Hebrews 4
Hebrews 4:1-16
1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.
2 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.
3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “SO I SWORE IN MY WRATH, ‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST,’ ” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS”;
5 and again in this place: “THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.”
6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience,
7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “TODAY,” after such a long time, as it has been said: “TODAY, IF YOU WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.”
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.
10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
This concern with falling away that has pervaded the book so far continued to be addressed with rest as an essential part of its prevention. With disobedience as the real culprit of what would take us down, understanding resting will be essential for removing any resistance to acting on the Word. Resting isn’t just elimination of action, but liberation from actions that would disable and destroy faith. To abide in the Word will be to be full of the will of God and His directives for every aspect of our life. In order to move on His directives, though, it will require complete resting from our own, those things that would dominate our every moment with flesh-driven commands. Failing to rest from our works is failing to act on His in obedience. This isn’t falling back into the law with its curse-ridden commands, but it is revealing how true adherence of the heart to the will of the Father will look like something quite apart from our own plans and purposes for our life – or we will fall from Him.
As this task of resting from anything that would detain or retract from full adherence to the Word is overwhelming to the weakness of our flesh, we’ve been given access to the throne of grace, where we acquire the resting ability that we will never have on our own. The Word will provide the way, the throne will provide the power, and our coming to both will result in complete resting from a way with perilous end. Resting, then, will come from the intense pursuit of our defenses in His presence. Never have to fall as helped to our rest from self-defeat in Him.