Hebrews 4:1-11 from PRBC Sunday Evening service, 11/29/09

Warning Against Returning to Judaism and the Call to Enter God’s Rest

Hebrews chapter 4, you will recall, as we have been working through this tremendous book, words of warning, once again, I remind you, exhortation of the people of God to not go back to the old ways. We had Hebrew believers who were under tremendous pressure to go back to Judaism.

A good reason that we see that this book is written prior to the destruction of the temple, to offer sacrifice, and by offering sacrifice, deny the unique once-for-allness of Jesus Christ, deny that he's the Messiah, and especially deny that his death is a sacrifice for sins.

And we had seen at the end of chapter 3, the author had begun explicating through chapter 3, the 95th Psalm, and was warning the people that we need to press on, that there is nothing to go back to, that Christ is superior to all the things in the old covenant, they are all pointing to him, he is the greater fulfillment of these things.

And so with that, at the end of chapter 3, we encountered this discussion of entering into God's rest. Verse 18 of chapter 3, into whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but those were disobedient.

So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. This then is going to become the theme of chapter 4 as well. There is a rest, a Sabbath rest, for the people of God. And the nature of that rest, and why it is that people by unbelief cannot enter into that rest, is going to be what the writer is warning the people about.

This text really illustrates for us the fact that here we have the preacher addressing the people of God as a mixed multitude. He is going to liken the people he is addressing to the people of Israel of old.

And that means that he sees that in the church you have the wheat and the tares. And that is a very sobering thought indeed. So let's look at the first 11 verses here of Hebrews chapter 4, the brief time we have this evening.

Hebrews 4:1-11 and the Danger of Unbelief

Therefore let us fear, if while a promise remains of entering his rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also. But the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

For we who have believed enter that rest, just as he said, as I swore in my wrath they shall not enter my rest. Although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has said somewhere concerning the seventh day, and God rested the seventh day from all his works.

And again in this passage, they shall not enter my rest. Therefore since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience.

He again fixes a certain day, today, saying through David, after so long a time, just as has been said before, today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken another day after that.

So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall through following the same example of disobedience.

Now here once again we have exhortation based upon the same text that had been cited earlier in chapter 3. Indeed one might make the argument that chapters 3 and 4 really are just one continuous presentation.

There really isn't any division to be found in chapter division. Be that as it may, we have an exhortation. Remember what has been said about those that he was angry with for 40 years, whose bodies fell in the wilderness in chapter 3 verse 17.

And so having brought forth the fact that there was this whole group of people who had been delivered out of Egypt. Think about what those people had seen. Those people who had experienced the exodus.

You saw the pillar of fire. For most folks that would be enough, but then you had the cloud by day, the pillar of fire by night. You had seen the plagues. You had seen how the plagues had struck one part of Egypt and another part of Egypt.

You had seen the death of the firstborn. You had put the blood on the doorposts of your house and your firstborn was standing next to you. And the Egyptian firstborn was dead. And you had then left Egypt and you had seen the army coming after you.

And you had gone across the Red Sea with pillars of water on both sides of you. Walls of water. And you're walking on dry land. And now you're standing on the far side. And you see the elite corps of the greatest army in the world at that time.

Dying in front of you in the water you had just passed through. I don't know about you, but when I hear atheists say, well, if God would just show up and do a little miracle or something like that, I believe.

Well, here are people that have had about all the evidence you could possibly have. Not only of God's power and God's existence, but most assuredly of... And yet how many... It's a sobering thing. What this text is telling you.

You can see all those things. You can be delivered... In the exodus. But that doesn't mean you've entered into his rest. Therefore, forget the deep insight. I'm sure Pastor Fry remembers some of these.

His seminary professors. I had the same professor for seven years in Greek. I've said many times before that he did not have... I was taking a Life and Letters of Paul class with the same professor. People still conscious or interested at this particular point in time in the class.

But the professor was talking about this idea of fear. And he droned out a very insightful phrase that I'll never forget. He said, fear. Because I had already heard many, many sermons where fear had been turned into something other than fear.

But in reality, there should be and can be a healthy fear. It is not a distrustful fear. But this is a fear that is shared by the people of God. Regarding the fact that there may be some sitting amongst us even this night.

Who will indeed fall short. Not fall short of somehow accomplishing something to get themselves saved. But fall short in the sense of not having true saving faith in Christ. It's the great danger of religious hypocrisy.

It's the great danger of having heard the gospel preached over and over and over again. But to have that hearing not joined with faith. That's what he's referring to. Let us fear if while a promise remains.

It's not if a promise remains. The promise is remaining. The promise remains of entering his rest. Any of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had the gospel, the good news preached to us.

Just as they also. But the word they heard did not profit them. Because it was not united by faith in those who heard. Now there's a textual variant to this point. And it could be translated this way.

They did not join themselves with those who heard by faith. Now if we translate it that way. Then there's a reference there to the two different peoples. In the people of God as they are gathered. The remnant who hears, who has faith.

And then the others who do not truly have faith. But in either case the point is. That here we have in the Old Testament. An example from the 95th Psalm. Remember we looked at that the last time. Of a people who have seen God's words.

God's works. They have heard God's words. They have all the evidence in the world right in front of them. And yet that was not joined with faith. And so their bodies follow the wilderness. They are disobedient.

What does the word say? They are a stiff necked people. And so the writer says. We as the people of God should never rest on our laurels. We should never look at ourselves and say. Well here we are in the church and we have arrived.

As long as your name is on the membership rolls. And you have walked through those waters of baptism. We can just become spiritually apathetic. We don't need to be encouraging one another. In being consistent in our Christian lives.

We can just simply kick back and relax. We have made it. We have got our ticket punched. There are a lot of people who preach that kind of a concept. That well once you are to a certain point. You have got your ticket punched.

That is all there is to it. Well once again we find we need to have balance. That is we rejoice in recognizing that Christ. And Christ alone is our savior. And we trust in his infinite merits. We are looking solely and completely to him.

But that person will not be the person who becomes spiritually apathetic. So that holiness and a concern for being like Christ. And for following his commandments. Is of no interest whatsoever. I just live like the world over here.

There is always the balance that exists between the two. And so the writer says fear. For he says there are some of those they heard the good news. But the word they heard did not profit them. Because it was not themselves with those who had faith.

For we who have believed entered that rest. Just as he said as I swore in my wrath. They shall not enter my wrath. So his point is that those against him who was wrath burned. They do not enter into his wrath.

But those who are not experiencing his wrath. Who have believed. They enter into his wrath. Although that then says. His works, speaking of God's works. Were finished from the foundation of the world.

So what is he talking about here? What is this rest? Well we need to go back. He is going to tell us. Well he has said somewhere concerning the seventh day. God rested on the seventh day from all his works.

Now the strikes here is a little bit funny. He did not say somewhere. Remember they did not chapter and verse divisions. So he could have said well in Genesis. But his point is everyone knows the child amongst them would have learned.

Was of the creation story. And so he makes reference to Genesis chapter 2. God rested on the seventh day from all his works. And again in this passage. They shall not enter my wrath. So he is saying these are the same things.

Now it is interesting to me. That when we think of God resting from all his works. We should never get the idea. That at the beginning of the sixth day. God is mopping his brow. One more day to go. I am getting right to the end of my row.

We are just barely going to make it. There was not any exhaustion. In fact the Quran. The writer of the Quran thinks that is what the Bible is saying. There is actually an element of mockery. Of the Bible.

Not even beginning. What it is when the scriptures say God entered into his wrath. The point is that there is a period of creation. At the end of that creation. There is a change. A substantive change.

From creation to sustaining. Remember what Jesus said in John chapter 5. My father is working until now. And I am working. Speaking of the Sabbath day. God continues to work. In the sense of upholding the universe.

But he is not bringing the universe into existence. It is a change of activity. A change of state. And he has. As it said. His works were finished from the foundation of the world. Verse 3. For he said somewhere.

God rested the seventh day. And then in this passage. Therefore since it remains for some to enter it. And those who formerly had good news preached. And failed it because of disobedience. He again fixes a certain day.

So what he is saying is. God's rest. Has to do with a state. It is not just well. He was creating. And he got tired. And now it is time to regenerate for a while. For just one day. No. He remains in his rest.

Six days creation. Seventh day enters into his rest. And remains there. Because it is a mode of being. It is a mode of activity. But there are others who don't get to enter into his rest. There are others who do.

But only by faith. Is the point. And so in verse six. Therefore since it remains for some to enter it. And those who formerly had good news preached. And failed it because of disobedience. Now what is he talking about there?

Egypt. But they don't enter into. Here is where the analogy is being made. There can be a deliverance from Egypt. Picture of the world. You can be brought into the Christian fellowship. And because you are around moral people.

Who have a concern for godliness. That can result in moral change in you. And you can see. And as Hebrews chapter six is going to say. Taste of the heavenly gifts. Sing the songs. Pray the prayers. Being amongst the people of God.

Can have all of that effect. But still that is where the wilderness is. And there is a need to enter into the rest. And how do you enter into the promised land? Faith. Those who heard. They experienced all the benefits.

They saw all the miracles. Faith. Faith. Sole Fide. So he again fixes a certain day. Today. Saying through David. After so long a time. Just as it has been said before. Today if you hear his voice. Do not harden your hearts.

Now you have got to tune in with me here for a second. Because this is a little bit difficult. This. Don't understand what the world is being said. But it is actually fairly straightforward. If you just remember the timeline.

And that is where the Old Testament timeline trips a lot of us up. David comes long after the Exodus. David is in his palace in Jerusalem. Way down the road. And yet he is the one writing. During the time of the Exodus.

And he says. Today if you hear his voice. Do not harden your hearts. This is long. And so what he is saying in the next few verses is. Well if you go back to the Old Testament. When the people entered into the land.

Joshua said for example to the tribes of Manasseh. Now that we have rest. Go back across the river to your land. Because remember they had been given land on the other side. And he is anticipating. Someone might argue.

Oh well they did enter into rest. That was just an external rest. Of fighting against the enemy. Clearly what the writer is trying to tell us is. This text is talking about something spiritual. Something that transcends the physical.

So he says. For if Joshua had given them rest. He would not have spoken of another day after that. So yes Joshua. He talks about a physical rest. Now that we have rest you can go back to your people. But David by saying today.

Is emphasizing to us. That for every generation. Of those who follow God. There is necessity of faith. This call of today. If you hear his voice. It will harden your hearts. Is valid for every generation.

Not just the generation in the wilderness. But the generations of David's day. And until the final rest is ushered in. In the end of time. For every generation. The word goes forth. Today if you hear his voice.

Do not harden your hearts. That's just as true for us. It's not just something from back. Today if you hear his voice. Joshua had given them rest. He would not have spoken of another day after that. So there remains.

A Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered his rest. Has himself also rested from his works. As God did from his. You see. Here's the empty hand of faith again. This person is not trying to bring works to God.

To earn something from him. By faith he enters into. The very rest of God. He has rested from his works. As God did from his. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest. So that no one will fall.

Through following the same example of disobedience. So there is the exhortation. Here. In this time period. Where we cannot see. We don't have the ability to see who is the elect. By some supernatural means.

It is the duty. Of the ministers and the congregation. To warn the people. Do not become apathetic. Do not think that just because. You stand amongst the people of God. Just because you've seen. The Spirit of God working in people's lives.

Just because you've come out of Egypt. Doesn't mean you've entered into the place of rest. Only those who join the hearing. With faith. Faith comes by hearing. Hearing by the word of God. Only those who hear with faith.

Enter into his rest. Look at the example of disobedience. People who saw with clarity God's power. How could anyone question. The teachings of Moses. When they had drunk from the rock. When they had seen the sea open and close.

When they saw the miracles. The plagues. The destruction of Korah. Dathan of Byron and his compatriots. The earth opens up and swallows them. My goodness. They had all the evidence you could possibly have.

And yet the vast majority. Might say look. In the pews of every single Wednesday. Do not. This is something you. Young people. You can sit in this. You can't sit there and go. Well you know. Once somebody said this.

The gospel in its. You might say to yourself. To be his servant. I'll put it all. Today. Hearing his voice. Do you hear the consistency of the word. As it speaks to your sin. When you close your eyes.

When you turn off the noise. The world long enough to even. Think about eternal things. Do you not recognize. Even when you say. Well I'm not bad as bad as others. Don't you fear. Don't you hear that voice that says.

Only God. Doesn't matter what somebody else has done. You know. There's only one way of salvation. Maybe hide it from other people. The church. You may have grown up in the church. You know what words to say.

And things to do. On Sunday and Wednesday night. Voice. Today not tomorrow. I resist. Think of all those. We could tell you a lot. In some cases. The Lord was still merciful to them. But all. The scars they brought in there.

Today. Do. Not. The same example of this. Standing on the borders. The promised land. Looking across. At what could have been there. Sit in these. Rejoice. We do thank you for your word. It searches us.

Go on and say. It is alive. And sharp. And it searches us out. And we thank you for that. We ask that. As we. Encounter these. Challenging paths. Rejoicing after the service. We ask that you would bless our time.

Our conversation.