Hebrews 4:1-11 - Homiletics

The gospel rest.

In this passage the writer explains what is to be understood by the "rest" to which God had invited his ancient people, and urges the Hebrews of his own day to strive to attain it as the most Divine of all blessings.

I. THE REST OF GOD . "His rest" ( Hebrews 4:1 ); "my rest" ( Hebrews 4:3 , Hebrews 4:5 ). Rest belongs essentially to God, for he is all-perfect and self-harmonious. Being infinite in purity and love, in knowledge and power, he is the God of peace, and dwells in undisturbed repose. The rest of God is mirrored in the institution of the sabbath ( Hebrews 4:4 ), which commemorates his satisfaction at the close of his world-making, when he saw that his works "answered his great idea," and were "very good." God's own sabbath rest "is the substratum and basis of all peace and rest—the pledge of an ultimate and satisfactory purpose in creation" (Dr. Saphir).

II. THE REST OF GOD PROMISED TO MAN . This "promise" ( Hebrews 4:1 ) is the result of God's fatherly love. For man, although he has fallen from his rest, is still the child of God, beloved in spite of his sad apostasy, and pitied on account of his weary moiling in the pursuits of sin. The sabbath instituted at the creation was not this rest ( Hebrews 4:3-5 ), but only a sign and seal of it. Neither did the possession of the promised land involve the realization of the promised rest ( Hebrews 4:6-9 ); for Israel had never for any time a restful life in Canaan, and King David, nearly five hundred years after the Hebrew occupation, speaks of entrance into God's rest as a blessing which was still future ( Hebrews 4:7 , Hebrews 4:8 ). However, the settlement of Israel in the land flowing with milk and honey was an adumbration of the gospel rest. And thus God himself said of Zion, "This is my rest for ever."

III. THE REST OF GOD REALIZED IN CHRIST . The Lord Jesus is the Joshua of our confession. He was indeed the Hope of the Jewish Church also in the time of the first Joshua, whether the people realized him to be such or not. If we follow him as our "Leader and Commander," our hearts, even in this weary, changeful world, will enter into true spiritual rest (verse 3). Christ brings us rest from guilt, rest from self-righteous striving, rest from wants, rest from fears, rest amidst life's burdens. In his "obedience unto death" he labored and was heavy laden that he might give us rest. If we stay our minds on him, we shall be "kept in perfect peace;" if we trust in him, we shall learn to rejoice that "the lines are fallen unto us in pleasant places, and that we have a goodly heritage.

IV. THE REST OF GOD CONSUMMATED IN HEAVEN . Although God has provided for us even in this world perfect rest in Christ, the limitation of our nature prevents us meanwhile from fully enjoying it; and our besetting sins may continue until the end to disturb our tranquility. But in the heavenly world the saints shall be set free forever from sin and temptation, from anxiety and sorrow. They shall enter there into the perfect sabbath-rest of God, and shall dwell in it throughout eternity (verse 9). His love shall abide upon his people, and their perfected love to him shall spring up within them unto everlasting life.

In conclusion, if we would acquire and possess this inheritance, we must:

1. Cherish godly "fear" (verse 1).

2. Cultivate faith in Christ (verse 3).

3. Be "united by faith with them that hear" (verse 2)—the Calebs and the Joshuas.

4. "Give diligence to enter into" the eternal rest (verse 11) by "following the Lord fully."