Hebrews 4:4-7

Summary retelling of Hebrews 4:4-7

The author of Hebrews makes a point to remind us that even God rested from the work of creation, but again He reminds us that those who are not in Him will not rest with God.  Some will enter God’s rest, but there are those who will not enter it because of their disobedience.  However, we are reminded that the ability to enter His rest is not yet closed, because we are told that “today” we are not to harden our hearts.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I mentioned yesterday that we would talk about rest.  So far, we’ve had two mentions of rest.  (There’s a third to come tomorrow).  The first one I’m going to talk about is the one from this passage.  God rested at the work of creation.  This is a comparison to our rest knowing that our salvation is secure in Christ.  God worked; then He rested.  That doesn’t mean that He didn’t work again – certainly He has done much work since the creation of the world!  But He rested in the midst of His work, knowing that the work in the future to come would get done as it needed to get done.  This is a type of “past rest.”  As God rested after creation, we can rest because we are in God.  We know there is work yet to be done.  But there is great relief that comes the moment our salvation is at hand and we recognize it and grasp onto it.

Think back to the first time you knew that you were saved – did you feel at ease?  Think back to a time when you felt incredibly close to God – how would you describe the state of your being inside of you?  How would you talk to others about the comfort that you know is within you because you know God?

Second Thought:

The second type of rest is one we first saw back in the end of chapter three.  We are told that as the Hebrew people are coming out of Egypt God says to them that they will not rest because of their disobedience.  Thus, we can see a second type of rest: the Promised Land is also resting in God.  Those disobedient Hebrew people were never at rest their whole lives.  But those Hebrew people who entered into the Promised Land did find rest throughout their life.  In the same way, we can find rest in our present.  If we are following God and doing His will, we can be at rest right here and right now.

Does it help you to realize that you can rest in God right now?  Have you ever had a time when you were consumed by worry and fear and doubt?  How does knowing that you can find rest in God right now help you think about those times to come when you will have worry and fear and doubt?

Third Thought:

Again, notice the importance that the author of Hebrews places upon obedience and disobedience.  Certainly we are not saved because of our obedience.  Without Christ, our obedience is worthless.  However, we can find ourselves not saved because of our disobedience.  God has given us the opportunity to enter with Him in rest.  But we can fail to enter because we wish to obey our own desires rather than being obedient to God’s desires.  Dietrich Bonheoffer says in the book The Cost of Discipleship, “Only those who obey believe, and only those who believe obey.”

What do you think about Bonheoffer’s quote?  Do you think that only those who believe (receive grace) can truly be obedient to God?  Do you think that only those who are truly obedient to God are the ones who truly believe?  How does this line of contemplation make you think about your own life?

Passage for Tomorrow: Hebrews 4:8-10