HEBREWS 4

 HEBREWS 4 - THE SABBATH

            The Israel of Paul's time was no more ready to enter into God's rest then than was Israel in the time of Moses. The great events that Jesus had foretold were imminent: their glorious city and the temple were about to be laid in ruins. God had waited nearly forty years for the people to adjust themselves to the new order; the new covenant had been ratified (approved/ sanctioned) by the blood of Christ; the old had been done away with; and it was time that its symbol, the temple, should be taken away. But Israel still clung to the old ceremonies. A generation had passed since the Aaronic priesthood had become ineffective, but the Jews still adhered to it. Thus far they had not "entered in” – the rest. (1)

            Israel's failure properly to regard the Sabbath was one chief cause for their rejection by God, as is evident from a reading of the twentieth chapter of Ezekiel. This was not because of their failure to observe the day itself, but rather because of their failure to understand what the Sabbath symbolized – conversion, complete dedication to God, sanctification, rest, fellowship, holiness.

            The apostle discusses God's rest that Israel failed to enter and connects it with the seventh-day Sabbath. It is not the question of a day merely, but of a life - a life of dedication and holiness. This life Israel of old rejected, and with it also its sign of sanctification, the Sabbath. There is danger that men may do the same thing today.

 1.  Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

            "Let us therefore fear" - The kind of fear recommended here is what leads to caution and care.  "Lest, a promise being left us", "any of you should seem to come short of it"; we are urged to take all possible precautions lest we/ any of us fail of the promise. (2)  The present tense used here marks a present and continuous leaving behind, and also a present and continuous invitation and admonition to enter. The promise had continually been held out, but each generation had rejected the promise, and thus closed its probation. Paul's generation was about to do the same, but the door was still open, and the promise was still left, but there was no time to lose. They were in danger of coming short of it, as had Israel of old.

            "Of entering into His rest," not rest in general, but His, God's, rest. For it was not the angels or Adam and Eve, but God Who worked for 6 days and rested on the first Sabbath of the earth. God rested on the Sabbath day and made it holy. It was a glorious day in the new and perfect earth in its pristine beauty. God rested and was refreshed. 

2.  For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

            The reading of this verse is interesting. It is not, "Unto them was the gospel preached as well as unto us," but the reverse: "Unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them.” Through types and ceremonies, in sacrifices and rituals, the fathers received a knowledge of the gospel. "But the word preached did not profit them"; They received little profit from the preaching, because the word was not "mixed with faith.”

            This statement throws a solemn responsibility on preachers, but equally so on hearers. Success in preaching does not depend upon the speaker only.  It may, indeed, not depend upon him at all.  Even Christ was limited by the receptiveness of the hearers. "He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief." Matthew 13:58.  It is possible for the hearers completely to nullify the preaching.  It is well to have this in mind. There are times when the pulpit is less to blame than the pew.

 3.  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.

            Here the author states that, "we which have believed do enter into rest", showing that the rest was still open, for at the very time when Paul was writing, some were entering into or beginning to experience rest "as He said", according to God's promise.  The Israelites could not enter because of unbelief whereas we which believe do enter into the rest.  God has not cast away His people.  God, therefore, makes call after call to each succeeding generation.  Even in Paul's day His house was not yet filled.  There was room for others to enter; and they did enter and they were entering in.

               "If they shall enter into my rest" is to be read as, 'They shall not enter into my rest.' It is merely an emphatic way of stating that a certain thing shall not be done; and wherever this statement is found, as here in verse 3, it should read, "They shall not enter." The thought in this part of verse 3 is therefore this: 'We which have believed are entering into God's rest' but the others who believe not, "as I have sworn in my wrath",  'God has sworn that they shall not enter into His rest.' (Heb 3: 11)  His rest is the rest of the soul, when the burden of sin is rolled away and the man is set free. (1, 2)  

             From the very beginning of the creation of this world God had in mind to provide rest for His people.  This is evident from the fact that after the six days of creation God rested and invited men to rest with Him.  God invited Adam and Eve to rest and spend the day with Him, the very next day after their creation, the second day of their life.  They had had one day of labour; then came the day of rest as soon as "the works were finished from the foundation of the world." In these two days they had a complete taste of life as God intended it for them. They could now choose intelligently and evaluate God's wonderful gift of life.

            This was the crux of the situation. God would give rest to His people; to those who would believe in Him.  He promised the Israelites rest from their wanderings, rest from their enemies, as soon as they had rest in their souls. The assurance had been given them, "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." Exodus 33:14. This was the call that came to Israel at the time of the captivity: "Stand you in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein." Jeremiah 6:16.

            "Rest for your souls" (Jer 6: 16). This was the rest into which God would bring them, the rest in which God was chiefly interested and the people least. The people were chiefly interested in getting into the land of Canaan and finding rest from their wanderings. But the condition for this rest was rest in God, rest for their souls. This, indeed, has been God's purpose from the time "the works were finished from the foundation of the world." After His work was finished, He rested. The rest was as definitely a part of His program as the work. Yield yourselves to the fashioning hand of God, and He will give you rest – rest for your souls, and rest from your wanderings.

 4.  For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

            "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." Genesis 2:2, 3.  The rest of the soul, in which God is vitally interested, is closely connected with the Sabbath.  Rest in God means oneness with God, a complete dedication of the whole being to Him, every obstacle to perfect communion removed.  The rest of the soul means entire sanctification, a yielding of all to the Master, a sinking into God.  Of this experience the Sabbath is the sign.

            This day which He in the beginning sanctified and upon which He rested, became the sign of sanctification, of holiness, of rest in God.  Hebrews calls it "His rest," 'My rest," "that rest." (Hebrews 3:18; 4:1,3,5, 11) “I gave them my Sabbaths," says God, "to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them." Ezekiel 20:12.  He says further that “They shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God." Ezek 20: 20.  In these verses God combines sanctification and the Sabbath, saying that the latter is a sign of the first.

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

            "In this place again." The author is here repeating what He said before, that the disobedient and those who do not believe shall not enter into God’s rest. It is an affirmation of the verse, Hebrews 3:18. (1, 2)

 6.  Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:        

            ‘Seeing therefore it remaineth’ - There still ‘remains’ some rest, that which is left, 'left over', not appropriated and ‘some must enter therein’ – into the rest of God, the true rest of the soul.  God’s house was not filled in the time of Israel, for “they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief."  God will have His house filled.  Men's unbelief may compel God to change His method of working, but in the end God's eternal plan will be carried out. (1, 2)

 7.  Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

            God’s house was not filled even “after so long a time”, during the time of David. In David's time, when this psalm was written, it was a long time after Israel entered the Promised land.  They had been there hundreds of years yet people had still not entered the rest of God,  therefore God “limiteth a certain day” – God appoints a certain day which is today, and gives out the call to enter into His rest, “To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts”. (1, 2)

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

            Moses did not lead the people into the promised land, Joshua led Israel into Canaan. It was not enough for Israel to enter the land. God wanted them to enter His rest. “For if Jesus (original: Joshua) had given them rest”, God's intent would have been fulfilled. But Joshua did not give them rest. He merely led them into Canaan. This statement is conclusive proof that God by "rest" means more than entering Canaan for there was no if regarding entering Canaan for they did enter the promised land. For if Joshua had given them rest then God would not have ‘afterward have spoken of another day’, a ‘certain day’, a ‘to day’. God therefore invited them to enter ‘today’. (1, 2)

 9.  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

            There "remaineth" means ‘remains’, that which is left, 'left over', not appropriated, “therefore a rest”; a rest that is not appropriated, a rest that has not been used. The Greek word for "rest" in this verse is different from the word for "rest" in the other places. Here it is sabbatismos, a word that derives from Sabbath, and may be translated "keeping of Sabbath," or “Sabbath keeping."  The text therefore reads, "There remains therefore a keeping of Sabbath to the people of God."  It is not a new Sabbath; it is the same Sabbath as in Eden, as in the time of Moses, David, and Joshua, as in the time of Jesus and Paul.  It is the same Sabbath that has always been and that remains. “There remains."  Neither Moses nor David nor Joshua had succeeded in bringing Israel into the rest of God. "There remains therefore still a Sabbath-rest for the people of God." The Sabbath, which is called the Day of Rest,' is a nearer type of Heaven than Canaan.'

 10.  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

            “For he (anyone) that is entered into his (God’s)rest” – the rest that God has promised when a man is truly converted and experiences oneness with God, “he also hath ceased from his own works”, shall cease or rest from his own works “as God did from his” as Christ ceased from his own works and rested on the Sabbath day. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed (made holy) it. Exodus 20: 11.

            The word "ceased" is translated "rest" or "rested" so, the reading therefore would be: "He that is entered into God's rest, he also hath rested from his own works as God did from his."

            How did God rest from his own works? And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. Heb 4: 4. So how does or how should a man rest from his own works? "He that is entered into God's rest, he that is truly converted, rests on the seventh day as God did." The Sabbath is God's sign of sanctification. (Ezekiel 20:12.) But a sign is of little value without the reality for which it stands. Whoever, therefore, keeps the Sabbath holy, must himself be holy. This is the same as resting from, or ceasing from, our own works.

            There is also another interpretation too. He that is entered into God’s rest shall stop doing his own will and will do only God’s will or works or rather rest in God’s will, as Christ also did. Christ says, I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. John 5: 30.

 11.  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

            Many years, many centuries, God bore with Israel. And now, in Paul's day, just before the destruction of Jerusalem, He makes one last plea. He rehearses the story of the failings of their fathers, tells the children why the fathers failed to enter into the true rest of God, and pleads with them not to follow in their fathers' footsteps, but to turn to God while it is yet called today.

            This plea, though addressed to the apostolic church, is also an appeal to every nominal Christian wherever found to turn to God and enter into His rest. It is an appeal for a complete return to the Father's house, a return to His rest, a return to God's glorious Sabbath.

            Paul urges, “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest”. Let us be diligent, eager, earnest, in our effort to enter into God's rest, “lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief”. We are to beware lest we follow the footsteps of those who grieved God by their unbelief and disobedience. The voice or the call imposes on the church of Jesus Christ the duty of earnest striving after the promised salvation.

 12.  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

            When it is said that the Word of God is quick and powerful, the specific reference is to the writings of the Old Testament, as the New Testament had not yet been completely written and canonised. This emphasizes Heb 1: 1, that it was God who spoke through the prophets of old.

            The Word of God is no dead record of the past, but a living force, as the word "quick" indicates. God is “the living God," (Heb 3:12) and His Word is the living Word.  "Powerful" is the Greek word energes, from which we derive the English word "energy."  God's Word is active, powerful, energetic. These words almost personalize the Word and endow it with characteristics that we ordinarily associate with personality, not overlooking the fact that Christ is the Word of God apart from the written word, we have as Scriptures.  A sharp sword will lay (cut) open the joints and marrow, and so the Word will pierce (penetrate) into the innermost recesses of the soul and spirit, and lay bare (passing judgment on) the thoughts and intents (motives) of the heart, with unfailing accuracy which men may attempt to conceal.

            The context in which the Word of God is described should not be missed.  The message of God which promises the rest and urges to seek it, is no dead, formal precept, but is with living energy.  It is here cited to enforce what has been said of God's rest and to remind us of the punishment that came to those who were disobedient.

 13.  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

            Christ is also the Word of God.  Nothing is hid from God.  Everything is as an open book to Him.  The soul stands naked in His presence.  This view of God is terrifying, or comforting, according to the relation men sustain to the judge of all.  The hypocrite, the proud, the impure, the self-righteous tremble at the thought of the all-seeing eye of God.  The trusting, the earnest and honest, the downtrodden and humble soul rejoices that God knows and understands all.  No man can ever deceive God.  He weighs men's actions and motives in the balances of the sanctuary.  And His decisions are just.

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

            Christ is here presented as “a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens” and being at the "right hand of the Majesty on high” Hebrews 1:3.  The greatness of Christ is the subject throughout the epistle.  He is greater than angels, than Moses, than Joshua.  He is presented not only as an apostle and high priest (Heb 3:1), but as a great high priest.  Is He greater than Aaron, who was a great priest?  Indeed.  He assures us that Jesus is great.  Christ on ascending to heavens, has become our high priest in the sanctuary in heaven.

            He is here called "Jesus the Son of God,” a combination of the human and the divine, coupled with the title "Son."  This text is used by some as proof of the restoration to Christ of all the attributes which He had as God, so that in His humanity He now exercises all the prerogatives formerly reserved for the Godhead.  "Let us hold fast," cling tenaciously to, keep holding on "our profession" which means confession, faith, doctrine.

 15.  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

            Too often men lose the fellow feeling they formerly possessed when elected to high position or place. This being a common human failing, we are assured that Jesus is not like that; that He has not lost His contact with us, though He is seated at God's right hand.  "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities”.  It is not merely that Christ feels kindly toward us and pities us but that He suffers with us as we suffer and is one with us in all things.

            Many of our difficulties are a result of infirmities, not of outright rebellion or wicked stubbornness, but a lamentable weakness that makes us give in instead of resisting and causes all manner of difficulty.  Even this condition Christ understands.  He may not be able to excuse us, but we may be assured that He feels with us and understands; for He Himself was in all points tempted like as we are, or as a literal translation might give it, "in the way of resemblance."  Let all know that whatever may be the condition, or cause of failure, Christ understands.  He has had temptations "in the way of resemblance" to ours yet, He was without sin and He has the remedy.

            Everything about Christ intimates an unusual acquaintance with men's problems and an understanding sympathy.  This could be attained only through an identification of trials in all conditions of life.

 16.  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

            This expression in Christian terminology has always been closely connected with prayer, and hence with the mercy seat.  It was at the mercy seat the high priest supplicated God for forgiveness on the Day of Atonement.  We are invited to come there to find grace to help in time of need.

            

             The author has brought illustrations from the experience of Israel to show how they failed to enter into God's rest; how they were disobedient and grieved God.  He has connected the rest of God with the seventh day, a most pertinent point, as it was the pollution of the Sabbath that was one of the reasons for Israel's rejection by God, as recorded in Ezekiel.  He has pleaded with his people not to follow the example of the wilderness people but to enter God's rest while it is still called today, reminding them that there remains a keeping of Sabbath to the people of God.  And now, lest any think that the warning and admonitions have no present application, that the seventh-day Sabbath is a dead letter, he reminds us that the Word is living and active, that it is sharp and piercing as a two-edged sword, and not an ineffective, ceremonial requirement.

REFERENCE:

1. Andreason M L. The Book of Hebrews. Washington D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association; 1948. 190 p.
2. Barnes A. Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible. In e-Sword - the Sword of the LORD with an electronic edge; 1847.