Make time for God’s rest!

The writer of Hebrews begins his second of five warning passages in Hebrews 3:7. He warns of the danger of doubting and disbelieving God because of hardness of heart. His focus is on warning Jewish Christians not to miss God’s rest like their ancestors did. R. Kent Hughes, It all began so well—but ended so poorly. Of the 600,000 men (the million-plus Israelites who began so well), only two over the age of twenty ever got to the Promised Land—and that was forty years later. The rest fell, disappointed corpses in the desert. The grand and terrible lesson of Israel’s history is that it is possible to begin well and end poorly.

The Old Testament relates truth to the Hebrew Christians from the experience of their ancestors. The writer warns that as all of the Israelites who left Egypt (except Joshua and Caleb) did not enter God’s rest, neither may they. As that truth was applied to them, it most certainly may be applied to us. Raymond Brown, It is important to note that, in the view of the author, God is still speaking to them through this Old Testament scripture. In his view the Psalms are something more than memorable hymns of rich poetic beauty. They are vehicles of God’s present revelation to his people.

The first use of the word rest in Hebrews is in verse 6 of chapter. Thomas Constable, For Israel, “rest” meant the enjoyment of all that God had promised the nation, not just entrance into the Promised Land . . . For the Christian, “rest” is the enjoyment of all that God has promised us, not just going to heaven. This includes the fullness of rewards that can be ours if we follow the Lord faithfully.

When one has seen the goodness and faithfulness of God but willfully hardens his heart in disbelief, how dangerous that is. Charles Spurgeon wisely wrote, God cannot save me. He is not able to forgive me; the blood of Christ cannot cleanse me; I am too black a sinner for God’s mercy to deal with. hat is a copy of what the Israelites said: God cannot take us into Canaan; He cannot conquer the sons of Anak. Though you may look upon unbelief as a slight sin, it is the sin of sins. Ray Stedman states, Over forty years, their real knowledge of God had not increased because their grumbling hearts blinded their spiritual eyes. A teachable spirit sustains a grateful heart.

It is easy to say that the Israelites who headed for the Promised Land were foolish to harden their hearts. It is easy to say that the Hebrew Christians should not have considered turning away from Christ. It is not too difficult to find those today who started well and ended poorly. R. Kent Hughes, The point the writer of Hebrews wants his readers to see is that it is possible to have a remarkable spiritual “exodus” and yet fall by the way when trouble comes. . . The problem today is that so many people when asked about faith point to their “exodus”—when they began with Christ. They can wax eloquent about their experience. . . Their “exodus” is a convenient memory. But to trust God now? That is a problem, for their faith is dead.

These are days when rest seems hard to imagine. Everything has been harder because of COVID19, changing weather patterns, turmoil, distrust and more. Can there ever again be rest for the weary? The writer of Hebrew deals with God’s rest throughout the rest of the epistle. This is a warning to not duplicate the foolishness of a million Israelites who couldn’t take God at His word. He loved them. He cared for them. He provided for them. He proved it daily. But, their hearts were hardened. We might say too bad for them but be careful to not miss the writer’s message for today, don’t let it be too bad for you.

Ray Stedman offers hope for future rest, . . . as we shall see, this Canaan rest was a symbol, a shadow, of a greater rest available to the people of God in the future. Join the study of Hebrews 3:1-6 which may be found under the Books of the Bible tab. Make time for God’s rest which is available today and forever.