Hebrews 4 - Introduction

Chapter 4. We Must Therefore Seek To Enter Into God's Rest, Avoiding The Failures of Israel, For We Have A Faithful High Priest Who Will Enable Us.

This chapter deals with God's rest into which we can enter, and must enter, escaping from dead works (Hebrews 6:1; Hebrews 9:14), and concludes by again reminding us of Christ's High Priesthood through which it is made possible.

The nature of this rest is much disputed, as to whether it refers to a present rest of faith on earth, or the Christian's future rest in Heaven. The rest referred to in chapter 3 was certainly a rest of faith on earth. It was a rest of freedom from enemies round about, a rest of confidence in Yahweh. The theory was that they would enter into the land flowing with milk and honey and have a life of contentment and security through faith in Yahweh in an everlasting kingdom of blessing.

We Must Beware Of Failing To Enter Into Rest For The Word Of God Searches All Things Out (Hebrews 4:1).

In what follows the writer now takes up chapter 3 and applies it to his readers. He make a specific contrast between ‘rest' and ‘works' which is constantly drawn out, with the emphasis being on ‘rest'. Christians are intended to leave ‘works' behind and enter into ‘rest'.

In Hebrews four types of ‘works' are described, God's ‘works' in creation (Hebrews 1:10; Hebrews 2:7), and His ‘works' in judgment in the wilderness (Hebrews 3:10), both of which can be discounted; ‘dead works' which need to be repented of (Hebrews 6:1), and from which our consciences need to be cleansed (Hebrews 9:14); and ‘good works' (Hebrews 10:24) which are encouraged. Thus the ‘works' that are to be left behind are clearly the ‘dead works' which are sinful works and unacceptable to God. They are the works that men seek to do in order to make themselves acceptable to God and which fail in their purpose (see Romans 9:32; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:2; Galatians 3:5; Galatians 3:10). They are the works that lead to death. They need to be repented of and cleansed.