The Promise of Rest
a“So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
a“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.”
| << Hebrews 4:2 | Hebrews 4:4 >> |
What Does Hebrews 4:3 Mean?
Hebrews 4:1-10
Hebrews 4 shows a connection between God's rest on the Sabbath day during the creation week and the thousand-year reign of Christ, commonly called the "Millennium." It is logical to conclude that the other six days of Creation typify 6,000 years of man's government on earth. Thus, God has a 7,000-year plan to bring humanity into His Family, and we find ourselves near the end of man's allotted 6,000 years!
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
God's Master Plan
Hebrews 4:1-10
What happened when Jesus Christ was raised from the dead? He entered His rest! And when Christ was resurrected? On the Sabbath, when the wavesheaf was cut! They all tie together. By a resurrection from the dead, we inherit and fully enter the Kingdom of God. We could call it the World Tomorrow, and we could probably come up with a few other terms for it.
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Christ's Death, Resurrection, and Ascension
Hebrews 4:1-11
These verses contain two points that will help us in being still. The first point is a long-range one, and the second is more immediate:
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We need to be diligent to enter the rest that is the Kingdom of God. This is the true rest toward which all Christians should be intently pressing. It will be a true rest from the sin, confusion, and turmoil that are hallmarks of this age.
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In the meantime, as verse 9 reads, "There remains therefore a rest for the people of God." The word "rest" is sabbatismos in Greek, and it refers to both the weekly Sabbath rest and the ultimate rest in God's Kingdom, of which it is a type. God has given us a weekly, twenty-four-hour period when we can be still and use that time to come to know Him.
The people of God need this one day to recharge physically, but more importantly, they need it to pull out of the world, remove themselves from the rat race, and get into communion with God. The Sabbath day allows them to adjust their attitudes, understand godly reasoning, receive instruction, see God at work, and come to know Him more intimately.
Being still need not be limited to the Sabbath day. We should make a concerted effort to find time during the workweek to stop our headlong rush through life, be alone with God, and simply, prayerfully think, which is biblical meditation. In a world like ours, we frequently need to evaluate ourselves and reevaluate our course, and the way to do these things is to be still.
In John 14:27, our Savior says to us: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." If we can learn to be still, we will enjoy the wonderful benefits of Christ's peace in us.
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Beating the Rat Race (Part Six)
| << Hebrews 4:2 | Hebrews 4:4 >> |
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