The Believer's Rest.
And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, - Hebrews 10:11-12 ESV
Over the last week, we’ve taken a virtual walk-through of the Tabernacle and it’s surrounding courtyard. Each piece, as we’ve seen, has shown us a picture of Jesus Christ and His work of redemption. Different elements have shown different aspects of His character and work. Take a moment to look at the image above, and review each of the day’s devotion.
Today we look at the absence of a particular piece of furniture to emphasise the wonderful nature and implications of what Jesus Christ achieved. Looking at the Curtains, Table, Lamp-Stand, Basin and Altars in the place of God’s dwelling - have you noticed a common piece of furniture that’s missing? Dan Phillips observes that there is no chair in the Tabernacle or it’s courtyard. At least not one that any Priest could have sat on. There was the top of the Ark of the Covenant, which was also known as the Mercy Seat, where God’s Holy Presence rested, but the Priests could only rest when they were relieved by the next shift and went off-duty. What does this show us?
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that the Priests stood daily repeating the same sacrifices - in contrast with Jesus - who offered a single sacrifice, once and for all time, and then sat down at the right hand of God. Our High Priest, Jesus Christ, was given a chair, more than a chair, a Throne. He finished the work of redemption, reconciling sinners to God, with one massive act of self-sacrifice.
We are called to confess our sin, repent of it, and draw near to God continually, but the price for our sin was paid once and for all. We do not have to keep trying to pay for our sins. If we could pay for our own sin, it would mean that Jesus died for nothing. The believer in Jesus Christ has this divine rest, rest with God, knowing that we have been made right with Him by the perfect High Priest. Every labour that we do is in gratitude for what He has already done, rather than to earn anything from Him.
Prayer
Dear Loving Heavenly Father, Thank You that you have done for us what we could never have done for ourselves. Thank You for the way that You have shown us the beautiful gift of salvation from every conceivable angle in the Scriptures, Your Holy Word. We Praise You today that we can rest from trying to prove ourselves good-enough to You. In Your great love, help us to accept Your free gift of salvation, and to enter the wonderful rest that it brings. In a world of great turmoil and uncertainty, give us this certainty Lord God, that our debt has been paid in full. It is finished. Lord, then we pray that You would fill us with the desire to serve You in gratitude for what You have already done for us. Praise be to God our Father and Jesus Christ, His Son Our Lord. In His Name we pray. Amen.
Worship
Man of sorrows Lamb of God, By His own betrayed
The sin of man and wrath of God, Has been on Jesus laid
Silent as He stood accused, Beaten mocked and scorned
Bowing to the Father’s will He took a crown of thorns
Oh that rugged cross My salvation Where Your love poured out over me
Now my soul cries out Hallelujah Praise and honour unto Thee
Sent of heaven God’s own Son To purchase and redeem
And reconcile the very ones Who nailed Him to that tree
Now my debt is paid It is paid in full By the precious blood That my Jesus spilled
Now the curse of sin Has no hold on me Whom the Son sets free Oh is free indeed
See the stone is rolled away Behold the empty tomb
Hallelujah God be praised He’s risen from the grave
The lock-down has forced many of us into a kind of rest we probably would not have chosen. On the day we remember Jesus lying in a dark tomb, let us think make the most of this period of rest. Firstly, think about the way we sometimes labour, needlessly, to “earn” God’s favour. Let us ask the Lord Jesus to help us enter His rest, and to give us rest from our stress and anxiety. Then as we find this peace, let us ask Him, who He would like us to pray for, and who we may be able to tell about this amazing rest. May the Lord Jesus bless us as we serve Him.