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Page 2 of 4 In the book of Hebrews, Paul makes it very clear that this ‘rest' is a future event which has not happened yet.
(IF THEY SHALL FALL AWAY) by R. E. Neighbor
"Where is a Bible-lover who does not anticipate with great joy the hope of reigning with Christ during the thousand years? Where is the believer, with a vision of the things to come, who does not look for what Hebrews 4:9 calls "There remains therefore a sabbath rest to the people of God." That sabbath rest is after their six thousand years of wilderness toil is over, that the saints have promise of a rest that remains, a millenial rest when Satan, and the antichrist, and the false prophet, will have been put out of the earth."(pg. 49)
(THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST) by D. M. Panton
"For Paul labours to make clear that the ninety-fifth Psalm names a Rest which, since it has never yet occurred, is therefore open to us: for David, though himself enthroned and at rest (2 Sam 7:1), wrote of God's Rest as still future; a fact which at once dissociates it both from the Divine rest after creation three thousand years earlier, and from Israel's rest in Canaan five hundred years before David wrote. "There remaineth therefore a SABBATH-REST" -a word used nowhere else in the Bible, nor ever in classical literature, but coined by the Holy Ghost to express a toil completed - "for the people of God" (Heb 4:9). So the Rest is the Millennial Reign. For it is the sabbath rest, or seventh millennium, following on six thousand years of redemption toil; it is God's rest in the old earth's closing dispensation, foreshadowed by every sabbath under the Law:" (pg. 40)
(KINGDOM STUDIES) by Robert Govett
"Then the men of faith, the workers with God and the sufferers for Christ after God's redemption-work of six thousand years is over-will rest a thousand years with Him." (chap. 10, pg. 9)
(DISPENSATIONAL TRUTH) by Clarence Larkin
"While the writer, as stated, is disposed to believe that the Return of the Lord is "past due", and while he is no "time setter", yet there is a "theory" that may throw some light on the IMMINENCY OF HIS RETURN that it might be well to examine. It is called THE GREAT WEEK OF HUMAN HISTORY, and is based on the "Seven Days" of the "Creative Week", and the declaration of Scripture (2 Pet. 3:8), "That one day is with the Lord as a THOUSAND YEARS, and a thousand years as ONE DAY." The Millennium in the Old Testament is described as a "Sabbath Keeping" period of rest, and is referred to as such in Heb. 4:4-11, where it is associated with the "Seventh Day" of the "Creative Week". Now we know that the length of the Millennium is 1000 YEARS (Rev. 20:1-9), and if it corresponds with the "Seventh Day" of the "Creative Week", why should not the remaining six days be of the same length? If so, and those days correspond with the past of human history, then from the date of the "Creative Week" up to the beginning of the Millennium should be 6000 years of human history." (pg. 16)
(THE THEOCRATIC KINGDOM /volume 2) by George N. H. Peters
Observe how the Jews believed on this subject. Bh. Newton has well stated on the thousand years of Rev. 20, "that the Jewish Church before John, and the Christian Church after him, have believed and taught that these one thousand years will be the seventh Millenary of the world. A pompous heap of quotations might be produced to this purpose, both from Jewish and Christian writers." He then produces a few quotations from Rab. Ketina, from "the tradition of the house of Elias, who lived two hundred years or thereabouts before Christ," etc. Mede, Burnet, Lightfoot, Russell, Brookes, Taylor, Elliott, Bush, and many others, give various extracts establishing the general view thus entertained. As impartial authority, we may give what Dr. Whitby observes on Heb. 4:9, quoting R. Eliezer as saying, "the blessed Lord created seven worlds, but one of them is all Sabbath and rest in life eternal," and then adds: "he refers to their (the Jews) common opinion that the world should continue six thousand years, and then a perpetual Sabbath should begin, typified by God's resting on the seventh day and blessing it." (pg. 448)
Barnabas commenting on the words: " ‘And God made in six days the works of His hands and He finished them on the seventh day and He rested in it and sanctified it," says: "Consider, children, what that signifies, He finished them in six days. This it signifies, that the Lord God will finish all things in six thousand years. For a day with Him is a thousand years; as He Himself testifies, saying: "Behold this day shall be as a thousand years." Therefore, children, in six days, that is in six thousand years, shall all things be consumated. (pg. 449)
After six thousand years of history, then Jesus Christ will return and set up his millennial kingdom of rest, also referred to in scripture as the "kingdom of God" or the "kingdom of heaven". As Robert Govett said, after "six thousand years is over-will rest a thousand years with Him."
Matthew 8:11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
You will notice now that the seventh millennium after Adam is referred to by several names (Seventh Day, Day of Rest, Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven); these different names will all be important in helping us interpret the meaning of scripture.
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This is the introduction to our article section. We'll have a list of the best articles on different topics here...topics on spiritual maturity and things not generally covered in other Churches/studies.