The remainder of the chapter deals with the results of the incarnation of the Second Person of the Trinity. Chapter 2 begins with an exhortation to pay even more careful attention to the revelation which has come through the Son. The thread which unifies chapter 1 is that the Son is superior to the angels. The Son is characterized by a seven-fold description (verses 1-4), which is then buttressed by citations from Old Testament texts (verses 5-14). The Book of Hebrews begins with the declaration that while God has spoken in various ways through the Old Testament prophets, He has now spoken fully and finally in His Son (Hebrews 1:1-4). We will conclude with some areas of application. There are several terms on which the author builds his argument, so we will seek to define them, and then determine how these help us to understand what “rest” means for us. Then we will concentrate on our text – the first ten verses of chapter 4. We will then return to last week’s lesson and the text of Hebrews 3:1-19, which is the basis for our text. We will begin this lesson with an overview of chapters 1-4. I believe the first ten verses of Hebrews 4 will give us a much better definition of rest. We now know how we can fail to rest, but it isn’t entirely clear just what that “rest” is. In our last lesson, we saw how the author of Hebrews warned us about failure to enter God’s rest, due to unbelief, a hardened heart, and disobedience. But if physical rest is important to our physical well being, spiritual rest is even more important to our spiritual well being. We know that it is important for our bodies to get a proper night’s rest, and if we don’t, there are unpleasant consequences. And then there are the sleeping pills that we “can ask our doctor about to see if they are right for us.” Speaking of beds, have you noticed how often mattresses are advertised on T.V.? There are foam mattresses with a memory (probably better than mine) and a plethora of others. The “rest” we are talking about is not the kind that you find a couple of weeks in the summer, in a hammock, or in bed. I fear there are some Christians who may be “sleeping on the job.” If so, this message will not provide any comfort for them. This is not the kind of “rest” we will be talking about in this lesson. It turned out that he had curled up under a piano and was getting his rest. On one particular Friday night, one of the members of our work crew wasn’t to be found, so we decided to search the building to find him. We cleaned the student union center from midnight Friday night to 8 a.m. When I was in college, I worked on the night maintenance crew. 10 For the one who enters God’s rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works (Hebrews 4:1-10). 9 Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God. 7 So God again ordains a certain day, “Today,” speaking through David after so long a time, as in the words quoted before, “ O, that today you would listen as he speaks! Do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken afterward about another day. 4 For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “ And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,” 5 but to repeat the text cited earlier: “ They will never enter my rest!” 6 Therefore it remains for some to enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed did not enter because of disobedience. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “ As I swore in my anger, ‘ They will never enter my rest!’” And yet God’s works were accomplished from the foundation of the world. But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in with those who heard it in faith. 2 For we had good news proclaimed to us just as they did. 1 Therefore we must be wary that, while the promise of entering his rest remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it.
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