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.
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,
Psalm 95:11 CSB
“They will not enter my rest.”
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...
