Not My Rest

“Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.” (Mic 2:10 AV)

 

Israel had made such a mess of their nation that it wasn’t worth inhabiting.  The rest of which the prophet speaks is the rest promised to Abraham, Isaac, and David.  This rest is a rest of righteousness and peace.  A rest wherein the LORD would reign and the people would willingly follow.  A rest wherein all the enemies of God’s people would be subject to the Messiah and warfare would not be a reality.  A rest from all that troubles Israel as a result of man’s wickedness.  A rest where all the inhabitants would know and worship the God of Israel.  This is what God intended when He planted mankind in the garden of Eden.  He intended a rest.  He intended a paradise.  Like Adam and Eve destroyed what God intended and brought a curse on mankind, Israel marred the inheritance God had given them.  They polluted it.  It was time to abandon any hope of cleaning it up and simply leave it.  What we wish to meditate upon this morning is the relation between a polluted rest and the destruction associated with it.

Learning survival skills is important.  In an emergency, it could save your life.  Packing certain items when traveling long distances or hiking in the woods was a skill we learned.  In our emergency pack, we would include things like matches and fire starters, a whistle, extra batteries, a cord, a compact thermal blanket, a fishing line, and a hook, a compass, a collapsable metal cup, and saline tablets.  The last on the list was extremely important.  There are two essentials when lost or injured in the woods.  The first is shelter.  The second is water.  When it comes to water, there are certain things to look for.  Running water is the best.  Running water cannot foster much bacteria.  If the outdoorsman can find running water, he is not so bad off.  Stagnate water is the worst.  A puddle, no matter how clear it may appear, harbors a lot of nasty imperceptible organisms that cause serious illness, it is best to avoid it altogether.  In a pinch, the camper can boil that water and add his salt tablets to purify that water.  That stagnate pool may look pristine, but it is polluted.  It can take a person’s life.

I watch a lot of train rides and flyovers while I study or read.  They are a good distraction if my mind begins to wander.  There are some truly beautiful places on this majestic planet created by the infinitely creative hand of God.  It is a wonder to behold the beauty of this world.  However, it has been polluted.  When I watch those train rides along rivers or lakes, especially in parts of the world where regulations are nonexistent, I am reminded that no matter how beautiful they may appear, chances are, they are not sources of high-quality water.  The point of our meditation is very simple.  The world, no matter how beautiful it may appear to the eyes, has been polluted by the wickedness of mankind.  Even if we see a place that the heart thinks it would be content to settle in, the truth of the matter is, there is still wickedness in every corner.  This filthy world is not our home.  This is not our rest.  The LORD will call us out of here and it would be silly to pursue a rest where there is none.  We need to accept that we live in a fallen world and until we are in glory with our Savior and friend, we will never be completely and wholly content.  I, for one, am glad this is not my rest.  If I don’t pull back my expectations of what this world can do for me, then it will destroy me.