Hebrews 4:1-11

4:1

The warning of 3:12 is now repeated

The rest was not attained by the generation that left Egypt.

The rest was not completed by the generation that entered Canaan.

The first generation left Egypt with the intention of going to Canaan, but they did not finish what they started.

POINT: Just because you begin the journey or just because you leave for a destination does not mean you complete the journey nor does it mean you arrive at your desired destination. Here in these verses leaving Egypt does not guarantee arriving in the promised land.

The first words in the Greek are “Let us fear.” This position places emphasis on the verb. The Greek word for fear is “phobos” “qoboV”. The use of “fear” here is stronger than the warning and use of “blepete” or “’See to it” in 3:12.

φοβηθωμεν ουν μηποτε καταλειπομενης επαγγελιας εισελθειν
Let us fear therefore lest being left a promise to enter

εις την καταπαυσιν αυτου δοκη τις εξ υμων υστερηκεναι
into the rest of him seems anyone of you to have come short

The use of “καταλειπομενης επαγγελιας” or “being left a promise” ties the Exodus generation’s promise and experience to the readers of Hebrews. The promise is in the word of God that has been heard.

The use of “υστερηκεναι” or “to have come short” or “to have fallen short” is also used in other Greek writings. It is used in Asia Monor in reference to a man who had failed his duty of attending the temple of Apollo. He was found to have fallen short of the expectations of a worshiper of Apollo.

“Promises” or “promise” is used in 6:12, 15, 17; 6:13; 7:6; 8:6; 9:15; 10:23, 36; 11:9, 11, 13, 17, 33, 49; 12:26

4:2

The word “gospel” is the word “good news” from

και γαρ εσμεν ευηγγελισμενοι καθαπερ κακεινοι αλλ

For indeed we are having had the good news preached even as those also but

ουκ ωφελησεν ο λογος της ακοης εκεινους μη συγκεκραμενους

not profit the word of hearing those but having been mixed together

τη πιστει τοις ακουσασιν
with faith in the hearing

The Israelites had heard the “good news” or a promise of entering the promise land but they did not believe so they could not act accordingly.

We have also heard “good news” or a promise of salvation and newness of life through Jesus. We must believe it so we can act accordingly.

4:3-4

Notice “we who have believed” is past tense but “enter that rest” is present tense.

This means that those who have believed in the past have already begun the process which is currently being fulfilled. The rest is not something in the future.

There is a huge difference between saying “we who have believed” or saying “we who do believe”. The second “believe” in the present tense would make it seem like something other than the point of salvation.

Then switching from the rest of the wilderness to the rest after God’s work of creation we see that the author is talking about a rest that occurs after the work is done.

God rested when he finished creation. We rest when we finish salvation upon faith in Christ.

The readers were being warned of not taking full advantage of the rest that was theirs in Christ.

Matthew 11:28-30

Speaking of God’s rest here brings home the point that God’s rest is available.

Since God is at rest then it must be assumed that this rest does exist and is real.

By saying that God rested on the seventh day the author is saying that this rest has been available to men since that time.

POINTS:

1) The rest of God has been available at least since the seventh day

2) The rest of God does exist since God is there

3) The rest of God is still available in 1400 BC, 1000 BC, today in 68 AD and today in our lives.

John 5:17 Jesus response to those accusing him of working on the Sabbath by saying:

“My Father is working still, and I am working.” Jesus point was that although God’s Sabbath rest began after the sixth day of creation was finished God did not stop working. Just because God entered rest does not mean he stopped working. So, since God is at rest and still works, Jesus is allowed to continue work even on the day of rest.

4:5

God offers us the chance to enter the rest which he himself enjoys.

4:6

The rest is available but no one took advantage of it in the wilderness.

Their disobedience was the result of unbelief as in 3:19

4:7

Therefore, this rest is still available in 1000 BC and also today

4:8

Some would argue that Joshua succeeded in giving them rest.

But, the author here says no because if they had then all of Israel would have had that rest in 1000 BC when Psalm 95 was written. Since, Psalm 95 was written while Israel was in the promise land it is hard to think that the rest that was lost by Moses’ generation was attained by Joshua’s generation.

4:9

Sabbath rest means God’s rest

4:10

Entering God’s rest means you “rest from his own work.”

“his own work” refers to a man’s work of completing God’s plan:

1) Salvation – no works are needed. The works required to fulfill God’s will are done with faith in Jesus.

2) Eternity – when a man’s work is finished on earth (Rev. 14:13 – “they may rest from their labors; for their deeds (“work”) follow them.”

4:11

“Let us, therefore, make every effort”

σπουδασωμεν ουν εισελθειν εις εκεινην την

let us be eager therefore to enter into that

καταπαυσιν ινα μη εν τω αυτω τις υποδειγματι

rest lest in the same anyone example

πεση της απειθειας

falls of disobedience

“σπουδασωμεν” or “let us be eager” means “to be in a hurry, to make haste, to be in earnest, to concentrate one’s energies on the achievement of a goal, to endeavor.

“ουν” or “therefore” means to draw a logical conclusion from the preceding information.

How do they enter the rest (now and eternal)? Trust Jesus.