True Rest for All Who Believe!

This study is a continuation in Hebrews.  Click here for the previous post or here to read from the beginning of the study.

Hebrews 4

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

4 Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. ² For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word ^[a]they heard did not profit them, because ^[b]it was not united by faith in those who heard.3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just 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. 4 For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5 and again in this passage, “They shall not enter My rest.” 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying [c]through David after so long a time just as has been said before,

“Today if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.”

8 For if [d]Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. 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. 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

This passage was a tough one for me.  I took notes as I studied through it, knowing the chapters before and after well enough, or so I thought, to pull out the main point and blog about what I gleaned.  After typing most of my thoughts, I realized that I had no idea what the main point could be.  It was a great lesson for me.  You see, when I come up with a point from scripture that contradicts sound doctrine, I know that there has to be a great flaw in my understanding of what that passage is saying.  I deleted my entire post and went to my husband with great despair because my theology was getting rattled.  Five minutes after reading Hebrews four, he saw the main point, showed me what I was missing and that was that.  Doctrine sound.  Theology back on course. I praise God for my husband who is also my pastor and teacher.  I could have just as easily gone into prayer and asked God to reveal the truth to me, but He has given me the gift of my husband who can counsel me in flesh and blood.  There is no shame in that! 

I will keep my blah-blah-blah to a minimum and share with you a few highlights that I learned.

1. Hebrews was written to Jewish believers who were being persecuted for their faith.  Many threatened to go back to the practice of their Jewish rites and rituals - abandoning their faith in God's grace through Christ. 
2. There is an appropriate "terror-type" of fear that goes hand in hand with us "working out our salvation".  Verse one states that we should fear that we would come short of entering into God's rest.  This is a fear of unbelief.  Believers should take note of the Israelite people of the Exodus who refused to obey God.  They turned away from His commands and served their own gods.
3. Verse two explains that hearing the good news and having faith  are key to entering into God's rest.  There is no belief apart from faith.  Faith is an assurance of the truth of God's word and God's promises to all who believe in Him. 
4. The word "rest" in this passage is used several times but has three separate meanings.  First, the Jews of the Exodus desired to enter into God's rest which was to mean the promise land.  Second, God commanded a day of rest - the Sabbath - to be observed as a holy day.  Third, God has promised another rest (vs 9-11) which is to "rest" in God's grace.  This is a fantastic thing and was the point that I completely missed without my husband's help.  The Jewish believers were thinking about leaving God's rest - going back to practice the law which meant working for their salvation.  But God has offered us another day of rest which we can enter "today."  Heb. 4:11 "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through the same example of disobedience.
5. If you have truly believed in Jesus Christ, you have no need to fear.  He is your great High Priest who can sympathize with your weakness.  You can draw near to His throne with confidence to find mercy, grace and help! 

John Piper did an excellent job summarizing this passage and I want to share an excerpt from his message on Hebrews four.  If you want to read the entire transcript (oh, how encouraging it is), click the following article title:

Be Diligent to Enter God's Rest!  (from www.desiringGod.org)

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 verse 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. Verse 5 (quoting Psalm 95), "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 in mind for his people? Verse 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 centuries later.
Today, There Still Is a Resting Place
Which brings us to the fourth period of time the writer focuses on, the time of David writing in Psalm 95. Verse 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).
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 verse 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.