Hebrews 4

Intro

What is heaven like?

The reward

Rest at the end of a long week

The Warning

ουν connects to prior passage: since Moses and people did not enter the rest, let us be cautious

φοωηθωμεν- “fear”, more like “be cautious”, “take care”, etc.

The rest is open, but that doesn’t mean all will enter it!

Why is the warning warranted?

example of wilderness generation

both heard “the good news”, i.e. the gospel, but that generation did not listen and it was of no benefit

“proto-gospel”, obviously not the full gospel, but enough

How do we enter that rest then?

faith in the gospel

Note, faith here is more than mere belief. It implies an obedience

Thus to hear the gospel is not enough. It did not benefit those in the wilderness

We must hear and obey.

Moreover, this is faith in the Gospel, i.e., faith in Christ!

“by grace you have been saved through faith” Ephesians

The Rest Still Open

So what is this rest we are striving for?

It is open still

Author points out paradox

Ps 95- God suggests rest is still open to wilderness generation

Yet this “rest” is completed from foundation of the world (aorist), i.e. at creation in Genesis

Thus this rest was completed on the 7th day of creation, but stretches onward throughout time, and thus remains open for all

So when might we enter it? Tomorrow? When we die? No!

“Today”!

Ps 95 spoken about wilderness generation, but spoken by David

Thus this rest stretches even into David’s time and is available for the people then to enter

This suggests the opportunity to enter the rest was not closed off during the time of Joshua, when he brought the people into the holy land

The stress is on the present: we must enter God’s rest today

Nature of the Rest

Firstly, we see that this rest is unbound by time. It is an eternal rest, created and complete at creation, but available for all to enter today, from Moses to Joshua, David, the audience of Hebrews, and us today

Secondly, the rest is to be distinguished from heaven, New Creation, the reign of Christ, etc.

It is a spiritual bliss. Not physical place (e.g. contrast with Joshua and Promised land)

It is the eternal שלמ of God, peace, rest from the toil and hardship of life.

Something that we might enter into in the fullest sense at death, but that we may begin experiencing even now

2 Corinthians 6:9–10 NRSV

as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.