seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Hebrews 4:1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
“So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’”
‘They shall never enter my rest.’”
And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”
6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”
do not harden your hearts.”
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
This is from the commentary.
Therefore: The idea is carried on without pause from Hebrews 3, that unbelief kept the generation that escaped Egypt from entering Canaan. The promise remains of entering His rest, and we can enter into that rest by faith. Unbelief will make us fall short of the rest God has for us.
I keep thinking of the story about the disciples picking the grains of wheat as they traveled on the Sabbath. Jesus got in a lot of trouble for that.
I am now reminded of when Jesus healed the blindman on the Sabbath. The blind man, his family, and Jesus were called on the carpet for that.
Women cooked an extra meal on the day before the Sabbath, because cooking on the Sabbath was not allowed.
The Jews had to keep at least one command. They picked the command to "rest". Of course, there were Jews who lusted and stole and murdered... but they didn't dare do it on the Sabbath.
Paul... the guy who was arresting, imprisoning, and murdering Christians, when he claimed Jesus knocked him down, preached that circumcision and dietary restrictions were off the table. Paul didn't preach too much about not working on the Sabbath. I'm pretty sure he was aware that if he added working on the Sabbath would have caused too big a riot for him. He didn't want to be beaten in the street for suggesting that people work on the Sabbath.
God rested because He finished His Mission.
We get rest when we finish our Mission. Our Mission is to Love God with all our heart, mind, and soul, as well as to Love others as we want them to love us.
If we accept Jesus as our Savior, we become part of the family of God.
Those who aren't part of the family... Well, they don't get the day off. They will have to work for forever!
Yet another reason to choose Jesus!
