Gods Sabbath

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E NTERING INTO G OD ’ S S ABBATH R EST

why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46. But Satan leads us to believe that there is no hope of returning to divine favor un less we first solve the problems we have created. It is true that the sinner must do something as a prerequisite for forgiveness— we need to come to God and confess our sins and ask His forgive ness and cleansing. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteous ness.” 1John 1:9. But Satan extends this point to make it appear that we must also attempt to undo the evil in which we have be come entangled. This would require more of us than God ex pects, because it is beyond human capacity. These lies of Satan are readily and widely accepted, yet they are deceptively designed to keep the soul separated from God. They only compound an existing problem. As it was human plan making which first caused the trouble, then more human plan ning in an effort to remove the problem will in fact make it only worse. The sole solution is to turn completely away from the pro cedures which were the initial cause of the trouble and rely sole ly on God as the Problem Solver instead. We have seen how Jac ob did this successfully in his encounter with Esau. However, when we are in serious trouble and know perfectly well that it has been caused by our own unwise course of action, it is not easy to come before God and commit the unraveling of the entanglement to Him. Like the Pharisee in the parable, we prefer to present ourselves before the Almighty in commendable righteousness, rather than to appear in the shame of our iniqui ty, as did the poor publican and Jacob. But we must ever remem ber that it was the publican—not the Pharisee—who returned home freed from his burdens (see Luke 18:10–14). And Jacob could only meet Esau peacefully because he was experiencing the Sabbath rest of being freed from his guilt. It is not only our pride that makes us unwilling to appear be fore God just as we are, but fear is often an added factor. We can be afraid to come before God because of incorrect views of His character. People tend to see God as a Being of awesome right eousness and strict justice who will exact full punishment for every evil committed. By encouraging this erroneous concept, Satan leads them to believe that God will not relieve them of their problems until they have endured all that they deserve.