Heb 4:1-10 God's Rest

Hebrews 4:1–10 ESV

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. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, 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.” 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. 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.

Last week I was sharing about my first flight ever, which was not on a commercial airline but in a glider. I told you about the harrowing beginnings of my flight and how I was paralyzed by fear. Then when I turned to God the fear of God took control of my heart and overcame my paralyzing fear.

After my head turned to fear God, I thoroughly enjoyed the flight. It was like riding a motorcycle in the air. I was up in the air for about an hour and a half, reaching as high as 4000 feet. There were still moments when suddenly my fear would come back and in my mind, I would cry out to God, “God I’m not sure about this, do you still have me in your hands?” Then I would again look up and think about who God is, and how powerful He is and I would again be able to focus on fearing God more than the current situation.

Resting in my confidence in God I got so bold that I asked the pilot to do an intentional stall. When an airplane flies, the air around the wings is at different pressures. The air passing over the wing has a lower pressure than the air passing under the wing, generating lift and 'pushing' the aircraft upwards. When an airplane stalls it means you lose the lift and it flies like a brick, straight down.

Before I asked the pilot to do the stall, I had read about it and knew about it conceptually, but after experiencing it I realized that a stall is just a literal drastic drop, where you are falling from the skies. So we fell for about 100 feet, which was sufficient to satisfy my curiosity about the effects of stalling.

Next, we started slowly descending and I would have glimpses of the runaway, knowing we were getting closer and closer. There were moments when I knew we were getting closer but it seemed to me we were too far from the airport to be able to land. But then, almost unexpectedly we were facing the runaway and it was time to land.

I was a little nervous again, bc I was thinking this is it, without an engine, there is no way to turn back. We are landing one way or another. Finally, in a flurry everything went so fast and slow at the same time, contrary to my expectation.

If you see a glider land, you would be amazed, there is nothing like it. The landing of a glider is the softest and most gentle landing that there is. It is like a feather slowly and gently landing on the ground. And as you can imagine I was so happy to be on solid ground. If there would have been no people around I would have thrown myself down and kissed the ground. I felt I was finally able to fully relax.

But why did I save this part of the story for today? As Leanna and I were talking about this she pointed out to me that my flight experience has similarities with our Christian walk. Some of us have a harrowing start, then throughout our life, we have some moments when we are not sure and must search to find our peace and trust in God again. Then we face death or Christ’s return unexpectedly, despite knowing it's coming. And just like the landing of the glider, we will land eternally in God’s rest.

Entering God’s rest is the main theme here in verses 1-13. For those who have surrendered to Christ, our destination is heaven, to be in God’s rest for eternity.

But as we saw last week when we studied v1, the author interjects the idea of fear before focusing on rest. Fearing God is a requirement for us to enter God’s rest. If we don’t bow down before God we don’t really know Him and we are not redeemed by Christ’s blood. Fearing God means we want to obey Him. We know that God is holy and we are not. We need a redeemer and by faith, we are united to Christ. Through faith, we can be covered by His blood and be made righteous in God’s sight.

However, before the author goes into the explanation of the promise of God’s rest, he continues the warning from v1 regarding the need to fear God.

Hebrews 4:2 ESV

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.

Before we go much further, you might have noticed that there are lots of “them” and “they” here. First, we need to identify who are “them” that this verse is talking about. Remember the quote that the author is making a reference to is Psalm 95, which is referring to another passage, Numbers 14. Therefore the “them” here is referring to this wilderness generation.

Numbers 14 describes what was the culmination of the rebellion of the wilderness generation. They had reached the edge of the promised land and they heard the report from the 12 spies. Their response was to not believe in what God said, but instead, they feared the people of the land instead of fearing God.

Because they feared men they cried the whole night, then in the morning, they decided to choose a leader and go back to Egypt. Following this Moses and Aaron fall on their faces before the congregation begging them to not rebel against God.

What was their response to Moses? They pick up stones to kill Moses, Aaron, Caleb, and Joshua. This visibly shows they were done listening to God. At that moment God had to intervene or Moses and the others would have been stoned to death. It was after this that God gives the judgment or promise of judgment they shall not enter His rest.

Now back to v2 of Heb 4, we can see from the tone of this verse that this is the continuation of the warning from v1. He is reminding us that the wilderness generation heard God but did not enter the rest because of unbelief. They heard God but refused to listen to Him. The wilderness generation is an example for us that hearing only has no benefit if it is not followed by obedience.

It doesn’t matter how many years you have come to church, what you have done that no one knows about, or how many times you heard God’s word, what matters is if you listen to and obey God.

What matters is if you recognize that God is the creator, that He is Holy and righteous. We fear Him because of this. Knowing that we are sinners, and if we stand in His presence on our efforts, we will receive what we deserve, eternal separation from God, hell, and eternal punishment. This is fearing God.

But we must also act on this fear, we must recognize and see our need for a redeemer. That even though we are not worthy Jesus offered Himself in our place. So now, if we repent and believe in Him, believe that He took our punishment. We can escape the punishment that we deserve and receive His righteousness instead. Through faith in Christ, our relationship with God is restored. We were enemies and through Christ we are now adopted into His family, becoming brothers and sisters of Christ, sons, and daughters of God.

This should remind you of all we studied in chapter 1. Here our fear is balanced with the incredible friend and brother Jesus is to us, His creation! Our actions need to be united with our faith just as this story from the Israelites demonstrates.

We need to go beyond hearing God’s word we have to obey as well. Just as any parent will say that hearing only is not sufficient you have to obey. For this passage here this means repenting, recognizing that God is holy and we are sinful and deserving of His judgment, and by faith believing that Christ indeed took our punishment.

Rom 5:8-10 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

For those of us who have truly repented and believe in Jesus. We will have a reverent fear of God, we will be united by faith with those who listened. This section of Scripture says that the promise of entering God’s rest still stands. If we believe we will enter that rest as the next verse says:

Heb 4: 3a For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’ ”

As we read the promise, “As I swore in my wrath, They shall not enter my rest”. We notice that this doesn’t sound positive. We just saw in Numbers 14, the background of this quote, that it was a promise of judgment to the wilderness generation. However, the author inspired by the Holy Spirit sees the judgment in light of the promise for those who listen and obey God. Some enter God’s rest because they obeyed God.

Then the author continues to develop the theme of God’s rest by connecting the rest in the promised land to the Sabbath rest in the second part of v3 and v4.

Heb 4:3b-4 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.”

The quotation in v3 connects the promise to an actual place and moment in time where the promise was delivered, specifically at Kadesh; the border of the promised land. Now, however, here in v4 the author is connecting the promise to a different time period. This time the beginning of creation. Here the author is implying that the idea of rest is much broader. Not only as the promised land for the Israelites, but something much bigger that started at creation and will perpetuate through eternity. That is to be in God’s presence. To be at rest in God, with God. Before we finish we will see the difference between being at rest in God and being at rest with God.

In the following verses 5-7, then the author of Hebrews turns to the hearers, it says:

Hebrews 4:5–7 ESV

5 And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.” 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.”

5 And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.”

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.”

Here the author of Hebrews was pleading with his hearers to turn to God. God is saying here that the opportunity to enter God’s rest is today. This promise stands available even today, as it was many years ago when it was first declared by God, then repeated centuries later by David, then repeated to the first readers of this letter and us today.

Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, but listen to God, fear Him, and obey Him. If you have not repented and trust in Jesus, do it today. Put your trust in Jesus today.

Tomorrow is not guaranteed. No one can be certain that tomorrow we will be alive. Furthermore, we need to remember that Christ will return suddenly and unexpectedly. Like in that glider, I knew we were getting closer, but I wasn’t sure exactly because I couldn’t see clearly the runaway. Suddenly after one more turn, the runaway was right in front of my face and we were down.

There is no question about it, times are getting worse with the passing of each day. There seem to be endless turns in history. We know we are getting closer, but we are not exactly sure when. One day after one more turn it will be right in front of our face. We will see Christ returning on the clouds.

The call to repent and believe in Christ is for today. If God is convicting you today, respond now don’t wait, this might be your last chance. Talk to me or one of the elders before you leave today.

I long to be united in faith and to enter God’s rest with all of you. And we learn even more of God’s rest here in v 8-10.

Hebrews 4:8–10 ESV

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 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.

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 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.

These two verses seem to be so clear and direct that it doesn’t require much explanation. It states again that we can have great confidence that the promise to enter God’s rest still remains available for us today if we not only hear God but listen and obey Him.

We studied these verses quickly, however, it remains for us to consider further the question:

What does God’s rest mean?

Is it resting eternally in heaven or resting now while we await heaven?

V10 seems to indicate a future rest when we will rest from all our work. However, v 3 seems to indicate a present rest because it says, “we who have believed enter that rest”. So, which is it? Now or later? I think it is both. There is a sense that we find rest in God now. When we turn our lives completely to Jesus, there is a sense where we experience rest and peace with God. However, that is just a foreshadowing of what is to come. When I was in that glider fearing God, I had peace and rest by trusting in Him. Because of that, I was able to enjoy and have fun on the flight. However, when I landed, I had a much fuller sense of rest and peace, which was far superior to the rest I had while in the air.

However, many of us when we think of heaven might have this idea of being in the clouds playing harps and singing. Greg Gilbert a pastor said “I used to think as a child that the Christian’s destiny was to spend eternity in a never-ending disembodied church service. That was a scary thought! But it was entirely wrong. God intends to create for his people a new world, free of sin and death and sickness.”

We know that heaven is going to be in God’s presence, seeing His face, enjoying and worshipping Him forever. We will be separated from sin, not able to ever sin again. We will always please God and be completely righteous. What freedom and rest!

Furthermore, we will have resurrected bodies on a renewed earth. It is going to be like the garden of Eden, but even better because we won’t be able to sin anymore.

But we have not only the hope of a future eternal rest. God provides rest for us today while we await eternity.

Jesus said in Matt 11:28-30 “28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

We know this verse; we heard it before. We know that when we come to Jesus when we repent and believe in Him, trusting Him our whole being, there is a peace that comes. We feel in our hearts a new life and a new love for God, His word, and His body, the church. However, we often forget that God’s rest is also for us to experience as we go through much turbulence in this life.

But, how can we find rest in the midst of chaos in this life? Paul D Tripp I think gives us a good insight here. He says “Ultimately, human rest is not found in measuring the size of your righteousness, strength, and wisdom against the size of what you are facing. No, rest is found when you compare the size of what you’re facing to the person, presence, character, power, and grace of the One who is with you wherever you go. What is God’s best gift of grace? The answer is easy – himself.

This is so crucial, let’s hear again: “Ultimately, human rest is not found in measuring the size of your righteousness, strength, and wisdom against the size of what you are facing. No, rest is found when you compare the size of what you’re facing to the person, presence, character, power, and grace of the One who is with you wherever you go.”

I found rest on the flight not because I felt safe, nor because my fear of heights was gone. It was because at that moment I feared God more than the situation I was in. We will find rest in God no matter the situation you are facing. Resting in Him allows us to not be anxious about anything, but in everything let our requests be made known to God through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. That’s when the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

In Jesus, there is rest now and forevermore in His presence. This is the difference between being at rest in God now in this life, and being at rest with God forever.

How can we close this service? But by singing a song that we might sing when Christ returns when we see Him face to face.

As we sing this closing song imagine yourself in His presence praising Him.

Prayer-

Lord gives us a glimpse of being in your presence worshipping you. Help us to rest in you and trust you today while we await for our eternal rest with You. Lord, I ask that if there is anyone here that doesn’t fear you, you will open their hearts and ears to you to not only hear but to obey and follow you