Sermon Tone Analysis

We are in Hebrews 4

The Author is Talking to His Audience About God’s Rest

The Israelites in the Wilderness Were Promised Rest if They Trusted God

But They Did Not Trust God (His Message or Promises)…

So They Did Not Enter His Rest

The Offer Still Stands to Enter into God’s Rest

But We Can’t Follow in the Unfaithful Steps of the Wandering Israelites

We Must Trust in God (His Message and Promises)

His Message and Promises are the Gospel of Jesus

We Covered Verses 1-2 Last Time

Hebrews 4:1–2 (NASB95)

Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.

For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

Now We Will Begin Our Study in Verse 3

Hebrews 4:3–5 (NASB95)

For we who have believed enter that rest, just 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.

For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; and again in this passage, “They shall not enter My rest.”

These Verses Can Be a Little Bit Difficult to Interpret

But I Believe the Main Point the Author is Trying to Make is:

God’s Rest is Still Available for Us to Enter into Today

Those Who Believe Enter (Present Tense) His Rest

Entering God’s Rest Isn’t Just Something that Will Take Place in the Future

It’s Something We Can Enter into By Faith Right Now

This May Be Referring to the Spiritual Rest We Receive…

When We Give Our Lives Over to Jesus

When Becoming a Christian, We Already Begin Experiencing the Rest of God

But We Will Experience the Fullness of His Rest When Jesus Returns

The Rest of God Has Been Available Since the Foundation of the World

God Rested On the 7th Day and He Has Been “Resting” Ever Since

That Doesn’t Mean God Has Been Inactive

But that He Completed His Creation of the World

Ever Since God Rested On the 7th Day, He Has Opened Up that Rest to Humanity

But, Like the Israelites, So Many Have Failed to Enter it Due to Unbelief

Hebrews 4:6–7 (NASB95)

Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.”

Entering into God’s Rest Has Been Available By Faith Since Creation

The Israelites in the Wilderness Missed Out On Entering God’s Rest

The People of David’s Day (Psalm 95) Were Encouraged Not to Miss Out On Entering God’s Rest

And the Hebrew’s Author Tells His Audience that the Offer Still Stands

Even Today You Can Enter God’s Rest if You Will Place Your Faith in Him

Hebrews 4:8–10 (NASB95)

For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.

So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.

The Hebrew’s Author Seems to Indicate that Joshua Didn’t Actually Lead the Children of Israel to God’s Rest

But the Book of Joshua Seems to Indicate Otherwise

Joshua 1:13 (NASB95)

“Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God gives you rest and will give you this land.’

Joshua 23:1 (NASB95)

Now it came about after many days, when the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their enemies on every side, and Joshua was old, advanced in years,

Hebrews 4:8–10 (NASB95)

For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.

So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.

We Know that Israel Experienced a Temporary Rest

But We are Looking for the Perpetual, Eternal, Sabbath Rest of God

A Rest that Begins When a Person Places Their Faith in Christ…

And Comes to its Ultimate Fruition When Jesus Returns

The Sabbath Rest that God Began On the 7th Day…

Was Not a Cessation of Work, But a Completion of His Work

When a Person Enters into the Rest of God, We Enter into the Completion of His Work Through Jesus

We Become a New Creation in Jesus

There is No More Working and Striving to Inherit Salvation

There is Only Faith/Trusting in Jesus

This Teaching Should Have Been Comforting to the Hebrew Christian Audience

The Working, Striving, Sacrificing, and Law-Keeping of the Old Law…

Has Been Replaced By Faith in Jesus

To Enter into God’s Rest Through Faith in Jesus…

Is So Much Greater Than Returning to the Old Covenant

Hebrews 4:11–13 (NASB95)

Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

Hebrews 4:11 (NASB95)

Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

To End Out the Section About Entering God’s Rest…

The Author Encourages His Listeners as Well as Himself…

To Be “Diligent” to Enter God’s Rest

“Diligent” = To Be Eager/Zealous, To Make Every Effort

We Ought to Be Zealous and Make Every Effort to Enter God’s Rest

Those Who Don’t, are in Danger of Following in the Footsteps of the Wilderness Generation

Footsteps of Disbelief and Disobedience

What are Some Ways that We Can Be Diligent to Enter God’s Rest?

Read and Study the Scriptures

They Teach Us About God and Show Us His Faithfulness to Keep His Promises

Follow the Teachings of Jesus

Love God and Love Others

Encourage Each Other

Hebrews 4:12 (NASB95)

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Many Early Church Fathers Leading All the Way Up to the Medieval Ages…

Believed This to Be Referring to Jesus

Since the Reformation, This View is Much Less Popular

I Believe the “Word” Refers to the “Message” of God

We Find God’s Messages to His People in the Scriptures

What All Types of Messages Do We Find in the Scriptures?

Commands

Commands to Do Things

Commands to Not Do Things

Promises