A SABBATH REST FROM GOD (FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD) Hebrews 4:1-13

HEBREWS 4:1-13 Therefore since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the Gospel preached to us, just as they did, but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard it did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, ‘So I declared on oath in my anger, they shall never enter my rest.’

HEBREWS 4:1-13 continued And yet His work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere He has spoken about the seventh day in these words. ‘And on the seventh day God rested from all His work.’ And again in the passage above He says, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’

HEBREWS 4:1-13 continued It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the Gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later He spoke through David, as was said before. ‘Today, if you hear My voice, do not harden your heart.’ For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.

HEBREWS 4:1-13 continued There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for one who enters God’s rest, also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

HEBREWS 4:1-13 continued For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians. Their daily diet ought to be the solid food that comes from living in the Word of God. They needed to be weaned off the milk onto solid food. This condition was keeping them from entering God’s Rest.

1. The Sabbath Rest (sabbatismos) This Sabbath Rest is the Rest of God Himself. Its full fruition is in the future, though believers are now part of it. The Israelites did not receive the promise of God’s Rest because of disobedience. The next generation under Joshua also thought they had made it. Not so! Because God said later in Psalms “They shall never enter my rest.” Ps 95:11

2. Faith The promise of God’s Rest wouldn’t do any good unless it was combined with faith. (v.2) Faith is believing even though not seeing!

Faith is based on three sure things: a)A firm conviction producing a full acknowledgement of God’s revelation or truth, b)A personal surrender to Him, and c)A conduct inspired by such a surrender. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Heb 11;1 Faith is a gift of God “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” Rom 10:17

3. Entrance pathway to God’s Rest. (The Word) The exhortation is for believers, by faith, to open up their lives to the Word of God. The teaching or message of Scripture, brings a warning of the possibility of the exclusion of the unbelievers from God’s Rest, and a promise that the believer is sure to enter.

When we live in the Word, it does things to us that prepare us for God’s Rest. It penetrates; it dissects; and it judges. God’s Word is sharper than a double-edged sword. The Word of God, as we are penetrated, dissected and judged, makes us fit to enter His Rest.

The question we all need to ask is this. Am I living a life in God’s Word, through faith, that finds me right now, in God’s Rest?