36. "Comfort and rest can be found through Jesus," Genesis 5:28-32

 36. "Comfort and rest can be found through Jesus,"

Genesis 5:28-32 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. He named him Noah and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.” After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died. After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.

Lamech had a son, and named it "Noah" which means rest or comfort. Thinking that Noah will give them rest from their work, and from discomfort did they experiencing from the cursed ground. Remember that the ground are being cursed by God because of the first fall of man -Adam- when He disobeyed God. 

But Noah is not the answer to their longing for rest or comfort of life, but only through God. For every man and even Noah inherited sin, and will fall short to the glory of God. Remember that sin corrupts our rest. It brings discomfort of life, for sin omits life and will cause to death.

Let's read again the book of Genesis 3:17, "To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life." 

For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Galatians 3:10 

Everyone are cursed because of inherited sin. And all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23-24). But Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” Galatians 3:13 

As our substitute on the cross, Christ not only bore the curse for us but also became a curse for us. The curse of the law issued from the sin of man (Gen. 3:17). When Christ took away our sin on the cross, He redeemed us out of the curse of the law.

"So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship." (Galatians 4:3-5)

God’s chosen people were shut up by the law under its custody. Christ was born under law in order to redeem God’s chosen people from the custody of the law that they might receive the sonship and become the sons of God. Hence, they should not return to the custody of the law to be under its slavery, as the Galatians were seduced to do, but should remain in the sonship of God to enjoy the life supply of the Spirit in Christ.

Since Christ has paid the price for our sins and in His redemption has fulfilled all God’s requirements on us, God, because He is just, must justify us freely. Such justification is by the grace of God, not by our works.

Imagine if we are still following the old law in the bible, we will witness such punishment like what we can read in the book of Deuteronomy 21:22-23, " If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole, you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under Godʼs curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance."

But thanks to Jesus, for “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)

We can find rest in Jesus, for He is our righteousness. Unrighteousness brings discomfort. Nothing is good in sin, it only gives us burden and will disconnect us to God. God's original plan is to create a new city under His government, in that place,there's, "No longer ...any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him." (Revelation 22:3) But the qualification of those who will live and serve in that new Jerusalem must qualify themselves according to God's standard, sadly that there's no righteousness of man can meet that qualification, only if we will live with Jesus as our righteousness. 

Just believe in Him and obey, in the book of Matthew 11:28-29 Jesus said this to all who are finding for comfort and rest, "“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." 

Now I say, comfort and rest can be found only through Jesus, come with Him and obey His will. Amen.

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