Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said[.] Hebrews 4: 1-3a, NKJV
Dear Lord, we pray that You will continue to guide us in the study of Your holy Word. Please make all things plain, we pray in the blessed name of Jesus; Amen
Yesterday, we looked at the earthly rest that Caleb and Joshua were able to enter and enjoy, thanks to their unwavering faith in God and His promises. Nevertheless, there is obviously another rest that remains, that we all can participate in. May God grant us the aid of His Holy Spirit to reveal to us what that rest is, and the way to enter it.
As I endeavor to study this portion of Scripture I feel as if I have bitten off more than I can chew. Yet I know that we shall not be disappointed, because God will open the eyes of our understanding. As I read and re-read, I saw two different rests in this passage. I saw the final rest of the faithful when we will inherit the earth made new, “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not speak later about another day. So then, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God” (Hebrews 4: 8, 9, NRSV). I also see the rest from our own works in an effort to save ourselves, “For those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labors as God did from His” (10).
The final rest. The fact that Joshua and a remnant of the Israelites entered the earthly Canaan, and yet there is mention of a rest that still remains, “a sabbath rest” “for the people of God,” I understand from that inference that they had not reached their final destination. The heavenly Canaan is the rest that still remains; the rest that is yet to come. God’s plan is for all of us, spiritual Israel, and physical Israel, to enter that rest together (11: 39, 40)!
The rest from trying to save ourselves. “Those who enter God’s rest,” those who accept the grace of God that brings salvation; will cease from our own works in an effort to save ourselves. At the end of creation week God stopped working (Genesis 2: 2). There was nothing else to do. The work of creation was completed. When we realize that we are saved by grace, through faith, we will stop working trying to save ourselves (Ephesians 2: 8, 9). There is nothing else to do. The work of redemption is completed. Therefore we cease from our work as God did from His. The work that was necessary in order to save us was done at Calvary. Jesus has made it available to “whosoever will.” Those who accept it by faith will be saved (John 3: 16).
Of course the person who is saved is known by their fruit, “You will know them by their fruits…A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit…Thus you will know them by their fruit” (Matthew 7: 16, 18, 20, NRSV); (Ephesians 2: 10).
“Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs” (Hebrews 4: 11). And what caused their disobedience? Their lack of faith in God’s ability to do what He had promised. May God help us to have faith in “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4: 4).
We will continue our study in this passage.