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Tag: John

  • Hebrews -4- Rest Promised or Pursued?

    But the message they heard did not benefit them…

    Hebrews 4:2a CSB

    Previously I asked, “Will you enter into God’s perfect rest?” The author of Hebrews traces our Hebrew heritage and history back to Moses and then states, “So we see that they were unable to enter [rest] because of unbelief.” It is significant warning to those who only pursue righteousness, rather than obtaining its rest.

    What is rest?

    Perhaps ‘rest from your work,’ as in Sabbath rest, a vacation or retirement?

    Do we think ‘rest in peace,’ when in fact it is rest in life we seek? Vanity. (Or futility, as Solomon suggests in Ecclesiastes.)

    Life convinces me of the elusiveness of rest more each day.

    closed on sunday
    Closed on Sunday – Rest in the Lord (it’s a Commandment).

    We begin with the application of these scriptures about the promised rest in our own lives, but first a look at definitions.

    Hebrews 4:

    Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands – NIV

    Note some subtle differences of approach from verse 1.

    A promise to enter, a promise remains, a promise still open, a promise stands – all promises made, but not yet fulfilled. Surely the Lord will keep His promise.

    The warning of Hebrews 4:1 is that we ‘have fallen short, therefore take heed to our own obligation to the promise of the Lord. In fact, the previous warning to God’s chosen was, “So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.” KJV

    So what role do we have in completing the promises between the Lord and His faithful?

    The followers of Moses and many generations since did not receive the promise. Some continue to pursue the promise, others have abandoned God’s word. What is left to us is an inheritance; a promise not yet received, but a rest to be received – a rest only in the promised Messiah of God.

    “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

    Words of the Messiah Jesus, Matthew 11:28 CSB

    Rest defined

    • ἀναπαύω anapauō – One rest of which Jesus speaks is quiet, calm, an earthly collecting of strength. God can give us rest.
    • נָחַם nacham – in Hebrew is rest. In the sense of being comforted it means that God has compassion on us. In a most curious application from Moses’ story of creation he says,

    Now he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the LORD has cursed.”

    Genesis 5:29 NASB

    The LORD cursed creation, regretted man for our evil on the earth; yet in the LORD’s compassion He called נֹחַ Noah, which means ‘rest’ as a savior of creation.

    Instructions for the priesthood speak of a complete Sabbath, an increased rest in addition to our weekly worship of the LORD.

    שַׁבַּ֨ת שַׁבָּתֹ֥ון הוּא֙ לָכֶ֔ם וְעִנִּיתֶ֖ם אֶת־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּתִשְׁעָ֤ה לַחֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ בָּעֶ֔רֶב מֵעֶ֣רֶב עַד־עֶ֔רֶב תִּשְׁבְּת֖וּ שַׁבַּתְּכֶֽם׃ פ

    “It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls…

    Leviticus 23:32 NASB

    Again, I remind us that first century Jews who practiced regular worship of the LORD with sacrifice knew scripture better than most modern Jews and Christians. The application of a promised rest, a rest pursued by the faithful, had more meaning in completion of the promise.

    • κατάπαυσις  katapausis in the common Greek of the day –
      • a putting to rest or a calming of the winds.
      • resting place; נוּחַ; metaphor for the heavenly blessedness in which God dwells, and of which he has promised to make persevering believers in Christ partakers after the toils and trials of life on earth are ended

    When the author of Hebrews, Paul and other Jews speak of perfection, it is this complete rest in the Lord of which they speak metaphorically.

    εὐαγγελίζω – Good News / Bad News

    We’ve all heard it told: I have good news and bad news. (Which do you want to hear first?) Once again the writer of Hebrews supports his gospel with scripture.

    2 For we also have received the good news just as they did…

    Hebrews 4:2a CSB

    Again he quotes scripture from Psalm 95 and Genesis, applying a warning to us.

    Psalm 95:

    Worship and Warning

    1 Come, let us shout joyfully to the Lord,
    shout triumphantly to the rock of our salvation!
    2 Let us enter his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us shout triumphantly to him in song.

    8 אַל־תַּקְשׁ֣וּ לְ֭בַבְכֶם כִּמְרִיבָ֑ה כְּי֥וֹם מַ֝סָּ֗ה בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

    9 אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִ֭סּוּנִי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּ֝חָנ֗וּנִי גַּם־רָא֥וּ פָעֳלִֽי׃

    10 אַרְבָּ֘עִ֤ים שָׁנָ֨ה׀ אָ֘ק֤וּט בְּד֗וֹר וָאֹמַ֗ר עַ֤ם תֹּעֵ֣י לֵבָ֣ב הֵ֑ם וְ֝הֵ֗ם לֹא־יָדְע֥וּ דְרָכָֽי׃

    11 אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי בְאַפִּ֑י אִם־יְ֝בֹא֗וּן אֶל־מְנוּחָתִֽי׃

    So I swore in my anger,
    “They will not enter my rest.”

    Psalm 95:11 CSB

    A bad news warning

    … and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience, 7 he again specifies a certain day—today.

    The writer of Hebrews warns that Joshua did not give them rest.

    9 Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. 

    11 Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.

    Make every effort.

    He pleads with the readers and listeners of scripture to σπουδάζω – be diligent or eager to hear the gospel of our promised rest in Christ Jesus, the Messiah.

    Again, the common first century Greek logic to think toward what the LORD God meant in giving rest to us through the Messiah. (And this time don’t ignore His warnings spoken in scripture.)

    Then, as if speaking to those who feared the very Voice of G_d spoken from Sinai,

    11 Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.

    And the author of Hebrews then follows with perhaps scripture’s best reason for all to read, hear and obey scripture.

    The Word of God

    12 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.

    Hebrews 4:12 NASB

    The word of God, λόγος logos θεός theos is living and active.

    In the Greek does this have a familiar ring to it, beloved Christian or Messianic Jewish brother or sister?

    ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

    Gospel of John 1:1

    Could the writer of Hebrews possibly be referring to Yeshua the Messiah, witnessed by many as risen from the dead?

    He is living and active! ‘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.’

    Who can divide the soul and the spirit? Who holds power over our heart and every breath of life?

    Only the LORD God! This sounds like the True Judge, who is ‘able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.’

    Nothing hidden from God’s sight

    The writer of Hebrews then continues appropriate warning to those who hear this word of scripture, all those who seek our promised rest.

    13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight…

    Not you, not his first century Hebrew audience, and certainly not me.

    … but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

    So imagine the Perfect Judge who can separate joints and marrow, discerning our thoughts and looking upon the nakedness of the intents of our hearts.

    How will we ever rest, when we have not laid down our sin before the Perfect Sacrifice of the Lord, slain for us – the Son of God Who IS and will judge our sin?

    Our Compassionate High Priest

    מֹשֶׁה Mosheh פָּלַל palal עַם `am

    And Moses interceded for the people.

    Numbers 21:7 NASB

    Moses interceded, then Aaron interceded as High Priest. Later anointed descendants of Levi stood in the Holy of Holies between the people and the Lord. But these godly men were all imperfect.

    Yet all priests, pastors and rabbis sin. Their sacrifices have been imperfect.

    The Messiah, however, is our perfect intercessor, a Son of man like us. He became our sinless Lamb whose Body and Blood were broken and shed for us.

    14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.

    A promise fulfilled – rest in the Messiah Jesus. Confidence that the Lord has chosen us through Him. Yet have we pursued our rest in Christ, or presumed the promise as those who perished in the wilderness?

    Draw near to the Throne of grace, for we have confidence in Christ.

    Receive His compassionate mercy and grace, which is favor with God. For we are chosen if we believe in our compassionate High Priest, Christ Jesus.

    Is this your time of need?

    Do you desire God’s help?

    Pray – pray through our loving intercessor who has descended to His own and ascended to the Throne of heaven.

     To be continued...

  • Hebrews – 1

    1:1  πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐντοῖς προφήταις

    It’s Greek to me…

    multifariam et multis modis olim Deus loquens patribus in prophetis


    God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

    Hebrews 1:1 KJV
    In our עִבְרִי Hebrews Intro I suggested that we will explore some translation back to the Greek and Hebrew. Follow links to secure sources.

    Translations of Hebrews 1 above, from the original Greek, to the Latin Vulgate,  to Hebrew do not seem to exist. Greek was the common language of Jews and Romans of the first century empire. Even early English translations include unfamiliar words and terms, like “sundry times.” indicating a portion of time.

    So what is the connection of the book of Hebrews to Hebrew descendants, Jews who became the Messianic followers of The Way?

    The opening of the book makes the connection. Its purpose is to explain the connection of the Messiah Iēsous to GOD, θεός theos in the Greek,in Hebrew, אֱלֹהִים ‘elohiym.

    Hebrews 1:

    The Nature of the Son

    Jesus often referred to himself as the Son of Man, a specific messianic reference to the Messiah, only Son of God, born as a man.

    Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son.

    Hebrews 1:1-2a CSB

    An immediate mention of God speaking through recognized prophets of the Jews. These include Abraham, Israel, Moses, David, Isaiah and many others. The voice of ‘his Son’ speaks with a first-person authority of the LORD speaking directly.

    God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him.

    The Son of Man, Jesus, is heir of all creation, much as a human son receives the inheritance of his father’s work. Yet the author of Hebrews points out even more of the Image of the Son to the Father.

    The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

    Hebrews 1:3 CSB

    After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

    Jesus is of the same glory and exactly like God the Father and assumed the Throne of Majesty after making the Perfect Sacrifice for our sins on the Cross. The action of God Himself on the Cross purged our sins!

    So he [Jesus] became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.

    Angels and messengers of God

    The writer of Hebrews states that the man Jesus is much more than a prophet, then proceeds by comparing Jesus to the glory of God the Father. After briefly considering the Son of Man, now the writer of Hebrews proceeds to compare Jesus to unseen messengers .

    Angels are spirit messengers of God. Jesus emphasized the importance of the unseen spirit of man – soul, if you will – in its role of communication with God.

    Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.

    John 3:5-6 CSB

    The water of baptism or purification is not enough. Repentance is not enough. Good works of the flesh are not enough. No one is justified by God without receiving the Spirit of God, messenger to your soul. The writer of Hebrews quotes scripture about angels, holding up Jesus as the Highest Messenger.

    The Son [Jesus] Superior to Angels

    5 For to which of the angels did he ever say,

    • Psalm 2:7 אֲסַפְּרָה אֶֽל חֹק יְֽהוָה אָמַר אֵלַי בְּנִי אַתָּה אֲנִי הַיֹּום יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ׃
    • or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son?”
    • Hebrews 1:6 Again, when he brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
    • Deuteronomy 32:43 LXX (Septuagint) εὐφράνθητε, οὐρανοί, ἅμα αὐτῷ, καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ· εὐφράνθητε, ἔθνη μετὰ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐνισχυσάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες υἱοὶ Θεοῦ· ὅτι τὸ αἷμα τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ ἐκδικᾶται, καὶ ἐκδικήσει καὶ ἀνταποδώσει δίκην τοῖς ἐχθροῖς καὶ τοῖς μισοῦσιν ἀνταποδώσει, καὶ ἐκκαθαριεῖ Κύριος τὴν γῆν τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ.
    • Psalm 97:7 LXX (Septuagint) σαλευθήτω ἡ θάλασσα καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς, ἡ οἰκουμένη καὶ πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν αὐτῇ.
    • All the gods must worship him. [97:7 LXX, Syr read All his angels]
    • Hebrews 1:7 7 And about the angels he says:
    • Psalm 104:4 עֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחֹות מְשָׁרְתָיו אֵשׁ לֹהֵֽט׃
    • NKJV Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.

    “Rejoice with him, you heavens,
    and let all of God’s angels worship him.

    Deu.32:43a NLT As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text lacks the first two lines.

    The writer of Hebrews makes clear that Jesus is superior to the angels, using scripture from the Old Testament to do so.

    but about the Son

    Hebrews 1:8-12 is glorification of the Son of God. Like his opening, the author quotes scriptures known to the Jews.

    Quotes from Psalms often glorify God and glorify the king. The inference here is that Jesus, the Messiah, is a King forever.

    Psalm 45

    יָפְיָפִיתָ מִבְּנֵי אָדָם הוּצַק חֵן בְּשְׂפְתֹותֶיךָ עַל־כֵּן בֵּֽרַכְךָ אֱלֹהִים לְעֹולָֽם׃

    Psalm 45:2
    2 You are fairer than the sons of men;
     Grace is poured upon Your lips;
     Therefore God has blessed You forever.
     3 Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One,
     With Your glory and Your majesty.

    The king holds up the royal scepter of righteousness, the symbol of justice in the right hand.

    6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
    A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
    7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
    Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
    With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.

    This reference by the writer of Hebrews to the Son being higher than the angels comes directly from this song of love in Psalm 45. The Messiah is an answer to prayer – centuries of prayers by faithful Jews. Hebrews continues by quoting another Psalm.

    Psalm 102 – The Lord’s Eternal Love

    Hear my prayer, O Lord,
    And let my cry come to You.

    12 But You, O Lord, shall endure forever,
    And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.

    18 This will be written for the generation to come,
    That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.

    25 Of old You laid the foundation of the earth,
    And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
    26 They will perish, but You will endure;
    Yes, they will all grow old like a garment;
    Like a cloak You will change them,
    And they will be changed.
    27 But You are the same,
    And Your years will have no end.

    You are the same

    “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

    The revelation of Jesus Christ to John 22:13

    Hebrews 1 closes reaffirming that the Son IS the creative Word of the Lord.

    13 Now to which of the angels has he ever said:

    Sit at my right hand
    until I make your enemies your footstool?

    Once again, quoting a Psalm announcement of the Messiah’s reign.

    14 [NIV} Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

    Yes. Angels are ministering spirits of the LORD.

    Yet the Son of Man, God Incarnate: was, and IS, and will be higher than the angels; the righteous King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

    To be continued...

  • Another Sabbath: No Rest

    Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy:

    Exodus 20:8

    Sabbath? So what?

    We were making plans for Sunday shopping after church, but then we missed church. Some Sundays we hurry out of time-extended gatherings at our church to join the crowds in local restaurants. This week we had no Sabbath and no rest.

    As Christians we were raised to know that actually Saturday is the Sabbath – שַׁבָּת – shabbath, the seventh day of the week; however Christians call Sunday, our ‘day of rest.’ Yet when was the last time you felt like you had ‘a day of rest?’

    closed on sunday
    Closed on Sunday – Rest in the Lord (it’s a Commandment).

    So what’s this “rest day” all about?

    And what does the Sabbath have to do with God?

    After all, when we attended church last week for more than three hours, it seemed alright to slip out early (before the music and worship mercifully concluded).

    Lot’s of rules, but little holiness

    You are to labor six days and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.

    You must not do any work ​— ​

    Exodus 20:10


    —you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the resident alien who is within your city gates.

    So who’s working?

    We are shopping… and we have to eat. It’s all those kitchen and superstore slaves who are working, not us.

    Isn’t a day off a sort of ‘Sabbath?’

    The Bible seems to have a lot of old rules that don’t apply to Sunday.

    Rest from Above

    “Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever profanes it must be put to death. If anyone does work on it, that person must be cut off from his people. – Exodus 31:13

    Imagine anyone, even devout Christians and most Jews, calling for capital punishment for someone profaning the Sabbath. Yet the Lord established this holiness of routine for a set-aside culture to make us different.

    שָׁבַת shabath: Rest, when no one else rests; worship, when no one else acknowledges the LORD.

    Holiness and rest require separation.  These are more than a command, but a gift from the Lord to set us apart from the world.

    “Observe the Sabbath because it is holy to you… 

    LORD, who is like you among the gods?
    Who is like you, glorious in holiness,
    revered with praises, performing wonders?

    Exodus 15:11 CSB

    The One True God is unlike any other god!

    He is not like the angels nor is the LORD like a man. We were created in His Image from the dust of the earth and the Lord breathed spirit into our lowly being. GOD is above all, separated by the glory of His holiness, and He commands us to rest, making the Sabbath holy.

    An archaic common understanding was that the LORD is like a King, therefore man is a common subject of this heavenly King or Kings. Mankind is separated from the Eternal Highest by His own holiness.

    We are commoners, yet made in His Image.

    Chaos reigns in the life of man, while in the creation of God righteousness will reign, providing rest in our purpose and meaning.

    Rest requires our holy separation from the chaotic fallen daily drudgery of this selfish failing flesh.

    Jesus and Sabbath Controversies

    Mark 2:

    23 On the Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to make their way, picking some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

    25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David and those who were with him did when he was in need and hungry — 26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest and ate the bread of the Presence —which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests —and also gave some to his companions?” 

    27 Then he told them,


    “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. So then, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

    Mark 2:27

    A Sabbath for mankind

    Dear sojourner through this difficult life,

    Are you not famished for the bread of heaven?

    Jesus journeyed from town to town with good news for all and as he does so, even on the Sabbath, the Lord and His disciples snack on the grain of the fields.

    (You eat on the Sabbath, right?) It is no sin, according to Jesus.

    In fact, the Lord refers to a time when David, anointed King of Israel, fled Saul and was fed by a priest, who replaced the Bread of the Presence set aside for worship with warm bread.

    John 6:51

    “The Sabbath was made for man,” Jesus assures us; but rest a little.

    It is the Lord’s will that we separate this day of rest from our week, dedicating our Sabbath-rest to Him.

    Lord of the Sabbath

    Jesus also assures us that “the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

    In another place in scripture Jesus refers to Himself as the manna – the bread of heaven. Jesus IS the bread and wine, the body and blood Present on the altar of Sacrifice. He IS the manna of life sent down from heaven, that we might have eternal life.

    The Son of God IS the Son of Man, He who commanded us to rest on the Sabbath. He IS Lord of the Sabbath and the rest of your week.

    Will you set aside a time of holiness to worship the Lord?

    Consider the Lord of שָׁבַת  [the Sabbath] this Sabbath. Set aside a time of rest.

    To be continued...