Hebrews 04
God’s Promised Rest
4:1 Therefore we must be wary that, while the promise of entering his rest remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it.
The Jews living in Judea during this time were in great danger. They had been baptized in Christ, meaning that they were identifying with Him. This meant that the Jewish community would persecute them and possibly even martyr them. To escape this persecution, many of the Jewish believers wanted to return to Judaism. The author warned them not to take this route. If they did take this route, they would make the same mistake as their fathers in the wilderness. The rest that they would lose was not salvation, but it was the rest that they would receive in growing mature in Christ. They would lose the rest of sanctification.
4:2 For we had good news proclaimed to us just as they did. But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in with those who heard it in faith.
These Messianic Jews are without excuse, because the gospel has been preached to them. In the wilderness, twelve men spied out the Promised Land and brought back a bad report. Their fathers rejected the message of God and chose instead to listen to the report of unbelief from the twelve spies. The Messianic Jews were about to make this same mistake. If they returned to Judaism, they would lose their physical life at the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D.
4:3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’” And yet God’s works were accomplished from the foundation of the world.
After God created the world in six days, He rested from His creation. Those who rebelled with Korah in the wilderness did not enter into God’s rest which was promised at creation. This is a spiritual rest where man grows from learning the mind of God. If the Messianic Jews return to Judaism, then they will miss out on the opportunity of creation rest. They will lose their opportunity to learn the mind of Christ.
4:4 For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,”
The author quoted Genesis 2:2. God rested on the seventh day from all His works. The believer will also experience rest at the end of his sanctification period, which will come at the end of the age when Christ returns.
4:5 but to repeat the text cited earlier: “They will never enter my rest!”
The author quoted Psalm 95:11. Israel failed to enter the Promised Land by divine decree.
4:6 Therefore it remains for some to enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed did not enter because of disobedience.
God desired for all of Israel to enter the Promised Land, but their unbelief kept them out. However, God will keep His promise, despite the unbelief of Israel. To fulfill this promise, God will raise from the dead all of the Israelites who died in the wilderness. They will enter the Promised Land during the Millennial Kingdom.
4:7 So God again ordains a certain day, “Today,” speaking through David after so long a time, as in the words quoted before, “O, that today you would listen as he speaks! Do not harden your hearts.”
The author quoted from Psalm 95:6-7. The Holy Spirit and David co-authored this song of Israel. This song reminded Israel that they needed to not harden their hearts against the teachings of the Holy Spirit.
4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken afterward about another day.
Joshua brought Israel into the Promised Land, but they still did nor gain creation rest. They had rest from their enemies, but the creation rest will not occur until the arrival of the Millennial Kingdom. God will raise up all of those who entered the Promised Land in order to give them this creation rest.
4:9 Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God.
Mature believers of God will enter a Sabbath rest. This Sabbath rest means that the believer will be so mature in his faith, that the present struggles of the satanic world system which come against him will not affect him. He will possess the maturity to see God’s plan in all situations.
4:10 For the one who enters God’s rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works.
Once a believer matures in Bible doctrine, he will enter creation rest.
In conclusion, the author mentioned three different types of rests in three different Greek tenses. The Greek past tense of rest is salvation. The Greek present tense of salvation is spiritual maturity. The Greek future tense of salvation is Heaven (or the Messianic Kingdom).
If the Messianic Jews of this past time can enter the present rest, then they will not return to Judaism. Instead, they will mature in the faith and not be “tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine”.
4:11 Thus we must make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of disobedience.
The author encouraged the Messianic believers to enter the present rest of spiritual maturity so that they would not fall into death like their fathers in the wilderness.
4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.
The Word of God is a sword that will not allow unbelief to go undetected. The Word of God is living and active. It will one day call everyone to account before God. The Word of God is so active, that it transforms a person from an enemy of God to a friend and servant of God.
The Word of God is living, because it is the Word of a living God. It is living, because after being heard, it can make a dead spirit alive.
The Word of God is a sword that divides the soul (personality) from the spirit of God. If the personality is not following the spirit which communicates with God, then the sword will cause a division. The Word of God will show the human personality that it is disagreeing with the active Word of God.
The Word of God is so penetrating and so powerful, that it can even judge the thoughts and intentions of man. The Word of God knows what a man is thinking and why he is thinking it even before he thinks it!
4:13 And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.
God is omniscient. He knows everything. Nothing is hidden from Him. All believers must render an account to an omniscient God who sees and knows everything about us. No one will be able to hide from God.
Jesus Our Compassionate High Priest
4:14 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.
The author has shown that Jesus is superior to angels and Moses. Now, the author will show that Jesus is superior to the Levitical priesthood.
The High Priest of Israel was human. Jesus was God who came directly from heaven. Therefore, Jesus was superior to the earthly Levitical High Priest.
The Greek word for “passed” is διεληλυθότα (dualaluthota), a perfect active participle, meaning that Jesus passed through the first and second heaven and entered third heaven. Once He entered the third heaven, Jesus poured His own blood on the altar in heaven and remained there forever. The Levitical Priest could only enter an earthly tabernacle once a year, and then he had to depart for a year. Jesus entered a heavenly tabernacle and remained there for eternity. Therefore, Jesus was superior to the earthly Levitical High Priest.
4:15 For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin.
1 John 2:16 states that all men are tempted in three areas. First, is the lust of the flesh. Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread to satisfy His hunger. He resisted this temptation by attacking Satan with the sword of the Word of God.
Second, Jesus was tempted by the lust of the eyes. Jesus was shown a satanic vision of all the kingdoms of the world. Satan would give these kingdoms to Jesus, if Jesus would just worship him one time. Jesus used Hs sword (the Word of God) against Satan for a second time.
Third, Jesus was tempted by the pride of life. Satan asked Jesus to fulfill Scripture, by jumping off the pinnacle of the temple. Then, everyone could see angels catching Jesus before His fall. Jesus refused, once again using His sword, which is the Word of God. Satan fled “for a season,” meaning that he must have tempted Jesus several other times that are not recorded in the Scriptures. Therefore, Jesus was tempted in all three areas of sin, but unlike human high priests, He was successful in resisting all of these temptations. This made Jesus superior to human high priests, who were not always successful in resisting sin.