God’s rest by faith in Him.
The author of Hebrews closes chapter 4 with the significant role of God’s Word in our life. God’s Word is alive and active, powerful, and penetrating. It diagnoses our needs and points us to God’s power. It discloses the condition of our heart. It demands our obedient response. Hebrews 4:12, “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two -edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
May we rest in Christ alone for salvation, the founder and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Your brother In Christ, Jim Nelson
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Thank you Jim, for your message on "Entering into God's Rest".
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n I wrote a letter to my clients in April and prepared them for my retirement this year on June 27th. Reading this blog brought me to the experience I had when I became ill at my mother's house in Wisconsin. On June 16th a family doctor diagnosed my illness as a stomach bug that lasted for 3 days. What followed that was 10 days of more illness that was not a stomach bug. It was restless, sleepless nights with night sweats that were affecting my nerves like I had a wildfire on my back and in my legs that only allowed me to sleep 3 hours a night. I could hardly stand to fry an egg. On June 25, I asked a friend to take me to the ER at St. Johns Hospital in a torrential rainstorm. I could not get well. I was diagnosed with Lymes disease On June 26th.
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nOn the evening of June 27th, after 2 nights of doxycycline and 14 sleepless nights, I came to the end of myself. I was terribly exhausted, vulnerable, alone and needed a hug from my mom.... almost like a small child. I started crying and said " I want my mom. I want my mom." Then I said, "Lord, Hold Me, I am sooo sick." I continued to cry myself to sleep. My crying to the Lord to hold me, in such desperation brought me to surprisingly new place
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n When I woke up the next morning....I had this peace. I talked to God and I thanked him for what he was doing through my illness with Lymes Disease. In the first days when I was laying there each day unable to work, I called clients and had to cancel through my tears. This was the last two weeks to say goodbye to them. I kept thinking this would be over soon, but God had another plan.
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nGod's plan was that I would rest.... and not work another day after June 13th. That is exactly what happened. In April 2025, I had written a letter with the help of the Holy Spirit to tell my clients that I would be retiring. I had fasted and prayed that day for God to give me the words and the date. I was struggling because I loved my job and I really loved the people. It was hard to close that door to my life, but my body was telling me to stop. I had many pains in my back and legs from over 43 years of hairdressing. I was also concerned about my mothers health and my sisters health, and I wanted to be available while they are well so I could spend time with them. I also wanted to be free in case either of them would become ill and needed my help. God knew more than me how much I needed to rest.
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n That morning when I woke up to God's peace. I thanked him and I said," I know you are removing me from the stress and chaos of working and running my business for twenty years along with running back and forth to Wisconsin to relieve Lisa of the responsibilities of taking care of my mom from her broken neck in 2020 to the present. You knew I was tired. You gave me this verse when I started to write my letter in April," Come to me you are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. (Matthew 28:11) I cried at the time you gave it to me, but you knew me better than I knew myself. I asked the Holy Spirit to help me get started to write the letter. Within a minute He gave me the first line to begin the letter of love to my clients, "In the Spirt of Thanksgiving for each and every one of you, I am grateful."
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nIt is my habit to keep pushing through through life.... until we are exhausted tired and then sleep. It's not the kind of resting with your eyes and ears open that allows us to hear God. I grew up with two strong germans who never stopped. That has been a habit of my independence of being a single woman for over 30 years. My independence... is the opposite of the dependence God wants me to have on Him. Rest is necessary to enter in with Jesus. I told God I accept my Lymes Disease for as long as it may take for you to prepare me to be rested and be ready for the next chapter of my life and where you will lead me. "As I continue to pray, make my heart more like yours, Lord" In Jesus name I pray.
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