Hebrews 4:1
LET US FEAR, THEN. "Since the Israelites were not allowed in because of their unbelief, we should fear that the same thing could happen to us, and be careful that we go all the way into the promised land!... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US FEAR, THEN. "Since the Israelites were not allowed in because of their unbelief, we should fear that the same thing could happen to us, and be careful that we go all the way into the promised land!... [ Continue Reading ]
JUST AS THEY DID. The Good News to them was the promise of Canaan. The Good News to us is Eternity! COMPARE 2 PETER 3:13. BUT IT DID THEM NO GOOD. Their failure to believe God, disqualified them! [On faith, see note on James 2:19.]... [ Continue Reading ]
WE WHO BELIEVE, THEN. "If their unbelief disqualified them, then we who believe _will be_ qualified to go in and rest with God." AS HE SAID. See Hebrews 3:11 and note. Even though. God intended man to _go in and rest with him._ If they do not do this, it certainly is not because God left his work un... [ Continue Reading ]
ABOUT THE SEVENTH DAY. The Sabbath is Saturday (see Matthew 28:1 and note). The quotation is from Genesis 2:2. The sabbath had special meaning for the Jews (Deuteronomy 5:15). Yet the _rest_ of the seventh-day-Sabbath was not the _rest_ which Israel was denied, nor the _rest_ which we who believe do... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS SAME MATTER. Again he quotes Psalms 95:11 Septuagint. "This shows that a _rest_ different from the one in Canaan, was promised to Abraham's descendants. This _rest_ would be forfeited by unbelief, but seized by believing!... [ Continue Reading ]
THOSE WHO FIRST HEARD. God does not experiment or make mistakes. The very fact that he created A _rest_ proves that some will go in and rest. Those who first heard the Good News of this _rest_ did not go in. But those who do believe (like Joshua and Caleb), will be allowed to go in and rest.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS SHOWN. Long after Israel had gone into Canaan, God spoke to them through David. These words quote Psalms 95:7-8 Septuagint. This shows that the words to the Israelites in the desert were not only for them, but was a command for mankind in all ages of time (when properly understood).... [ Continue Reading ]
IF. [Note that Joshua and Jesus are different forms of the same Hebrew name.] "If God's promise had been completely made to come true by Joshua leading the people into Canaan, there would be no reference to _another day!_ Yet David speaks of _another day!"_... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE STILL REMAINS. "Since neither the Sabbath nor Canaan made God's promise come true, it still remains for God's people to receive this _rest_.... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL REST FROM HIS OWN WORKS. In other words, God's people will not go in and rest until their time of testing and suffering is completed. Compare Revelation 14:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US, THEN. "Since there is the possibility of going in and resting with God, we should do our best to seize it! We should not disbelieve and disobey as the Israelites did, and be turned away and disqualified!... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORD OF GOD. The Israelites were turned away when they refused to hear and believe. The message of the Good News calls us to go _into_ God's Rest. This word is alive and active, because of its _influence_ on us (compare 1 Peter 1:22-23). IT IS SHARPER. It cuts in all directions. _Phocylides_ sai... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS NOTHING. _MacKnight_ sees here a reference to the symbolism of the Jewish _burnt offering,_ where the animal was skinned, ripped open, eviscerated, and its backbone split. This was symbolic that nothing was hidden in the one for whom the sacrifice was offered. Unfaithfulness, disloyalty, an... [ Continue Reading ]
HOLD FIRMLY. "The unbelieving Jews say the gospel has neither a High Priest nor any sacrifice for sin; and they urge you to turn away from Christ and go back to the Law. But hold firmly to the faith! We have a great High Priest who has gone into the very presence of God!!!" See also Hebrews 9:11-14.... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR HIGH PRIEST. "Even though our High Priest is the Son of God, he can feel sympathy with our weakness." WHO WAS TEMPTED. Our technological age creates no new temptations, but only brings the old temptations closer to us. In his earthly experience, Jesus met and conquered everything that we will ev... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US BE BRAVE. "Because of the High Priest we have, we can be brave and come forward to God's throne (which Judaism does not make possible)!" THERE WE WILL RECEIVE. Everything is ours in Christ!!! See 1 Corinthians 3:21-23. Judaism nor any other religion has anything to offer that we do not _alrea... [ Continue Reading ]