Hebrews 4

Hebrews 4 continues the discussion on the rest promised by God, linking it directly to faith and obedience. This chapter warns against unbelief while illustrating the concept of God's rest, initially promised to Israel and now available to believers through Christ. It also emphasizes the power of God's word and ends with encouraging believers to hold firmly to their confession of faith, knowing that Jesus, our High Priest, is both empathetic and able to help in times of need.

Hebrews 4:1-2 (NKJV)
Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

The promise of entering God’s rest still stands, and this passage serves as a cautionary reminder. It highlights the importance of faith accompanying the hearing of the gospel. The Israelites heard the good news just as believers do today, but many failed to benefit from it because they did not combine it with faith. This emphasizes the need for personal trust and belief in God’s promises to actually partake in the spiritual rest He offers.

Hebrews 4:3 (NKJV)
For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

Believers enter into God’s rest by faith, contrasting with the disobedience of the Israelites whom God thus excluded from this rest. This rest was part of God’s plan from creation, predating the failures of Israel. The mention of God’s works being “finished” from the creation implies that the rest was always intended for humanity, signifying completion and sufficiency in God’s provision through Christ.

Hebrews 4:4-5 (NKJV)
For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.”

These verses link God's Sabbath rest after creation to the promised spiritual rest. The Sabbath rest serves as a symbol of the spiritual rest that remains for God's people, which some will fail to enter due to disbelief. The repetition of the warning “They shall not enter My rest” emphasizes the seriousness of unbelief and the conditional nature of this rest based on faith.

Hebrews 4:6-7 (NKJV)
Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today, after such a long time, as it has been said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.’”

The opportunity to enter God’s rest still exists. This passage references Psalm 95, reiterating that "Today" is still the time of opportunity and warning against hardening one's heart. This "Today" is not just a temporal reference but a perpetual present, continually inviting each generation to embrace faith and not fall into the same pattern of disobedience as the Israelites.

Hebrews 4:8-9 (NKJV)
For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.

These verses clarify that the rest Joshua provided in the Promised Land was not the ultimate rest referred to in God’s promise. The repeated mention of "another day" points forward to a greater, more complete rest in Christ. The "rest for the people of God" signifies a deep, enduring peace and fulfillment in spiritual communion with God, distinct from temporal or geographical rest.

Hebrews 4:10-11 (NKJV)
For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

Entering God’s rest is paralleled with ceasing from one's own works, similar to how God ceased from His creative acts on the seventh day. This cessation is not about inactivity but about relying fully on God’s grace rather than one's own efforts. The admonition to be diligent stresses the active pursuit of faith and obedience, necessary to avoid the pitfalls of unbelief demonstrated by the Israelites.

Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

This verse extols the potency and efficacy of God’s word. It is described as living and active, capable of penetrating the deepest aspects of human existence to discern motivations and thoughts. This suggests that God’s word plays a critical role in guiding believers into and maintaining them within God’s rest, as it reveals truths and convicts hearts, ensuring genuine faith and obedience.

Hebrews 4:13 (NKJV)
And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

This verse continues the theme of God’s complete knowledge and oversight. It underscores the reality that nothing is concealed from God, and all individuals will ultimately be accountable to Him. This omniscience ensures that true faith and sincerity cannot be faked, and it serves as a reminder of the seriousness with which we should approach our faith and reliance on Him.

Hebrews 4:14-16 (NKJV)
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

These concluding verses connect the theological concept of rest with the practical support provided by Jesus, our High Priest. Christ’s ascension and heavenly ministry provide believers with a constant source of mercy and grace, enabling them to hold firmly to their faith despite challenges. Jesus’ ability to empathize with human weaknesses, having faced temptation yet without sin, encourages believers to approach God with confidence, securing the help and grace necessary for living a faithful, rest-filled life.