| 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" (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. We are exhorted in both verses 9 and 11 to enter it. I answered in the preceding message the question "What is this Sabbath?" It is the Sabbath of redemption observed by God the Son after completing His work as the great High Priest of His people. Having shouted in victory as He died "It is finished!" (John 19:30), and having "obtained eternal redemption" for them (Heb 9:11), He "passed through the heavens" (Heb 4:14) and "sat down [the position of resting] at the right hand of God" (Heb 10:12). God now exhorts us to join Christ in His rest. I will answer in this message "How may we enter into this Sabbath?" You will not enter this Sabbath through observing Sabbath-days. The recipients of this epistle were devout Hebrews, and therefore ardent Sabbath-day keepers. They enjoyed the rests which God had provided them in their weekly Sabbaths, but they were nevertheless told of a better Sabbath, God's Sabbath, into which they should endeavor to enter. "There remains therefore a rest for the people of God" (4:9). "Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, lest us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it" (4:1). "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest" (4:11). And let us not forget that the most ardent enemies of Jesus Christ were also the most ardent Sabbath-day keepers (Mark 2:23-3:6). Surely no such unrepentant person has entered God's Sabbath. You will enter this Sabbath only through obeying God by believing the gospel of Jesus Christ. "For we who have believed do enter that rest" (4:3). The writer of this epistle illustrates this truth by describing the unbelieving Israelites during their forty years of wandering from Egypt to the promised land (3:7-19). They heard the gospel of God, but they hardened their hearts against Him and refused to believe Him (v 7-9). He therefore expressed His vehement anger against them: "So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest'" (v.10). The writer adds, "And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not believe? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief" (v 18). The writer then concludes, "Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, ... and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience .... Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience" (4:1-3,6,11). What is it to believe the gospel of Jesus Christ? 1) Acknowledge that He has fulfilled His ministry as the great High Priest of God's people. 2) Acknowledge that He has therefore completed His work for their redemption and consequently entered into an everlasting Sabbath. 3) Obey His exhortation to join Him in His Sabbath by ceasing all works of self-righteousness designed to merit salvation, and rest in His redeeming merits alone. Have you through faith in Jesus Christ entered God's Sabbath? Are you resting your soul in Christ alone? Joshua Of The Rock! |
