Bible Version: New International Version (NIV)
Application Notes: Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
HEBREWS 4
A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God
1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
“So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”
And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”
6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage 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 later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Jesus the Great High Priest
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Application Notes
4:1-3 Some of the Jewish Christians who received this letter may have been on the verge of turning back from their promised rest in Christ, just as the people in Moses' day had turned back from the Promised Land. In both cases, the difficulties of the present moment overshadowed the reality of God's promise, and the people doubted that God would fulfil it. When we trust our own efforts instead of God's power, we, too, are in danger of turning back and losing out. Our own efforts are never adequate; only Christ can see us through. Thank God that his offer still stands (4:7).
4:2 The Israelites of Moses' day illustrate a problem facing many who fill our churches today. They know a great deal about Christianity and Christ, but they do not know Christ personally--they haven't combined their knowledge with faith. Let the Good News of Christ touch your life. Believe in him and then act on what you know. Trust in him and do what he says.
4:4 God rested on the seventh day, not because he was tired, but to indicate the completion of creation. The world was perfect, and God was well satisfied with it. This rest is a foretaste of our eternal joy when creation will be renewed and restored, every mark of sin will be removed, and the world will be made perfect again. Our Sabbath rest in Christ begins when we trust him to complete his good and perfect work in us (see the note on 3:11).
4:6-7 God had given the Israelites the opportunity to enter Canaan, but they had disobeyed and failed to enter (Numbers 13-14). Now God offers everyone the opportunity to enter his ultimate place of rest-he invites us to come to Christ. To enter his rest, (1) you must believe that God has this relationship in mind for you; (2) you must stop trying to create it on your own; (3) you must trust in Christ for it; and (4) you must follow him wholeheartedly. Today is the best day to find peace with God. Don't miss out. Tomorrow may be too late.
4:8-11 God wants us to enter his rest. For the Israelites of Moses' time, this rest was the earthly rest to be found in the Promised Land. For Christians, it is peace with God now and eternal life on a new earth later. We do not need to wait for the next life to enjoy God's rest and peace-we may have it daily now! Our daily rest in the Lord will not end with death but will become an eternal rest in the perfect place that Christ is preparing for us (John 14:1-4).
4:10 Busy people often work especially hard the week before a vacation, tying up loose ends so they can relax. Students usually have their final exams right before semester breaks. When we know a rest is coming, we put extra effort into finishing our work.
Healthy Christians love the work God has given them, doing it with passion and purpose, putting all their strength and care into it. But Christians love God's promise of heaven's rest even more and look forward to God's rest with great joy. Today, renew your effort to work hard for God. Rest is coming. Relish the thought.
4:11 If Jesus has provided for our rest through faith, why must we "make every effort to enter that rest"? This does not mean we must do good works in order to obtain salvation; it has more to do with overcoming spiritual laziness. We must make every effort to possess and experience what God has already promised and provided. Let us not take our salvation for granted. We never arrive. Each day we must choose to draw closer to Christ, or we will drift away.
4:12 The Word of God gives us more than simply a collection of words from God, a vehicle for communicating his ideas; it has living, lifechanging, and dynamic power that works in us. With the incisiveness of a surgeon's knife, God's Word reveals who we are and what we are not. It penetrates to the core of our moral and spiritual lives. It discerns both the good and the evil within us. God's powerful Word will change us. We must not only listen to it; we must also let it transform our lives.
4:13 Nothing can be hidden from God. He knows about everyone everywhere, and everything about us is wide open to his all-seeing eyes. He sees all we do and knows all we think. Even when we are unaware of his presence, he is with us. When we try to hide from him, he sees us. We can have no secrets from him. But we can take comfort in the fact that although God knows us intimately, he still loves us.
4:14 Christ is superior to the priests, and his priesthood is superior to their priesthood. To the Jews, the high priest was the highest religious authority in the land. He alone entered the Most Holy Place in the temple once a year to make atonement for the sins of the whole nation (Leviticus 16). Like the high priest, Jesus mediates between God and us. As humanity's representative, he intercedes for us before God. As God's representative, he assures us of God's forgiveness. As both truly God and truly man, Jesus has more authority than the Jewish high priests. Unlike the high priest, who could go before God only once a year, Christ always sits at God's right hand, interceding for us. He will always hear us when we pray.
4:15 Jesus identifies with us because he experienced a full range of temptations throughout his life as a human being. We can be comforted knowing that Jesus faced all our temptations and can sympathise with us. We can be encouraged because he did not give in to sin and thus shows us that we can overcome the seductive lure of temptation. Every time we resist temptation, we become more like Jesus.
4:16 Through prayer, we can approach God openly and honestly. Some Christians approach God meekly, with heads hung low, afraid to ask him for large requests or even for him to meet their daily needs. Others pray flippantly, giving little thought to what they say. Come with reverence, because he is your great king. But also march right in with bold assurance because he is also your friend and counsellor. Be confident that he has the power to do all you ask because he owns all the treasures of heaven and earth (see 7:19; 10:19).
Taken from Life Application Study Bible - Third Edition - (NIV)