Chapter 3 ended with these words, “Heb 3:18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.” Hebrews 3:18-19.
This would have raised the question whether God’s promise of rest was still available and if so, whether believers could miss out on it through unbelief like the Israelites of Moses’ time. The writer then set out to answer the question. Heb 4:1 “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. 2 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. “ 4:1-2.
There was good news in the sense that God’s promise of rest was still available. But there was the caution that disobedience could mean they could fail to reach that rest.
Believers Enter Into The Rest Of God. 4:3-5
We see this truth in several verses in the remainder of the chapter. For example, in
Heb 4:3 For we who have believed enter that rest,
Heb 4:6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it,
Heb 4:9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
However the writer emphasises the need for believers to be responsive to God and to live in obedience to Him, again reminding the readers that those who rejected God could be excluded. 4:3 “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 somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” 5 And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.”
The writer used the argument based on the creation story to show that God worked for 6 days in creating the world, but rested on the 7th day. He could rest, for His work of creation was done. Those who rejected Him failed to enter because of their disobedience [verse 5] and the hardening of their hearts [verse 7].
The Promise Of Entry Into God’s Rest. 4:6-8
God’s people could enter into God’s rest provided they were not guilty of disobedience by hardening their hearts. Heb 4:6 “Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 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.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on.”
The writer illustrates from the history of Israel why God’s people failed to enter into His rest. They disobeyed under the leadership of Moses and Joshua and much later David warned the people not to harden their hearts.
The Nature Of God’s Rest Which Is Still Available To The People Of God. 4:9-10
Heb 4:9 “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”
God had made the Sabbath to be a day of rest for His people. It seems that the day of rest referred to the rest from trying to get into God’s kingdom in their own strength and trusting in Jesus Who had opened the way for them through His death and resurrection.
An Encouragement To Enter Into That Rest. 4:11-13
Heb 4:11 “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
The word “strive” [spoudazō; σπουδάζω] denotes both urgency and effort. It had to be their urgent priority. The word of God they had received had the power to discern the thoughts and motivations of their hearts. God knew them, and their inner thoughts and motivations could not be hidden from Him. And to Him they had to give account. They were responsible for how they responded to Him and to His message to them.
Jesus the Great High Priest Has Opened The Way Into The Presence Of God. 4:15-16
They could enter into rest because Jesus their great High Priest had opened the way provided they held fast their confession of faith. “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” Jesus understands the temptations they face to turn away from Him, for as a human He was faced with those same temptations. But Jesus can help them, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” He faced human temptations but never succumbed to them. He overcame and can help His people to overcome.
Jesus Can Help Them To Enter The Rest Of God. 4:16.
Because Jesus understands human weaknesses He is able to offer mercy and to impart grace to help in their time of need, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” 4:16. Thus it is with confidence they can draw near to the throne of grace.
Later in the epistle the writer again expresses the confidence they can have in Jesus.
“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:19-23.
We note again those two truths, namely the sure promise of God’s rest and the need for His people to hold fast their confession of faith to receive the promise of God’s rest.
SUMMING UP
Chapter 4 was a reminder to the readers that God promised His people Israel that if they obeyed Him, they would enter into the Promised Land or into His rest. However, they disobeyed under the leadership of both Moses and Joshua and thus failed to enter into the Promised Land. However, the writer went on to say that there remained a sabbath rest for the people of God and that they should make every effort to enter into that rest. It was a matter of holding on to their confession of faith in Christ and trusting Him as they approached God’s throne of grace with confidence. He could give them grace to help them in their time of need.
Blog No.517 posted on Saturday 20 January 2024.
holbeck 
517. Hebrews Chapter 4. There Is A Sabbath Rest For The People of God.
Chapter 3 ended with these words, “Heb 3:18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.” Hebrews 3:18-19.
This would have raised the question whether God’s promise of rest was still available and if so, whether believers could miss out on it through unbelief like the Israelites of Moses’ time. The writer then set out to answer the question. Heb 4:1 “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. 2 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. “ 4:1-2.
There was good news in the sense that God’s promise of rest was still available. But there was the caution that disobedience could mean they could fail to reach that rest.
Believers Enter Into The Rest Of God. 4:3-5
We see this truth in several verses in the remainder of the chapter. For example, in
Heb 4:3 For we who have believed enter that rest,
Heb 4:6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it,
Heb 4:9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
However the writer emphasises the need for believers to be responsive to God and to live in obedience to Him, again reminding the readers that those who rejected God could be excluded. 4:3 “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 somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” 5 And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.”
The writer used the argument based on the creation story to show that God worked for 6 days in creating the world, but rested on the 7th day. He could rest, for His work of creation was done. Those who rejected Him failed to enter because of their disobedience [verse 5] and the hardening of their hearts [verse 7].
The Promise Of Entry Into God’s Rest. 4:6-8
God’s people could enter into God’s rest provided they were not guilty of disobedience by hardening their hearts. Heb 4:6 “Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 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.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on.”
The writer illustrates from the history of Israel why God’s people failed to enter into His rest. They disobeyed under the leadership of Moses and Joshua and much later David warned the people not to harden their hearts.
The Nature Of God’s Rest Which Is Still Available To The People Of God. 4:9-10
Heb 4:9 “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”
God had made the Sabbath to be a day of rest for His people. It seems that the day of rest referred to the rest from trying to get into God’s kingdom in their own strength and trusting in Jesus Who had opened the way for them through His death and resurrection.
An Encouragement To Enter Into That Rest. 4:11-13
Heb 4:11 “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
The word “strive” [spoudazō; σπουδάζω] denotes both urgency and effort. It had to be their urgent priority. The word of God they had received had the power to discern the thoughts and motivations of their hearts. God knew them, and their inner thoughts and motivations could not be hidden from Him. And to Him they had to give account. They were responsible for how they responded to Him and to His message to them.
Jesus the Great High Priest Has Opened The Way Into The Presence Of God. 4:15-16
They could enter into rest because Jesus their great High Priest had opened the way provided they held fast their confession of faith. “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” Jesus understands the temptations they face to turn away from Him, for as a human He was faced with those same temptations. But Jesus can help them, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” He faced human temptations but never succumbed to them. He overcame and can help His people to overcome.
Jesus Can Help Them To Enter The Rest Of God. 4:16.
Because Jesus understands human weaknesses He is able to offer mercy and to impart grace to help in their time of need, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” 4:16. Thus it is with confidence they can draw near to the throne of grace.
Later in the epistle the writer again expresses the confidence they can have in Jesus.
“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:19-23.
We note again those two truths, namely the sure promise of God’s rest and the need for His people to hold fast their confession of faith to receive the promise of God’s rest.
SUMMING UP
Chapter 4 was a reminder to the readers that God promised His people Israel that if they obeyed Him, they would enter into the Promised Land or into His rest. However, they disobeyed under the leadership of both Moses and Joshua and thus failed to enter into the Promised Land. However, the writer went on to say that there remained a sabbath rest for the people of God and that they should make every effort to enter into that rest. It was a matter of holding on to their confession of faith in Christ and trusting Him as they approached God’s throne of grace with confidence. He could give them grace to help them in their time of need.
Blog No.517 posted on Saturday 20 January 2024.
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About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.