Isa.29: "10 The Lord has brought over you a deep sleep: (1Thess.5:6-7; John3:19-21)
He has sealed your eyes (the prophets);
he has covered your heads (the seers).
11 For you this whole vision is nothing but words sealed in a scroll. And if you give the scroll to someone who can read, and say, “Read this, please,” they will answer, “I can’t; it is sealed.” 12 Or if you give the scroll to someone who cannot read, and say, “Read this, please,” they will answer, “I don’t know how to read.”
13 The Lord says:
“These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is based on merely human rules they have been taught."
Those who do not worship God in the way that He desires (John4:23-24) because their worship is based upon human doctrine, fail to be granted the spiritual perception needed to attain insight and understanding of divine knowledge.
The consequences of worshiping according to human doctrine and commands of men
(Matt.15:8-9; Col.2:22; Rom.10:2-3)...
Isa.28: "10 For it is:
Do this, do that,
a rule for this, a rule for that;
a little here, a little there.”
11 Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues
God will speak to this people, 12 God said to them, “Here is a place of rest; let the tired people come and rest. This is the place of peace.” But the people would not listen." (Isa.28:10-12)
(LINK: what-is-sheole-hades.html )
Those who worship outside the realm of divine truth will be unable to hear and grasp the true teachings, even when they hear them spoken. When their hearts are hardened and turned away, refusing to repent; God refuses to grant them rest and peace (Isa.59:8; Rom.3:11,17; Heb.3:10-11,18-19; Matt.7:21-23).
Jesus is the source of true peace... the peace that results from attaining and taking in the water of life (John 14:27; 4:13-14; 6:63)
John 14: "27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
Isa.41:9-10,11-12,13
Matt.11: "28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
"yet you refuse to come to me to have life" (John 5:40)
Luke 19:41-42
Those who do not have a love of truth are deceived through false human doctrine (2Thess.2:10; Eze.13:9-10; 2Pet.2:19; 1Thess.5:3; Isa.26:16-18,19-21). Those lacking love of divine truth do not prioritize turning to God's Word and Christ, rather than to men. They are therefore refused by God and Christ to be granted spiritual sight and the ability to hear divine spirit (Rev.2:29). To those deprived of spiritual perception, Christ's parables and the deep symbolism of prophecy are unreadable (Isa.29:10-11; Matt.13:19). These are refused the peace and rest that results from spiritual insight.
Jesus spoke of this...
Matt.13: "10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’"
(Rev.22:2) -- (Link: leaves.html
Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28).
He is the one authorized to grant or deny the peace and rest which results from possessing divine spirit and truth
(Isa.22:22; Rev.3:7-8; Prov.3:1-2,3-4; Heb.4:1-2,9,6-7; Matt.13:15-16; Luke 1:79).
He is also the one to grant or deny entrance into God's Sabbath rest, and access to God's Holy City.
(LINK: https://pearl-holycity.blogspot.com )
The source of divine spirit and truth is God's holy city... the garden of God... the paradise of God (meaning: garden of delights).
Third Heaven, is Paradise (2Cor.12:2,4; Rev.2:7; 22:2,14) where fine trees that yield the fine teachings of truth (Matt.13:52; 6:21; 12:35; Luke 6:43-45; John 15:16,8).
( LINK: the-third-third-heaven.html )
Not all are granted access
(Rev.22:14-15; Matt.18:3; Rev.22:19; 21:2,9-10,23-25,26-27,6-7; 22:17; 14:13).
This means that not all can derive spiritual sustenance from divine truth. This is symbolically depicted as not having access to the trees of life. Those outside the holy city have manifested their unrepentant preference for human doctrine (Rom.1:25; 1Cor.10:14).
God's Sabbath rest is a gift to the faithful (Isa.26:2-3; Mark 2:27-28; 2Sam.7:10; Eze.37:25; Heb.4:8-9; Rev.21:7)
There they find the provisions leading to lasting peace and rest.
Why did Jesus lack rest while he was on earth? (Matt.8:20)
At Gen.1:31 and Gen.2:1-2 we learn that when God saw that His creation was in good condition, he was then able to rest from His work. He Himself found rest and peace in the condition of His creation. Everything was set up so that it would perpetuate in a flawless way. This perfection was assured in the capable hands of Adam and Eve, as they remained guided by God through the teachings of the Tree of Life. God's forethought and planning was perfect, executed through the Logos. Creation's design had perfect maintenance built into it, and under this divine design there would be no unsolvable challenges.
To illustrate, a woman may work all day to prepare a dinner party. Before the guests arrive, she sets the food out in warmers, the table is set, the beverages are on the table, and everything that her guests could need or want is within their reach. She sees that everything is ready and of fine quality as the doorbell rings. She is then able to sit down to the table with her guests, and enjoy the result of all her preparations.
She can relax with her guests, unless a problem arises.
If a guest enters the house with a large dog, who jumps up on the serving table and knocks things on the floor; the host must end her rest. There is cleaning to do, but there is also the need to provide new food to replace the original meal. Naturally, that is going to take time, a new plan, and work.
We can apply this simple illustration to what occurred when God hosted all physical life on this planet. As we read in the book of Genesis, God prepared everything to meet His standards of quality. When He finished and saw that it was all good, He entered His Rest.
When creation's perfect arrangement was disrupted by sin and death, God also ended His rest. As Jesus told us in the first century:
"17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.... 19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son".
There would have been no need for God to return to work if sin and death did not enter His creation.
What work are we referring to?
God had to teach and cultivate a people as His own, so that through the faithful among them, He would revise the original arrangement, justify a new plan, and progress toward the establishing of a new creation. This would require a progression of covenants. He would uphold His commitments to the faithful among His people, and the faithful would uphold God's requirements. Such requirements were the judicial requirement needed to address the corruption of the original creation, and progress toward it's completed solution.
As long as God's creation is ruined by corruption, evil, and death; He can not look upon it, pronounce it "good", and take His rest.
Jesus Christ is the most significant part of God's plan of restoration. He worked alongside his Father throughout history, even before his human life
(1Cor.10:1-2,3-4; John8:56-58; 1:1-2,3,14; Isa.48:2; Deut.8:15; Neh.9:15).
Those who are anointed, also work in God's purpose of restoration, alongside Jesus Christ
(Matt.11:29; Col.3:24; Heb.8:1-2,6; 9:11-12; John2:19; Matt.16:18; Eph.2:10,20-22; 4:11-12,16; Rev.22:1-2,17)
The Logos was often "the angel of the Lord" referred to in scripture.
To be an angel is to be a messenger. "Logos" means the Word of God, the one bearing and bringing God's Word (John12:49). The Logos would also have been the one to inspire God's prophets as well, in guiding them in their message and declarations.
So what we are seeing, is that God's own rest and peace is interrupted when evil taints His creation. He does not rest when evil requires Him to address it with His divine power, wisdom, and justice. God went about identifying and implementing a solution that would address when creation fell into the hands of the Destroyer (Gen.3:15; Isa.33:1).
God also is robbed of peace and rest when His own people fall into the hands of the Destroyer, by turning away from His progressive purpose and turning toward Idols.
Num.14:11; Judges 2:12; Neh.9:26,30; Ps.78:39-41
By depriving of God of His rest and peace, they would not share in it when it finally arrives (Heb.3:10-12; Num.14:22-23; Deut.1:34-35; 1Cor.10:1-3,4-6,7-9,10-12)
We also must not find an apathetic rest and peace in a place of corruption (Micah 2:10). When we act in harmony with the standards of God, it allows God some rest along with us (Num.25:10-13; Isa.32:17; Ps.119:165; Prov.27:11).
- - - - - - -
Here is the essence of how peace is achieved for God, so that He can enter His rest...
God says at Isa.62:1
"For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace,
And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
And her salvation as a lamp that burns."
God's rest is associated with the establishing of an eternal holy city in which He will dwell.
and Psalm 132:13-14
"13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His dwelling place:
14 “This is My resting place forever;
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it."
When Jesus came to earth, Jerusalem was not filled with Righteousness. Jerusalem's salvation was not a bright burning lamp of divine wisdom. It was not a place for God or Jesus to find rest in it's righteousness.
Therefore Jesus said; “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to rest his head.” (Matt.8:20) (Luke 19:41; 13:34)
How was rest achieved for Jesus?
He knew that by his faithfulness, he would provide the price for the achievement of God's place of rest
(John 2:19-21; Eph.5:30; Heb.10:5; Col.2:19; Eph.2:21; Heb.8:2; Eph.2:10; 2Cor.5:17; Eph.4:23-24; 2:10; Heb.8:2; Acts 7:48; Rev.21:2-3,9-10; 22:14-15; Zech.8:3).
God's righteous and holy City would be established and attained (Eph.1:10; Hab.2:3).
Rest: through Zion
Zech.8:3; Matt.17:1-3,4-5; 2Pet.1:17-18; Rev.14:1
Rest: through Christ, and preparations for his arrival
Isa.40:3-4,5; John 1:14,19,23; Isa.57:14; 62:10; 11:12,10; John 3:14-15; 12:32; Isa.35:8; Ps.107:7; John 14:6; Mal.3:1
Rest: through the righteous seed of Abraham / those of Abraham's faith / the house of God
Rev.21:3; Gen.28:16-17,19; 1Tim.3:15; Rev.11:11-12; Gen.28:12-14; Eph.4:8; Gal.3:29
Rest: through freedom from enemies, achieved by our work in support of Christ.
2Sam.7:10-11; 1Pet.2:1-2,3-4,5; John 1:23,29,31; Eph.2:20-22; Isa.28:16-18; 1Cor.15:26
Through the righteous work of God, Christ, and those who comprise the City of God;
God, Christ, Jerusalem, and all the new creation will once again have peace and rest.
God will once again pronounce all He has made, as good.
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