Hebrews Chapter 4

• Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

This rest spoken of could mean different things. My first thought is that it means the rest of abiding in Christ. Salvation is a kind of "rest" where we are made free from the bondage of sin and have peace with God. This is a spiritual rest and refreshing.

With Israel the "rest" spoken of was the promise land they were to receive after years of bondage to Egypt. Egypt represents sin. We are in bondage to sin before we come to Christ just like Israel was in bondage to Egypt.

The "rest" spoken of here could refer to the final place of rest for the weary believer and that is Heaven. We see that the sin of unbelief would naturally cause one not to enter this rest whether it be salvation, Heaven or the promised land.

• Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

We see from these scriptures how important faith is to obtain the prize. When the word is preached it must be received by faith into our hearts. Those that heard the gospel in the wilderness lacked the faith to go on to the promise land and had to remain in the wilderness until they died, then their children could pass on to the promised land.

If we remain in unbelief, we cannot be saved. For without faith we would not repent of sins and turn to Christ. How can we possibly be saved from sin if we do not believe? One has to believe in order to be moved with fear for our souls to the point of repenting of sin and believing in the savior, Jesus Christ.

After we are saved by our faith in Jesus, if we return to unbelief and no longer are in fellowship with God, we too will be lost and not enter into the final place of rest in Heaven. This is controversial. I don't say that if we sin after being saved that we will be lost but Jesus said, "He that believes in me shall not perish but have eternal life." It stands to reason then that if one stops believing, how can he still inherit eternal life?  

God told the children of Israel that He would be with them and that they could enter the promised land by the power of God. Joshua and Caleb were among the 12 spies that went to spy out the promised land. They saw giants which frightened 10 of the spies. Joshua and Caleb had faith that they could overcome by the help of God and go into the promised land. The other ten doubted and stirred up the rest of the multitude with their fear. This unbelief displeased God. Joshua and Caleb were the only adults who were alive at that time, who entered the promised land forty years later. The others died off until their children had grown.

So we see had serious unbelief is. I doubt if many of us would return to a life of sin, if unbelief didn't proceed our temptation. When we doubt that God is present in our lives, we will tend to return to the sin we came out of.

To avoid this we must daily seek God and walk in His word and His spirit which is given to us. This will keep us from sin and lead us into the things of the spirit. If we walk in the spirit we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. It is impossible to walk in the spirit and walk in unbelief at the same time.

• Hebrews 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

This is also spoken about in the Psalm.

• Psalm 95:7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if ye will hear his voice,
• 8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
• 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
• 10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
• 11 Unto whom I swore in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.

God planned our salvation from sin, our eternal rest and all other good things given by His spirit back in the beginning of creation. God never intended for mankind to be lost or to die spiritually or physically. We were created to live forever. Our soul and spirit never die. Death entered the human race as a result of sin. Actually unbelief was the first sin. Satan caused Adam and Eve to doubt the word of God in which God warned them not to eat of the tree of knowledge or else they would die.

The devil brought doubt into them by telling them that they would not really die; they ate and immediately sin entered the human race and their bodies began to decay. Spiritual death or separation from God began at the same time. God made a plan to redeem them back through the death and resurrection of His own Son, Jesus Christ also called the second Adam. By man sin entered the world and by man, sin is done away with and eternal life will be possible. That is why Jesus had to become a man. God (the Son) actually became flesh and lived among us.

• Hebrews 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

God's resting the seventh day represents the rest we receive in Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus is similar to the Sabbath Day. Jesus is a rest from sin. Jesus brings us rest now in the spirit and eternal rest at His Second coming or when we die physically and go to be with Him at this present time. There is a rest to all who believe in Him both now and in eternity.

• Hebrews 4:5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
• 6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

Unbelief hindered Israel and caused them to be temporarily cut off until the time they recognize the Messiah Jesus Christ who they rejected. Unbelief will also cause any one of us to be cut off if we abide in unbelief. Faith in Christ is our salvation. We must believe in Jesus Christ and continue in or abide in Christ to be saved and enter into this rest spoken of in the Psalm and in Hebrews. It doesn't mean we are perfect and never err or make mistakes but we don't go back into not believing Jesus is the way of salvation. To doubt is not the sin. That is temptation we must overcome; but to just stop believing in Jesus would naturally reverse everything since Jesus said they who believe will inherit eternal life.

• Hebrews 4:7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

A heart that is hard is like a hard ground that cannot produce food.
Seed cannot grow in hard ground that has not been plowed and cultivated. The word of God cannot enter a heart that is hardened with unbelief. Faith comes by hearing the word but one that continually rejects truth will be hardened until they can no longer receive the word. Unbelief hardens the heart.

• Hebrews 4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

The earthly promised land was not the rest spoken of in the Psalm. It was only a temporary rest in the land of Canaan until the promised Messiah would come to bring in the final rest which is spiritual and also physical at His second coming. Christ's first coming brought the spiritual rest by the Holy Spirit.

• Hebrews 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
• 10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

This can also have a double meaning. When we come to Christ we cease our own works. We work and strive to earn our salvation and try to be a good person on our own but when we come to Christ we cease our own efforts and trust Christ alone for salvation. We are saved by faith in Christ, not in good works apart from Christ. We also cease from our sins and enter into a rest from our past sins.

Referring to eternal rest, when we come to our time of physical death or separation of our soul and spirit from our bodies, we enter a rest that is eternal and cease from our own works and labor for the Lord. This rest of course is only for those who are "in Christ" or "born again" at the time of physical death or at the time of Christ's coming a second time.

• Hebrews 4:11 Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Again unbelief hinders any from entering into eternal life. Coming to Christ and being baptized in the Holy Spirit is a spiritual refreshing and rest for our souls. Working 6 days a week and resting on the seventh day is a picture of the rest we need for our body and our spirit. Worshiping God with other believers is a type of rest.

• Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
• 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Nothing is hid from God. The word of God brings us conviction of sin. The word shows us that we are sinners in need of a savior. The word searches our hearts and exposes sin bringing us to repentance. When believe in the savior Jesus Christ and repent of sin, we are saved. The word and the spirit of God brings us into salvation.

• Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

We must hold fast our faith and not waver. We must abide in Christ. Jesus returned to heaven to await the time of His second coming. He is our high priest and our mediator between us and God. He is the only mediator. No priest, rabbi, minister, preacher, prophet or apostle is to stand between us and God. Jesus is the only mediator now. Before Christ we had to go through the prophets or special ones chosen of God. Now prophets, preachers and elders have a different work. They are not mediators but are to be teachers of the word. They preach but they do not take the place of Jesus.

Jesus is the only way of salvation. We are not saved by our church or organization, our priests, religious rites or anything else. We are saved by our faith in Jesus Christ.
Once we are saved by faith in Christ, we must abide in Him.

• John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
• 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
• 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
• 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
• 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
• 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
• 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
• 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
• 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

It is actually better to abide and continue in the faith we first believed. There is assurance, there is peace, joy and all the fruits of His spirit that is within those that choose to abide in Christ and resist the temptation to go back into unbelief. This doesn't mean that we are always happy because we face trials, temptations, and troubles but the Holy Spirit is available to help us through all these things. If we find ourselves losing the joy of our salvation, we can pray and seek God that that joy may be restored. Ask and ye shall receive. God gives the Holy Spirit to all who obey Him. 

• Hebrews 4:15 For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus is our high priest that was tempted like we are yet He did not yield to temptation and did not sin. If He would have sinned, He could not have been our perfect sacrifice for sins.

• Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

When we repent of sin and exercise faith in Jesus, we now can come boldly to God to worship, pray and to find help. We don't have to pray to any saint or to Mary. We can go to God Himself because of what Jesus did on our behalf. He is the door that leads to God and there is no other way of salvation. DC