The rest here spoken of may be taken in one sense as the conclusion of the book of Joshua. What follows, morally considered, is hardly a development of the history of Israel – certainly it is not going on in the Lord’s strength, but conveys rather a warning to such as having a promise given them of entering into rest seem to come short of it (Josh. 22), and an exhortation to those who have in spirit entered into rest, to abide in the power of it (Josh. 23-24).
When we have obtained the object of our desires there is rest; the character of rest depends upon the nature of the desire.
In one sense Israel entered Canaan at rest – at rest from the judgment of Egypt – from the pursuit of the destroyer – from the wilderness. All their hopes concerning deliverance from the land of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh, and of their reaching the land of promise, were fully realized. Thus, they began their fight in Canaan as God’s men of war and in the power of His liberty; and, having waged Jehovah’s wars for many years – as it is generally understood, seven years, which implies a perfect period of an earthly kind, “the land rested” (Josh. 11). Conquest produced rest from warfare; but as the rest produced by conquest could only be sustained by incessant watchfulness, and would be lost to them if they failed to exterminate the enemy, it was not complete.
It is the Christian’s portion to enjoy present rest through Christ’s victory over sin, death, and Satan, which is illustrated in Israel’s rest upon entering the land of promise. It is the Christian’s portion by faith to realize a full deliverance from the judgment of the world by the precious blood of Christ, and to know that Christ being risen has broken the power of death and Satan, neither of which now have power over His redeemed people. The Christian knows that he is already in Christ in the heavenly places, and, in the power of this liberty and rest, he is called upon to fight against spiritual wickednesses in heavenly places under the banner of the risen Lord. The Christian is enabled also to enjoy the peace of his Shiloh, to have seasons of communion with God’s people, to worship with them, notwithstanding there are enemies in his spiritual Canaan. But, although all these blessings are his to enjoy and dwell in, yet, while he is still upon this earth, there is a rest which he is anticipating, a rest which he has not at present entered; the rest of God is his hope.
Every character of rest which Israel enjoyed resulted from divine faithfulness. The rest which is here described was of a different character from what they had previously enjoyed; it was the fulfillment of all that Jehovah promised to their fathers. It anticipates a day when, every foe of God’s people being subdued, all the blessings which are promised them in Christ shall be realized.
Rest is incomplete so long as blessings are unenjoyed; and before it is said, “the Lord gave them rest,” it is said,
“And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which He sware to give unto their fathers: And they possessed it, and dwelt therein. And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that He aware unto their fathers; And there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.”
Jehovah had been unwearied in bringing Israel into the enjoyment of their portion in the land of promise: He came down into the land of their bonds; He was afflicted there in their afflictions; He ransomed them from captivity. Having given them the spirit of pilgrims, He guided them as a flock through the wilderness, where He fed them daily, went before them, and was their rearward. He healed their wilderness backslidings, and forgave their questioning His grace. He brought them through the river into the promised land, fought for them, gave them victory over all their enemies, and made the land their possession. All that Jehovah gave Israel to anticipate was now actually fulfilled to them.
The Christian is already blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ, yet he is a man of anticipation, “We are saved by hope.” Did he not enjoy complete peace and rest with God in the finished work of the Lord Jesus, he could not hope for that which awaits him. As far as his salvation is concerned everything is complete; the precious blood of his redemption was shed many, many years ago. He has already entered into rest about sin by faith in that precious blood, but, so far as the longings of the new nature are concerned, it is, with him, anticipation still. “Hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Rom. 8:24-2524For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8:24‑25)).
The Christian is not yet transformed into the image of Christ, “Now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:22Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)). He is not yet morally like the Lord, although by beholding His glory he is day by day changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor. 3:1818But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18)). He has the Spirit of God within him, yet he is compassed about with infirmity, and with the whole groaning and travailing creation, groans within himself, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body (Rom. 8:21-2321Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:21‑23)). But the promise is sure, “As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly” (1 Cor. 15:4949And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (1 Corinthians 15:49)); and he is looking for the “Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body” (Phil. 3:2121Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21)). If true to the sympathies of Christ, he is anticipating the day of His glory. Longing to behold His glory as the Lord prayed the Father (John 17:2424Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24)); expecting with Christ when Christ’s foes shall be made His footstool; hoping for the day when the name of Jesus shall be confessed by every tongue, and when every knee shall bow to Him and own Him Lord, to the glory of God the Father. He is anticipating the time when Israel’s twelve tribes shall own their once rejected Messiah, when the north and south shall give up the people who are now nationally dead, when their land shall once more flow with milk and honey, and shine with God’s favor, when the groans of creation shall be hushed, and Israel shall sing to their Lord, “Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.”
In a word, the Christian is expecting all that shall accrue to Christ’s glory, which His precious death has purchased, and for which He Himself waits. “He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied.” Vast as are the present blessings of God’s people, there are longings of heart to be satisfied; great and precious as are their present enjoyment of divine blessings, yet “Now we see through a glass, darkly – as in a riddle – now we know in part,” – “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”
Our present rest resembles that previously spoken of, which had to be retained by ceaseless vigilance, rather than the rest which is pictured here. “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” Fightings without and within will cease before long; idols and their names will come no more into remembrance. The strivings of sin and the buffetings of Satan have an end for God’s people; it shall be said of all – of the weakest – “The Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.”
There is a day to dawn (and it may be at the doors!) when, after this world and the lust thereof shall have passed away, it shall be proved that the word of the Lord endureth forever; and, resting in God’s rest, heart shall respond to heart with joyful praise – “There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord hath spoken ... all came to pass.”