Please turn in your Bibles this evening to Hebrews chapter 4 as we continue our study through the Word of God. As we have seen in our previous studies so far, Paul is writing to Jewish Christians who were struggling with their faith, being drawn back into Judaism because of persecution or just the lure of seeing the temple and the sacrifices on a daily basis. Thus, Paul is trying to show them that Jesus is a better way, don’t go back to that which can’t help.
We saw in Hebrews chapters 1 and 2 that Jesus is better than angels for they worship Him, they worship Jesus because He is God. We are told in Hebrews 1:6-13, “But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: ‘Let all the angels of God worship Him.’ And of the angels He says: ‘Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.’ But to the Son He says: ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.’ And: You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.’ But to which of the angels has He ever said: ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool’?”
Then in chapter 3 Paul shows these Jewish Christians that Jesus is better than Moses, the deliverer, the Lawgiver because Jesus created him. Moses was part of the house of Israel and Jesus created the house of Israel. We saw this back in Hebrews 3:1-6, “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.”
And Paul goes on to show them that because of unbelief in the promises of God, they could not enter into His rest, into the Promise Land but wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Even Moses, their prophet could not enter in, only Joshua and Caleb from that generation entered in, everyone else from 20 years old and up at the time of the rebellion, died in the wilderness, they did not enter into that rest that God had for them in the Promise Land. Over 600,000 people could have died in those forty years of wandering, they were on the longest death march in history and once that generation died out, they entered the land under the leadership of Joshua.
Now, as we move into Hebrews chapter 4 this evening, Paul is going to show us that Jesus is better than Joshua, He is superior to Joshua for even though Joshua brought them into the land, there was still a future rest that he could not give them, a rest that is only found in Jesus. With that said, let’s begin reading in Hebrews chapter 4, starting in verse 1 and let’s see what the Lord has for us this evening.
VERSES 1-2
Once again we see the word “Therefore” opening up a chapter of this letter and we need to look back and see what it is there for! As we look back to chapter 3 of Hebrews we see the failure of Israel to enter into the Promise Land, the Canaan rest that God had promised them because of unbelief. You see, their rest was the inheritance that God had promised them and it relates to a walk of faith, of walking in the Spirit and not by sight. You see, there were giants in the land, the cities were strong, the people were strong, but God had given them the land and all they needed to do is to walk by faith and then rest in Him.
In Deuteronomy 12:9-11 we are told of this inheritance that God had for them, “for as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which the LORD your God is giving you. But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety, then there will be the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the LORD.”
Now, to go into the land of Canaan they needed to walk by faith and not by sight, but they refused and hardened their hearts to what God had promised them. They limited God because of unbelief. In Psalm 78:40-42 we are told of this, “How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, And grieved Him in the desert! Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power: The day when He redeemed them from the enemy.” They knew the promises of God, they knew the power of God but they did not mix the promises of God with faith and they died in the wilderness!
For us as Christians, we know the promises of God. We probably can quote a good number of them. We have probably shared them with others who needed to hear them. Promises like, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28. And “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19. And the list goes on with the many promise of God the Bible has for us. But folks, all these promises will do you no good unless they are mixed with faith, unless you truly believe that God is able to bring to pass what He has promised. It is like Paul said in Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” They heard the promise and refused to believe and we have the same choice, may we believe and walk by faith!
Now before we move on, let’s just quickly look at some of the rests that the Bible speaks of:
A. SABBATH REST – God rested on the seventh day of creation completing the work. (Genesis 2:2). It wasn’t that God was tired but that the work was completed. Then sin entered the world and God has been working to rectify that problem as we are told in John 5:16-17, “For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.’”
B. CANAAN REST – This is a picture of walking in the Spirit, trusting in God. This was promised to the children of Israel but because of unbelief many did not enter into this rest. Their failure was not in their shortcomings, their lack of strength, their lack of resources, that didn’t keep them out of the land, but their failure to mix God’s promises to them with faith and walk accordingly! It is as Paul said in Hebrews 3:16-19, “For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”
C. REST OF CONSCIENCE – This speaks of knowing that our sins have been paid in full by Jesus and we can be at peace with God through Jesus Christ. There is no guilt, no worry, no anxiety if we are saved or not, because it is finished, the work is completed in Christ. Paul tells us this in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” It is as Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Our rest is in His finished work and it takes all our fears and anxieties away!
D. ETERNAL REST – This is the final rest as we spend eternity with our Lord and Savior. This is the rest we look forward to but don’t lose sight of the rest that God has for us here and now, may we enjoy it!
VERSE 3
What is the prerequisite to rest? Faith is the prerequisite to God’s rest, it is what opens the door. Notice what is said of the Thessalonians in I Thessalonians 2:13, “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” They mixed the Word of God, the promises of God with faith, they believed and it was then manifested in their lives, their walk! “For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” I Thessalonians 1:9-10.
Now Paul is setting them up to show them what the Sabbath rest is all about, what it really means, who it is pointing to. So let’s read on and see the point that Paul is making.
VERSE 4
Now don’t come to the conclusion that Paul, or whoever you think is the writer of this letter to the Hebrews, didn’t know the Scriptures because he said, “For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way.” Not at all, keep in mind that the chapter and verse divisions did not come till much later, the chapter divisions coming in 1227 AD and the verse divisions coming in 1551 AD. Thus, Paul is quoting out of Genesis 2:2 and he quotes often in this letter from the Scriptures which tells me he knew the Scriptures very well!
The Sabbath day rest was a foreshadowing or a picture of the true rest that was to come in Christ. Paul, in Colossians 2:16-17 said, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” What is the substance to all these pictures? It is Christ! Look at the picture, God rested on the seventh day of creation and Jesus rested as He sat down at the right hand of the Father paying in full the penalty for our sins. Thus, our rest is in Him and His finished work. We don’t have to work or labor for our salvation because the work has been completed!
VERSES 5-6
Again, rest is still open for people if they would walk by faith, it they would receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. But will it remain open forever? Let’s read on and see.
VERSE 7
Some 500 years after they entered the land of Canaan, David said, “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” Today is the day, don’t pass it up, give your life to Jesus because there are no guarantees on how long you will live! Paul said in II Corinthians 6:2, “ . . . Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” The opportunity for the rest that God has for us is open for all to receive today, but it won’t be open indefinitely! The age of grace will come to an end and the reality is, the age of grace comes to an end for every person who dies outside of Christ, their chance is over, thus, enter in TODAY!
VERSES 8-10
The rest in Canaan is a picture of the rest we now have in Christ, of walking in the Spirit, the Spirit filled life. Thus, Jesus is superior to Joshua in that the rest in Canaan was only a picture of the true rest that was to come and that rest is only found in Jesus.
Now, here in verse 10 there is a few ways to look at this and I think we need to understand what is being said. First of all it speaks of ceasing from works. Does that mean that once we are saved we don’t have to labor, we don’t have to work, we can just sit around, kick back and do nothing? Yes and no, let me explain.
First of all, looking at this in regards to our salvation, the work has been completed in Christ, we can’t work our way into heaven. Peter tells us in I Peter 1:18-21, “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”
The work of our salvation was completed at the cross by Jesus as He tells us in John 17:4, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” So there is no longer any place for works as the basis of our own righteousness but as Paul said, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” II Corinthians 5:21. So no, we are not to labor for our salvation in that respect because Christ has completed the work, it has been paid in full!
But make no mistake about it, as bondslaves of Jesus Christ we do labor in the work, not for salvation but as evidence of our faith in Him. The Scriptures show us over and over again that we are to labor in the work, even to the point of exhaustion, some even to death because of the work. I know that some in the church criticize me in this area, usually those that are not laboring, but they think I work too much, but if there is work to do, I do it. I look at Paul who was a man on a mission and I don’t hear people criticize his work ethics. I don’t even come close to what Paul did but the love of Christ does compel me to go forward.
Listen to Paul’s ministry, the things he suffered, how he labored for the cause of Christ, not out of compulsion but out of love. In II Corinthians 11:23-33 we are told, “Are they ministers of Christ? — I speak as a fool — I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness — besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.”
Also, in II Corinthians 6:4-10 we are told, “But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”
Notice what Paul says of a dear saint, Epaphroditus in Philippians 2:25-30, “Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.” He almost lost his life as he served the Lord!
You can read over and over again of how the saints of God labored for the cause of Christ, to the point of exhaustion. I think today many Christians are weak in this area, they don’t have the time or the energy, and I believe that is wrong. We are only allotted a certain amount of time on this earth, may we not waste it but use it for the glory of God. Yes, in heaven there is rest as Revelation 14:13 tells us, “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.’” It is not that we won’t work in heaven but there will not be fatigue, weariness, getting tired and-so-on for we will serve the Lord and worship Him forever! But in this life as we serve Him we do labor in the work!
VERSE 11
Paul presented to us this truth about entering God’s rest and doing it today, don’t put it off. Now this truth is applied. God is not going to force us to enter this rest, we must enter it by faith, not passive faith or lackadaisical faith, but by being diligent! Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
Today we see many being lead down the broadway by false prophets waving them down this road. And make no mistake about it, many may call themselves Christians but their fruit, what they teach shows that they are not. Thus, pay attention, make an effort to go through the narrow gate, the broadway is that all roads lead to God and the narrow gate is through Jesus Christ, He is the only way! You see, to go down the broadway you really don’t have to do anything, you just follow along, no effort at all. But to go through the narrow gate you are going against the tide of this world and it can be difficult!
VERSES 12-13
Why don’t pastors teach verse-by-verse through the Bible? Why do we have to have Sunday morning seeker-sensitive services that keep the believers partaking of milk instead of meat? Because many feel that the Word of God is boring, it is not enough to hold people in a church, it may even cause them to leave because it may offend them. Folks, over the past 10 years I have offended many, some have left. Let me correct that, God has convicted them as the Word of God was taught and many left because instead of dealing with the truth, they want their ears tickled! Sorry, I won’t do that. We are living in a day when Biblical illiteracy is rampant, people truly don’t know what they believe, what the Scriptures teach on subjects, and that is tragic and dangerous!
What is the solution? Paul tells us it is the Word of God being taught because the Word of God is living, it is not dead, it is not boring. God’s Word is powerful, it is energizing, it will accomplish in our lives what God wants it to. The Word of God is like a surgical instrument, like a scalpel that can pierce or penetrate right through to the inner man, our soul and spirit. As it does it pierces through to the joints or how we walk, it will have an impact on our actions. Also, it goes right down to the marrow or the place that the red blood cells are produced, our very lives and thus it will be reflected in how we manifest things outwardly because what takes place on the inside will overflow to the outside. Who can know what is in our heart? Only God can as Jeremiah 17:9-10 tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.” Why are heart issues not dealt with today? Because the Word of God is not being applied to people’s lives and we can put on a good show outwardly but inwardly, what God sees is a mess. We need to give it to Him, we need to be in the Word of God allowing the Spirit of God to show us what is in our heart so we can get rid of it!
Folks, you can’t fool God. I have been fooled over the years by people and I am sure you have too, but God knows not only a persons heart, but the motives behind what he is doing, the motives of his heart. Everything is open to Him to see and thus, allow God’s Word to work in you to purge you of these things, to refine you in the Refiners fire so that as the Lord looks at your life He sees His reflection just as the refiner sees his reflection in the purified gold!
VERSE 14
Now Paul is setting up his readers for what he is going to be speaking about in Hebrews chapters 5-10, showing us the superiority of Jesus over the Levitical priesthood. That Jesus is from a better priestly order, He has a better covenant, a better sanctuary, and He is a better sacrifice.
So he starts out by showing us that He is the better High Priest, He is the Great High Priest, something that was never spoken of regarding the high priest. And He does not enter the Holy of Holies once a year but has passed through the earthly tabernacle into heaven, into the presence of the Father and now in heaven He ministers before the Father on our behalf. That is what the high priest did, he brought the people before God, now Jesus does that for us. Thus, Paul is saying to these Jewish believers, don’t go back to the high priest when we have the Great High Priest, Jesus Christ who stands before the Father for us!
VERSE 15
Not only is Jesus fully God but in the incarnation He is fully man, thus, He knows our pain, our temptations as He was tempted as we are, but to a much higher degree. You see, He never sinned and thus, He knows the depths of temptation, but again, without sin. We are told in I John 3:5, “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.”
Let me give you an example of what I mean with this true story:
Booth Tucker was conducting evangelistic meetings in the great Salvation Army Citadel in Chicago. One night, after he had preached on the sympathy of Jesus, a man came forward and asked Mr. Tucker how he could talk about a loving, understanding, sympathetic God. “If your wife had just died, like mine has,” the man said, “and your babies were crying for their mother who would never come back, you wouldn’t be saying what you are saying.”
A few days later Mr. Tucker’s wife was killed in a train wreck. Her body was brought to Chicago and carried to the Citadel for the funeral. After the service the bereaved preacher looked down into the silent face of his wife and then turned to those who were attending. “The other day when I was here,” he said, “a man told me that, if my wife had just died and my children were crying for their mother, I would not be able to say that Christ was understanding and sympathetic, or that He was sufficient for every need. If that man is here, I want to tell him that Christ is sufficient. My heart is broken, it is crushed, but it has a song, and Christ put it there. I want to tell that man that Jesus Christ speaks comfort to me today.” The man was there, and he came and knelt beside the casket while Booth Tucker introduced him to Jesus Christ.
Folks, we have a Great High Priest who is sympathetic with what we are going through because He has experienced it Himself and thus, He can bring comfort, aid, help to each of us no matter what we are going through!
VERSE 16
In the Old Testament and into the New Testament times the high priest would approach God and only once a year, for a brief period of time, only to sprinkle the blood of the lamb on the mercy seat for the people and then he would come out. In saying that, folks, do we need to go through a priest or pastor or some religious hierarchy to get to God? No! Do we need to go through Mary to get to God? No! Do we need to go through this saint or that saint to get to God? No! If we have considered Jesus, if He is our Lord and Savior, we can boldly come to His throne of Grace and find the help we need in our time of need!
I like the way that Morgan put it. He tells us:
I am never tired of pointing out that the Greek phrase translated “in time of need” is a colloquialism of which “in the nick of time” is the exact equivalent. “That we may receive mercy and find grace to help in the nick of time” - grace just when and where I need it. You are attacked by temptation. At the moment of the assault, you look to Him, and the grace is there to help in the nick of time. There is no postponement of your petition until the evening hour of prayer. But there in the city street with the flaming temptation in front of you, turn to Christ with a cry for help, and the grace will be there in the nick of time.
- G. Campbell Morgan
As I close this evening please understand that Paul is not saying that “We may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” but it is better translated that “We will obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” What are you going through right now? Bring it to His throne of mercy and grace because He will help you, He understands your pain, your temptations because He has experienced them and thus, He desires to bring you help, He wants to wrap His arms around you, all He asks you to do is to come to Him! What a Great High Priest we have, what a Great God we have, what a Friend we have in Jesus!