Heb.4:14-16 – Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Seeing Christ seated at the right hand of God is the most glorious picture I can imagine. This shows the Lord is His humanity; crucified, resurrected and glorified enjoying God and also in His glory as He rules the Universe as a man. He entered heaven as a man for you and me and this joyful rest that He now enjoys is available to me. The marks of redemption are there in His body evidenced by the fact that John saw Him as a lamb slain in John’s vision of the throne. He also saw Him in His glory as the Lion of the tribe of Judah in His place as the only Begotten Son. He is enjoying His work of redemption, fully experiencing the joy of God’s rest. Here is how the Jonathan Edwards Study Bible views this.
“Though this verse states that those who are disobedient will not enter God’s rest, Heb.4:5 – ‘and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.”’ JE more positively explained what true rest is, when he wrote, “Therefore we may well suppose that very much of Christ’s happiness in heaven consists in beholding the glory of God appearing in the work of redemption, and so in rejoicing in his own work and reaping the sweet fruit of it, the glorious success of it, which was the joy that was set before him. And as the Apostle represents the future happiness of the saints by a participation of God’s rest and Christ’s rest from their works.””
So how does all of this affect my life in the here and now? Christ has entered into the life of God behind the veil as a forerunner, this was done giving us access into His presence. This rest isn’t just for heaven, it is there for us now as we boldly draw near to the throne of grace and begin to enjoy His supernatural rest.
