The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan
Week 11: Chapter 10 — The Rest of Heaven: Sabbath as Foretaste
Read Chapter 10 of The Rest of God. Primary Scripture: Hebrews 4:1-11; Revelation 21:1-5.
Previewing Week 11 of The Rest of God
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 12-week guide when you’re ready.
Buchanan brings his argument to its destination: Sabbath is not merely a weekly interruption of ordinary life but a weekly rehearsal of the life to come. This is the chapter where time and eternity meet.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Buchanan argues that our weekly Sabbath is a foretaste — a small anticipatory portion — of the eternal rest of heaven. How does this eschatological framing change the stakes of the question 'Should I take a day off this week?'
2.Hebrews 4 speaks of a rest that still 'remains' — something not yet fully entered, something still promised. Buchanan holds together the 'already' and the 'not yet' of Sabbath: we taste it now, but the full feast is ahead. How does living in that tension shape both the joy and the incompleteness of our current Sabbath experience?
3.Revelation 21 paints a picture of the new creation — no more tears, no more death, no more striving. Buchanan sees our weekly rest as a small echo of that final renewal. What specific features of the new creation does your Sabbath practice most anticipate or point toward?