The doctrine of rest, or ceasing from work, is deeply embedded in the Bible, more deeply than we may believe at face value. Frankly, it is an overlooked theme in biblical theology, and therefore it rarely features in theological discussions, except when it comes to disputes around the Sabbath. Though the specific word translated as “rest” or “ceasing” is not found in every single book of the Bible, the concept of rest is a consistent thread from Genesis to Revelation.
The doctrine is founded in creation in Genesis, commanded in the law in Deuteronomy, realised in Jesus’ finished work of salvation in the Gospels, and consummated in heaven in Revelation.
The concept of rest formed a part of the DNA of Old Testament Israel. The early church continued in that habit. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, a leading twentieth-century Polish-American theologian and Jewish philosopher, once wrote, “For Jews, whose sacred architecture isn’t only physical but temporal, ‘Sabbaths are our great cathedrals.’” He added, “Six days a week, we wrestle with the world, wringing profit from the earth; on the Sabbath we especially care for the seed of eternity planted in the soul.”
The practical value of this doctrine is often not readily understood. We tend to think of physical rest, and it certainly includes that, but it has a much profounder spiritual foundation, which we must explore if we hope to understand the biblical concept of rest.
In essence, the concept of biblical rest refers to a ceasing from labour for the purpose of finding spiritual refreshment in God.
Rest in the Old Testament
Vine defines the Hebrew word nuach as “to rest, rest, remain, be quiet.” The first occurrence of the word is in Genesis 8:4, which speaks of the ark coming to “rest” on the mountains of Ararat. Here, it speaks of a physical settling down in a particular location. Birds (2 Samuel 21:10), insects (Exodus 10:14), and soles of feet (Joshua 3:13) are also said to “rest.”
“Rest” sometimes indicates complete envelopment and thus permeation, as when the spirit of Elijah “rested” on Elisha (2 Kings 2:15), the hand of God “rested” on the mountain (Isaiah 25:10), and wisdom “rests” in the heart the understanding (Proverbs 14:33). Frequently, it means “to be quiet” or “to rest” after hard work (Exodus 20:11), from onslaught of enemies (Esther 9:16), from trouble (Job 3:26), and even in death (Job 3:17). The word may mean “to set one’s mind at rest,” as when a child receives the discipline of his parent (Proverbs 29:17). Sometimes it means “to leave at rest” or “to allow to remain.” Thus, God “allowed” the pagan nations “to remain” in Canaan during Joshua’s lifetime (Judges 2:23).
Sometimes, “rest” is synonymous with the word sabat (Exodus 20:11).
Another Hebrew word denoting rest is hadal, which means “to cease, come to an end, desist, forbear.” The basic meaning is “coming to an end.” The first occurrence of hadal is Genesis 11:8 where, after humanity’s language was confused, “they left off building the city.” Sarah’s capacity for childbearing had long since “ceased” (come to an end) before an angel informed her that she was to have a son (Genesis 18:11). The Mosaic Law made provision for the poor, since “there will never cease to be poor in the land” (Deuteronomy 15:11).
Sabat (“to rest, cease”) is the word of particular interest to us. It occurs frequently throughout the Old Testament, first occurs in Genesis 2:2–3: “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” This text establishes the pattern of working for six days and then observing a Sabbath Day of rest. This was later codified as the fourth of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:9–11). God commanded that human beings should follow him in this pattern of rest and renewal (Exodus 23:12).
In Exodus 31:15, the seventh day is called the Sabbath rest. This rest was to include a person’s animals and servants. This rule was to be observed even during harvest (Exodus 34:21). “It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed” (Exodus 31:17). The Sabbath was a covenantal sign between God and Israel. Israel rested with God and in God.
In addition, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the first and eighth days of the Feast of Tabernacles provided Israel with “a sabbath of complete rest” (Leviticus 23:24, 32, 39). In Exodus 23:10–11, the concept of the seventh year as Sabbath rest is expounded. Six years’ crops would be sown and harvested, “but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the LORD” (Lev. 25:1–4).
In the Old Testament, these weekly, yearly, seven-yearly, and forty-nine-yearly cycles of rest served two functions.
First, they afforded both people and land physical rest from the hardship and frustration of work.
Second, they afforded opportunity for spiritual rest, in which God’s people were called to commune with him in worship, meeting a greater need than just that of their physical bodies. God’s people need physical rest, but also spiritual rest by which they will be made aware again and again that the Lord God is their ultimate provider and sustainer. During these times of worship, Israel was reminded that God himself was their source of rest: “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (Exodus 33:14).
The Sabbath was a day of worship (Leviticus 23:3) and a day of rest and refreshment for man (Exodus 23:12). In that sense, we must understand Jesus’ words in Mark 2:27–28: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” By observing the Sabbath, Israel confessed that they were trusting in the Lord and in his providence.
The prophets regularly rebuked Israel for their neglect of the Sabbath (Isaiah 1:13; Jeremiah 17:21–27; Ezekiel 20:12–24; Amos 8:5). They also proclaimed Sabbath observance as a blessing in the messianic age and a sign of its fullness (Isaiah 56:2–4; 58:13; 66:23; Ezekiel 44:24; 45:17; 46:1, 3–4, 12). The length of the Babylonian exile was determined by the extent of Israel’s abuse of the sabbatical year (2 Chronicle 36:21; cf. Leviticus 26:34–35).
Rest and the Sabbath were eschatological in perspective, looking to the accomplishment of God’s ultimate purpose through the redemption of his people in the Promised Land of Canaan and, ultimately, in heaven. In this sense, Abraham was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. (Hebrews 11:10).
Rest in the New Testament
In the New Testament, the Greek word most often translated as “rest” is the noun anapausis (noun), its verb (anapauō), and the related term katapauō (“to cause to rest”). It is related to the idea of taking a break from exertion and seeking refreshment. It includes stopping regular work and activities to renew spirit, mind, and body.
The new covenant church did not do away with the concept of Sabbath. She had the freedom to not tie it to the Jewish Sabbath, but rested the principle on the finished work of Jesus in the resurrection, which happened on a Sunday. This became the Christian Sabbath. The law is completed in Christ! When we rest in Christ, we are truly at rest!
Jesus used this word when he promised rest for those who are weary and burdened (Matthew 11:28–30). The rest that Jesus offers stands in contrast to the demanding burdens imposed by the Pharisees. The rest he promises is not a rest from our work, but in our work. We can rest knowing that he is with us, even in tribulation (John 16:33), even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). His yoke (compared to the world’s yoke) is easy and his burden light (Matthew 11:30). When urging people to take his yoke upon themselves, Jesus declared, “I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28-30). Jesus provides rest on two levels.
First, he invites his disciples to have physical rest in the sense of encouraging them to come away to a desolate place and rest a while (Mark 6:31).
Second, and more profoundly, he offers rest in himself: “Come to me!” Jesus is the profound centre of Christian rest, both in this side of the grave and in the life to come.
This theme continues in Hebrews 4, where the author explains how those who trust in Christ enter God’s “Sabbath rest” (v. 9). This is a spiritual rest from the burdens of sin, guilt, and trying to justify ourselves before God. When we trust in him, we experience “peace with God” (Romans 5:1). Augustine affirmed this when he wrote, “You have formed us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in you.”
There is also the promise of future eschatological rest. The fourth chapter of Hebrews contains a discourse on entering Christ’s rest. The concept of stopping work and resting, as God did on the seventh day of creation, is discussed, but the author anticipates a far greater rest. He warns us against missing out on God’s ultimate Sabbath rest through disobedience and lack of faith. So then, the rest spoken of here has a twofold dimension, which includes, first, entering his rest in the here and now by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, and by resting in him in every providence that we encounter in this life; and, second, anticipating the ultimate rest from our earthly labours, when we shall enter into the joy of our Master (Matthew 25:21). In Revelation 14:13 the saints are promised they will “rest from their labour.”
Richard Baxter (1615–1691) wrote The Saints’ Everlasting Rest as his own funeral sermon. He believed that he was on the verge of death. He was quite ill for most of his life. Contrary to his own expectations, he lived for many years after this work was published. In it, he writes, “Rest is the end and perfection of motion. The saint’s rest, here in question, is the most happy estate of a Christian, having obtained the end of his course: or, it is the perfect, endless fruition of God, by the perfected saints, according to the measure of their capacity, to which their souls arrive at death.”
This is the brief theological foundation for a Christian understanding of rest. But what do we do with this doctrine? What are its implications for our day-to-day living? The second part of this study will consider some practical application of this doctrine.