QT 29 Dec 16, Josh 21:41-45, Rest is good, rest is not a command

Joshua 21:41–45 (ESV) — 41 The cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the people of Israel were in all forty-eight cities with their pasturelands. 42 These cities each had its pasturelands around it. So it was with all these cities.

43 Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. 44 And the Lord gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into their hands. 45 Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.

NOTE:  God did not clear out the land completely. In fact, he never promised to clear out the land completely. 

Exodus 23:29–30 (ESV) — 29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land.

So, in fact, the people experienced rest while there was still work to do. The two ideas (rest and work) are not mutually opposed in the economy of God. Both rest and work are good. In fact, they probably work best when both are experienced in some sort of regular back and forth. We never stop working. We never stop resting. They are essential aspects of life. In the original idea for the Sabbath (Saturday rest), it was based on the fact that God worked six days, and then rested one day (however one might interpret the Hebrew word for day). The New Covenant does not repeat the command to keep Saturday as a day of rest nor does it add Sunday as a day of rest either. No, rest is no longer a command in the New Covenant, as Paul tells us in Colossians that we are freed from commandments and regulations that made days special.

Colossians 2:13–16 (ESV) — 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.

But rest is a principle of life. It is necessary for healthy well-being, just as work is necessary for healthy well-being. We need to work hard and we need to rest well--those are solid principles for a good and health life.