Judgment or True Rest and Peace with God?

Matthew 11:20-30

Woe to the Impenitent Cities

20 Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: 21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."

Jesus Gives True Rest

25 At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. 26 Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Jesus moved the message from having ears to hear as John the Baptist pointed to Him in order to receive Him as the Prophet to come, the Messiah, to the message of impending judgment if they do not repent from their sin of disobedience and disbelief in all God had been telling them throughout scripture.  He began pronouncing accountability with the cities where He had been doing mighty miracles to get their attention that they might turn from sin in confession to receiving Him according to His word.  He lambasted them for all they had witnessed yet seemed unfazed to change their ways, unlike sinful Tyre and Sidon which were powerful Phoenician cities, but were moral sewers with pagan religions.  This Sidon is where Jezebel came from and where God raised up Elijah to battle against the abominations she brought into Israel.  Even they would have repented before the current cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida who rejected Him after witnessing the finger of God (Exodus 8:19, Deuteronomy 9:10, Luke 11:20) come among them with such incredible working as only God is capable of doing!  Yet still they refused to believe in Him and turn from sin, keeping them under certain judgment (John 3:18-19, 12:48).  

Jesus then thanked His Father who revealed these things to those sheep He called and chose, who did not intellectually reason out the gospel but were attentive as young children leaning on and learning from every word they were lovingly taught.  He who is the Lord of heaven and earth hides these from the vessels of destruction and reveals them to vessels of grace as we find later in Romans 9:15-16, 22-24.  This is what is good in God’s sight to do though men take issue with this aspect of the sovereign goodness of grace and just severity (Romans 11:22) of their Maker for his glory.  To know the Father then requires we know His Son; there is no other way of deliverance from sin and judgment (Acts 4:12), and only as Jesus opens our eyes and ears are we able to turn from sin to Him in godly repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10) for eternal deliverance.  Therefore, the call to peace with God in Christ was given to stop working vainly to work to be saved or reason out the way, but instead to rest in Christ’s work on the cross and up from the grave for deliverance from death to life.  We are then to be yoked to Him in our identity and fellowship which is not burdensome, and then we can learn as humble disciples who follow and hear the Shepherd’s loving voice guide us through life into the kingdom of God as we rest in Him.  Only Jesus the Christ is able to provide us this true rest and peace with God (Romans 5:1, 2 John 1:3).  Do we face judgment or have true rest and peace with God?  That is the ultimate question and answer of life.