“Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it” (Hebrews 4:1).
TEXT — Hebrews 4:1-11
Message
Reuters news service once reported that an American widow is selling her husband’s burial spot directly above film legend Marilyn Monroe, who died at the age of 36 in 1962, so that she can pay off her mortgage. Elsie Poncher advertised on eBay in August 2009 to auction off the tomb in Westwood Village Memorial Park, Los Angeles. “Here is a once-in-a-lifetime and into eternity opportunity to spend your eternal days directly above Marilyn Monroe,” says the advertisement. “The person occupying the address right now looks face down on her.” Bidding for the plot opened at $500,000 and had reached $2.5 million by the day this was reported.
Mentioned eight times in the short passage of Hebrews 4:1-11, the word ‘rest’ emphasises the eternal rest with God. Looking back at the disappointing end the unbelieving Israelites experienced in the wilderness, the inspired writer warned against following their steps.
There are five kinds of rest in the Scriptures: creation rest, broken by sin (Genesis 2:2); Redemption rest, secured in Christ (Zephaniah 3:17); the sinner’s rest, by coming to Christ (Matthew 11:28); the saint’s rest in communion with Christ (Mark 6:30); and the Paradise rest, in heaven (Revelation 16:13 and 2 Corinthians 5:1-8).
Rest is not found in the grave. Some people pay a fortune to give their loved ones a “befitting burial.” Others go to the extent of purchasing expensive air-conditioned caskets with Wi-Fi services. While the undertakers smile to the bank, those who put so much value on the grave will soon discover that there is no rest without respite in Christ, obtained through repentance.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
I am blessed today