HEBREWS: Lesson 6 - Entering Into God's Rest (Part 1)

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Beginning in chapter 4, we find ourselves in the middle of a warning to those Jews who were sitting on the knife edge of making a complete decision for Christ. The warning began in chapter 3:7 and continues thru chapter 4:13. Although the warning is aimed at the Jews who have turned from Judaism but not yet completely surrendered to Christ, it is also a warning to the Jewish Christians who are teetering on the brink of turning back to Judaism. The author makes a very solid argument spelling out the dangers of unbelief. He continues to refer back to Psalm 95 where David remembers the Israelites and the grave consequences of their unbelief.

In chapter 3:7 thru 3:19 we looked at the dangers of developing a hard heart. Today we began looking at the next section, chapter 4:1 thru 4:13, which outlines the requirements and urgency of entering into God's rest.

For the Israelites, Canaan, the Promised Land, was a place of total rest. It was a place of peace and freedom. But on the way to the Promised Land the Israelites stopped. Although they had turned from Egypt, on their way to the Promised Land they halted at the crucial place of decision. Their hearts grew hard with unbelief and they were ultimately denied entry into the Promised Land.

(22) because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, (23) they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it. (Numbers 14:22-23)

The author uses the Israelites as an example, warning the unsaved Jews who had turned from Judaism but had not yet made a total commitment to Christ. The warning from the author is:

Do not do what Israel did. Do not be taken away from the old life but never commit yourself to that new relationship with Jesus Christ. The more you hang on the balance, and the longer you continue to hear the message of the gospel, the easier it will be to reject Christ. One day you will wake up to realize that your heart has hardened to the point that your unbelief has resulted in your departing from the living God.

Here are five definitions of rest from the dictionary and the meaning as it would relate to God's Rest:

Rest means 1. Cease from action or motion; stop from labor or exertion.
God’s Rest: No more self-effort; trying to please God with feeble, fleshly works; Cessation from legalistic activity.

Rest means 2. Free from whatever worries or disturbs you; to be quiet, to be still, to be peaceful, to be free from guilt and the things which drive us to neurosis or psychosis.
God’s Rest: Be at peace with God; No need to worry about sins that have been forgiven; No more anxiety, pressure, or guilt.

Rest means 3. Lie down; to be settled or to be fixed. No more flux.
God’s Rest: Positionally established in Christ; No more running from philosophy to philosophy; No more being blown about by every wind of doctrine; No more floating on relativism; but grounded, rooted, and established in the absolute of God and His Word.

Rest means 4. Remain confident; to put your trust in something.
God’s Rest: Enjoy security without fear; Absolute trust and confidence in God’s care and charge of your life.

Rest means 5. To lean on something for comfort and security.
God’s Rest: Rest on God and lean on Him knowing He will be there.

We all understand the body's need for physical rest. We need daily physical rest and we also need mental rest from our routines. But simply taking a trip to the beach, the lake, or the mountains, or sitting at home doing nothing will not give us spiritual rest. Spiritual rest can only be found in Jesus. Jesus said:

(28) Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29)

Our bodies definitely need rest but, more importantly, our souls need rest. Your soul consist of your mind, will, and emotions. It is here where your greatest  need for rest exist. Anxiety, worry, stress, fear and regret are enemies of the soul. These demons rob us of "soul rest." The only place we can fine true soul rest is in Jesus. Total surrender and commitment to letting God's will be the number one priority in our lives is how we find "rest for your souls."

Below is my outline for this section. We will continue with it next week and hopefully have some more great discussion as we uncover the many jewels found in this amazing book.

I. The AVAILABILITY of rest
II. The BASIS of rest
     A. Personal Faith
     B. Sovereign Decree
     C. Immediate Action
III. The NATURE of rest
IV. The URGENCY of rest

I. The AVAILABILITY of rest:

(v. 4:1) “Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.”

The author wants the Jews to know that, although the Israelites blew it, the promise of entering God's rest still remains. Just as Paul said: "I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not!” (Romans 11:1)

He even goes further in his warning by telling these unbelieving Jews that they should fear God if they don't enter His rest. He reminds them of the anger God had towards the Israelites for their evil hearts of unbelief.

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him [God] who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.” (Matt. 10:28)

As Jesus said, true believers need not fear: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” (John 14:1) 

Paul said, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

II. The BASIS of rest:

(v. 4:2) “For indeed the gospel [good news about rest] 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.”

Faith is the key to rest. Unbelief forfeits rest. The Israelites did not enter Canaan because of their evil hearts of unbelief. Although Joshua and the younger generation did enter Canaan, they were eventually driven out because of their unbelief.

How do you get God's rest?
 
1. Personal Faith:

Hearing without believing does no good! Israel had what is called a grasshopper complex. “There we saw the giants…and we were like grasshoppers…” (Numbers 13:33) Israel did not believe God!

Paul thanked God for the Thessalonians because of their belief and for receiving the truth of God's Word. “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

 (v. 4:3) “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.’” The author continues the argument for faith.

(v. 4:4) “seventh day” – God’s rest began on the seventh day after creation. At that point He had established a place of rest for His creation. Satan robbed the rest from Adam and Eve.

(v. 4:5) “And again in this place [Israelites in desert] ‘They shall not enter My rest.’”

Adam and Eve blew it! And now the Israelites blew it!

So God had to deal with the sin problem. He did this through Jesus. The O.T. people were saved on the basis of believing what God was going to do through Christ; the N.T. people were/are saved on the basis of what God has done in Christ.

2. Sovereign Decree:

You are saved by two things:
Your personal faith – “...and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” (John 6:37)
The absolute sovereignty of God – “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” (John 6:44)

(v. 6) “Since therefore it remains that some must enter in…”
 God knows the outcome of who will and will not enter into His eternal and final rest.

“Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” (Romans 11:5)  This shows God’s sovereign decree.

3. Immediate Action

(v. 7) “…again, He limiteth [designates] a certain day, saying in David, ‘Today,”

God limits the day of grace and the opportunity for salvation.  “And the LORD said, 'My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.'” (Genesis 6:3)

After the flood life spans began to shrink. Several hundred years after the flood, Moses declared, “The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10)

The author strongly urges his audience as he repeats "Today". The time to enter God's rest is NOW!

This lesson will be continued next week.