| Author | Message | ||
| Michaelmiller Registered user Username: Michaelmiller Post Number: 203 Registered: 7-2010  |
Entering God's Rest: A Study of Hebrews 3 & 4 Hebrews 3 & 4 calls us to enter God’s creation rest. What exactly does that mean? Let’s take a moment to dissect these chapters to understand them.
Hebrews was written to the early Jewish converts to Christianity. Prior to becoming Christians, these converts spent their entire lives practicing Jewish customs. It is likely that they had friends and relatives who disagreed with their decision to follow Christ. They were contending with arguments that they should give up Christianity and return to their Jewish roots. Hebrews encourages them to stay the course. A common theme throughout Hebrews is that “Jesus is superior.” In the first two chapters, the author of Hebrews explained that Jesus is superior to the angels. Chapter 3 continues this line of thought but redirects the focus onto Moses. Today we take it for granted that Jesus is superior to Moses, but this was once a very radical idea. The Jews greatly revered Moses. One of the worst offenses possible in their culture was to dishonor Moses! To make the claim that “Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses” was considered blasphemy in their culture! Consider these scriptures:
It is in this environment that the author has directed the reader’s attention to Jesus’ superiority to Moses. Verses 1 & 2 put the reader’s focus onto Jesus. Verses 3-6 proceed to demonstrate the superiority of Jesus. Starting with verse 7, our attention is drawn to something else:
The first of three things we see here is a 40 year period of testing in the desert. This is referring to the 40 years of wandering the children of Israel did before entering Canaan (for further context, see verse 16). The second item of importance is the word “Today.” It almost seems insignificant in the passage above, but this word is repeated five times in these two chapters and will soon prove to be very significant. The third thing to notice is the phrase “They shall never enter my rest” which will also be repeated multiple times. How exactly does the wandering in the desert relate to the superiority of Jesus? What happens “Today”? What is meant by “They shall never enter my rest”?
Verse 12 introduces the concept of belief when it encourages the converts to not be found with an unbelieving heart. In addition to repeating the mysterious “Today”, verses 13 & 14 continue to encourage the new Christians to hold firm to their confidence in Jesus. Verses 15-18 return to the imagery of the wandering in the desert. During their wandering the children of Israel kept the weekly Sabbath. The penalty for Sabbath breaking in those days was death! Yet, despite their Sabbath keeping, the children of Israel never managed to enter God’s rest. God’s rest, which is being spoken about here, is in the context of “Today.” Something else other than the weekly Sabbath is being spoken about as “God’s rest” here, but what? What is God’s rest that they failed to enter? Once again the word “Today” appears, but why? Another thing to notice is the concept of belief reappearing in verse 19. Just as verse 12 encourages the new converts to have a believing heart, verse 19 says that the children of Israel didn’t enter God’s rest because of unbelief. Verse 18 mentions their disobedience, but verse 19 says it was their unbelief which prevented them from entering God’s rest. We will explore this again when we get to 4:8-11.
The promise of God’s rest (which the children of Israel did not enter) still stands and we are invited to enter it! According to verse 2, God’s rest involves the gospel message. We see that the children of Israel had the gospel message preached to them, but they failed to enter God’s rest. The key to entering God’s rest is belief relating to the gospel message, but what exactly is God’s rest?
For the first time we are given some context to identify “God’s rest.” When Hebrews 3 & 4 refers to “God’s rest”, it is speaking about God’s creation rest. Verse 3 tells us that God’s creation rest never ended. God’s rest is still continuing today. Although the children of Israel entered into the weekly Sabbath rest, they could not enter into God’s creation rest.
The children of Israel were entitled to the Sabbath rest once per week. The rest of the week they had to work. God’s creation rest is “Today” (every day)! God invites us to enter that rest. How exactly does one enter God’s rest? What we know about God’s creation rest so far is that: 1. Despite keeping the weekly Sabbath, the children of Israel did not enter it 2. It involves the gospel message and belief 3. It began on the seventh day of creation and has not ended 4. It is “Today” (every day), not just once per week
Finally we can put all of the pieces together. Here in Hebrews we have imagery of the weekly Sabbath (resting from work), yet contextually the scripture is talking about God’s creation rest which is “Today.” We already know that previous keepers of the weekly Sabbath (the children of Israel) didn’t enter this rest. After 40 years of wandering they entered the promised land, but Joshua still could not give them rest. As indicated earlier, we need to look at the gospel message to understand why: 1. We are all sinners (Rom 3:10). It is the law which points this out to us (Rom 3:20). If we could keep the law we would be saved, but none of us can keep it. By our nature we are objects of wrath (Eph 2:3). There is absolutely nothing we can do to “earn” our way to heaven! 2. The law, which we can not keep, points us toward a solution to the sin problem (Gal 3:19-25) 3. Jesus came and lived a perfect life on our behalf. He fulfilled all of the requirements of the law and the prophets (Mat 5:17, Luk 24:27, Luk 24:44-45, Rom 3:21-28). He is our perfect substitute (2 Cor 5:21). 4. If we recognize our complete inability to save ourselves, repent of our sinful nature, and believe in Jesus to save us (instead of our own work-righteousness), then we are His! (Rom 4:4-5, Joh 5:24, Joh 3:16-18, Rom 8:1-2) What this reveals is quite amazing! The weekly Sabbath God gave to the children of Israel was actually a representation of the entire gospel message. Our human sin nature makes us want to “work” our way to heaven. If we just do enough good we will earn favor with God, right? Not so! God gave 613 laws via Moses to prove this point. If just one person could keep all of them then that person would be worthy, but none of us is that righteous. Our attempts at obedience only point out just how disobedient we really are. If we attempt to “work” our way to heaven we will only be found to be “following their example of disobedience.” If the children of Israel had combined the law God gave them with faith (belief) then they would have realized their complete inability to keep it and they would have cried out for a savior! Instead of recognizing the problem they chose to work even harder at earning their own salvation! Salvation is a free gift (Eph 2:8-9). Yet even today, many people will not let go of the belief that their own “work” will earn them favor with God. That is nothing less than rejecting the free gift of salvation from Jesus. Our work can not obtain or maintain our salvation…Jesus is the only way! The weekly Sabbath is an interesting paradox which points out the gospel. With the commanded restrictions placed on Sabbath keeping, the Israelites had to “work” at not breaking the Sabbath commands. So, while it was a day of rest, it was also a rest that had to be worked at to keep. If working at it was required, was it really still rest? God gave the weekly Sabbath to the Israelites as a reminder of the creation rest, yet it also pointed out the solution to the sin problem (the gospel). We need to simply stop trying to earn salvation and let God do the saving! Thus, Hebrews 4:10 says that “anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.” So, anyone who “Today” enters God’s rest also rests from his own self-righteous work. Today we rest fully in the knowledge that Jesus took care of it all for us. We do not “work” for our salvation! The weekly Sabbath was a “shadow” pointing forward to Jesus (Col 2:16-17). Jesus says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mat 11:28-30). Praise God that “Today” we can rest fully in assurance of our salvation through Jesus Christ! Michael Miller 20101215001.009 20101217 | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 12101 Registered: 12-2003  |
Michael, this is a wonderful study. Thank you!! Colleen | ||
| Agapetos Registered user Username: Agapetos Post Number: 2019 Registered: 10-2002  |
Hi Michael, Just dropping by and thought I'd link to an older study I'd written here: http://www.formeradventist.com/discus/messages/11/8527.html?1292918221 The main reason I share this is because the "rest" in Hebrews 3-4 has two meanings. "Creation rest" is actually the second application of "rest" in these chapters. The first meaning and application of "rest" comes from Psalm 95, which in context refers back to God's decree in Numbers 14. Not coincidentally, this is parallel to the two versions of the Ten Commandments. The Exodus 20 version references the second "rest" (of Hebrews 3-4), while the Deuteronomy 5 version indirectly references the first "rest" (of Hebrews 3-4 and Psalm 95 [cf. Num. 14]) by speaking of deliverance from one place of unrest to a people who were literally on the verge of entering into their "promised rest". Most of us here don't pick up on the first (and contextual) meaning of "rest" in Psalm 95 and Hebrews 3-4, so we miss half the fun. Interestingly, the TEV paraphrase Bible picked up on it loud and clear, though, almost to the point that they nearly lost the second aspect (Creation Rest)! Bless you in Jesus! Ramone | ||
| Michaelmiller Registered user Username: Michaelmiller Post Number: 206 Registered: 7-2010 |
Ramone, Thanks for the link to your study. I saw that you posted your study on Facebook this morning also. There certainly is a lot more to Hebrews 3 & 4 than I explored in the study. I actually considered exploring Psalm 95, but ended up leaving it out. The focal point of the study I wrote was not an all inclusive look at the chapters, but instead a demonstration of what the gospel is and how it was involved in Hebrews 3 & 4. As a result, several other avenues were left unexplored for possible inclusion in a Part 2 if I ever felt called to write it (I dropped "Part 1" from the title because I didn't know when/if it would happen). Your study explores the land shadow far better than I would have. I understood part of that picture (that entering the promised land did not equal entering the promised rest... and that it instead pointed toward Jesus [with a side note of freedom from slavery pointing toward freedom in Christ]), but I honestly missed the cultural aspect of the land shadow. As a SDA I never found myself longing for an earthly homeland like the early Jewish Christians would have, so the cultural significance (that the early Jewish Christians would have that longing) slipped by me. You are right... the message pointed out that they should not despair over the destruction of their homeland because it was insignificant compared to what it represented... Jesus! Other things I didn't explore but could have (possible topics for a second part): 1. Sabbatismos versus Sabbaton 2. Relationship to original sin (wanting to be as God in Eden compared to the tendency to want to earn our own salvation today) 3. My history/testimony regarding the issue 4. Covenants introduction/overview Michael | ||
| Agapetos Registered user Username: Agapetos Post Number: 2020 Registered: 10-2002 |
Thanks Michael. You know, the remarkable thing to me is the parallels that just keep popping up all over the place. In Heb.3-4, the writer juxtaposes "the promised land" with "Edenic rest" and "Sabbath rest", and says they are all fulfilled by belief in Jesus. It's parallel to the same way that Christ & the apostles juxtaposed "the Prophet", "the [suffering] Servant", "the Anointed One" and "the Son of Man" as being all fulfilled in the single person of Jesus Christ. | ||
| Indy4now Registered user Username: Indy4now Post Number: 962 Registered: 2-2008  |
Michael~ Thanks so much for this... it's nice to have this all written out so clearly. I'm saving it as a file on my computer. This Hebrews 3&4 was really difficult for me to understand as I was leaving adventism. Now, after I've been gone a few years, it is much clearer! Since I've left adventism, I've been studying books of the Bible at a time with Kay Arthur's New Inductive Study guides. They are basically a "survey" so I can familiarize myself with these books without the lens of adventism. As I was studying through Hebrews 3&4, she also linked the unbelief of the Israelites to Num. 14:11 and Num. 20:12. It was interesting to see that in both situations God became angry with them because of their "unbelief". (In adventism, I thought God had become angry because they had broken the 10C's somehow) In Num.14:22, 23 God tells Moses that anyone who has seen His glory and His signs and still do not believe "... shall be no means see the land which I swore to their fathers..." Even in the OT, it was about believing that God is who He says He is... that He is the one and only God. Colleen wrote on another thread how Richard found a definition for sin which is anything that is done outside of faith. I have missed that all along because my focus has always been steered to see how the 10C's fit into the Bible (to restore our moral conduct) rather than how God has given us all these wonderful stories to show us of His glory and Lordship and how through our faith, we restore our relationship with Him which in turns restores our moral conduct. As Paul points out in 2Cor 3 that if our paradigm of the Bible is seen through the lens of the old covenant, a veil remains and our minds are "hardened." For me it was impossible for me to understand Heb 3&4 with my lens of the old covenant in place. Only through Christ and through His gospel can we truly understand what Heb 3&4 is all about. vivian p.s. if Christ's gospel has been distorted, can Heb 3&4 be truly understood? | ||
| 1john2v27nlt Registered user Username: 1john2v27nlt Post Number: 241 Registered: 5-2009 |
Vivian, I'm with you. I've been reading Jeremiah this week & God repeatedly says He is angry because they did not LISTEN to HIS VOICE. Not because they didn't obey the 10Cs. He also talks about those who SAW & Experienced what He did in Egypt & the Exodus & yet still rebelled & refused to BELIEVE God & be faithful to Him. Several times in Jeremiah, & again in Ezekiel God repeats the covenant statement: I will be your God & you will be my people. It's a promise of the NC which will be written in their hearts. NOT you will obey my 10cs, but rather you will believe ME & you & I will become ONE. I am just keeping note of all this & seeing how the Holy Spirit teaches me God's truth about His rest, & the NC. J9 | ||
| Pnoga Registered user Username: Pnoga Post Number: 442 Registered: 1-2007  |
All great points guys, I would also like to add to this topic. I would like to share how Jesus not only fulfilled the Sabbath by giving us rest and being our rest that we enter by belief, but also how He fulfills all the old covenant engraved on stone. For He is the true Rock that Israel rejected and stumbled over. As in Romans 10 they rejected God's righteousness and tried to obtain their own righteousness by works. The old Covenant was do and live. The new is believe and live. This was God's intention from the beginning. Satan deceived Eve and Adam to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil that they would not die and become like God, knowing good and evil. They ate because they desired to be like God, they believed they could obtain God's knowledge by their own. This is why the law came in, to increase this very transgression, and Satan continues to deceive many into believing that you will not die if you keep the law, and that you will become as God wants you, to know good and evil. Many believe they must become like Jesus by keeping the 10 commandments. This is the lie from the beginning. We are changed by God through the Holy Spirit when we freely eat from the Lord and are transformed when we rest in Him, we do not toil over the law trying to produce bread, we cannot give ourselves rest from the curse, because our works produce thorns and thistles. The old covenant is a ministry of death to us because we cannot be like God. The new covenant is the tree that we are free to eat which gives us life. We just need to trust God and believe. Jesus is our tree of life, belief in Him gives us the Spirit which is eternal life. It is the covenant of Grace. Below are just a few examples of How Jesus fulfills the law many the 10 commandments, and how God's law in our mind and hearts are not based on works of the law, but the law of faith. Do not have other gods besides Me And Do not make an idol for yourself Exodus 20:3 Do not have other gods besides Me. Exodus 20:4-5 Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. You must not bow down to them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God 1 John 5:20-21 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true One. We are in the true One-that is, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols. Philippians 2:9-10 For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow (This verse also falls under “don’t misuse My name below” 1 Corinthians 14-22 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I am speaking as to wise people. Judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we give thanks for, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for all of us share that one bread. Look at the people of Israel. Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in what is offered on the altar? What am I saying then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but I do say that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to participate with demons! You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? Don’t misuse My name Exodus 20:7 Do not misuse the name of the Lord you God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses His name. Psalm 25:11 Because of Your name, Yahweh, forgive my sin, for it is great. Psalm 31:3 For You are my rock and my fortress; You lead and guide me because of Your Name Psalm 54:1 God, save me by Your name, and vindicate me by Your might! Matthew 12:21 The nations will put their hope in His name. Luke 21:17 You will be hated by everyone because of My name. John 14:13-14 Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. Acts 2:21;36 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah! Acts 4:11-12 This Jesus is the stone rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it. Philippians 2:9-10 For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow Remember the Sabbath Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: Jeremiah 17:21-22;24 Thus says the Lord: “Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; nor carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, nor do any work, but hallow the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. “And it shall be, if you heed Me carefully,” says the Lord “to bring no burden through the gates of the this city on the Sabbath day, but hallow the Sabbath day, to do not work in it, Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Colossians 2:16-17 Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is the Messiah. All of Hebrews Chapters 3 and 4 Honor your Father and Mother Exodus 20:12 Honor your father and mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Ephesians 6:2-3 Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise so that you may have a long life in the land. Galatians 4:21-31 Tell me, those of you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a free woman. But the one by the slave was born according to the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born as the result of a promise. These things are illustrations, for the women represent the two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery-this is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written: Rejoice, childless woman, who does not give birth. Burst into song and shout, you who are not in labor, for the children of the desolate are many, more numerous than those of the woman who has a husband. Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. But just as then the child born according to the flesh persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, so also now. But what does the Scripture say? Drive out the slave and her son, for the son of the slave will never be a co-heir with the son of the free woman. Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. Galatians 3:29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise. Jesus commanded us to love one another as He has loved us. And we are commanded to believe in Jesus whom the Father has sent. All the commandments we are given are summed up. Believe in Jesus and love one another. Paul (Message edited by pnoga on December 23, 2010) | ||
| Asurprise Registered user Username: Asurprise Post Number: 1597 Registered: 7-2007 |
My sister and I have just been emailing back and forth concerning grace versus works. To my amazement, she actually used a verse in Hebrews 4 commanding us to enter God's rest as a verse urging us to work for salvation. She didn't put it that way, of course - Adventists say "we're saved by grace, but..." Anyway, I pointed out that that wasn't the case at all, but that the meaning is to REST from our working for salvation. Dianne | ||
| Agapetos Registered user Username: Agapetos Post Number: 2021 Registered: 10-2002 |
On the "hearing His voice" note that J9 mentioned earlier, apply that same understanding ("hearing His voice" vs. "obedience to 10C") to James chapter 2. Blessings to you in Jesus! Ramone | ||
| Pnoga Registered user Username: Pnoga Post Number: 445 Registered: 1-2007 |
Psalm 62:5-7 Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken. My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock. My refuge is in God. | ||
| Michaelmiller Registered user Username: Michaelmiller Post Number: 208 Registered: 7-2010 |
Chapter 12 of Chris Lee's covenants study also discusses these Hebrews 3 & 4 from a different perspective/context and is worthy of note here. It was his study which was my earliest exposure to the meaning of God's rest (back in June/July). In fact, it was after using Chris Lee's study with our friends that this study was born. One morning while I was driving by myself I began to contemplate the chapters further. I felt led to create a study on the subject from a different perspective. That is, using the chapters as a starting point to presenting the gospel message itself. About a dozen verses from other areas of study started coming to mind (I love those moments) and the big picture was born. From there it was a matter of getting it out of my head and onto paper (given the backward way I think, that is far easier said than done). The audience for which I wrote the study is twofold: 1) A SDA seeking to expand/enhance their knowledge of the Sabbath 2) Other Christians seeking to understand the purpose of the OC Sabbath It so happens that it is also a good study for former/questioning SDAs in transition, but that was not the original intended target audience. Anyway, I am glad it has been helpful. Feel free to reproduce/share it with whoever you want. Just don't say an angel visited you and gave you my words  Michael |
