There remains a rest

The writer of the book of Hebrews stated plainly, “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God” (Heb. 4:9). No matter the specific rest in mind, a rest indicates something enjoyable, desired and pleasing. In the midst of a hard day’s labor, a little rest period is a welcome sight. From my early days working in the tobacco fields of Sampson County, I well know how welcome a couple minutes of rest at the end of a row can be. Let us consider the rest that remains for the people of God. We need to note first that there are three rests under consideration in the context of Hebrews 4:9. There is a day of rest (Heb. 4:4), a land of rest (Heb. 4:3, 5) and a remaining rest for God’s people (Heb. 4:9).

The day of rest mentioned was given to Israel by Moses. Moses, sent by God, led the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage and in this way God saved Israel from Egypt (Exo. 14:13). After this, God made a covenant with these people whom He had saved (Duet. 5:1-5). One of the commands of this covenant was to “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exo. 20:8). This sabbath was to be kept as a memorial of the rest God had given them from Egyptian slavery (Deut. 5:12-15). Notice the word “therefore” in verse fifteen, showing this is the reason this sabbath day was to be kept. Their day of rest was likened to the seventh day after the six days of creation, God rested. Genesis 2:3 does not assert that God sanctified the sabbath as a day of rest from creation. The ”when” of God sanctifying the sabbath is seen in Deuteronomy 5:1-15. Later, when Israel is allowed to return to their beloved Jerusalem where they could again remember the sabbath day and keep it holy, they noted in their prayer to God that it was given to them by the hand of Moses (Nehemiah 9:14).

Let us move on to the second “rest” of our passage of scripture; the land of rest. This rest is introduced in the last of the previous chapter. The writer refers to the forty years of wilderness wandering in which many of the Israelite’s carcasses fell in the wilderness. He spoke of God’s determination that many of them would not enter into his rest (Heb. 3:17-18). The rest under consideration here, is the land of milk and honey, the promise land, that which later they would receive. Yet, most of those present when they left Egypt would fell to reach that rest. Not even Moses and Aaron would enter that land of rest (Num. 20:12, 24). In fact, of the six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty males, twenty years of age or more, able to go to war, counted at the beginning of the wilderness wandering, only two made it to the promise land, Joshua and Caleb. The reason for this failure on the part of the children of Israel to reach their promised rest is seen in our text. “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief” (Heb. 3:19; 4:2). Israel lacked faith in God that He would deliver them or that they could obtain victory over the nations possessing the land, even with God on their side (Num. 13). They possessed an evil heart of unbelief (Heb. 3:12.Yet, God did fulfill His promise, and by the hand of Joshua, He led the people into the land of rest (Josh. 1:12-18). Joshua said that God fulfilled “all” of His promises to them (Josh. 22:4; 23:14).

Many years after the giving of the day of rest given on Sinai, and also long after Israel had entered the promise land, David spoke of such a rest, and is quoted by the Hebrew writer (Psalm 95:7-11; Heb. 3:7-13; 4:3). This is the rest that was future tense in the time of David and still is for those of this time. With great numbers of passages that can be used, we simply note, this is the eternal rest that we have awaiting us in heaven. “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (Heb. 4:9-11). John wrote, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them” (Rev. 14:13). This rest is a promise, but it is a promise that we can come short of (Heb. 4:1). The gospel call to salvation is offered to all who will obey the gospel of Jesus Christ in becoming one of His and living in accordance to His instruction (Matt. 11:28-30, Heb. 5:8-9; Col. 1:23; Rev. 2:10). However, as is warned in our passage considered, we can come short of it (Heb. 4:1) by falling into the same example of unbelief (Heb. 4:11). Just as Moses’ disobedience was called unbelief (Num. 20:12), so is our failure to actually obey God’s commands for us.