Entering into God's rest

 

Genesis 2:2-3 Genesis 2:2-3 sets the tone and establishes the first reason for Sabbath-keeping: we are to follow His example. Because He specifically rested on the seventh day of creation, the Sabbath has universal validity. It is an example from creation, not from one of the Patriarchs, nor from Moses, nor from any Jews—because there were no Jews then. The Scripture clearly states that this was the seventh day, not a seventh day. Though Genesis 2 is not the theological beginning of the Sabbath, yet without doubt, Exodus 20:11 shows that the keeping of it as a religious day of worship has its foundation firmly anchored in Genesis 1 and 2. Sabbath does not literally mean "to rest." Instead, it means "to stop" or "to cease." Resting is the result of stopping what one does on the other six days. God could have rested at any time, or He need not have rested at all. He could have ended the creative cycle at the end of the sixth day, but He did not. The Sabbath is, in fact, His final creative act of that week. He created by resting. The writer draws attention to what God did on that day even as it is drawn to what He did on the other six days. In reality, the Sabbath is the very crown of the creation week. He topped His creative activities off by creating a specific period of time sanctified for rest. It was as specifically created as what He did on the other six days. On the Sabbath, the creating continued, but took on a different form than it had on the other days, a form not outwardly visible. As a believer gradually learns, the Sabbath symbolizes to God's children the fact that God is still creating (John 5:16-17). The Sabbath is an integral part of the process of creation. The physical part was finished at the end of the sixth day, but the spiritual aspect began with the creation of the Sabbath and continues to this day, even as the effects of creation on the other six days continue to this day. At the end of the creation sequence, God created and sanctified an environment to play a major role in producing eternal and everlasting life. Through the creation of the Sabbath, God shows that the life-producing process is not complete with just the physical environment. The Sabbath plays an important role in producing spiritual life, a quality of life having a dimension that the physical alone cannot supply. Toward this end, no other day can be employed with the Sabbath's quality of effectiveness. There is a valid reason for this. The Sabbath is not a mere afterthought of a tremendous creation, but a deliberate memorializing of the most enduring thing man knows: time. Sabbath time plays an especially important role in God's spiritual creation. Through the Sabbath, it is as if God says, "Look at what I have made, and consider that I am not yet finished creating. I am reproducing Myself, and you can be a part of My spiritual creation." God created the Sabbath by ceasing from His physical exertion, setting the example for man also to cease from the normal activities of the other six workdays. He also specifically blessed and sanctified it. He did this to no other day, yet men argue against keeping it—even though Jesus, like His Father, kept it. It is truly the least of the commandments to men. Exodus 31:13 An interesting and significant term is used in Exodus 31:13, 17: The Sabbath is a sign, not a mark. Bible usage shows that a sign is something voluntarily accepted, whereas a mark is placed on a person against his will. The Sabbath is a special sign of a special covenant between God and His people. In the wilderness, His people were the Israelites; today, it is the Israel of God, the church of God (Galatians 6:16). A sign can identify a person's occupation or an individual's or group's purpose. Signs can give directions (like traffic signs), or they can bring people together with shared interests and a common purpose (like flags). A sign can be the pledge of mutual fidelity and commitment (as in putting a hand over one's heart). Organizations use signs to designate membership so that members can recognize each other (as with secret handshakes). In the church's case, the Sabbath serves as an external and visible bond that simultaneously unites and sanctifies us from everyone else. Almost everybody else keeps Sunday or nothing. Through the Sabbath, the Christian knows that God is sanctifying him. Everyone who has kept both Sabbath and Sunday knows this. Sunday sets no one apart from this world because so many in this world observe it. God has a purpose He is working out. If the only reason He created the Sabbath were because we need physical rest, any old time would do. Ultimately, however, the real sign appears in how and why one keeps the Sabbath. Thus, God made a specific period of time special so that He could meet with His people during that sanctified period to help them become even more different for their benefit. What is His major goal in doing this? He educates His people in His way of life. In part, He prepares His people to witness for Him by this means. As an analogy, suppose a basketball coach told his players, "Come to the gym at 8 AM Monday, and I will teach you how my team plays ball." Yet, what if some players went to a different gym at a different time with a different coach? Players on a team who take the game seriously begin to take on the qualities and philosophy of their coach. People who involve themselves deeply in athletics say they can often tell by a player's characteristics that he has trained under a certain coach. They remark that he has the John Wooden or John Thompson "way" about him. What has happened is that the player has taken on the "sign" of his coach, and it has "sanctified" him from other players who were not trained by that particular coach. The Sabbath was created because it both enhances and protects a Christian's relationship with God. It also provides a witness to God, to the person keeping it, and to the world. It exists to help keep a Christian pointed in the right direction and in a proper frame of mind, and it provides him with the right knowledge and understanding to negotiate the way to God's Kingdom. Hebrews 4:9-10 The Lamsa translation of the Bible from the Aramaic renders Hebrews 4:9-10 as: "It is therefore the duty of the people of God to keep the sabbath. For he that has entered into his rest also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his." Along with the examples of Christ, His apostles, and the early church, this scripture indeed shows us we have a responsibility in keeping the Sabbath. It is on the Sabbath day that we have the best opportunity each week to learn and grow toward entering God's rest, His Kingdom. The letter to the Hebrews weaves theology and practical application. After each doctrinal section, it urges the readers to do something as a result. This often takes the form of “Therefore, let us do such and such.” As part of that pattern, chapter 4 begins with the word therefore, meaning that the exhortations we read in chapter 4 are built on a point made earlier. So our study of chapter 4 must begin with a review of chapter 3. Chapter 3 tells us to look to Jesus, because he is superior to the angels and to Moses. To make the point, the author quotes Psalm 95:7-11: Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, as on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors put me to the test, though they had seen my works for forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘They always go astray in their hearts, and they have not known my ways.’ As in my anger I swore, ‘They will not enter my rest.’” (Hebrews 3:7-11). Don’t be like your disbelieving, disobedient ancestors, he says. They refused God so many times that he set them aside and shut them out. Don’t test his patience, he seems to say. Listen to what God is saying now. To develop this point, he elaborates on the last part of the quote from Psalm 95: “They will not enter my rest.” What is this “rest,” and what can we learn from it in connection with Jesus? This brings us to chapter 4. How we enter (verses 1-5) “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest is still open, let us take care that none of you should seem to have failed to reach it.” We can paraphrase the thought in this way: God makes it possible for us to enter his rest, so we need to make sure that we accept his offer. If we do not keep our faith in him (the main exhortation of this book), we will fail to enter. How do we enter? Verse 2 tells us, “For indeed the good news came to us just as to them; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.” The author urges us to be diligent, then he talks about “the good news.” This implies that we enter God’s rest by means of the gospel. The ancient Israelites had the gospel in a veiled form, in symbols such as the bronze snake, the washings, the sacrifices and festivals. But despite the miracles, the people did not have faith in God and the message did not do them any good. We do not have to make the same mistake. “For we who have believed enter that rest.” Believe what? Believe the gospel. All who look to Jesus, who have faith in Jesus, are entering God’s rest. But wait! Didn’t God rest thousands of years ago? How can it be possible for us to enter something that is long gone? The author deals with this objection by bringing it up: “…although his works were finished at the foundation of the world. For in one place it speaks about the seventh day as follows, ‘And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.’” Genesis tells us that God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2). That is, he had finished the creation. (He continues to work in the sense of upholding all things.) But the author of Hebrews observes that God’s work has been finished ever since, which means that God is still resting. God is still in his rest, and it is open for humans to enter. It was available for the ancient Israelites; otherwise there would be no point in saying, “They will not enter my rest.” God’s rest was available to them, but they refused to enter. Still available for us (verses 6-8) God’s rest is available to us, too: “it remains open for some to enter it.” The offer is still open, and it is made even more clear and compelling through Jesus Christ. The Israelites at the time of Moses, “those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience.” Their disobedience was evidence of their lack of faith. They did not believe that God would give them what he had promised. God “sets a certain day—‘today’—saying through David much later, in the words already quoted, ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.’” Many years after Moses, God again spoke about rest, urging people to not harden their hearts and thereby fail to enter his rest. Hear him today, David urged. The offer was still good. People could enter God’s rest, could be secure in his promise, if they listened with faith and willingness. But didn’t the people enter God’s rest when they entered the Promised Land? No. “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not [through David] speak later about another day.” The “rest” that Psalm 95 was speaking of was not the Promised Land. It was something that the Israelites, with few exceptions, failed to enter. They did not respond to God with faith and willingness. Our Sabbath-rest (verses 9-11) The author then concludes: “So then, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God.” Is he bringing up a new subject? No — he is still on the same subject, using different words to develop it further. He is saying, Since people did not enter God’s rest in Moses’ day, nor in Joshua’s day, and yet we are still exhorted in the Psalms about God’s rest, the conclusion is that this rest still remains for the people of God today. It is still available. Why does he call this a sabbath rest? He is not slipping in a command for the seventh-day Sabbath. That would be totally out of context. His exhortation throughout this book is telling Jewish people to look to Jesus. He is not urging them to do a better job of keeping Jewish customs. The ancient Israelites, even though they had the Sabbath, did not enter the rest he is talking about. God’s rest is entered by faith — by believing the gospel (verses 3-4). The author is not interested in a day of the week — he is concerned about how people respond to Jesus. A person who keeps the weekly Sabbath but rejects Christ has not entered God’s rest. We enter God’s rest only by believing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why does he call this a sabbath rest? By using this word, he indicates that this is what the weekly Sabbath pointed to. Just as the bronze snake pointed to Jesus’ crucifixion (John 3:14-15), and the washings pointed to forgiveness, and the sacrifices pointed to Jesus, similarly, the weekly Sabbath pointed to something spiritual: our rest through faith in Christ. It is available — we may enter God’s rest. Don’t put it off — do it today! “For those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labors as God did from his.” God rested from his creative work, but what kind of work do we rest from? What do we quit doing when we come to have faith in Christ? The work of trying to earn our salvation, the work of trying to qualify for the kingdom, the work of trying to be accepted by God. When we look to Jesus for our salvation, we quit looking to ourselves. The author again draws a practical conclusion: “Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs.” Since the rest is available to us, let’s enter it with faith. Ironically, this rest requires effort, he says, rather than passivity. Our “effort” is that we should believe what God has done in Jesus Christ. On the seventh day, the Lord rested The creation account recorded in Genesis chapters 1–3 provides insight into our origins. As a bonus it shows us a pattern of work and rest.  One can see the progress of creation moving from the heavens and earth all the way to the creation of mankind in his own image. It moves from “good” to “very good” to “perfect”.  The number six is the number for mankind as we were created on the sixth day.  Seven is the number for divine perfection and the number for the day of rest. God follows all the steps from day one to day six, doing the work of the creation before he enters into solemn rest on the seventh day.  Day One:  The account of Creation of Genesis shows God creating the heavens, the earth light, and separating the same from the darkness. He saw that the light was good and God separated the light from the darkness. Day Two: He forms the dry land and separates from the water and the heavens above the earth. Day Three: He adds plant-yielding seeds, vegetation, and trees bearing fruit and God saw that it was good. Day Four: God sprinkles stars and planets in the heavens. Using stars for lighting. We get the light of the Sun by day and the moon by night. Again this is good. Day Five: God adds all manner of fish and aquatic life expanding on the seas.  And adds all matter of birds to bridge the land and the heavens. Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth. Again this is good. Day Six: This the day of the creation of man and woman in God’s own image.  God declared it “very good”. Day Seven: God rested on the seventh day having completed the work of creation.  Rest is perfection as it is time with God where we let go of everything else. One could say that the seventh day is perfect. [Adapted from Genesis chapter 1–3] Sabbath Healings Jesus worked many miracles fulfilling the messianic prophecies on the day of rest. For Jesus it was a day where he healed the lepers, gave sight to the blind, restored the paralytic, and raised the dead.  Resting in the Lord is about restoring us mind, body, and soul. Jesus had a rhythm of withdrawing to lonely places to pray. Jesus used the story of Martha and Mary to illustrate the importance of Rest in the Lord. Entering into the rest of the Lord is the better portion.  It moves us beyond the prayer of words into a prayer of silent love.  Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her. Luke 10: 41–42 Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of God and offers the gift of Peace.  The Promised Land, Rest in the Lord, Kingdom of God, the Peace of Jesus, and Heaven have one thing in common. All are promised to those who repent and believe and are faithful in following God’s commandments.  Whereas the promised land was focused on the geopolitical realm of earth, the kingdom of God is about entering a state of grace. All represent a radical promise for those who choose the path of God, who separate themselves from this world so as to attach themselves to Christ and the Church. In the Old Testament, the first Passover Lamb, prefigured Christ.    By Jesus’ blood we have the grace to enter into the Kingdom of God, The Peace of Jesus Christ, and the Rest of the Lord.  Complacency and Hardness of Heart Many Christians, like the Israelites, start well and end poorly.  The doctrine of “eternal security”, “once saved, always saved”, when misinterpreted, can foster a complacency with a bad end.  The same can be said for Christians of any denomination whose devotion ends at the doors of the church, or the end of their devotional on TV,  as they have allowed the culture to corrupt their daily habits and practices. We are called to accept Jesus as Lord, be baptized and repent.  We are called to make God our first and only priority the rest of our lives, day by day and moment by moment. There were many factors that blocked the Israelites from entering the Promised Land.  They were infected by the pagan culture and gave in to idolatry. The Israelites quarreled with Moses over a lack of food and God provided Mana in the wilderness.  They quarreled over the lack of water at Massah and Meribah and God provided water from the rock. They did not obey the commandments of God. Hardness of heart is the principal reason for not entering the rest of the Lord.  It is the reason pharaoh resisted God and it is the reason Israelites resisted God.  And it is the reason many “so called” Christians risk the fires of hell. After witnessing many blessings, they allow their eyes and ears to be dulled, they allow their speech to be unguarded.  Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Isaiah describe hardness of heart. “You dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not; for they are a rebellious house”.  Ezekiel 12:1–3 “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not.  Jeremiah 5:21 Make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.  Isaiah 6:10 A lost soul is one who has lost his senses.  This is what hardness of heart does. It blinds us to the truth, blocks our ability to listen to the truth, to smell that which is true, to touch that which is true, and to speak that which is true. Entering the rest of the Lord is not guaranteed, rather it requires participation on our part. “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew7:13–14 Remember the Blessings God Has Done For Us or Perish God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt by signs and wonders.  Moses was God’s chosen instrument. The people of God saw the ten plagues visited upon Egypt and the hard-hearted pharaoh. On the first Passover the people of Israel had God’s attention and they were obedient marking their houses by the blood of an unblemished lamb.  The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.  Exodus 12:13 After Pharaoh released the people of Israel, they witnessed another miracle as the waters of the Nile parted so that the people of Israel could pass over dry land.   Meanwhile the forces of their enemy were destroyed by the engulfing waters. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers.   Exodus 14:21–23 Having experienced deliverance, the people of Israel murmured against Moses because they had no food. God miraculously provided quail and mana (bread from heaven). “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”   Exodus 16:8 Again, the people of Israel murmured because they had no water.  Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me, to show my holiness before the eyes of the Israelites, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and by which he showed his holiness. Numbers 20:10–13 Finishing Well It is clear that these Israelites started well.  They came to believe in God the deliverer, having seen the signs and wonders of God. But only a remnant would enter into the promised land.  Why would so many people begin so well and end so poorly.  Of the people who were set free from Egypt only Joshua and Caleb entered the Promised Land.  Not even Moses was permitted to enter the promise land because of his disobedience at the waters of Meribah.  If God can disqualify the mega pastor Moses from entering the promised land, then we should be careful when we consider how God meets out judgement.  The promised land was a place flowing with milk and honey, a place with livestock and flowers, an abundance of vegetables and fruit. The promised land is the place where God provides for his people.  It was the inheritance of faithful remnant who experienced God’s mighty hand delivering them from every evil, providing for their every need and protecting them from all adversaries. Moses sent spies to reconnoiter the promised land. The Lord said to Moses, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites; from each of their ancestral tribes you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.” So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the Lord, all of them leading men among the Israelites. Numbers 13:1–3 They came back with their report. Ten of the original twelve gave into fear and anxiety to the point where they forgot the signs and wonders of God. And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.  Yet the people who live in the land are strong, and the towns are fortified and very large; and besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. Numbers 13:27–28 Joshua and Caleb Learn the Lessons and Enters Into God’s Rest Only Caleb came back with the right perspective. The land is flowing with honey and what’s more with God we can take the land. To Joshua and Caleb’s way of thinking, no matter what giants stand in our path, we can take the land, not by our own power, but by the mighty hand of God. Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”  Numbers 13:30 But the crowd listened to the ten who gave the evil report and cried out against God and Moses, yielding to their greatest fears while forgetting all that God had done on their behalf. God provided rules of warfare for taking the land.  When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots, an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. Before you engage in battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the troops,  and shall say to them: “Hear, O Israel! Today you are drawing near to do battle against your enemies. Do not lose heart, or be afraid, or panic, or be in dread of them;  for it is the Lord your God who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to give you victory. Deuteronomy 20:1–4 Joshua was now poised to fit the battle of Jericho.  This time learning is lesson from experience, he sent only two spies to reconnoiter the land. The Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have handed Jericho over to you, along with its king and soldiers.  You shall march around the city, all the warriors circling the city once. Thus you shall do for six days,  with seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, the priests blowing the trumpets.  When they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and all the people shall charge straight ahead.”  Joshua 6:2–5 God gave Joshua his plan for beating an unbeatable enemy.  For six days they are to march, with the ark of the covenant and the priests and on the seventh day march seven times, blow the trumpet and with a great shout the walls will fall down. On the seventh day they rose early, at dawn, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times.  And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city. Joshua 6:15–16  So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpets, they raised a great shout, and the wall fell down flat; so the people charged straight ahead into the city and captured it. Joshua 6:20 ebrews 4 tells the sad story of how Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years never entering into the rest of living in the land God had promised to them when He led them out of Egypt. They failed to enjoy this rest for one reason only – unbelief. The writer goes on to say that for Jew and Gentile (non-Jews) today, God wants us to enter into a different kind of rest. According to Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30, this kind of rest is “soul-rest.” It’s a way for us to have rest in our mind, emotions and will. Hebrew 4:9-11 says, ” 9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. 11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.” How do we enter into that rest, especially as Christians? The answer is, through faith in Jesus Christ and what He has already done for us. He has finished what many of us are still trying to finish in our relationship with Him. He has finished these for us: He has made us acceptable to God our Father by 1. Making us 100% righteous in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21); 2. Forgiving us of all past, present and future sins in Christ (Ephesians 1:4); 3. Seating us (in our spirit) in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 2:6); 4. Reconciling us as enemies to God by making us His friends (2 Corinthians 5:18); 5. Being well-pleased with who we are in Christ, regardless of our behavior or ministry, just as He was with Jesus (Matthew 3:17); 6. Showing us that we are as valuable as Jesus in the parable of the pearl (Matthew 13:45-46); 7. Convincing us that there is no condemnation from Him when we fail or sin (Romans 8:1); 8. Removing our shame (Romans 10:11); 9. Offering to live His life through us in the power of the Holy Spirit, so that living our Christian lives is not up to us but Him (Galatians 2:20). There are many more, but I wanted to show you some of the core work God the Father did through Jesus for you and in you. Do you want to enter into that rest today as a Christian? Why don’t you go through them one by one and thank Him by faith that all of those are true of you? “For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world”. Hebrews 4:3 KJV   Notice that the scripture says: “…we which have believed…” That is how to enter into rest. When you believe what was spoken over your life, then you will enter into rest. It is important, therefore that you believe what God said as you read His word. Believe that what God said is true. Then you will enter into rest. You cannot receive manifestation when you are agitated when you are anxious when you are in doubt when you are stressed up and you are wondering whether it will happen or not. Anytime you see yourself stressed or anxious about anything, know that you are not resting in that area.   Our labour is not to get. Our labour is not to struggle to make it happen and it is not to depend on our self-effort. Our labour is to enter into rest. Why? Because Jesus Christ said it is finished. He paid the price that is needed for mankind to begin to enjoy the fullness of God. It is finished! That is where we are supposed to start from. Everything that will make life comfortable for you here on earth before we go into eternity is already done.   Your healing is already finished! Your prosperity is already finished! Your job, your promotion, and the increase are already finished. It is already concluded. It has been paid for, sealed, and packaged. Jesus has done it all. The greatest level of faith is a faith of resting. That is the faith that says it is done.   God does not want you to be anxious for anything because the price has already been paid. We are not called to work to be healed or work to be blessed? Jesus has already finished every work required. So the only labour you are required to do is to rest. What does it mean? It means to put absolute and complete trust in that which has been done. 1 Therefore we must be wary that, while the promise of entering his rest remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it. 2 For we had good news proclaimed to us just as they did. But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in with those who heard it in faith. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my anger,‘They will never enter my rest!’” And yet God’s works were accomplished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,” 5 but to repeat the text cited earlier: “They will never enter my rest!” 6 Therefore it remains for some to enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed did not enter because of disobedience. 7 So God again ordains a certain day, “Today,” speaking through David after so long a time, as in the words quoted before, “O, that today you would listen as he speaks! Do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken afterward about another day. 9 Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God. 10 For the one who enters God’s rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works (Hebrews 4:1-10).2 Introduction When I was in college, I worked on the night maintenance crew. We cleaned the student union center from midnight Friday night to 8 a.m. Saturday morning. On one particular Friday night, one of the members of our work crew wasn’t to be found, so we decided to search the building to find him. It turned out that he had curled up under a piano and was getting his rest. This is not the kind of “rest” we will be talking about in this lesson. Sleeping on the job is not “rest.” I fear there are some Christians who may be “sleeping on the job.” If so, this message will not provide any comfort for them. The “rest” we are talking about is not the kind that you find a couple of weeks in the summer, in a hammock, or in bed. Speaking of beds, have you noticed how often mattresses are advertised on T.V.? There are foam mattresses with a memory (probably better than mine) and a plethora of others. And then there are the sleeping pills that we “can ask our doctor about to see if they are right for us.” We know that it is important for our bodies to get a proper night’s rest, and if we don’t, there are unpleasant consequences. But if physical rest is important to our physical well being, spiritual rest is even more important to our spiritual well being. In our last lesson, we saw how the author of Hebrews warned us about failure to enter God’s rest, due to unbelief, a hardened heart, and disobedience. We now know how we can fail to rest, but it isn’t entirely clear just what that “rest” is. I believe the first ten verses of Hebrews 4 will give us a much better definition of rest. That is the goal of this lesson. Our Approach in this Lesson We will begin this lesson with an overview of chapters 1-4. We will then return to last week’s lesson and the text of Hebrews 3:1-19, which is the basis for our text. Then we will concentrate on our text – the first ten verses of chapter 4. There are several terms on which the author builds his argument, so we will seek to define them, and then determine how these help us to understand what “rest” means for us. We will conclude with some areas of application. Overview of Chapters 1-4 The Book of Hebrews begins with the declaration that while God has spoken in various ways through the Old Testament prophets, He has now spoken fully and finally in His Son (Hebrews 1:1-4). The Son is characterized by a seven-fold description (verses 1-4), which is then buttressed by citations from Old Testament texts (verses 5-14). The thread which unifies chapter 1 is that the Son is superior to the angels. Chapter 2 begins with an exhortation to pay even more careful attention to the revelation which has come through the Son. The remainder of the chapter deals with the results of the incarnation of the Second Person of the Trinity. To briefly summarize the benefits of the incarnation, it enabled the Son to die in the sinner’s place, paying the penalty for his sins, and restoring him (or her) to the glory and authority which God gave man at creation. Furthermore, it enabled Him to become a faithful and merciful high priest. His humiliation and exaltation is God’s provision for man’s redemption and restoration. Chapters 3 and 4 will establish the superiority of the Son to Moses. The first six verses of chapter 3 set out the argument and provide three examples of the superiority of the Son. Verses 7-19 of chapter 3 continue to show the Son’s superiority to Moses, but in a more subtle way than verses 1-6. The author cites the last half of Psalm 95, in which the psalmist warns the people of his day, based on the failure of the Israelites to enter Canaan. The warning was against failing to enter God’s rest, due to unbelief, hardness of heart, and disobedience. The subtlety of the argument is that Moses did not lead the Israelites into Canaan; indeed, he and Aaron didn’t enter the land either. The author wants his readers to know that there is still a rest available to us, but there is likewise a danger of failing to enter this rest, for the same reasons that earlier generations failed. We have seen indications of more than one “rest” in chapter 3. There is the “rest” of entering the land of Canaan, which the first generation of Israelites failed to attain. Then there is the “rest” which is available for the readers of Psalm 95. This must be a different rest because the readers are now dwelling in the Promised Land, and “rest” is still being offered. There is also “God’s rest,” which will be more fully explained in chapter 4. And so as we come to chapter 4, we find that it is tightly related to chapter 3. In chapter 4, the author will cite fragments of his quotation from Psalm 95 in chapter 3. It is these repeated words and phrases which provide us with the key to understanding the author’s meaning of “rest.” Chapter 4 will conclude with an exhortation to strive to enter “God’s rest,” with an emphasis on the Word of God (verses 12-13) and on the high priestly ministry of our Savior (verses 14-16). Tracing the Argument of Chapters 3 and 4 There are two keys to understanding the argument of chapters 3 and 4. The first is the superiority of the Son – Jesus Christ – to Moses. This is introduced in 3:1-6. The second is the superiority of the rest which Jesus has achieved to the “rest” which Israel, under the leadership of Moses, did not attain (indeed, a rest to which Moses himself did not attain). This superior rest is the focus of verses 7-19. A few observations of these verses will prove helpful when we come to our text in chapter 4. First, verses 7-19 continue the theme of the superiority of Christ to Moses. We can see from the incidents underlying Psalm 95 that neither the first generation of Israelites nor Moses himself entered into the rest God had for them. Second, these verses address the danger of falling back into Judaism. If the danger facing the Hebrews was drifting from Christ and the New Covenant and falling back into Judaism and the Old Covenant, then verses 7-19 deal with this issue. Consider verse 8: “Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness” (Hebrews 3:8, NET Bible, emphasis mine). “Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, As in the day of trial in the wilderness” (Hebrews 3:8, NASB95, emphasis mine). “Do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert” (Hebrews 3:8, NIV, emphasis mine). The NET Bible provides us with the most literal translation of verse 8. One could thus read it with two slightly different meanings. Either the readers are warned not to sin as those in the past sinned in the day of testing, or, the readers are warned not to sin as they did in the day of testing. The first understanding is reflected by the translation of the NASB; the second by the translation of the NIV. The NET Bible remains somewhat neutral by rendering the verse literally, allowing the reader to go either way. What difference does it make? Well, the warning certainly becomes more personal with the rendering of the NIV. But how can one be guilty of the sins of a bygone generation? Consider these verses: 34 “For this reason I am sending you prophets and wise men and experts in the law, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, 35 so that on you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar” (Matthew 23:34-35, emphasis mine). 51 “You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors did! 52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become! 53 You received the law by decrees given by angels, but you did not obey it” (Acts 7:51-53, emphasis mine). Do you notice how both Jesus and Stephen linked the guilt of those in previous generations with the guilt of a later generation? In both instances above, the audience that was being condemned was Jewish. These folks rejected Jesus and chose to identify themselves with the Jews and the Judaism of a bygone day. They identified themselves with the old by clinging to it, while rejecting the new. They also identified with the older generation by repeating their sins. And so it is that they became guilty of those sins, partners with that unbelieving and hard-hearted generation in their sin. Is the author of Hebrews saying this as well? Is he saying that those who are tempted to fall back into Judaism will also fall back into the sins of the past? If so, this is a strong argument against doing so. Let the readers take note of what it means to identify with the rebels of the past, rather than with the Redeemer. Third,we should note that the entire first generation3 of Israelites failed to enter their rest (verse 16). If an entire generation failed, then the warning based upon their experience carries more weight. Have you listened to the commercials for prescription drugs lately? After urging us to ask our doctor about the usefulness of a certain medication, they go on to list all of the possible side effects. Why don’t these side effects scare us to death? Because we assume that they are few and far between. If only 5% of those who take a pill have their hair fall out, then I conclude that it probably won’t happen to me, especially if the pill will fulfill all the promises that are made concerning its benefits. But when 99.9999% of that generation failed, then the danger must be great indeed. Fourth, this generation failed for forty years. Israel’s unbelief and disobedience was a persistent practice. It was the rule, and not the exception. Fifth, the Israelites failed under Moses’ leadership, after hearing God speak to (and through) Moses, and after seeing many miracles in confirmation of Moses’ authority. Sixth, God was angry with this generation, and this resulted in their death in the wilderness (which is exactly what they asked for – Numbers 14:2), and thus their failure to enter into rest. Seventh, the offer of “rest” remains till “today.” Eighth, the danger of failing to enter rest also remains till “today.” Ninth, the fundamental problem is that of “unbelief.” The Keys to Understanding Our Text There are several “keys” to understanding our text. The first is those “key terms,” which are found in Psalm 95 and to which our author repeatedly refers. We will look more carefully at these terms in a moment. The second is to understand how the psalmist connected the dots – how he understood and applied Israel’s failure to enter into rest to his own day. We should learn how to interpret and apply Scripture from the Scriptures. What better way to understand our text than to grasp how the psalmist came to his interpretation and application. The third key is to understand how our author interpreted and applied the lessons of Psalm 95 to his day. Surely his method of interpreting and applying Scripture is instructive to us as to how we should understand and apply Hebrews 3 and 4 today. Key Terms “TODAY” Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks!(Hebrews 3:7, citing Psalm 95:7b) But exhort one another each day, as long as it is called “Today,” that none of you may become hardened by sin’s deception (Hebrews 3:13). As it says, “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks!Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” (Hebrews 3:15, referring to Psalm 95:7b). So God again ordains a certain day, “Today,” speaking through David after so long a time, as in the words quoted before, “O, that today you would listen as he speaks! Do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7, referring once again to Psalm 95:7b). When the author of Psalm 95 said, “today,” he was somehow keeping the offer made to the first generation current. Whatever was “today” in Psalm 95 is still “today” today. When the writer to the Hebrews cites from Psalm 95:7, he calls attention to the word “today.” He makes the point that while the “rest” that the first generation of Israelites failed to enter was dwelling in peace in the Promised Land, there was still a “rest” being offered in Psalm 95. It was still “today.” Thus, for the psalmist, the offer of rest remains, as does the danger of failing to enter into it. And when the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews uses Psalm 95, he does so in a way that makes it clear that there is still an offer of rest, and that it will be embraced and experienced or lost. “Today” thus calls attention to at least of couple of applications. First, there is an urgency regarding the offer of rest. It must be seized while it is today, for a “tomorrow” is coming when it will be too late, just as there was for the ancient Israelites. Second, rest appears to be a day-by-day, “one day at a time” experience. It is not something that we believe for the moment, but rather something we believe and lay hold of day after day. GOD’S WORD God’s Word is a key ingredient in the Book of Hebrews (as we will point out in our next lesson), although it is referred to by means of several different expressions. In addition to being called “the Word of God,” (4:12), it is sometimes referred to as “what God has spoken” (1:1-3), “what we have heard” (2:1), or “good news” (4:2). It is even referred to as “so great a salvation” (2:3) and as “God’s voice” (3:7). God’s Word is the Father’s full and final revelation through the Son, the crowning conclusion to previous revelations through the prophets (1:1-4). It is the message of salvation to which we are exhorted to give much more careful attention (2:1-4). Israel’s unbelief and disobedience was in spite of God’s Word revealed to and through Moses, which was confirmed by the many miracles associated with the exodus from Egypt (3:7-19). Belief in God’s Word is the key to “rest” (4:3), just as “unbelief” is the reason why men fail to enter into God’s rest (3:19). While the “good news” that the ancient Israelites received was not the full-blown gospel that we have heard, it was nevertheless good news that did them no good because they failed to believe it and act upon it. FAITH Faith is also known as belief, just as the absence of faith is unbelief. Faith is a key concept in the Book of Hebrews, as will be dramatically evident when we get to chapter 11. It is an evil heart of unbelief that falls away from the living God (3:12, see also verse 19), while those who enter God’s rest do so by faith (4:3). Unbelief leads to a hardened heart, which leads to rebellion and divine discipline. COMMUNITY Community is not a term that is found in our text, or even in the Book of Hebrews. But it is a concept which is emphasized as vitally important to the believer. It is very possible that the concept of “community” is referred to in verse 2 of chapter 4: For we had good news proclaimed to us just as they did. But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in with those who heard it in faith4 (Hebrews 4:2, NET Bible; emphasis mine). For we also have received the good news just as they did; but the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith (CSB, emphasis mine). For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened (ESV, emphasis mine). Other translations render this verse differently: For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard (NASB, emphasis mine). For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it (NKJV, emphasis mine). So we have two ways of understanding this verse, due to a measure of ambiguity in the Greek text. (1) The good news did not do some any good because they did not identify themselves with people of faith. Or, (2) The good news did not do some any good because they did not personally embrace it by faith. Perhaps the ambiguity is deliberate, so that both meanings apply. It is pretty clear that the Word does us little good if we refuse to believe it. But the writer to the Hebrews also wants us to realize that our faith and Christian walk is not a solo proposition but a choir event. When we come to faith in Christ, we are joined with Christ and with other believers (see 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 2:11-22; 1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-10). This is why the author can employ Psalm 95, a psalm which summons the community of faith to worship. This is also why he expects the saints to gather regularly to encourage one another and to watch for those who are drifting: 12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has an evil, unbelieving heart that forsakes the living God. 13 But exhort one another each day, as long as it is called “Today,” that none of you may become hardened by sin’s deception (Hebrews 3:12-13). 23 And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy. 24 And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, 25 not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near (Hebrews 10:23-25). REST There are several kinds of rest referred to in Hebrews. The first rest mentioned is the “rest” the first generation of Israelites failed to enter, namely entrance into the Promised Land and rest from its enemies (Hebrews 3:11). Then there was the “rest” to which the psalmist referred in Psalm 95 that was available in his time (“today”). And there is the “rest” which was available to those whom the author of Hebrews was writing in his day: Therefore we must be wary that, while the promise of entering his rest remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it (Hebrews 4:1, emphasis mine). That rest was not merely the rest of possessing the Promised Land, but a great rest, a “sabbath rest.” The source of this rest is God, who after having completed the work of creation, rested on the seventh day. This rest is the rest from our labors. It is the “rest” which is the key to the rest which is available to us today. There is still a “rest” that is available to us “today.” I would understand this to have present and future dimensions, just as salvation has. There is surely a “salvation rest,” a resting from our works in an effort to earn God’s favor, when we come to faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary. And there is the eternal rest which all Christians will experience. But there must also be what we might call a “sanctification rest,” a rest from striving as Christians in the power of the flesh, in a futile effort to attain godliness. I believe that we see this in Romans 7 and 8. Chapter 7 is the description of a Christian trying to live up to God’s standards in the power of the flesh, and failing badly. Chapter 8 is the solution. The Christian is to live in the power of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that raised the dead body of Jesus from the grave. By the working of His Spirit in us, we are able, to some degree, to live a godly life (see Romans 8:1-17). This is resting in Him, or we might even say, abiding in Him (see John 15:1-14). This is the key to fruitfulness. The Argument of Hebrews 4:1-10 So, having reviewed the argument of Hebrews 1-4, and having noted the terms and concepts foundational to this argument, let us briefly trace the author’s argument in the first ten verses of chapter 4. The ancient Israelites, along with those who lived in the days of the psalmist, had the promise of rest, a rest which could only be attained by faith. Because the first generation of Israelites failed so badly to enter God’s rest – in spite of the extent of revelation from God, and miracles to confirm it – we should have a keen sense of our own fallibility, and thus the danger of a failure in our faith and walk (4:1). We are not that different from those ancient Israelites. Just as they received the good news of a promise of entering the land of Canaan, so we have received an even greater revelation of good news, the good news of salvation by faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Just as the “good news” the ancient Israelites received did them no good because of their lack of faith, so our “good news” is only profitable through faith. It requires not only initial faith on our part, but on-going faith. This kind of faith is encouraged and stimulated by our association with others who share the same faith (4:2). The “rest” into which we enter is God’s rest, God’s Sabbath rest, such as we find in Genesis 2:2 – the rest God entered after He had finished His work of creation. It is this rest into which the ancient Israelites failed to enter, for “My rest” is God’s rest, God’s Sabbath rest. This is the rest some failed to enter, but which remains available to us today, a rest received by faith (4:3-6). Just as the psalmist could seize upon the term “today” and apply it to his readers, so God has fixed a “today” for us, the same “today” as was offered in the psalms. And so we need to believe God and enter this rest, rather than to refuse to believe and fail to enter, as did the ancient Israelites. This “rest” must be more than merely entering Canaan because Joshua did lead the second generation of Israelites into the Promised Land, and yet many years later the psalmist spoke of a rest that was still available, a greater rest. And that rest was God’s “Sabbath rest,” a rest still available, a rest of ceasing from futile works in an effort to earn God’s favor. The one who has entered God’s rest has set aside striving in the flesh, and has trusted in the work God has finished, in Christ (4:7-10). Conclusion When I think of the Old Testament law, with all of its requirements and stipulations, it makes me tired. How could one ever please God by the works of the law? No one ever could, for the purpose of the law was not to provide men with a list of works by which one could be saved. The purpose of the law was to demonstrate to men that they could never save themselves, but must be saved some other way. And that way was the promised Messiah, Jesus the Christ: 19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. 21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed – 22 namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 24 But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25 God publicly displayed him at his death as the mercy seat accessible through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed. 26 This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness (Romans 3:19-26). 4 But “when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, 5 he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7). 8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). This is why our Lord could say, 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry” (Matthew 11:28-30). How different this was from what the Jewish religious leaders did: 1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The experts in the law and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach. 4 They tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing even to lift a finger to move them” (Matthew 23:1-4). The concept of rest is such a beautiful thing to one who is weary of striving to please God in his (or her) own strength. To trust in Jesus is to cease from one’s own labors, one’s own efforts, and receive the fruit of the work which Jesus did on the cross of Calvary. For a Hebrew Christian to entertain thoughts of retreating back to Judaism, of going back under the law, was to set aside rest for fruitless works. Have you entered that “rest,” my friend? Have you experienced the rest which only Christ can give? Have you ceased from fruitless efforts to win God’s favor? If not, I urge you to do so “today” by acknowledging your sin and your inability to please God. And then simply trust in the only provision God has made for sinners to be forgiven and to enter into His rest. Trust in Jesus. My Christian friend, are you resting in what Christ has done for you? Or are you striving in the power of your own flesh to please God, just as Paul describes in Romans 7: 15 For I don’t understand what I am doing. For I do not do what I want – instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I do what I don’t want, I agree that the law is good. 17 But now it is no longer me doing it, but sin that lives in me. 18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I want to do the good, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but I do the very evil I do not want! 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer me doing it but sin that lives in me. 21 So, I find the law that when I want to do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God in my inner being. 23 But I see a different law in my members waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? (Romans 7:15-24) Praise God the answer immediately follows: 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. 1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit. 6 For the outlook of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is your life because of righteousness. 11 Moreover if the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will also make your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit who lives in you (Romans 7:25-8:11). For the Christian, there is not only the rest of salvation, but the day-to-day rest of dependence upon God for living the Christian life. There are many things which can interfere with our “resting” in Christ. As I write this message (a little while after having preached it), the stock market has taken a serious downward turn. Do I lose my rest because of this? Do I worry and fret about the future, or do I rest in God’s promises: 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable than they are? 27 And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life? 28 Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 30 And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, won’t he clothe you even more, you people of little faith? 31 So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:25-33). Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5). Persecution is on the rise, not only in distant places, but in our own country. Are you resting in our Lord’s promises, or are you filled with doubts and worries? We need to believe in God’s Word: 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way. 13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. 14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:10-16). 32 But remember the former days when you endured a harsh conflict of suffering after you were enlightened. 33 At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and afflictions, and at other times you came to share with others who were treated in that way. 34 For in fact you shared the sufferings of those in prison, and you accepted the confiscation of your belongings with joy, because you knew that you certainly had a better and lasting possession. 35 So do not throw away your confidence, because it has great reward. 36 For you need endurance in order to do God’s will and so receive what is promised. 37 For just a little longer and he who is coming will arrive and not delay. 38 But my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, Itake no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not among those who shrink back and thus perish, but are among those who have faith and preserve their souls (Hebrews 10:32-39). National elections are coming soon, and many are concerned (downright worried) about the outcome. We can and should rest in the knowledge that it is God who raises up kings and who puts them down. It is He who holds the heart of the king in His hands: The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord like channels of water; he turns it wherever he wants (Proverbs 21:1). We can forsake our rest because of worries about our families and even about our ministries. These are areas in which God desires to lead us to rest, rather than leave us to trust in futile works of the flesh. Let us rest in Him, who has done all the work for our salvation and sanctification, and who promises to lead us to eternal rest. Chapter 3 ended with the warning that it was unbelief that kept the people of Israel from entering into the promised land and the rest God had promised there. Hebrews 3:19: “And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.” The point we drew from this two weeks ago was that we must care enough about each other that every day we get in each other’s lives and exhort each other not to let distrust in God creep in and destroy our lives. We got this from Hebrews 3:12–13: “Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” So one conclusion to draw from the warning of Hebrews 3:19 is that unbelief is such a constant and dangerous temptation that we must help each other fight it off. Persevering in faith to the end is a community project. Small groups at Bethlehem will have a tremendous seriousness about them, if you believe what this says. We meet and form relationships of mutual accountability and love because our faith depends on it. And our entering into God’s rest depends on our faith. Fear Unbelief Now at the beginning of chapter 4, the writer draws another conclusion from the warning of Hebrews 3:19. He says, “Therefore, [that’s the sign that he is drawing a conclusion from what he just said in 3:19] let us fear [the NIV irresponsibly weakens this by the translation: “let us be careful”] — let us fear, lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it” (Hebrews 4:1). So what is his conclusion from the fact Israel was not able to enter God’s rest because of unbelief? His conclusion is that we should fear! But fear what? “Fear lest . . . any one of you should seem to have come short of God’s rest” — the restful haven of salvation. That is, fear so that you won’t even appear to have missed heaven, because if you go on in this way you will miss it (Hebrews 3:6, 14, 19; 4:2). Yes, yes, that’s the outcome of fearing — not coming short of God’s rest — but what is it that we fear? “We will not enter into God’s rest — God’s heaven — if we do not trust his promises.” The connection with Hebrews 3:19 surely tells us the thing we are to fear is unbelief. Verse 19: “They were not able to enter [God’s rest] because of unbelief.” Therefore fear that unbelief, because that’s what will keep you from entering God’s rest — God’s haven of salvation and God’s heaven. Fear unbelief. Fear not trusting God. You can see this confirmed if we just keep on reading into Hebrews 4:2. Notice that verse 2 begins with “For.” That means that he is giving a reason for verse 1 — a reason for why they should fear. “Fear,” he says in verse 1, “for indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also [had good news preached to them]; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.” So he continues to compare Israel’s situation in the wilderness to the situation of believers in his day. They had good news preached to them and we have had good news preached to us. What was the good news preached to them? Well, among many other things it was God’s word to Israel from Mount Sinai in Exodus 34:6–7: “Then the Lord . . . proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin.’” It was good news of love and mercy and forgiveness of every kind of iniquity and transgression and sin. And it was the good news of God’s promise that God would bring them into the land of milk and honey and be with them if they would trust him and not rebel (Numbers 14:8–9). So this writer says that the Israelites had heard the gospel just like his readers had — not the foundation of it in the death and resurrection of Christ, which his readers have heard — but still the promise that God is merciful and forgives sins and promises rest and joy for those who trust him. So there is a very similar situation between Israel and the readers of this letter, and the point is: this good news was not believed by Israel and so they did not enter God’s rest, God’s promised joy. Hebrews 4:2: “The word they heard [the good news of forgiveness and promised joy] did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.” In other words, they didn’t believe it. They doubted God. They distrusted him. They did not have faith in his promise to give them a better future than they had in Egypt and so they gave up on God and wanted the old life. And what was the result of that unbelief? Verse 2 says: the promise “did not profit them.” It was of no value to them. It did not save them. As Hebrews 3:19 said, they did not enter God’s rest. They fell in the wilderness. God swore in his wrath that they would never enter his rest — a picture of missing heaven. So the point of verse 2 is exactly the same as the point of Hebrews 3:19 — it’s a reason for why we should fear unbelief. Verse 19: “They were not able to enter because of unbelief.” Therefore fear unbelief (verse 1), because when the good news to Israel was not united to faith, it profited them nothing and they perished in the wilderness (verse 2). The main point is: fear this happening to you. Fear hearing the promises of God and not trusting them. Because the same thing will happen to us as to them: we will not enter into God’s rest — God’s heaven — if we do not trust his promises. Be Diligent to Enter God’s Rest “Normal Christian life is aware of the fearful danger of unbelief, but does not live paralyzed or terrorized by it. It lives in faith.” That’s the main point of the paragraph: fear unbelief. In the last sentence of the paragraph, he says the same thing in different words. Hebrews 4:11: “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience.” In other words, Israel fell from the promised joy of God because of the disobedience of unbelief. And the same thing can happen to any professing Christian. To keep it from happening — and to show that we are more than mere professing Christians — he says, “Be diligent to enter God’s rest” — God’s heaven. Be diligent! Pay close attention to what you’ve heard (Hebrews 2:1); don’t neglect your great salvation (Hebrews 2:3); consider Jesus (Hebrews 3:1); do not harden your hearts (Hebrews 3:8); take care against an unbelieving heart (Hebrews 3:12); exhort one another every day against the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:14); and fear the unbelief that will keep you from your promised rest (Hebrews 4:1). Do you see the great lesson here? The Christian life is a life of day-by-day, hour-by-hour trust in the promises of God to help us and guide us and take care of us and forgive us and bring us into a future of holiness and joy that will satisfy our hearts infinitely more than if we forsake him and put our trust in ourselves or in the promises of this world. And that day-by-day, hour-by-hour trust in God’s promises is not automatic. It is the result of daily diligence and it’s the result of proper fear. Constant Fear of Being Lost Now ponder this fear with me for a moment. You may be asking, “You mean the ideal Christian life is lived in constant fear of being lost?” Now be careful here, lest you ask that question to me as though it were my theology you doubt. It is Hebrews 4:1, written to “holy brethren” (Hebrews 3:1), that commands, “Therefore, let us fear.” And Hebrews 4:1 is not unique in the New Testament. Jesus said in Luke 12:5, “Fear the One who after He has killed has authority to cast into hell.” Paul said in Philippians 2:12, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” He says in Romans 11:20, “You stand fast only through faith; so do not become conceited but fear.” So be careful how you query this truth. It is God’s word, not my word, that says the Christian is to fear. So with all humility and openness we ask God, are we supposed to live our lives in fear of missing heaven? First of all, remember Hebrews 2:15, “[Christ died to] deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” Loud and clear, Christ died to deliver us from slavish fear; Christ wants a fearless people. Christ wants a people who live in the most dangerous neighborhoods without fear, who go to the unreached peoples behind closed doors without fear, who speak to neighbors about Christ without fear. How? By faith in his promises. Faith in the promises of God makes you fearless before the threats of men (Hebrews 10:34). So there is only one thing to fear: faithlessness. Fear unbelief in the promises of God. Because as long as you are trusting in the promises of God you can be utterly fearless in the face of anything, even death, even God (see Hebrews 4:16). Now what is this like? Your children know what it is like. When you were really little, your mother and father said, very firmly, “Don’t ever run out in the street. Always hold my hand.” Why? It is dangerous in the street. You could be killed by a car. In other words, fear running out in the street. But did that mean that you could not have fun in the backyard and on the sidewalk and in the parks? No. In fact, most of the time you never even thought about how fearful the street was. Only when you got near the street and maybe when your ball rolled out in the street, or maybe somebody tempted you to run across the street when you weren’t supposed to. Only then did you feel the fear of the street. The rest of the time the fear kept you playing in places where you didn’t have to feel any fear at all. That’s the way it is with the fear of unbelief. You don’t live with a constant bad feeling. You only experience the bad feeling when there are temptations to distrust God’s promises. And even then, you use the bad feeling of fear to send you running into the safe yard of God’s goodness and promises. So normal Christian life is aware of the fearful danger of unbelief, but does not live paralyzed or terrorized by it. It lives in faith. Fear only rises where faith starts to weaken. And it only rises long enough to get us back into the peaceful fearlessness of faith. A Place of Rest Now there is one more thing I want to do with this text. Verses 3–10 of Hebrews 4 are written to support the main point which we have looked at in verses 1 and 11, namely, be diligent to enter God’s rest and fear lest you fail to enter it because of unbelief. The way verses 3–10 support this main point is by showing from the Old Testament that there is a rest to enter into — that is, that God has a plan for his people to join him in the wonderful restfulness of heaven where all weariness and burdensomeness will be lifted. “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest,” Jesus said (Matthew 11:28). Verses 3–10 are written to show that this promise is really there in the Old Testament. The text is very complicated, so let me just sketch a very brief outline for you. The writer focuses on five points in history to show how God keeps opening his rest for believing people. First, he starts at creation (Genesis 2:2) and says in Hebrews 4:4: “He has thus said somewhere concerning the seventh day, ‘God rested on the seventh day from all his works.’” So he sees in this a restful, peaceful, sovereign God who has a rest and a peace and a place of joy where his people can enjoy fellowship with him. He will call it a “Sabbath rest” because on the seventh day, God rested. But in reality, it lasts forever. Second, he focuses on the period when Israel was wandering in the wilderness and rebelling against God. Hebrews 4:5 (quoting Psalm 95:11): “And again in this passage, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’” The promised land is a picture of God’s ultimate rest, and their unbelieving rebellion excludes them from it. Which raises the question whether there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. The third focus is on the time of Joshua, who took the people into the promised land. Is that the final, ultimate rest God had in mind for his people? Hebrews 4:8 answers, “no”: “For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.” In other words, even though Joshua gave some relief to the people of God in the promised land, that was not the final rest God has planned for them. How do we know that? God spoke of another day — another rest to come centuries later. Still a Resting Place Which brings us to the fourth period of time the writer focuses on, the time of David writing Psalm 95. Hebrews 4:7: “He again fixes a certain day, ‘Today,’ saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, ‘Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.’” In other words, long after the people enjoyed the rest of the promised land, David says that God is still holding out to his people an offer of salvation rest: Don’t harden your hearts, and you will enjoy God’s rest (referred to at the end of the Psalm 95:11) (Hebrews 3:11; 4:3). “There is a rest open to you today. God offers rest. The door is not shut. The time is not past.” From this, the writer draws the all-important conclusion about God’s Sabbath rest of salvation — and this is his fifth period of history, namely, today — verse 9: “There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God.” In other words, today, the rest is still open. And that is the foundation of God’s message to you today: There is a rest open to you today. God offers rest. The door is not shut. The time is not past. You have not missed your last opportunity. Hear the words of verse 9: “There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God.” The door is open. The time is now. Ah, but someone says, “Yes, a rest remains for the people of God — but not for me.” But I answer, do not rule yourself out. Look at Hebrews 4:3 — our last word — “We who have believed enter that rest.” There is one door to the safe, peaceful, happy rest of God — the door of faith. Anyone who puts faith in God’s promises bought for us by the blood of Jesus, and is diligent not to throw that faith away, is a part of the people of God. So on behalf of God, I call you this morning, put your trust in the promise of God’s rest.