Hebrews 3:7-4:13
Dear RTB’ers,
I was happy yesterday to see three comments from the rest of you on the daily verses – good comments all!
I’m confused by the “rest” to which the writer of Hebrews is referring. The word “rest” occurs twice in chapter 3 and ten times in our chapter 4 verses. In chapter 3 the “rest” seems to apply to the Israelites who failed to enter the Promised Land because of their disobedience: And with whom was He provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? (vv. 3:17-18) But even those who entered Canaan had to do a lot of fighting before they got their rest. Still this chapter 3 “rest” (to me) seems to apply to the Promised Land. Then the first verse in chapter 4 reverses my presumption: Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands… (v. 4:4a) If “…His rest still stands…”, then “His rest” cannot be the Promised Land. Then we are left with two choices for His rest – our weekly Sabbath rest or our eternal rest with Him. I cannot argue exclusively for one or the other, although the Sabbath rest is clearly mentioned in Heb. 4:8 and amplified in Heb. 4:9a, Let us therefore strive to enter that rest … Yes, with the information in these verses I’ll go with “His rest” being our weekly Sabbath rest.
Whatever is true, in 1979 it was these words in chapters 3 and 4 and an incident at a church in Washington, DC, that led me to accepting God’s Sabbath rest as a gift in my life, even though as a graduate student my pattern had been for serious Sunday evening study in preparation for the week ahead. From that incident in 1979 forward, I have seldom done any meaningful work on Sundays. Looking on it as a gift instead of a command changed my life-habit – maybe yours too?
Blessings!
Regarding “rest” and its meanings, I would encourage looking back at these prior posts:
It is quite clear from Hebrews 4:8 that “rest” does not refer simply to the Promised Land (else it could be said that Joshua gave them rest). And while the weekly Sabbath is hugely important (but utterly neglected by most of us), we should recognize it as a mere shadow of the true Rest that we can have in Christ — both “eternal rest” and “inner peace” available to us now.
Strive to enter that rest! (Hebrews 4:11)