Hebrews 4
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
What is heaven like?
The reward
Rest at the end of a long week
The Warning
The Warning
ουν connects to prior passage: since Moses and people did not enter the rest, let us be cautious
φοωηθωμεν- “fear”, more like “be cautious”, “take care”, etc.
The rest is open, but that doesn’t mean all will enter it!
Why is the warning warranted?
example of wilderness generation
both heard “the good news”, i.e. the gospel, but that generation did not listen and it was of no benefit
“proto-gospel”, obviously not the full gospel, but enough
How do we enter that rest then?
faith in the gospel
Note, faith here is more than mere belief. It implies an obedience
Thus to hear the gospel is not enough. It did not benefit those in the wilderness
We must hear and obey.
Moreover, this is faith in the Gospel, i.e., faith in Christ!
“by grace you have been saved through faith” Ephesians
The Rest Still Open
The Rest Still Open
So what is this rest we are striving for?
It is open still
Author points out paradox
Ps 95- God suggests rest is still open to wilderness generation
Yet this “rest” is completed from foundation of the world (aorist), i.e. at creation in Genesis
Thus this rest was completed on the 7th day of creation, but stretches onward throughout time, and thus remains open for all
So when might we enter it? Tomorrow? When we die? No!
“Today”!
Ps 95 spoken about wilderness generation, but spoken by David
Thus this rest stretches even into David’s time and is available for the people then to enter
This suggests the opportunity to enter the rest was not closed off during the time of Joshua, when he brought the people into the holy land
The stress is on the present: we must enter God’s rest today
Nature of the Rest
Nature of the Rest
Firstly, we see that this rest is unbound by time. It is an eternal rest, created and complete at creation, but available for all to enter today, from Moses to Joshua, David, the audience of Hebrews, and us today
Secondly, the rest is to be distinguished from heaven, New Creation, the reign of Christ, etc.
It is a spiritual bliss. Not physical place (e.g. contrast with Joshua and Promised land)
It is the eternal שלמ of God, peace, rest from the toil and hardship of life.
Something that we might enter into in the fullest sense at death, but that we may begin experiencing even now
as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
ADVERTISEMENT