Paternal Rest - part 1

July 9, 11:38 AMNorfolk Christian ExaminerFred Michaux

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Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest… (Hebrews 3:16 – 4:3a)

It is interesting to me that the word "gospel" is used here which is the Greek work euangelizo which gives us the word we are much more familiar with, evangelist, who is one that brings to others the good news of the teachings of Jesus. I don’t think we typically think of the word gospel pertaining to the Old Testament. But let’s remember that the good news is about a paternal, loving, life transforming, and life defining relationship with God. This relationship was made possible in Old Testament times through faith alone in the teachings of Moses, what we refer to as the Mosaic Law. But now, this relationship is made possible only through faith in Jesus that is observable through a life defining devotion to His teachings (read 1 John to better understand what I mean by observable). The relationship has always been within reach, the way has changed. But the essence of the gospel message in the OT and the NT are the same, that the Creator of the Universe longs for us to experience with Him a father/child relationship which gives us the first aspect of rest we are identifying. I call this Paternal Rest.

In Romans 8, the Apostle Paul speaks of our having a spirit of sonship/daughtership that causes us to cry out to God, calling to Him with a term of deep affection, the word Abba. As a father myself, I understand all the many roles I play in the lives of my children. There are times when I need them to see me as their disciplinarian, their leader, their teacher…but most of all, I want them to see me as the person of loves them more than words can express, the one who more than anyone else, besides their mother of course, who has their best interest at heart, as someone whose feelings of affection for them cannot be measured by natural means, that part of my father identity, the part steeped in love is best described by the Jewish term for father, Abba. Is this how you know Him?

…just as God has said, "So I declared on oath in my anger, `They shall never enter my rest.' " And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. (Hebrews 4:3b)

This quote is from Psalm 95:11. And it is for me a great example of what the Bible often does, makes me dizzy when I am reading it. The Bible does this to us sometimes doesn’t it? I always expect Hebrews 4:3b to say something like this, "all who come to Me with a believing and obedient heart I will never turn away." Yet, it says just the opposite, takes a hard unexpected turn, makes me dizzy, I’m vomiting even now as I am writing!

Why? I believe because God wants to make a powerful declaration here. He is saying that if you and I are not living in the promise of His Paternal Rest, don’t blame Him. Psalm 95:11 is quoted here to remind us to not make the same mistake the ancient Israelites did, to reject God. God is always willing, always waiting, always with open, accepting, forgiving, and yes correcting…arms. If we aren’t walking in His Paternal Rest, it is because we have rejected Him, not because He has rejected us. He never turns us away. Too, He wants us to know that there is nothing else He needs to do, hence the words, "…and yet His work has been finished since the creation of the world." If you are waiting on God to do something, stop waiting, He’s waiting for you! Come!

Pastor Fred