Podcast 123, Hebrews, “Pt 4, Ch 4”

Podcast 123, Hebrews, “Pt 4, Ch 4”

Hebrews, Chapter 4, is an extension of Hebrews, Chapter 3, and it is valuable to read them together. In fact, they form a perfect chiasm. Let’s compare verses 1-2 of Chapter 4 with verses 18-19 of Chapter 3.

Hebrews 4:1-2

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Hebrew 18-19

And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

That, of course, is not coincidental. Paul clearly intends or us to consider them together. It also establishes the primary theme of chapters 3 & 4. That theme is simply this: Only the faithful shall inherit the Kingdom of God and enter into his rest. In Chapter 3 we are told that perseverance is a primary criterion.

Hebrews 3:6

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Faith, which is the first principle of the gospel, is always a key ingredient. Faith is the gateway to miracles. Faith is the gateway to hope of eternal life. Faith is the gateway to entering into God’s rest: “But the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” It reminds us of the parable of the Sower.

Matthew 13:3-8

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

The lack of faith prevents people from entering into the rest of the Lord.

Hebrews 4:3-6

For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

God cannot force anyone into heaven. It must be a choice. Previously Paul said,

Hebrews 3:10-11

Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.

Paul hearkens back to the words of the Psalmist David.

Hebrews 4:7

Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (Psalm 95:7-11)

Let’s turn to David and get his own words. 

Psalm 95: 7-11

For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.

That same concept was reinforced by Paul in the previous chapter. Notice the added information, should I say exhortation?

Hebrews 3: 8-24

Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end;

Again, Paul emphasizes that we must endure to the end. But particularly notice the phrase, “They do always err in their heart.” Why didn’t he say, “They err in judgment?” or “They err in knowledge?” or “They err in wisdom?” and so forth? It is simply this: The Holy Ghost dwells in our heart and not in our head. Because of their lack of faith, they did not listen to the still small voice of the Holy Ghost. Paul said, 

Hebrews 3:7-9

Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

Paul gives the same admonition that the Children of Israel in the wilderness had.

Hebrews 4:8-11

For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

The tactics of Satan never really change. In the above we have the witness of Moses, the witness of David, and the witness of Paul. From Moses to David is about 450 years; From David to Paul is about 1005 years, but nothing changed. The doctrines are the same. The criteria for entering into the rest of the Kingdom of God are the same.

Hebrews 4:12-13

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

It is no coincidence that the beginning of Hebrews 4 is the same as the ending of Hebrews 3, nor is it a coincidence that the ending of Hebrews 4 is the same as the beginning of Hebrews 3.

Hebrews 4:14-16

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 3:1-2

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;  Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

The above is one of tremendous hope. Christ was sinless; therefore, he has the power to save us from our sins if we remain faithful and endure to the end. He was without sin, but we are not, yet he is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities.” For that reason, we may “come boldly unto the throne of grace.” Is that not one of the most comforting images in the Holy Scriptures, “to come boldly unto the throne of grace?” Not the “throne of justice,” where the wicked and unrepentant go, but to “the throne of grace.” But it is not without a price, and in Hebrews 3 & 4 Paul tells us that price. We must have faith in Christ, and we must endure to the end. 

That doesn’t mean that we are perfect. It means that “to come boldly unto the throne of grace,” we must continue to strive to become perfect unto the end so that he can bring us into his rest. By being sinless, Christ satisfied the requirement of the law of Justice. He paid the price for our sins. In return we must have faith in Christ. We show that faith by our works, by our continually striving to overcome our sins, our faults, and our weaknesses. One of us had to be perfect. Since none of us qualify, it had to be Christ. It is his perfection that we believe in, but we must believe in it enough to never give up, to never quit striving for perfection, and to never staying down when we fall. Sometimes faith is the ability to climb out of the hole believing that the arm of Christ is always outstretched. No one understood that better than Paul.