Hebrews 4:6-16

1.What was the rest to which the children of Israel were going when they left Egypt?
2.Has the Lord determined that some shall enter into his rest? .
3.Why did they not enter into it?—
4.By whom did he speak concerning his rest long after the time of Moses? .
5.Where were those to whom David spoke?
6.If they were then in the land of promise, why were they warned against the example of their fathers, lest they should also fail to enter the rest of God? See note.
7.Did Joshua give the people rest? .
8.Did Joshua give the people the seventh-day Sabbath?
9.Did the Lord ever declare in his wrath that the people should not keep the Sabbath?
10.Is it not, then, evident that the Sabbath is not the rest spoken of in this chapter?
11.Was the rest that Joshua gave them the true rest promised to the faithful people of God? .
12.If the true rest had been already given, would he hold out a future hope concerning it?—
13.What is meant by the expression, "Then would he not afterward have spoken of another day"? Ans. Barnes paraphrases this passage thus: "Then God would not have spoken of another time when that rest could be obtained." This must be correct.
14.What is the conclusion from this argument? . See note.
15.Have the people of God yet entered this rest? . See note.
16.To what intent are the brethren further admonished? .
17.What is said of the word of God? .
18.What is that word of God that will discern every thought and intent of the heart? .
19.Before whom are all things open? .
20.What is the evident intention of these verses? See note.
21.What is Jesus called in ?
22.What assurance is given in ? Compare .
23.How may we come to the throne of grace? . Ans. With confident assurance, but not presumptuously.
24.What shall we find at the throne of grace?—Ib

Notes

It has been seen that Moses was typical of Christ, and the house of Israel represented, in like manner, the household of faith. This being so, analogy would prove that the land of Canaan is typical of the true rest which God promises to his people. The children of Israel inherited that land according to a promise made to the fathers; but the promise made to Abraham and his seed was of the earth, or the world, which God first gave to Adam, and which he lost by sin. The seed of the woman who was to bruise the head of the serpent, became also the seed of Abraham, and heir of the promises—heir of the world. ; . Through him all the faithful become heirs to the promise to Abraham. ; and they shall inherit the earth. . says: "The meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." When this is fulfilled, then the antitype of the peaceable possession of the land of Canaan by the children of Israel will be fulfilled. Then shall the weary saints of God have rest. The words of our Saviour, the King, at his coming, show the relation that bears to our future rest. Then will he say: "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." .

The apostle has now reached the third point in his argument to the Hebrews. The first and second were the superiority of Christ to angels, and to Moses. Moses was called to lead the children of Israel into the land of promise; but he failed in a single point, and was not permitted to cross over Jordan. Joshua was appointed his successor, and under him the people inherited the land, and obtained rest from their homeless wanderings. But here we learn that Joshua did not give them the rest contemplated in the promise to Abraham and his seed. Another leader must bring them into that rest, when Abraham himself shall inherit the land. See ; . This leader, the Captain of our salvation (), must be as far superior to Joshua as the antitype is superior to the type; as the peaceable and everlasting possession of the earth redeemed is superior to a temporary residence in the land of Canaan, surrounded by envious foes.

"The word of God is quick [living] and powerful . . . and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." It may be thought that this applies to more than the law alone. But those who think so forget the exceeding breadth of the law. It is infinite, and includes all revelation, the entire Bible, including the life of Christ, for that is but a commentary on the law of God—an expansion of its principles.

Much misapprehension exists in regard to this verse. If the rest remains, and if the brethren are warned lest they should fail to reach it, the conclusion is unavoidable that that rest is altogether future, and that the saints have not yet entered into it. Yet some claim that it is a present blessing, but contrary to the whole tenor of the apostle's argument. Lange's Commentary says: "From the nature of the rest of God it follows that for the people of God, so long as they are still on their pilgrimage to their final goal, it must of necessity be in the future." The whole argument proves it to be a future inheritance, not a present blessing.

are a fitting sequel to the warnings that have been constantly urged upon the brethren, to make sure work to enter the rest of God. No deception can be practiced upon him with whom we have to do.

Bible texts in this lesson

Hebrews 4:6 · Hebrews 4:7 · Joshua 21:43 · Joshua 21:44 · Hebrews 4:8 · Hebrews 4:9 · Hebrews 4:10 · Hebrews 4:11 · Hebrews 4:12 · Ecclesiastes 12:13 · Ecclesiastes 12:14 · Hebrews 4:13 · Hebrews 4:14 · Hebrews 4:15 · Hebrews 2:10 · Hebrews 2:17 · Hebrews 2:18 · Hebrews 4:16 · Galatians 3:16 · Romans 4:13 · Galatians 3:29 · Matthew 5:5 · Psalms 37:11 · Hebrews 4:3 · Matthew 25:38 · Acts 7:5 · Hebrews 11:9 · Hebrews 11:13

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