Hebrews 4

Therefore let us fear that, perhaps, having received a promise of entering his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2 For the gospel was preached to us, as well as to them. But the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

4:2 The good news preached to Israel was this: the promised land is before you; go up and possess it – Deut 1:19-21. The good news preached to men now is: God offers you rest and salvation in Christ. Receive them by faith in Him. The people of Israel would not take possession of the land. In this way they showed their unbelief and disobedience. People now show their unbelief by not receiving Christ and taking possession of God’s blessings in Him. Hearing the good news is not enough. Hearing must be mixed with faith, the kind of faith that results in obedience.⚜

Joshua could not give the people true rest, but Christ does

3 For we who have believed enter into rest, as he said,

As I swore in my wrath,

4:3 Belief in Christ is the only way of entering God’s rest – the rest God spoke about in Ps 95:11.⚜

if they will enter my rest.

And yet his works were finished from the beginning of the world. 4 For in a certain place he spoke of the seventh day like this: And God ceased from all his works on the seventh day.

5 And in this place again, If they will enter my rest.

4:4-5 The writer quotes Gen 2:2 and Ps 95:11 (again) to show there is a “rest” of God, and that it has been there since creation was finished. God’s rest is a picture of the spiritual rest He gives to believers.⚜

6 Seeing, therefore, it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of unbelief, 7 again, he appointed a certain day, saying through David,

“Today”, after so long a time, as it is said,

Today if you will hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts.

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then afterwards he would not have spoken of another day.

4:6-8 It is God’s purpose that some among men should enter His rest. Israel did not, even after they entered Canaan (which was a type or picture of that rest). Through Joshua God gave rest from human enemies (Josh 21:44; 22:4), but not spiritual rest. So God appointed a new time and called it “today”. “Today” means this era from Christ’s first coming onward. See Heb 3:7. Neither Joshua, nor Moses, nor the Law, nor the whole old covenant could give people the rest God wanted them to have. So God appointed another time and another covenant.⚜

9 Therefore there remains a Sabbath-rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered his rest, has also ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

4:10 When do believers enter God’s rest? Certainly at the end of their earthly life. Then they cease from their toil and rest in God’s presence. Compare Rev 14:13; 2 Cor 5:8; Phil 1:21-24. But, in a sense, to some extent they enter into rest now – Matt 11:28-29. The rest now is not the final Sabbath-rest, but it is a foretaste of that. And it means ceasing from any attempts to be saved by one’s own works, but by trusting in Christ for salvation (see Rom 4:4-5). This rest begins now and will result in the final perfect rest in God’s presence. If we do not begin this rest in Christ now, it is certain we shall not have the Sabbath-rest in the next world.⚜

11 Therefore, let us strive earnestly to enter that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

4:11 Compare Matt 11:12; Luke 13:24; 2 Cor 13:5; 2 Pet 1:10. Let us all be on the lookout for disobedience and unbelief in ourselves and in other Christians, and go forward together in faith to the goal. Let us make sure we will enter that final rest by making sure we have Christ’s promised rest now and are moving ahead yoked to Him.⚜

12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any double edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 Nor is there any creature that is hidden from his sight. All things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we will give an account.

4:1-13 The theme of this section is entering God’s rest – v 1. Believers in Christ do enter it, but unbelieving Israel did not – vs 2,3. This rest existed in Israel’s day and they could have entered it – vs 4-6. Since they did not, and it was God’s purpose that some people should enter, He appointed another day and time – vs 6-8.

Conclusion: there is a rest that can be entered now – vs 9,10.

Exhortation: make every effort to enter it – v 11, because God’s Word can discern and forever bar the unbeliever from entering – vs 12,13.⚜

4:12-13 The writer is saying that an “evil heart of unbelief”, a heart “hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb 3:12-13), cannot be hidden from God. God’s Word exposes the inner man, and God who gave His Word will know whom to receive into His rest and whom to keep out.⚜

Christ is the great High Priest

14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

4:14 The writer returns to the subject he introduced at Heb 2:17 – Christ as high priest. He continues this subject, with breaks for exhortations and warnings, all the way to Heb 10:18.⚜

15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our weaknesses, but one who was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.

16 Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.