Hebrews 4:1-11 - The Opportunity To Enter God's Rest Still Remains

In our visitor packages we have been giving out a book called, “The Golden Treasury of Puritan Quotations”. There is a quote by a Puritan named Timothy Cruso (1656-1697). I had never heard of him before so I spent a little time looking up some information on him. One thing that captured my attention was that he was a long time friend of the author Daniel Defoe who is best known for his literary work ‘The Adventures of Robinson Cruso’. The main character of Defoe’s book was shipwrecked on an island all by himself for twenty-three years. During that time he had many adventures. It is believed that Defoe named his main character, Robinson Cruso, after his lifelong friend Timothy Cruso.

We can say with confidence that the character in Defoe’s book probably had a more adventurous life than the minister Timothy Cruso; however, this minister, like all of us, are called to journey through our own divine adventure towards the Promised Land where there is rest for the faithful. We are all called to strive to enter into the rest that God has promised and to not fall through disobedience (11).

Our text this morning begins by reminding us of a promise that we have been given on this journey. We read in Hebrews 4:1, “Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.” We can have confidence that we can enter into this rest because it is based upon a promise that God has made.

Timothy Cruso spoke of the faithfulness of God to deliver on His promises when he wrote, “Promises, though they be for a time seemingly delayed, cannot be finally frustrated...the heart of God is not turned though His face be hid; and prayers are not flung back, though they be not instantly answered.”1

These are encouraging words for all of us who are traveling on a journey to enter into God’s rest. As we journey towards the Promised Land and to the Eternal Rest that has been promised we need to be encouraged that God’s promise cannot be finally frustrated, it will come to pass. We need to be encouraged that the heart of God is for us even when we cannot see his face. We need pray like the psalmist does in Psalm 67:1, “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face to shine upon us.”

We do not need to be like Adam’s son Cain who shunned God’s Word and sinned. Then He despaired when he cried out in Genesis 4:13, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me away today from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden.” Cain speaks of two unbearable consequences for his sin. His life would be characterized by fruitless toil and restlessness and the LORD’s face would be hidden from him.

Through Adam, we have all found ourselves born into a strange and foreign land. We discover that we are enslaved by a foreign ruler (Satan) and we are subject to a harsh and cruel taskmaster (sin). Life for us in this condition is burdensome and fruitless. We are without hope and without God in this world. We cannot be free unless God sovereignly and powerfully acts to deliver us out of danger and bring us safely home.

God has promised do this for all those who will trust in Him. To His people who were enslaved in Egypt the LORD made this promise in Exodus 6:6-8, “‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’”

In the book of Hebrews we have been given a warning that there have been many people who have failed to receive this promise. We saw this in Hebrews 3:16-19 which says, “For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.”

In Hebrews 3&4 we have been reminded that we need to encourage one another on this journey to consider Christ and respond in faith to the message that we have heard (3:1). Jesus is greater than Moses who led the people out of Egypt (3:1-6). Jesus is greater than Joshua who led God’s people into the Promised Land (4:8-10).

We also will see in our text today that Jesus also offers a greater rest for God’s people than His people experienced when they were brought into the promised land. In Joshua 21:43-45 we see that God had given them rest. We read, “Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. And the Lord gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into their hands. Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.”

Despite this rest that God gave to His people Israel David spoke of a rest that still remained for the people of God. He mentions this in Psalm 95:7-11. Throughout Hebrews 3&4 we are exhorted to not fail to enter into this rest through unbelief and sin.

Let us read our text this morning in Hebrews 4:1-11,

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,

“As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’”

although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” 5 And again in this passage he said,

“They shall not enter my rest.”

6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

Our text this morning can be divided into three main points that each emphasizes the fact that there is an opportunity before us to enter into God’s rest.

• Hebrews 4:1, “Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to have reached it.”

• Hebrews 4:6, “Since therefore it remains for some to enter it (rest), and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience…”

• Hebrews 4:11, “Let us strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.”

Each of these three sections then give us a specific instruction as to how we are to enter into God’s Rest. For example,

• Hebrews 4:1-5 tells us that we enter by fearing God and believing the Good News.

• Hebrews 4:6-10 tells us that we enter by recognizing the opportunity and understanding what this true rest is.

• Hebrews 4:11- tells us that we enter by striving to enter His Rest.

Enter His Rest By Fearing God And Believing The Good News

We see this in Hebrews 4:1 & 3, “Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it...For we who have believed enter that rest…”

Last week I gave John Bunyan’s definition for the fear of God. He defined it this way, “Godly fear is a grace of the Spirit of God in the hearts of His people.”2Psalm 67, which I referred to earlier, psalmist prays for God to be gracious. Is a beautiful psalm where the psalmist speaks of the grace of God, fearing God, and all the blessings associated with these things.

Let’s take a moment to read Psalm 67:1-7 so that it can be applied to our hearts. It says,

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah 2 that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. 3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!

4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah 5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!

6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. 7 God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!

There are many of us who might see these warnings that are scattered throughout the book of Hebrews and become unsettled or fearful in an unhelpful way. If this happens to you this Psalm will be great to turn too to reflect upon. God’s gracious disposition is the foundation of countless blessings: His ways are made known, His saving power is made known among all peoples, promotes praise, promotes gladness, songs of joy, God judges the people with equity, He guides the nations, the earth becomes fruitful and provides its yield. What is our response to all of this? A fear that praises and blesses the LORD in reverent fear. This is a great way to respond to Hebrews 4:1-5.

Enter His Rest By Recognizing The Opportunity And Understand What True Rest Is

We see that an opportunity remains for us to enter into this rest in Hebrews 4:6, “Since therefore it remains for some to enter it...”

Hebrews 4: 8-10 shows us what this true rest is, “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from His.”

There is an opportunity before us so we should respond ‘Today’!

Recently I went with Jon Moe to pick up his new car from the dealership. As we sat in the sales managers office he went over all the free benefits that they had given to Jon. Then he began to give three more options that Jon could take advantage of on that day. If he did not agree to it right then and there the offer would no longer be available. Because of this there was a sense of urgency to the offer that had been extended.

In a similar way, there is a similarity between that experience and what the author of Hebrews is saying here. Jesus has set before us the Good News about what He has done for us all by grace and we simply need to respond with faith. It is a gracious offer that ought to be responded too ‘Today’ and not put off another day. We ought to ‘fear’ (φοβέω -phobeō) that we would miss that opportunity to enter into His Rest!

On the one hand, we need to respond before it is too late. On the other hand, even if the opportunity comes again we have been warned that our heart will get hardened more each time we reject the Good News. (Hebrews 3:13 – But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin)

Not only is there a present opportunity to respond in faith, but Hebrews 4:8-10 tells us what this true rest is. It is referred to as the ‘Sabbath Rest’ (9) and ‘God’s Rest’ (10). Today we have come here to celebrate the LORD’s Day or the Sabbath Day, which is a foretaste of the ‘Sabbath Rest’ that will one day come. We come together each week to remember the Gospel and receive God’s grace. We gather together to encourage one another in the grace of God and to enter into the ‘rest’ that Jesus has provided. Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” We come here together to look forward to the Sabbath Rest that is yet to come by saying with Timothy Cruso, “Promises, though they be for a time seemingly delayed, cannot be finally frustrated.”

Enter His Rest By Striving To Enter His Rest

We see this in Hebrews 4:11, “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.”

I have talked a lot about the grace of God and entering into a rest, but now we are told to strive, to toil, and to endeavor to enter that rest. How does this make sense? Is this by the grace of God or by the our works, our labor, our striving? Let’s look at a few verses that might help us to understand these things.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” It is interesting that in this chapter Paul is speaking about our resurrection and entering into the rest that is promised.

Paul encourages Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:1 by saying, “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus...”. Paul wants Timothy to be strengthened by grace for enduring in the faith and faithfulness to his calling. Again, in this context Paul is speaking of enduring for the sake of the elect, that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory (10). Grace strengthens us till we enter into our Sabbath Rest.

Finally, consider how Peter describes this striving (diligence, endeavor, diligence) in 2 Peter 1:3-11,

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The same Greek work that is used in Hebrews 4:11 (spoudazō ; σπεύδω) is also found in 2 Peter 1:5 and 10. In 1 Peter 1:3 we see that it is God’s divine power (His grace) that grants us all things that pertains to life and godliness. By this grace we can ‘make every effort’ to supplement our faith with different graces. And with this grace we ought to ‘be all the more diligent’ to confirm our calling and election. The result of this will be that ‘there will be richly provided for entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’.

We have seen today that there is an opportunity for us to enter into His rest. We do this by:

• fearing God and believing the Good News.

• recognizing the opportunity and understanding what this true rest is.

• striving to enter His Rest.

I would encourage us to spend some time reading Psalm 67. This psalm will challenge us in a personal way as we pray for the LORD to be gracious to us. We will be encouraged to praise the LORD and to fear Him. But the other thing that this psalm will do is that it will encourage us to become more missions oriented and evangelistic towards others. Let’s read it again together so we can reflect on these things as we end the service.

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah 2 that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. 3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!

4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah 5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!

6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. 7 God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!

1The Golden Treasury of Puritan Quotations, I.D.E. Thomas, p.254

2John Bunyan, The Fear of God, p.23