9.26 Jesus leads us into the true promised land of rest
In the Old Testament, Joshua led Israel into the promised land of Canaan. It was the land that God gave to Abraham for his descendents. After being freed from slavery in Egypt, having a land that they could their own is very meaningful.
In fact, they were still living in that land when Jesus came to this earth. However, they were under Roman rule. They had hoped that Jesus would be leader to deliver them from the Romans. But the book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus came to bring us into a better promised land. It was a spiritual promised land of rest from our works.
(Hebrews 4:8-10)
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore A REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also CEASED FROM HIS WORKS as God did from His.
The only way to enter this land is by faith. Hebrews 4:3 says, “For we who have believed do enter that rest.”
For 1,500 years, Israel had to labor under the Law to attain to righteousness. They had to keep the law perfectly in order to receive the blessings of the covenant. They did not attain to it because no one could keep the law perfectly.
Then Jesus came to fulfill the law. He gave us His gift of righteousness, and He qualified us for all His blessings (Eph 1:3, 2 Cor 1:20). He came to give us rest from the labor of law, and He brought us into His land of grace. He said, “Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The only was to receive the gift of righteousness and the blessings of the New Covenant are by faith.
This is what the book of Romans talk explains to us. No one attained to righteousness by the works/deeds of the law. So Jesus came to establish a new kind of righteousness apart from the law. Jesus came to give us spiritual rest – rest in His finished work on the cross. It is summarized beautifully in this verse:
(Romans 3:20-22)
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.
Today, we have the privilege of resting in the finished work of Christ. Jesus has qualified us for all the promises of the New Covenant.
In fact, they were still living in that land when Jesus came to this earth. However, they were under Roman rule. They had hoped that Jesus would be leader to deliver them from the Romans. But the book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus came to bring us into a better promised land. It was a spiritual promised land of rest from our works.
(Hebrews 4:8-10)
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore A REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also CEASED FROM HIS WORKS as God did from His.
The only way to enter this land is by faith. Hebrews 4:3 says, “For we who have believed do enter that rest.”
For 1,500 years, Israel had to labor under the Law to attain to righteousness. They had to keep the law perfectly in order to receive the blessings of the covenant. They did not attain to it because no one could keep the law perfectly.
Then Jesus came to fulfill the law. He gave us His gift of righteousness, and He qualified us for all His blessings (Eph 1:3, 2 Cor 1:20). He came to give us rest from the labor of law, and He brought us into His land of grace. He said, “Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The only was to receive the gift of righteousness and the blessings of the New Covenant are by faith.
This is what the book of Romans talk explains to us. No one attained to righteousness by the works/deeds of the law. So Jesus came to establish a new kind of righteousness apart from the law. Jesus came to give us spiritual rest – rest in His finished work on the cross. It is summarized beautifully in this verse:
(Romans 3:20-22)
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.
Today, we have the privilege of resting in the finished work of Christ. Jesus has qualified us for all the promises of the New Covenant.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 11:42 PM
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