Hebrews 4:1-13

English Standard Version Chapter 4

4 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.

11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Think of the most restful place you’ve ever been. What made it serene for you?

1. What verse stood out to you the most this week and why?

2. Is the “rest” described in chapter 4 only physical (national) in the land of Canaan, or does it refer to something more?

refer to something more?

There are various kinds of rest in the world. But today’s passage talks about three. First, is to enter the Canaan land. God promised to give Abraham the Canaan land to his offspring. () Israel was born in Egypt through the 12 sons of Jacob. Then, God led them out of Egypt with Moses as their leader. God gave them the Ten Commandments as their constitution and wanted to make them a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. During their wilderness journey, God repeated this promise to give them the land of Canaan. () says, “Since you have not yet reached the resting place and the inheritance the Lord your God is giving you.” Here the rest means entrance into the promised land.

Second, is the Sabbath-rest after the six-days of creation. says, “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.”  God completed his creation and satisfied saying, “It was very good.”  Adam and Eve had rest with God while they had fellowship with God in the Garden. There was no labor or toil in Paradise because there was a perfect relationship with God. But when Adam disobeyed God and was driven out of the Paradise, he labored to earn his bread and women suffered pain in child bearing. Later, Jesus offered the Sabbath rest for believers by saying, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, I will give you rest.” () Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath and is eligible to give us rest from pain and suffering comes from sin. He offered this rest to all believers.)

Third, is the promised rest. This is related to the future kingdom of God. is an enthronement psalm anticipating the coming kingdom. Hebrew 4:1 is a future promise. talks about rest from labors in heaven. The OT describes the kingdom of God as rest (, , 32:18, Hebrews focuses on “world to come” (2:5), “promised city” (11:10, 16), New Jerusalem (12:18-24). This is what the author is talking about in this passage. (4:1, 3, 6, 8-11)  Today, we will focus on the promised rest in this passage.

3. According to this chapter, who gets to experience God’s rest?

V6-7, the opportunity to enter God’s rest remains opens. God had offered the rest to His people in Moses’ time and continued to offer it in Davids’ time. He is still patiently inviting His people to enter His rest. Those who believe will enter his rest. Good Works + Faith = Rest

4. How long did this rest last (Old Testament history)? How does this temporary rest compare to the spiritual rest the writer encourages us to enter?

to the spiritual rest the writer encourages us to enter?

Was there ever really a rest they entered or is the same rest God promised them still promised to us today.

5. Read . How does experiencing God’s rest depend on personal faith?

English Standard Version Chapter 2

16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Does that not just answer the question itself. We have had these conversations about faith and the law. If we believe and are following Jesus 100% then there is no need for law because we would already be doing it.

6. To what does the writer compare God’s Word? What role does the Word of God play in the life of a believer and the unbeliever?

life of a believer and the unbeliever?

The word of God helps to enter the rest. We are shaky without the word of God. The word of God transforms our lives because it is living and active. No one can change other’s lives. Jesus changed his disciples to become the world famous Bible teachers through his word. The word of God changed Isaiah to become the prophet who spoke the word of the truth. To him the word of God was like a polished arrow. The word of God enables us to follow the example of Jesus not the example of the wilderness generation. At the end of our life we must each give our life report card before God. When we obeyed God and lived by faith, we will be rewarded to live in the paradise. If we disobeyed by hardening our hearts and rebelled against God, we will be judged and suffer eternally. God’s word is living and piercing. My suggestion through this passage is that we must not harden our hearts but listen to Jesus. We must hold on the word of God firmly and strive to enter the rest by holding on the word of God.

http://www.washingtonubf.org/BibleMaterials/Hebrews/hebrews4_msg.html

On Your Own:

Take some time to examine your own heart and life. Have you entered into God’s rest through faith, or are you still trying to be saved through your own work and self-effort? What evidence would you give to support your answer?

faith, or are you still trying to be saved through your own work and self-effort? What evidence

would you give to support your answer?

Have you experienced the sharp, discerning power of God’s Word in your life lately? How has it helped you grow? How has it helped you fight against temptation?

helped you grow? How has it helped you fight against temptation?