College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Hebrews 4:1-3
C.
Warning and exhortation in respect to rest: promises under Moses and Christ. Hebrews 4:1-13.
1.
Danger of losing the heavenly rest through unbelief and rebellion. Hebrews 4:1-3.
Text
Hebrews 4:1 Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. Hebrews 4:2 For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard. Hebrews 4:3 For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said,
As I sware in My wrath,
They shall not enter into My rest:
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Paraphrase
Hebrews 4:1 Wherefore, since the Israelites were excluded from Canaan for their unbelief and disobedience, let us be afraid, lest a promise of entrance into God's rest being left to all Abraham's seed in the covenant, any of you should actually fall short of obtaining it.
Hebrews 4:2 For we also who believe, being Abraham's seed, have in that promise received the good tidings of a rest in the heavenly country, even as the Israelites in the wilderness received the good tidings of a rest in Canaan. But the good tidings which they heard had no influence on their conduct, because they did not believe what they heard.
Hebrews 4:3 Wherefore, according to God's promise, we, the seed of Abraham who believe, shall enter into the rest of God. But it is a rest different from the seventh day rest, seeing He said, con-concerning the unbelieving Israelites in the wilderness, So I sware in My wrath, they shall not enter into My rest, notwithstanding the works of creation were finished, and the seventh day rest was instituted, from the formation of the world: consequently the Israelites had entered into that rest before the oath was sworn.
Let us fear
He must be talking to Christian people:
a.
1 Peter 1:17: pass the time with fear.
b.
Christians must take heed to the dangers that confront all Christians.
fear therefore lest haply
A trail of bleaching bones and graves in the wilderness, and their wandering in the wilderness forty long years ought to startle us:
a.
Romans 11:20: by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not high minded but fear.
b.
It is not a fear that shakes the confidence, but one that fills with concern and alerts one.
a promise being left
Milligan: The participle -being left-' is in the present tense:
a.
This implies the promise is here now, but is made sure to only those who, like Joshua and Caleb, continue faithful to the end.
b.
We will be disappointed by failure unless we by fear work at our salvation.
should seem to have come short of it
Sin is to miss the mark:
a.
Come short alludes to the Grecian games, and is applied to the loser, no matter how close he came to being the winner.
b.
At the end of the day, if you are not finished, you fall short.
c.
In the day of judgment, if you have failed to arrive and have never crossed Jordan, you will not be saved.
For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us even as also they
They had an earthly rest preached; we have a heavenly rest.
a.
Milligan says: Literally it should read -we are evangelized as well as they-'.
b.
This ties in with Hebrews 1:2: spoken to us in His Son.
c.
See Ephesians 1:9: making known unto us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Him.
The church is to preach these good tidings:
1 Peter 4:10: steward of the manifold grace of God.
Ephesians 3:10: that might be made known through the church.
but the word of hearing did not profit them
They would not go up.
a.
Deuteronomy 1:20-21: and I said unto you, ye are come unto the hill countrygo uptake possessionfear not; be not dismayed. Deuteronomy 1:26: yet ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of Jehovah, your God.
b.
Good tidings were rejected for the ten spies-' evil reports.
2.
Jesus spoke of a similar people, Matthew 23:37: Ye would not.
a.
The test of a sermon is, what profit?
b.
Some preaching is beautiful, but to no profit.
because it was not united by faith
Hearing is useless unless tied to or laid hold of:
a.
The word united is also translated mixed.
b.
The place of faith is described in Hebrews 11.
Mixed is described by Milligan: This is metaphorically used and seems to have reference to the mixing of food with digestive fluids in order to be appropriated to the wants of the body.
Faith is to affect one's actions, character and destiny:
a.
Jesus likened the hearer who does not obey to the foolish man building upon the sand. Matthew 7:26-27.
b.
Of the spies, only Joshua and Caleb, mixed faith.
with them that heard
Faith is the person's responsibility:
a.
God gives us grace, not faith.
b.
We do the uniting, the mixing.
We have been given ears to hear along with God's grace; now, as hearers we are to unite the message with faith.
a.
Grace saves, Ephesians 2:8, but only by faith on man's part.
b.
Heaven is not a place for faithless people. If heaven were obtained by the grace of God only, everyone would be there.
For we who have believed
Is faith all that is necessary?
a.
Let James answer. James 2:17: Even so faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone. James 2:24: We see then how that by works, a man is justified and not by faith only.
b.
Faith discussed here is the active kind like Joshua'S.
He talks of faith, for it is the beginning of our experience.
do enter into that rest
What is our rest?
a.
Scriptures that show kinds of rest:
1.
2 Timothy 1:7: From fearnot given us a spirit of fear. Romans 8:15: For we have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear.
2.
Romans 8:2: Bondage to sinFor the law of the spirit of life made me free from the law of sin and death.
3.
Galatians 5:1: Bondage from lawBe not entangled again in a yoke of bondage.
4.
Romans 8:1: From condemnationThere is therefore now no condemnation.
b.
McKnight says that the rest here spoken of is all future rest. It is an inward rest on earth for us, although the final rest will be future.
a)
Peace of conscience.
b)
Joy in the Holy Spirit.
c)
Saved from the guilt and power of sin.
Rest is obtained by accepting the words of God:
a.
Illustration of it: 2 Chronicles 32:8Hezekiah spoke to his people when the Assyrians came against them. With him is an arm of flesh: but with us is Jehovah our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah King of Judah.
b.
Sinners are restless, for sin does not satisfy.
Use of the word rest in the New Testament:
a.
Jesus and rest:
Matthew 11:28-29: I will give you rest.
b.
Rest and persecution:
1.
Acts 9:31: Then had the churches rest.
2.
2 Thessalonians 1:7: And to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of His power in flaming fire.
c.
Rest as a blessing on man by God.
1 Peter 4:14: Spirit of God resteth upon you.
2 Corinthians 12:9: Power of Christ may dwell upon you.
The word rest should be understood in the same way as salvation.
a.
We are saved, but salvation includes now, as well as our experience of heaven.
b.
We have rest now, but rest in heaven will be the greatest joy of us all.
even as he hath said, As I sware in My wrath
Psalms 95:11 is quoted here in rather a strange setting, it seems, on the first reading of it.
The author, like Jesus, quoted often from the Old Testament, which proves its accepted inspiration.
they shall not enter into My rest
King James version: If they shall enter:
a.
Milligan: The word should not be rendered if but not.
b.
This expression if seems not widely accepted.
Why this negative statement is to verify a positive one preceding it:
a.
He argues that, since men are by the oath of God excluded from God's rest on account of unbelief, this implies that all who believe shall enter into His rest.
b.
It is an argument from what is contrary.
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world
Some suggested explanations of this expression:
a.
It probably means the completion of the creation in six days, followed by a rest.
1.
The rest of God was after the creation. God looked upon it and saw that it was good.
2.
Sin broke the rest of God.
b.
McKnight says that this rest is mentioned to show it was not the seventh day, but a future rest which they could have had by believing.
c.
Calvin says: To define what our rest is, he reminds us of what Moses relates, that God, having finished the creation of the world, immediately rested from His works; and he finally concludes that the true rest of the faithful will be when they shall rest as God did.
d.
Milligan feels that it is used to point out the sabbatical rest sanctified by God for His glory and all mankind. Although there was a rest from the beginning, we can miss it by unbelief:
a.
Reading it with the warning, we can see the danger of our not entering God's eternal rest, just as Israel missed their rest.
b.
Man and God will have rest when sin and unbelief are ended.
Study Questions
528.
The expression let us would include whom?
529.
Who does he say should fear?
530.
What kind of a fear is it?
531.
What does 1 Peter 1:17 say about fear?
532.
What have we seen from Chapter Three to cause fear?
533.
What are we to fear?
534.
Define lest haply.
535.
Does the expression, being left, indicate a present promise?
536.
If we should fear, then does it sound as though all will be savedeternal security?
537.
If a generation could be lost, is it not a serious warning to us?
538.
What has he stated here that should cause us to fear?
539.
What is the promise referred to here?
540.
What is meant, come short of the promise?
541.
How can you come short of a promise?
542.
Why had good tidings been preached to them? Why did it fail?
543.
How do our good tidings compare with theirs?
544.
What would have been the profit to them?
545.
Compare Deuteronomy 1:20; Deuteronomy 1:26 with our backsliding.
546.
Is it inferred that faith alone is sufficient?
547.
Give an exegesis of the expression, not united by faith.
548.
Compare Matthew 7:26-27 with the idea of mixing faith and obedience.
549.
Does faith affect one's character and conduct?
550.
Is faith our part, or God's part, in salvation?
551.
How does the word of hearing profit us?
552.
Does God give grace, or faith? cf. Ephesians 2:8.
553.
How does the hearer unite his faith?
554.
If God gives faith, who might we expect to see in heaven? How many?
555.
What good does food do if it is not mixed with the blood-stream?
556.
Compare Jerusalem on the subject of hearing Christ.
557.
Compare James 2:17-24.
558.
We who have believed would refer to whom?
559.
Is it persons who have believed the Old Testament example?
560.
The word rest seems to have a prominent part here. What is involved? Of what are we free?
561.
Is rest all future?
562.
Read these verses to see what our rest might be. 2 Timothy 1:7; Romans 8:2; Romans 8:15; Galatians 5:1.
563.
What kind of experiences are eliminated by the peace and rest of the Christian?
564.
What use is made of the term rest in other places in the Bible? cf. Matthew 11:28-29; Acts 9:31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; 1 Peter 4:14.
565.
Read 2 Chronicles 32:8 for an example of a faith that rests.
566.
Does the word rest carry a similar idea as the word saved?
567.
Discuss the King James translation, if they shall enter.
568.
What works are referred to in Hebrews 4:3?
569.
What opinions do commentators have on the works here referred to?
570.
Does this make God's plan of salvation of long standing, if it refers to God's early plan of giving man rest from sin?
571.
If God has always had provision for man's rest, and it was lost by unbelief, what should we conclude?
572.
Does the scripture back up this logic?
573.
What does the seventh day refer to? cf. Genesis 2:2-3 and Exodus 31:17.