And Give Him No Rest

“I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem,
Who shall never hold their peace day or night
You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent,
And give Him no rest till He establishes
And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth”
(Isa 62:6-7 NKJ)

This passage in Isaiah 62 sets a challenge for believers, but not without offering great comfort for the disciple who accepts that challenge. The responsibility to watch is charged to those who understand God’s plan and purpose. The committed believers look forward to the day when God’s kingdom is established. They are exhorted to always be alert, ready to herald the signs of His work so that others might be called to His purpose. These disciples are instructed to not keep silent or, as alternately rendered, to not rest.

Although the dedication of the watcher is meant to be all consuming, the LoRD provides additional support. God tells believers to give him — the LoRD — no rest as well. In effect, the LoRD understands the limits of the human condition and where we might falter He will not. When we push ourselves to physical and emotional ends and we require rest, then it is time to lean upon the LoRD. Truly He does not require rest and therefore believers are not to give Him rest.

Perhaps to fully comprehend the power of that statement, it is helpful to place the concept of “rest” in Biblical context. The idea of rest is used throughout scripture to convey a sense of completion. In Genesis we read of the universal rest expe­rienced by all of creation:

“Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Gen 2:3).

As the family of Abraham developed into the nation of Israel, the law of Moses established the sabbath as a day of rest. In so doing the law echoed the rest at the end of the creative work. Importantly, the sabbath also integrated the concept of rest into the rhythm of life for the Jewish people. This collective rest for God’s people established a routine intended to strengthen their relationship with the LORD.

“It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed” (Exod 31:17).

The focus of hope for believers centers upon the rest for the individual. The Scripture teaches us that salvation is possible through the example of Jesus and the reality of his resurrection (1Cor 15:12-19). Motivated by that belief we take comfort in the promise of our own resurrection, based upon the evidence of faith and works in our lives.

“Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” ’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them’ ” (Rev 14:13).

The manner in which the Bible narrows the application of “rest” is similar to the way that other key concepts are presented in God’s Word. Baptism is similarly introduced for the world through the story of the flood in Genesis. The concept of washing away sins is then applied to the nation, as Israel is collectively baptized during its passage through the Red Sea. The opportunity for symbolic cleansing through baptism is brought to the individual level in the Gospel record.

This method of teaching helps us better understand God’s principles as they have been revealed for all creation, collectively for His people and for each individual believer. This need for rest is universal with one exception: the LORD.

We are instructed to give him no rest, because the LORD clearly states that He will not rest.

“For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns” (Isa 62:1).

At the outset of the very same chapter in Isaiah the prophet relates to us that the LORD will in fact not rest. His purpose is certain and His work will continue until His eternal kingdom is established. The LORD is the maker of all things. The entire world, all life and experience are subject to His will. The LORD is not bound by our limitations. As a result He seeks not rest for Himself, but rather for individuals of strong character and faith.

“Thus says the LORD: ‘Heaven is my throne, And earth is my footstool. Where is the house that you will build me? And where is the place of my rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,’ says the LORD. ‘But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word’ ” (Isa 66:1-2).

The LORD designed man and is well aware of our frailties. Even the most faithful and diligent of servants will have moments of weakness. We can be worn down by the workload in a small congregation. We can be burdened with difficult circum­stances in our family. Emotions can wear us down due to concern for the health of loved ones or even our own afflictions. As long as we make the best possible effort to not rest — to watch for the return of His son Jesus and the establishment His kingdom. Then the LORD is ready for us to seek His help. Always.

“Thus says the LORD who made it, the LORD who formed it to establish it (the LORD is His name): ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know’ ” (Jer 33:2-3).

We should never hesitate to turn to the LORD when we are weak. Often when we face problems, we can only see a limited number of possibilities. When the obvi­ous solutions do not work, or are beyond our grasp, it is easy to fall into despair. With the LORD’s help the possibilities are literally endless. The wisdom and power of the Almighty may open a door to something new that we could never have anticipated. It is important that we never place constraints on the power of God due to the limits of our own experience and imagination.

How do we maintain focus on our roles as disciples and seek the LORD’s help (therefore, not giving Him rest)? I suggest that we remember to employ four simple practices:

No.1 – Be Consistent

Discipleship starts with consistency. Our efforts to follow the LORD’s principles are evidenced daily. Faith is seldom tested with dramatic showdowns between “good and evil.” It is more common that strong character develops by the accu­mulation of many little decisions where we must put aside our selfish instincts and give preference to others.

Perhaps we receive the greatest help from God when we include Him consistently in life’s decision-making process. The parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18 reminds us that the LORD watches over His people. In keeping with the idea of giving the LORD no rest, what is most relevant is the introduction to the parable “that men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). Consistent com­munication with God trains our mind to recall His principles. We learn through experience that there is great power in that consistency to build our faith.

No. 2 – Be Confident

When we seek help from God we should have complete confidence that He will help us. Of that fact there can be no doubt. The uncertainty is only in not knowing precisely how or when that the LORD’s help will arrive. And, ultimately, believers must accept that God’s help may not be realized until the resurrection.

All of this can be summed up as faith. When asked to define what faith is, our minds most likely go to Hebrews 11:1 where we find faith described as “the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.” As eloquent as that verse is for us, the roll call of believers in that same chapter brings the concept of faith into sharp focus. Rather than depending on their own devices, those faithful individuals rose to great challenges by placing their confidence in God. To better appreciate how faith works in my life, I have found it helpful to look at “confidence” as another way of expressing faith in action. I suggest a practical definition for faith is: “Confidence in God when we do not, or should not, have confidence in ourselves.”

No. 3 – Be Honest

We should approach God regularly and with confidence. However, despite the best intentions we will at the very least doubt ourselves, if not God. The LORD perceives what is in our thoughts and in our heart at all times. To deny our doubts or what we desire would be foolish. We cannot hide our true selves from our Maker. Again, in those moments we should not give the LORD rest.

We need to go to God seeking His mercy and wisdom to help us in total honesty. The LORD relates to us in any circumstance. We must know our own limits; even if that includes the limits of our faith and need for further spiritual growth. We can take heart in the example of the father who brought his epileptic son to Jesus, begging him to cure his child from this affliction. In the presence of Jesus the boy began to convulse uncontrollably on the ground. We read this exchange between Jesus and the boy’s father: Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’ ” (Mark 9:23-24).

The father’s raw emotion comes through as he implores Jesus to help his son. We have all had experiences where we feel at a loss for what will come next in life. Whether it is the suffering of a loved one, the frightening prospect of illness or uncertainty of losing our job; any number of life events can leave us drained of spiritual strength. As disciples we lean upon God, yet we may doubt that His help will come for us. The LORD senses that doubt and we will become better servants if we acknowledge that our faith needs to improve.

No. 4 – Use Examples as Our Guide

The best example of how we should “give him no rest” is Jesus Christ. His sacri­fice did not come easily. Unlike anyone else, before or after, Jesus was well aware of the experience that awaited him and he agonized over the prospect of facing death. Mark’s gospel describes Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane with the fol­lowing comments:

“and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed” (Mark 14:33).

“My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch” (Mark 14:34).

“Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will” (Mark 14:36).

“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38).

Clearly these last hours were filled with intense emotion for Jesus (“troubled and deeply distressed”; “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful”). These moments help us perceive the true depth of his sacrifice. Jesus wrestled with his destiny as the Son of God while staring down the instinctive fear for his own life.

The Lord sought some comfort in the companionship of his closest friends. The disciples were asked by Jesus to watch and pray with him. However, they suc­cumbed to their own exhaustion and could not stay awake to provide emotional support. We see ourselves in those disciples. We too have been given the charge to watch; diligently and without ceasing (Isa 62:6).

Like those men in the garden we often find in our own experiences that the spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak. Perhaps the disciples would have been better able to support Jesus if they had prayed for strength and endurance. They should have focused on giving God “no rest” instead of resting their own bodies.

In contrast, Jesus did not rest. And he did not let his Father rest either. He was consistent in prayer throughout the night, seeking encouragement from God on at least three occasions. He expressed confidence in the power of the LORD to help him, saying in prayer that “…all things are possible for You” (Mark 14:36). He approached his Father with his petition honestly, saying “Father, if it is Your will, remove this cup from Me; nevertheless not my will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Although God did not alter the path set before Jesus, He did answer his prayer by sending help:

“Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him” (Luke 22:43).

The response from God was to send His son an angel to be by his side. We might find in our lives that the LORD does not respond by granting our specific request, but rather provides another means to support our burden. As with Jesus, the LORD’s love and wisdom will see that our needs are met; even when we do not fully perceive our needs.

Jesus too used God’s Word as his guide. We find an echo of this experience in the garden in Psalm 116:

“Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live” (Psa 116:2). “I found trouble and sorrow” (Psa 116:3).

“Then I called upon the name of the Lord ‘O LoRD, I implore You, deliver my soul!’ ” (Psa 116:4).

“Return to your rest, O my soul” (Psa 116:7).

“I will take up the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the LoRD” (Psa 116:13).

“O LoRD, truly I am Your servant” (Psa 116:16).

Throughout the gospels we read of instances when Jesus used the writings of the law and the prophets to shape his actions. Most poignantly on the cross, with his final breath he quotes Psalm 31:5 saying, “into Your hand I commit my spirit.” That half-verse leaves us to imagine whether Jesus’ first conscious moment after resurrection led him to the second part of the same verse: “You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.”

It is quite possible that Jesus drew upon his reserve of Bible knowledge when faced with his distress in the garden. The words of Psalm 116 speak directly to the emotional state of Jesus on that night. The psalmist refers to calling upon the LORD repeatedly, just as Jesus did in his prayer. The servant portrayed in Psalm 116 seeks “rest” for his soul. The Psalm also makes mention of the cup of salvation, similar to the manner that Jesus asks God to, if possible, have the cup removed from him. This psalm suggests that Jesus once again looked for guidance in the wisdom of the inspired word.

As we consider our own discipleship more closely, we find that we are in need of rest. The constant barrage of expectations and schedules can suffocate anyone. Today’s disciple must continually work to achieve proper balance in life. Compet­ing demands of God’s family, our natural family, work and community can make this balance an elusive goal. This process is tiring.

When find ourselves in need of rest — in any sense of the word — then remember to not give the Lord Jesus any rest. He does not need rest. The Lord waits for our call to help.

“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt 11:28-30).