In the midst of our overwhelmingly busy lives and fast paced culture we live in, there’s something we need now more than ever; rest.
The dictionary defines rest as ceasing from work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got enough work and movement in my life to warrant some serious restfulness. I experience rest through reading, enjoying nature, and spending days with my wife without making plans. How do you experience rest?
Physical rest is obviously important, and should be a priority in your life. However there’s a rest that goes much deeper than the physical rest we get while relaxing; and that’s Gods rest. Gods rest is entered into through faith in Jesus Christ, and has ongoing present benefits that extend into eternity.
What I want to do is take some time to go through a couple passages from the Bible that speak about Gods rest, and hopefully draw out some meaningful truth and application that leads to deeper renewal and strength in the Lord.
The main passage I want us to look at is going to be found in the 4th chapter of Hebrews. I remember the first time reading through Hebrews as a new believer. I was astonished by the authors knowledge and use of Old Testament themes and how they were beautifully weaved in and explained. The letter to the Hebrews also played a huge role in growing my affections for Christ. It’s as if the author wanted to lift Jesus up like a dazzling diamond that reflects its beauty as its turned and looked at from different angles. Likewise, our heart should be lifted up in worship as we behold the glimmering glow of glory that is displayed in the person of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews was most likely written as a sermon/letter to a group of Jewish Christians who were questioning the sufficiency of Christ and contemplating turning back to Judaism. It’s rich with Old Testament citations and themes, all geared towards strengthening the faith of the readers and helping them to see Jesus for who He is; the promised Messiah, our great High Priest, and eternal Son of God. Before we dive in, lets briefly talk about what the first few chapters have been about so that we can build some context for understanding chapter 4.
Chapter 1 is all about Jesus Christ’s supremacy and the fact that He is the final revelation of God to man. In fact it says He is the “radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature” (1:3). The chapter talks about the Son of Gods work and supremacy over the angels, which is seen in the fact that only Jesus was eternally begotten of God and worshiped by them. In other words, Jesus is greater than angels and previous revelations from God, since He is God in the flesh.
Chapter 2 is all about the importance of not neglecting the great salvation announced and made possible through Jesus Christ, our suffering and sympathetic high priest. The author continues his argument for Christ’s supremacy in the opening verses of chapter 2 by comparing the message delivered by angels, which was reliable, to the even greater message delivered by Christ.
Chapter 3 is all about Jesus Christ’s supremacy to Moses and the warning of unbelief that the wilderness wanderers served as an example of. The author has already made it clear that Jesus is greater than previous revelations, and greater than the angels who helped in giving the Old Covenant. He now continues to build on the argument even more by showing how Jesus is greater than the one who received the law, Moses. Although Moses was faithful over his appointed task as a servant, Jesus was faithful as a son. Jesus is God in the flesh, who is worshiped by angels and was prophesied of by Moses.
The author then gives a warning against hardness of heart and sin that leads to unbelief. The example he gives is the wilderness wandering Israelite’s that Moses led out of Egypt. They were seeking Gods rest in the promised land, but many failed to enter because they did not trust God and fell away and perished before entering in. The author is obviously concerned that there were professing Christians he was writing to that were simply tagging along through the wilderness of persecution and tribulation the early church was experiencing. He was worried that they may fall away in the same manner of hardness of heart and unbelief as they questioned the sufficiency of Christ.
So to recap, the letter to the Hebrews has been all about Jesus so far, and how He is greater and more glorious than all that came before. Its important for us to keep that in mind as we begin to interpret what comes next.
To build a bridge to chapter 4, we will use verses 18 and 19 which say, “And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.”
Chapter 4 is all about Gods rest, entered into by faith. We will spend the rest of our time together unpacking that and going through the chapter.
Verse 1-2 – “Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 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.”
We start off the chapter reading that the promise of rest still stands, and we should fear the possibility of failing to reach it. Gods rest is a promise that remains for all of us. It was not given only to the Israelite’s and then annulled because they failed to enter it. God is still graciously extending His offer of rest. We should fear the possibility of failing to reach it, since the wilderness wanderers serve as a frightening example of this happening.
But what is the main cause of failing to enter Gods rest? Verse 2 tells us; lack of faith in the good news. The good news that came to them was the promise of Gods provision and power to deliver them into the land of Canaan. This promise was a shadow that pointed forward to an even greater rest, which we will talk about further into the chapter. The point is they did not embrace the good news and promise with faith like Joshua and Caleb did, and because of that they perished in the wilderness and failed to enter in. We have an even greater revelation in Christ and the gospel of the good news, so how much greater will our condemnation be if we fail to believe it through faith?
Verse 3a – “For we who have believed enter that rest…”
Verse 3 is the key to understanding how we enter Gods rest; belief. Belief in what? The previous 2 verses told us, the good news. So the author is saying that although some failed to enter it, we who believe DO enter it. God swore in His wrath that they (wilderness wanderers) would not enter His rest, but the offer still remains for Gods people today.
Some commentators suggest that this entrance into rest is purely a futuristic heavenly one, but I disagree that the future is all that’s in view here. I’m no Greek scholar, but I have done some research into the verb “Εἰσερχόμεθα” that is used in this passage for the term “we enter”. Εἰσερχόμεθα is a present indicative middle/passive verb. Let me explain in laymen terms what that means.
The present tense is used to describe an ongoing action in the present time. The indicative mood in Greek is used for simple statements and questions. The middle/passive form presents the subject as receiving or benefiting from the action expressed by the verb. So lets take that information and plug it into our text.
“For we (subject) who have believed (action) enter (an ONGOING benefit in the present tense) that rest.” In other words, we currently enter in to an ongoing rest through our belief in the gospel. We have belabored this important point quite enough, so lets continue.
Verses 3b-5 – “as He has said, ‘As I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest’, although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: ‘And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” And again in this passage He said, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ “
We now move on to read about two examples that shed more light into the nature of Gods rest; Gods works being finished since creation, and Him ceasing from work on the seventh day. These examples are meant to point to the when and the how. When did Gods rest begin, and how did He rest.
Lets begin by talking about the when:
Notice how the author uses the word “although” to connect his citation of Psalm 95 with what he goes on to say about His works in creation. The word is being used to explain something about the rest, namely that it was not limited to the time period of the wilderness wanderers or the geographical piece of land they were promised. The reader may be tempted to assume the “rest” being spoken of is only Canaan, so the author uses the example of creation to show that God has been resting ever since He finished creating on the sixth day. This helps build the case that this rest is available for us today.
Now lets talk about the how:
The second example that sheds light into Gods rest is His rest after creation, which is seen in Him ceasing from His works. This example is meant to help explain the nature of Gods rest, namely that it’s characterized by ceasing from works. This rest was blessed and sanctified, and was meant to go on forever with Adam and Eve being in perfect relationship with their Creator. The author is essentially saying that the wilderness wanderers failed to experience the blessedness that comes from ceasing from work and resting in God because of their unbelief. Their failure to enter the rest is seen in two consequences:
1) They were not allowed to enter Canaan. This meant they would continue to wander in the wilderness for forty years. The barren desert would be their home, in which they would constantly be anxious about their basic needs being met along with the dangers of war. They would be denied the rest that came with living in a lush land, in which they could settle down and build cities. They would also be denied rest from their enemies.
2) They were not allowed to enter into a saving relationship with God. If these wilderness wanderers did not repent and trust in the Lord, then they perished as covenant breaking sinners and will be judged accordingly. The promised rest of Canaan was a shadow that pointed to the ultimate rest of salvation and eternal life with God.
Gods rest has been since creation, and is seen in the ceasing from works. It is important for us to keep in mind as we continue through the chapter. Let’s move on.
Verses 6-7 – “Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again He appoints a certain day, ‘Today,’ saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, ‘Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”
These verses naturally flow from what we just read. Gods rest was not limited to the time of the wilderness wanderers, “therefore it remains for some to enter it”. The open invitation to Gods rest that is still available should come as an encouragement to us. However, we are reminded in these verses yet again the reason they failed to enter the rest, which was disobedience and hardness of heart. Sinful disobedience which leads to hardness of heart and a calloused conscience can lead to damnation. If you feel immune to these temptations, the enemy has you right where he wants you.
To tie a neat little bow on the argument for the rest that remains, the author highlights the use of the word “Today” that David uses in Psalm 95:8. The wording “again He appoints a certain day, saying through David so long afterward” may be in contrast to the seventh day spoken of in verse 4. This could be a subtle way of shifting the focus off of the seventh day Sabbath that was given to the Jewish people, in light of the fact that New Covenant Christians were meeting on Sunday for worship as a memorial to the resurrection. There is another reason to think this may be the case in the following verses.
Regardless of whether there is a contrast being made to the seventh day or not, what we can say for sure is that “today” means the rest is still available. The words of David in Psalm 95 were penned long after the wilderness wanderers failed to enter Gods rest. Not only that, but these words were penned while David and the people of God were already living in the promised land. This clearly tells us that Gods rest goes deeper than geographic location.
Calling people to enter Gods rest today also carries with it the sense of urgency in the appeal. Enter today, not tomorrow! Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed (Romans 13:11). We are instructed by Christ to stay awake and alert, since we don’t know the day He is returning (Matthew 24:42). We should not live in sin assuming we will get right with God some day in the future. “Tomorrow is the devil’s day, but today is Gods.” – J.C. Ryle
Verses 8-10 – “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from His.”
The hinge of this whole chapter lies in these verses. We will use what we have read so far to help interpret these verses, along with the new information presented in them. We will focus on three points.
1) Joshua was not able to give the people true rest
This point is something that has already been established in the previous verses, but is being looked at from a different angle. Joshua, the leader of the people who DID enter the promised land, was not able to give them rest. Why couldn’t he give them rest? Because the rest being spoken of throughout this entire chapter has been spiritual, not physical or confined to a specific day of the week. Although the people were experiencing the benefits of the promised land, and keeping the seventh day Sabbath, Joshua was not able to give them the rest of God.
Its also worth noting that the name Joshua comes from the Hebrew name Yehoshu’a, which means “Yawheh is salvation”. The name Jesus is a Greek translation of the short Hebrew form of Joshua, Yeshu’a. Although there is similarities between their names, there is difference in their roles. Joshua was unable to give the Israelites the rest of God, whereas Jesus says “come to me all who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest.” Jesus is the greater Joshua who leads His people into the true promised land.
2) There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God
By this point, most Sabbatarians are saying, “See! Right there! It says that the Sabbath should still be kept!” Not so fast. We will continue to allow for scripture to interpret scripture, and follow the flow of the whole passage in its context to see whether this verse is talking about the binding nature of the 4th commandment or not.
When doing sound biblical interpretation its important not to isolate verses by themselves and then read your conclusion (or presupposition) back into the entire passage. This is called eisegesis, or reading something INTO a text. A good interpreter seeks to do exegesis, which is drawing meaning out FROM the text. So lets do just that.
What is this Sabbath rest that remains for the people of God? Like I said earlier, verse 3 is the key to interpreting the authors use of the term here. It says, “For we who have believed enter that rest…”. So how do we enter the rest? Through belief in the gospel.
But why does the author use the term “Sabbath rest”, instead of just “rest”? He tells us in the very next clause and verse, “for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works”. In other words, the way that God and later the Israelite’s ceased from work on the Sabbath is a useful comparison to the way believers rest from their works through faith in the gospel. The Sabbath rest that remains in this context is not the 4th commandment, but rather entering into spiritual rest through faith in Jesus Christ.
Its also important to remember that the author is writing predominately to a group of Jewish Christians, familiar with the law of Moses and the Old Covenant. The Seventh day Sabbath was extremely important to the Jewish people. It was a sign of the Covenant God made with Moses that reminded them of God as creator and deliverer. In fact, breaking the Sabbath command was punishable by death under the Old Covenant.
But we’ve got to ask the question: Is the author, who has been building a case for Christs supremacy over all things in the first three chapters, taking a detour to talk about a commandment that they should be keeping better? The answer should be obvious. Not only does that not fit the broader context and flow of the book, but it also doesn’t fit the immediate context of how the author has defined rest for us.
The term “Sabbath rest” is being used to describe the substance of what the command shadowed all along, resting faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Paul also echoes this for us in Colossians 2:16-17, where he says the festivals, new moons, and Sabbaths where shadows pointing to Christ.
This fits perfectly into the context of this chapter, especially when we keep in mind the audience of the letter was questioning Christ’s sufficiency and contemplating turning back to Judaism. It’s as if the author is saying “Don’t turn back to Moses or Joshua! They can’t save you or give you Gods rest! Believe in the gospel and experience true Sabbath rest in Christ!”.
As a side note – Regardless of your stance on the 4th commandment, this chapter should not be used to point to as proof for the binding nature of the Sabbath. There may be arguments to be made elsewhere in scripture in regards to sabbatariansim, but this chapter is not the place to do it. To do so would be a misreading of the text, and would totally destroy the point the author has been laboring to make.
3) Whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works
What is the author saying here? That in the same way that God rested from working after creation, we who believe the gospel of Jesus Christ also rest from our works. This has been the main thrust of this entire chapter. Hardness of heart and unbelief = failure to enter Gods rest. Hearing Gods voice and believing the gospel = entering Gods rest. Its as simple as that. But lets talk a little bit about what it means to “rest from works”.
Listen to the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”.
The works we rest from as believers is undoubtedly our good deeds and obedience to Gods law. Gods law was meant to bring freedom and life, but instead it brought slavery and death. This is because sin took advantage of the law and acted upon our rebellious nature to arouse wicked passions within us (Romans 7).
We are all law breakers who stand guilty before a holy God. Our failure to uphold it perfectly has resulted in it becoming a heavy yoke that has burdened us down with condemnation and guilt. Not only are we burdened down by the laws demands, but those who are in the flesh cannot even submit to Gods law or please Him (Romans 8:7-8).
The good news is that God did not leave us in our hopeless burdened state. 2000 years ago He became a man in the person of Jesus Christ to live a sinless life, fulfilled the laws righteous demands, and died a substitutionary death on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. He was buried, and three days later resurrected by the power of God and ascended into Heaven where He is currently sitting at the right hand of power. All authority in Heaven and Earth has been given to Him, and He is offering salvation and forgiveness of sins to anyone who repents and trusts in Him alone.
The burden is lifted and rest is available to those who trust in Jesus since He took our burdens and experienced unrest in our place. God promises that those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord will be born again, receiving the Holy Spirit to indwell them and empower them to live holy lives. Once we are saved, obedience to the law is no longer burdensome. We are motivated towards obedience out of love. We no longer fear the consequence of breaking Gods law, since someone kept it perfectly in our place and bore the consequence upon Himself.
We will finish our study by taking a look at verse 11.
Verse 11: – “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience”.
The author ends his discourse on Gods rest by urging us to strive to enter it. This is where the already/not yet aspect of Gods rest comes into play. Although verse 3 tells us that we currently enter into Gods rest through faith, verse 11 also tells us its something that we should strive to enter. How do we make sense of these seemingly conflicting ideas?
We ease the tension by understanding that Gods rest is something we currently enter into in a partial way, but will one day enter into fully in the eternal state. The already/not yet aspect is seen in many New Testament truths. We know we are currently saved, but are also being saved. We know Gods Kingdom has come and is growing, but it is not seen in its full glory and consummation yet. We know we have been adopted into Gods family, but there is also an adoption to come seen in the redemption of our bodies.
Gods rest falls into this category. It is something we experience currently, through faith in Jesus Christ, and ultimately, in the age to come. Our current rest is seen in Christ fulfilling the law for us, giving us peace with God, and the spiritual blessings we receive through union with Him. Our final rest in the age to come is seen in being given redeemed bodies, eternal life, and living without sin in the presence of Christ for all eternity.
So what have we learned about Gods true rest? The wilderness wanderers failed to obtain it. Believing the gospel will usher us into it. Its still available for all who hear and do not harden their hearts to it. Therefore, we should strive to enter it. This is an exhortation addressed to all those with ears to hear. Failing to do so will cause us to fall by the same example of disobedience, and stumble over the Rock of offense, Jesus Christ.
The only thing left to do is ask yourself the question: What, if anything, is holding me back from entering this rest? What is so important to me that I’m willing to choose the wilderness over the promised land? Whatever the answer is, do not harden your heart any longer. Repent and trust in Jesus Christ. The promise still remains to enter into His finished work on the cross and to rest in His righteousness alone.
Like I said back at the beginning, In the midst of our overwhelmingly busy lives and fast paced culture we live in, there’s something we need now more than ever; rest. However the physical rest that we all crave and desire cannot compare with the spiritual rest our souls need and find in Jesus. Why? Because Jesus is sufficient for our salvation, and worth committing our lives to. This is the point the author of Hebrews was hoping to get across, and its the same point for us today.
May we enter Gods rest through faith in Christ to the glory of God forever. Amen.
Shine the Light and Write 