| Author | Message | ||
| Jtree |
The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews declared "There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His [i.e. God's] rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His" (Heb 4:9). This epistle was written in the Greek language. The Greek word translated "rest" in verse 9 is sabbatismos, "keeping of sabbath." (This is the only appearance of this Greek word in Scriptures.) This Sabbath is identified as God's Sabbath, "His rest," in verse 10. And we are exhorted in both verses 9-11 to enter it. I will in this discussion answer "What is this Sabbath?" I will in the subsequent message ask, "Have you entered into it?" This Sabbath is God's personal Sabbath (v.10): it is "His rest." It is not a Sabbath which God required only of mankind, such the weekly Sabbath required of Israel in former days in the fourth of the Ten Commandments (Exod 20:8-11). The writer of this epistle identifies it thusly because God Himself has elsewhere in Scriptures called it "My rest" (vv.3,5, quoting Psalm 95:11). God has observed such a Sabbath after performing each of His two great works: creation and redemption. Therefore, the writer of this epistle expounds the fact that ... 1.) God has entered into the Sabbath of creation (4:4): "... 'And God rested on the seventh day from all His works'" (quoting Gen 2:2). This Sabbath was observed by God on the seventh day of the first week, during which He completed the work of creating the universe. 2.) God has entered into the Sabbath of redemption (4:14): "... we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God ...." This Sabbath was observed by God the Son after completing the work of redemption through His own death, having cried as He died "It is finished!" (John 19:30). This Sabbath is God's everlasting Sabbath (4:10): God has "ceased from His works." Again this Sabbath is contrasted to that of the Ten Commandments, which was for one day only, after which Israel was to return to work until the next weekly Sabbath. When God entered into His Sabbath, He did so once-for-all, having "ceased from His works." Therefore, God, having completed the works of creation and redemption, will never return to them. This Sabbath is God's shared Sabbath (4:10): "For he who has entered His [i.e. God's] rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall ... [through] disobedience." This text teaches us two truths: 1.) God has already entered into this Sabbath. This Sabbath is especially that of God the Son in redemption, as the present text is an introduction to His work as the great High Priest in the redemption of His people (4:14-10:25). This divine High Priest has accomplished what no mortal High Priest before Him had ever done. It was impossible for their many repeated sacrifices to pay the price of redemption for God's people, "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins" (10:1-4). The purpose of those mortal High Priests was to serve as types and figures of the divine High Priest who was to succeed them (9:1-10). He with one offering, His own blood, has "obtained eternal redemption" (9:11; 10:14,18). Having completed His work of redemption, He has "passed through the heavens" (4:14) and "sat down [the position of resting] at the right hand of God" (10:12). The Son of God has entered into His Sabbath! 2.) God exhorts us to join Him in this Sabbath. He has made it possible for us to enter into His Sabbath/rest with Him, and to thereby enjoy the cessation of all our works intended to result in our salvation. We may find rest from our works by trusting and resting only in Jesus Christ and His redeeming work. "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall ... [through] disobedience" (4:11). Joshua of The Rock! |
