April 8, 2021
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Hebrews? Here’s today’s reading:
Hebrews 4 (NIV)
A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God
1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed......Continue Reading
The idea of rest to me is so awesome because we live in a world that is always busy, always troubled, always anxious. When i looked up rest I found this..
The old Puritan commentator John Owen described five features of this rest for the believer:
· Rest means peace with God.
· Rest means freedom from a servile, bondage-like spirit in the worship and service of God.
· Rest means deliverance from the burden of Mosaic observance.
· Rest means the freedom of worship according to the gospel.
· Rest means the rest that God Himself enjoys.
Rest doesn’t mean we don’t continue to serve and work but rather we have the opportunity to be an extension of God here on earth. He did the work so we can be the vessel He now uses. Rest speaks to motivation…to trust and faith in God and following His plan! Lord help me to rest in you daily!
It is interesting how rest, faith, obedience and the word of God are related here. The rest spoken of is one of mind as well as body, but we must believe and obey to attain it. The word of God is the source of power and conviction that encourages both faith and obedience. It lays us bare before God as it exposes the things deep within. But the Word not only exposes and instructs but also is powerful and transforms if we choose to believe and obey. And when we do, we find the rest that God desires for us.
And yet when we falter and fail, we have a high priest who is able to identify with our weakness and give us solace, support and grace to help us in our time of need. And God welcomes us into His presence regardless because we enter not on our credentials but on Jesus’!
What a great chapter filled with nuggets of truth!
Hebrews 4
I look forward to ultimate rest in heaven one day
2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.
This verse stood out to me, as it ties obedience to faith. Without faith, we can never truly obey God, and without obedience, are we really living in faith?
Hebrews 1-4
I love the word rest especially in the times we live in where everything is so rushed and busy, it’s just so nice to know we can rest in our Lord, he doesn’t ask much of us just our obedience and faith in him, and he wants us to rest in him.
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/heb.4.12.niv
Love this verse!
Joshua giving the Israelites their land was a foreshadowing of the “rest” that God offers. I looked ahead in Joshua (we are just in chapter 5) and saw that Joshua, even after giving them their land, prophesies that they will disobey the Lord and go after other gods. 🙁 There was still a rest that remained to be offered.
“Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.” How can you be “diligent” to enter rest? This goes to the matter of “heart” again. The word divides and discerns our thoughts and intents.
12For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.