We live in a day in which little thought is given in reflection on what the future might hold. We make our present moves and actions without consideration as to how this might affect the next generation. We live our lives for the here and now, eating what we will with no thought to how it might affect us, deciding that which will make us happy today with no thought to the consequences tomorrow, and being more content with fixing symptoms of problems that will again re-surface instead of laboring to permanently fix the problem now. We are simply a people who give little thought to what tomorrow might hold.

The Scripture, however, commands us to live in light of the future. In fact, multiple texts exhort us to live a certain way today precisely because of its effect on tomorrow. Hebrews 4 is one such text in which we are told that there is something that lies ahead, that there is something after which we must long, and that what we do today will affect our position on that future day. Consequently, let us this morning hear the text of Hebrews 4:1-13, process fully what it tells us and what it requires us to do today, and live properly in light of its truth.

There remains a rest from God for his people to enter

One of the first things we realize in this text is that there is a future rest from God into which his people will enter. There is something out there, something to be attained. Now, this is not the drive of the first verse of the chapter, it is an assumption in the first verse, but it is argued throughout the text.

The author writes in verse 1, “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.” There’s the assumption. There is a rest to be obtained. But what is it, how can we get there, and why is the author sure it is there to be attained, to be entered into? Let’s first answer the latter of these questions and then see if it aids us in addressing the others.

Why is the author sure there is a rest still to be entered into, to be attained? He gives two reasons. The first reason is built upon things stated throughout the redemptive timeline of Scripture. Thus, the author, building on Israel’s disobedience mentioned in chapter three, shows that the Israelites were to find a place of rest in the land. However, some of then failed to enter because they were disobedient in their lack of faith.

He writes, “Since, therefore, it remains for some to enter it [this is the statement we’re trying to find support for – i.e. how does he know the rest remains?] and those who formerly received the command failed to enter because of disobedience [again, we’ve seen this and understand] again he appoints a certain day, “Today” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted: Today if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts.”

Do you see, he is saying the Israelites hardened their hearts, did not believe, and failed to enter God’s rest. In fact, God swore they would not enter his rest (verse 5). Yet, later God was still saying, “Today” do not harden your hearts as if there was a rest to be attained. Now, you may say, “Right, and they did through Joshua.” However, that would not be a careful reading of the text, for this "today" was spoken by David, who came way after Joshua led the Israelites in the promised land.

The author, then confirms that we’re hearing him rightly, saying, “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on.” Therefore, it is clear, there is a day that has not been attained. There is a rest that has not been attained. For we are commanded to enter it today.

Therefore, the first reason why the author argues there is a rest to be attained is that even after they entered the promised land, which one would think would be the promised rest of God, God was still speaking of a rest to be attained, still several years later. Yet he gives us a second reason for saying there is still a rest to be attained for God’s people.

He writes in verse 9, “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God [again, the statement we’re seeking reason for – now he gives his reason] for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”

Now, it would seem that this is his conclusion drawing on verses 6-8. He has just shown that there is a rest still spoken of long after the day of Joshua, and he builds up to his conclusion in verse 9. Therefore, you would expect verse 9 to read: “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for he spoke of the day long after they should have entered it under Joshua.” But it doesn’t. His basis for the conclusion in verse 9 is something different than his reason fleshed out in verses 6-8. Verse 9 is the same conclusion drawn on another reason, a supporting reason.

So what is his reason for saying a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God in verse 9? He says, “For whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from His.”

Therefore, his argument is as follows: the rest God’s people are promised is characterized by resting from all one’s works even as God did from his, we’ve not reached that state, so a rest must then remain. Now, that makes logical sense, but where is he getting the fact that our rest must be characterized by resting from one’s works as God did from his? This is in verses 3-5. He writes, “For we who have believed, enter that rest, as he said, ‘As I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest’ although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: ‘And God rested on the seventh day from his works’ And again in this passage he said, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’”

There’s his logic. God’s rest is described in Genesis 2 as being characterized by ceasing from his works. Then God tells us that the rest they will not enter is “My” rest (i.e. the rest that God has). Therefore, it seems that his argument is that if we are to enter into God’s rest, and God’s rest is a rest in which ceases from his work, then if we enter his rest we will cease from our work. Therefore, his conclusion in verse 9: “There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”

Therefore, we see two reasons why the author can say there remains a rest to be entered into by God’s people, and it is a rest that (however it is manifested) means that (in some way) we will cease from our works. So, the logical question is, “How do we enter that rest and what would keep us from entering that rest?” The author answers this question.

That rest is only attained by those who believe, and those who do not believe will not enter into God’s rest

We saw this last week as the last verse of chapter 3 reads, “So we see that they were unable to enter [his rest] because of unbelief.” However, we see it again in verses 2-3 of chapter 4 as the author writes, ‘For good news came to us just as to them [i.e. the Israelites in the wilderness], but the message they heard did not benefit them because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, as he said, ‘As I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest.’” So, those who first heard did not enter because they didn’t have faith, they didn’t believe, for only those who have believed enter that rest. This is quite clear. But what does it mean we should do? What are the exhortations of the text?

There are two exhortations, one from verse 1 and one from verse 11. I will put them together as one statement.

We should strive to enter that rest and fear not entering it

These are the exhortations of the text. He writes in verse 1, “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it” and in verse 11, “Let us, therefore, strive to enter that rest so that no one may fall from the same sort of disobedience.”

Thus, we are to look at the tragic examples of those who fell in the wilderness and did not enter God’s rest because of their unbelief, and we are to fear lest any of us should be among them and let that drive us to strive to enter the rest.

Let’s first take the call to fear lest any of us should seem to have failed to reach it. Building off what we saw from last week, we should fear lest any of us show ourselves to be among those who professed faith in Christ but really never were converted, really never truly believed and never had changed hearts. We should fear that we might ever show ourselves to be those who do not believe.

But what does this mean? Does this mean that we should walk around all the time saying with great fear, “What if I have not truly believed? What if I am deceived? What if I’m on my way to hell? What if I’m really not saved?” so that we are paralyzed by fear and never learn to rest in God? I don’t think so.

Rather, we are simply to allow the temptation to be unbelieving produce fear in us. That is to say, when I am tempted to doubt the promises of God, I should allow fear to creep into my heart and sober me up and drive me to fight to believe. John Piper gives a great illustration of how this kind of fear works. He writes:

“When you were real little your mother and father said, very firmly, ‘Don’t ever run out in the street. Always hold my hand.’ Why? It is dangerous in the street. You could be killed by a car. In other words, [fear] running out in the street. But did that mean that you could not have fun in the back yard and on the sidewalk and in the parks[?] No. In fact most of the time you never even thought about how fearful the street was. Only when you got near to the street and maybe when your ball rolled out in the street, or maybe somebody tempted you to run across the street when you weren’t supposed to. Only then did you feel the fear of the street. The rest of the time the fear kept you playing in places where you didn’t have to feel any fear at all.”¹

I think that is a great parallel. This is not a command to live in fear all the time. Rather, when you are weak and tempted not to believe, let the fear drive you to run back to a state of belief. When you are tempted not to believe God’s promises and walk into sin, fear what that sin might do, as it hardens us and deceives us, and run back to faith.

The other exhortation is simply the reverse side of that. Fear unbelief is the first aspect, and the second is strive to believe. He says that we should strive to enter that rest, and we know that we enter into the rest if we have believed, thus we may say that we are called to strive to believe.

Therefore, the exhortation is to fear unbelief and strive to believe. Sometimes the fear may not creep up, for it is not needed, you are in a place of belief and striving to continue there. But when it does appear (i.e. when a temptation not to believe surfaces) let the fear drive you to stop walking toward unbelief and then turn and run [i.e. strive] towards belief. This is the exhortation of our text.

But it’s hard to fear when you should fear at times, and it is hard to find the strength to strive towards belief. Also, sometimes sin will make our perception more skewed and our sensitivity to what is right duller so that this battle to fear and to strive is a difficult one. So, where does this great task of fearing not to enter God’s rest and striving to enter God’s rest leave us? Is there hope?

I believe there is. In fact, there’s a two-fold hope. The first part is back in chapter 3 as we see the advantage of being in the church. For though it is often difficult to analyze your own heart and rightly see your own circumstances, we have our brothers and sisters exhorting and encouraging us all day every day (every day as long as it is called ‘today’). Thus, they can help us when it is hard to rightly examine and help ourselves.

The second part of hope in this task is found in verses 12-13, and yet there is also a warning here of why we must fear not entering that rest. In verses 12-13 we see the following reality:

God’s word is both the tool of final judgment and our aid in being found among those who believe on that day

Verses 12-13 were very confusing for me as I looked at them throughout this week. The author writes in verse 11, “Let us, therefore, strive to enter that rest so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.” Then writes, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joins and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are exposed and naked to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (italics added).

For what is the connection between verse 11 and verses 12-13? We know there clearly is one because he begins verse 12 writing, “For …” He tells us to strive to enter that rest so that we may not disobey in unbelief and then says we should do it “for” the word of God is living and active. Now it would make more sense if he said strive to enter that rest by using the word of God, which is living and active. And I wanted it to say something like that. However, I don’t think that’s the use of verses 12-13 in this text. Rather, I think he’s using these verses as an incentive to make sure we have believing hearts by reminding us of the nature of judgment that awaits. That is, he’s showing us that God, in his judgment, will not be deceived by your deeds or claims. He is looking for faith, and his word exposes you and lays you bare so that you will not be hidden but fully exposed to him on that day, exposed to the one to whom you must give an account.

Thus, it seems that our section ends answering why you should fear. Namely, God will be able to look right through everything that might have fooled others really see you, exposed before him, and only the one who believes will enter his rest. He ends showing the tool God will use in judgment – his word, from which nothing is hidden.

Therefore, this is a sobering ending to a text that began the very same way (i.e. telling us we should fear). Do not think that because you may be giving a façade to many others that you will fool God on that day. For you will be fully exposed before him and he will know the thoughts and intentions of your heart, judging you by his Word.

And yet there is a message of hope for us in these verses. As I began to try to wrestle with the connection between these two verses and the rest of the text it began to show more clearly. For though this text seems to be driving at the fact that God will judge you and expose your unbelief (should you not believe) it also reminds us that his tool in judgment which can expose your true heart is that which we posses today – his word.

This is especially good news when that which we’re battling against is the deceitfulness of sin. For it is not that day-by-day we are only battling specific sins. We are definitely doing no less than that. But what’s greater is that we’re battling the deceitfulness of sin. That is, there is an allure of sin, built upon lies that appeals to us. And as we buy into it again and again, eventually our heart itself can be hardened and deceived so that we look into our heart and think we’re okay because we’ve lost our sensitivity (like thinking broccoli must taste okay when you’ve really just developed a cold and lost your sense of taste). What we need then is something that can cut through the façade and really show reality, exposing us and the sin that we might believe. On that great day, God will use his word to cut through and expose our heart and belief (or lack thereof). Yet we have that weapon to use on our own hearts today, that we might expose the deceitfulness of sin, keep our hearts tender, and continue to believe.

Therefore, there is a rest, we should train ourselves to be fearful of not entering it, and we should strive to enter by meditating upon God’s word, allowing it to do its exposing work in our hearts and keeping our hearts tender and exposed that we might not be hardened but continue to believe and so enter that rest.

May God grant us his grace for such. Amen.

¹This was spoken by John Piper in a sermon at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN on September 1, 1996. It is a product of Desiring God Ministries. A manuscript of this sermon may be found at: http://www.desiringgod.org/library/sermons/96/090196.html

FEARING AND STRIVING TO ENTER GOD’S REST