Psalms 95:10 “Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: 11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.”
The “rest”, referred to in this passage, is the Promised Land of Canaan. Israel did not believe what God had said to them, promised them, and they rebelled against Him; thus, they died in the wilderness and were not allowed to enter the Promised Land (Canaan). In this context, the Canaan-“rest” is a prophetic type of the New Testament Church (Hebrews 3:18-4:11). We are plainly told that “he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:10); that is, those works that are often promoted by modern Christianity as requisites for entry into Eternal Heaven. We are similarly warned, “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” (Hebrews 4:11). We do not “labour” “to enter into” Eternal “rest”, our Beloved Lord Jesus Christ entirely “finished” all the necessary work that is required for us to enter into our Heavenly “rest” (John 17:4; 19:30). To “labour”, in this context, is to rely upon our God-given “faith” (Hebrews 12:2), and with all diligence to dismiss all teachings that require us to do something to “inherit” (Ephesians 1:11) Eternal Life in Heaven, but rejoice that the Children of God’s Eternal Salvation was entirely secured when our Sacrifice (Jesus Christ) declared on the Cross, “It is finished.” (John 19:30). We enter the Church and attend worship services, not to get saved, but rejoice that our Lord “hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (II Timothy 1:9). Let us greatly rejoice and go to and be a part of our Lord’s Beloved Church; for, “In whom [Christ Jesus] also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:” (Ephesians 1:11).