Hebrews Chapter 4
Entering His Rest
Rest. A luxury especially in our modern hectic life.
Rest eluded mankind when Adam’s deadly mistake brought a curse on the ground from which he was taken. Man is to toil, tilling the very ground that gives him no rest, till he is finally laid to rest in the same.
Thorns and thistles. Milk and honey. A contrast between toil and rest, labour and enjoyment.
The first promise of rest often goes unnoticed in Gen 5:28-29:
Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and had a son. And he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed.”
Noah’s name is the root of the word for ‘rest’ found in the Psalm 95:11, cited in Heb 3 & 4:
“So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest’” (3)
Most of the people God delivered from Egypt died in the wilderness and did not make it into the Promised Land. The generation born in the wilderness entered the land but failed to enter into God’s rest. Hence “after such a long time”, God has designated another day, called “Today”, when we can hear His beckoning once again. Let us be healed from a hardened heart, respond to the heavenly call, and press on towards the heavenly rest (11).
The word that saves is also the very word that judges, for it is a two-edged sword (12; Rev 19:15,21). The merciful High Priest who helps is our weaknesses is also the very Judge to whom we would all have to give account, and nothing is hidden in His sight (13; Rev 19:12). So while it is still called “Today”, let us heed His voice, for when tomorrow comes, it will be too late (3:12; 10:25).
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor 6:2)