Hebrews 4
4
The Rest that Remains for the People of God
1 Therefore let us fear, while there#*Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“remains”) which is understood as temporal remains a promise of entering into his rest, that none of you appear to fall short of it. 2For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us#Literally “for we are also having had the good news proclaimed”, just as those also did, but the message they heard#Literally “of hearing” did not benefit them, because they#*Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“united”) which is understood as causal were not united with those who heard it in faith. 3For we who have believed enter into rest,#Some manuscripts have “that rest” just as he has said,
“As I swore in my anger,
‘They will never enter#Literally “if they will enter” into my rest.’ ”#A quotation from Ps 95:11
And yet these works have been accomplished from the foundation of the world. 4For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,”#A quotation from Gen 2:2 5and in this passage again, ‘They will never enter#Literally “if they will enter” into my rest.’ ”#A quotation from Ps 95:11 6Since therefore it remains for some to enter into it, and the ones to whom the good news was proclaimed previously did not enter because of disobedience, 7again he ordains a certain day, today, speaking by David after so long a time, just as had been said before,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”#A quotation from Ps 95:7b-8 (see also Heb 3:7–8, 15)
8For if Joshua had caused them to rest, he would not have spoken about another day after these things. 9Consequently a sabbath rest remains for the people of God. 10For the one who has entered into his rest has also himself rested from his works, just as God did from his own works.
11Therefore, let us make every effort to enter into that rest, in order that no one may fall in the same pattern of disobedience. 12For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, both joints and marrow, and able to judge the reflections and thoughts of the heart. 13And no creature is hidden in the sight of him, but all things are naked and laid bare to the eyes of him to whom we must give our account#Literally “our account”.
Jesus Our Great High Priest
14Therefore, because we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15For we do not have a high priest who is not able to sympathize with our weaknesses, but who has been tempted in all things in the same way, without sin. 16Therefore let us approach with confidence to the throne of grace, in order that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
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Hebrews 4
4
When the Promises Are Mixed with Faith
1-3a For as long, then, as that promise of resting in him pulls us on to God’s goal for us, we need to be careful that we’re not disqualified. We received the same promises as those people in the wilderness, but the promises didn’t do them a bit of good because they didn’t receive the promises with faith. If we believe, though, we’ll experience that state of resting. But not if we don’t have faith. Remember that God said,
Exasperated, I vowed,
“They’ll never get where they’re going,
never be able to sit down and rest.”
3b-7 God made that vow, even though he’d finished his part before the foundation of the world. Somewhere it’s written, “God rested the seventh day, having completed his work,” but in this other text he says, “They’ll never be able to sit down and rest.” So this promise has not yet been fulfilled. Those earlier ones never did get to the place of rest because they were disobedient. God keeps renewing the promise and setting the date as today, just as he did in David’s psalm, centuries later than the original invitation:
Today, please listen,
don’t turn a deaf ear . . .
8-11And so this is still a live promise. It wasn’t canceled at the time of Joshua; otherwise, God wouldn’t keep renewing the appointment for “today.” The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we’ll surely rest with God. So let’s keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience.
12-13God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one can resist God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.
The High Priest Who Cried Out in Pain
14-16Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.