We Who Have Believed Enter That Rest

Hebrews 4:1–10 – Jesus Is Better
Christ the King – November 23rd, 2025 (am)     

There’s a single word that dominates this passage, and it has a similar impact in our minds and hearts. The word is rest. And we’ve talked about it before, many times. Rest has its own value. It pays its own reward any time we enter into it. It’s nice to rest. We feel refreshed by rest. But that’s not the rest we’re reading about here. It’s barely a faint copy of it. Yes, all human beings can rest. In fact, we have to rest. Some portion of every day is reserved for what we could best call rest. We sleep. Body and mind recover. Attention is refocused, regained; its span is lengthened. Heavy responsibility, whether licit or illicit, can impede the refreshment of rest, even severely, but not entirely.

But that’s not the rest that dominates this passage. The rest we’re talking about here manifests in several different ways, but there’s an essential unity that’s common to them all. The word rest appears in some form or another twelve times in 3:7-4:13. Eleven of those twelve are the same word; eight times in noun form (κατάπαυσις), three in verb (καταπαύω). That’s eleven of just fourteen appearances in the NT. The twelfth is Sabbath rest (σαββατισμός) (4:9), its only appearance in the NT. This primary word rest is defined as a change of state from activity or work to a cessation from work that results in a feeling of refreshing tranquility and an absence of tension or worry, especially that God provides (Logos summary). In its first two appearances (3:11, 18), quoting then referring back to Psa.95:11, it’s referring to the land—Israel being denied entry because of their rebellion (3:8).

But then, here in c.4 we immediately begin that transition into the added manifestations of rest we mentioned a moment ago, into a rich, multifaceted, multilayered biblical/theological reality that ultimately dwarfs any experience of rest we’ve ever enjoyed anywhere else in this life. Let’s follow this word through our text and notice how those facets and layers accumulate and interrelate.

Exposition

1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands—clearly we’re no longer talking about the land; Israel crossed the Jordan some 400 years before this. But an ongoing expression of rest remains available to God’s people this long afterward, not just in the days of David (7) and Psa.95, but also in those of the author of Heb., and therefore in ours as well. The author’s purpose is to apply to his readers still more insistently the solemn lesson which the history of their forefathers in the wilderness teaches, and in doing so he makes it plain that the scope of the promise of entering into God’s rest extends far beyond the historical event of the entry of the Israelites into Canaan under Joshua’s leadership. The possession of the land of Canaan was indeed a fulfilment of the promise, but only in a… this-worldly sense. The perspective of faith discerns its ultimate fulfilment in the entry into a heavenly country (11:16) and a heavenly Jerusalem (12:22), in an eternal consummation effected through the redemptive mediation of the incarnate Son (Hughes 155). Israel’s rest in the land was just a picture, a type, of the rest we’ll enjoy in heaven when we’ve been reconciled to God by faith in Christ. There’s our first and ultimate amplified meaning, so it makes sense when he adds—let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. And he goes on to tell us what to do to avoid this tragedy.

2 For good news came to us just as to them—this is literally, for we also have been evangelized just as they were (Harrison 156)—and we recognize the need for that since faith comes from hearing (Rom.10:17). But we also must recognize that they didn’t receive the exact same good news as we do. Ours is a later, fuller version. In the days of Psa.95, the good news was just a vague promise of a great coming King and a nation at rest. When it was preached… to Abraham (Gal.3:8), it is was even less developed than that. But by the time of the writer of Heb., the key events had happened. Jesus (the incarnate Son [Hughes 155]) had come and provided His great salvation (2:3) that reconciles to God all who believe in Him and provides a rich future inheritance for them (cf. 3:14) that’s characterized as rest. So, Israel in the wilderness heard the good news in the form it existed in their day, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. They didn’t believe. They quarreled and grumbled (Exo.17:2-3) with hardened, rebellious hearts (3:8), so they didn’t enter into the company of the believing or the rest they inherited.

3 For we who have believed enter that rest, the promise will not fail when it’s received by faith (2), as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’” it will not be extended to those who don’t believe, no matter who they are, no matter their family line, although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. Odd wording; I believe the author is adding this statement as a clarification that God’s rest wasn’t withheld because it wasn’t ready, or [wasn’t] yet available…; it had been available ever since creation’s work was ended (Bruce 106). 4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” The author is intentionally tying in this promised rest with God’s own rest on the seventh day of creation (Gen.2:2). 5 And again in this passage (Psa.95:11) he said, “They shall not enter my rest.” This is God speaking of His own rest (3:11; 4:3, 5)—not just the rest which [He bestows] but the rest which [He Himself enjoys] (Bruce 106). The author has imaginatively broadened the discussion and raised the stakes. The “rest” he is talking about is not a mere cessation from trouble in an earthly paradise but a sharing in the eternal rest of God himself, which began when creation was finished and will never end. … It is this heavenly Sabbath which beckons to his Christian readers as the outcome of their belief and which they risk losing, today and forever, if they do not continue firm in that faith. (France 66).

6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, the door is still open, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, a fact now proven and pondered, 7 again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” these days, saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” The author is reviewing these details, it seems, just to make sure they’re fully understood—to make sure his readers get the point, simple as it is in essence, but so, so deeply rooted in biblical theology and salvation history.

Staying with Israel for the moment: 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. The OT itself is lifting our eyes to a fuller, richer fulfillment of this promise of rest than we can see in Israel’s history alone. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, both looking to the future and still in our day, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest, so it is available already today, has also rested from his works, now and not yet, and both just as surely as God [rested] from his.

Reflection

So, what do we take away from this? If our theme is what was stated in our topic sentence, let us fear lest any of [us] should seem to have failed to reach [this promised rest] (1), and we recognize that we who have believed [in Jesus] enter that rest (3) while hard hearted (7) unbelief (3:19) keeps us from it, then our takeaway today is probably stated most clearly in the very next sentence, topic sentence of next week’s passage: 11 Let us… strive to enter that rest…. But strive is a funny word, especially when we recall how we defined rest: cessation from work that results in a… refreshing tranquility… that God provides (Logos). How do we square that with striving?

The key idea is to ponder this rest toward recognizing what God has actually provided for us through the work of Christ (3:14): a cessation from [striving] (Logos), which is a goal worth striving toward. There’s only one other place in this letter where we’re told to strive toward something (different Greek word, but similar idea and context and parallel translation) and it’s a very similar target. 12:14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Peace and rest are notably related in Scripture. Peace is a state of flourishing in which all aspects of life work together in perfectly interrelated harmony. It’s the defining characteristic of the Kingdom of God (cf. Isa.9:6-7) and thus the defining greeting among His people: shalom. And rest is the expression of peace, the experiential display of it. As we see here, rest is synonymous with the final and eternal stage of God’s salvation, the short definition of heaven, we might say, and the very disposition of God following His creation of the world which He models for His people as the ultimate fruit to be gained in relationship with Him, and the foundational state of heart in His redeemed creatures that glorifies Him most.

So, bottom line, given the opportunity of entering his rest (1), what would hinder? What is it we truly desire more than rest, especially rest as defined in this passage? Knowing that believing in Jesus, trusting Him for our salvation, is all we need to do to enter his rest, why in the world would we ever pursue anything else? That’s actually a very good question!

We’ve seen in this passage that unbelief (3:12, 19; cf. 4:3) is our enemy, that it’s evil (3:12), and that hardness of heart (7; 3:8, 15) and rebellion (3:8), quarreling and grumbling (Exo.17:2-3), are what feed it, fuel it. So, how is it that we leave behind these things that we’ve never wanted to do, to be, and receive instead that which we’ve always wanted more than anything else? How do we do it?

I want to mention one thing that’s essential, truly foundational, and it comes to us directly from this passage. Then I want to mention a second thing that’s seasonal, upon us right now and very helpful in putting off the old self and putting on the new.

The first thing we need to do to lay down all of this evil unbelief (3:12) is turn to Jesus. Receive Him. Trust Him by faith as your sin-Bearer. This is what the writer of Heb. is talking about here. He’s urging his people not to turn away from Jesus, seeing what a great salvation (2:1-3) He’s provided! He truly is our only hope! And all He had to endure to make propitiation for [our] sins (2:17) tells us how serious our problem actually is. So does our continuing to struggle with quarreling and grumbling (Exo.17:2-3) and hardness of heart (7; 3:8, 15) even after receiving His forgiveness, and then His help when we’re being tempted (2:18). Our problem is massive and only Jesus can fix it!

The second thing we need to do is not mentioned in our passage, or even in this letter, but it’s tied in with each of the subjects we’ve addressed today in other passages of Scripture, and it’s the focus of our season of celebration right now: thanksgiving. Giving thanks is such a powerful weapon to disarm and displace the very struggles listed here that impede our entering [God’s] rest that it would almost be strange not to mention it this morning as just that sort of grace from God. It’s virtually impossible to keep quarreling with someone when you’re actively identifying things in them for which you’re thankful. It’s hard to grumble about your circumstances when you’re giving thanks for God’s blessing. Thankfulness tends to shatter a hard heart from the inside out, and it absolutely swallows up unbelief by fixing its gaze on Jesus!

Look to Jesus, my friends, look to Jesus, and with deep thanksgiving to God, enter His rest. It’s yours in Him!

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Resources

Anders, Max, gen. ed. 1999. Holman New Testament Commentary. Hebrews & James, by Thomas D. Lea. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Arnold, Clinton E., gen. ed. 2002. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary. Vol. 4, Hebrews to Revelation. Hebrews, by George H. Guthrie, 2-82. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Barclay, William. 1976. The Daily Study Bible Series. The Letter to the Hebrews, Revised Edition. Louisville: Westminster John Knox.

Beale, G. K., & D. A. Carson, eds. 2007. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Hebrews, by George H. Guthrie, 919-995. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Bruce, F. F. 1990. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Hebrews. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Calvin, John. 1553. Commentary on the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews, trans. by, John Owen. Logos.

Carson, D. A., R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham, eds. 1994. New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition. Hebrews, by David Peterson, 1321-1353. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Clendenen, Ray E., gen. ed., David S. Dockery, NT ed. 2010. The New American Commentary. Vol. 35, Hebrews, by David L. Allen. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Dever, Mark. 2005. The Message of the New Testament. Ch. 19, The Message of Hebrews: Sticking with the Best, 413-425. Wheaton: Crossway.

Fee, Gordon D., gen. ed. 1990. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. The Epistle to the Hebrews, Revised Edition, by F. F. Bruce. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Grudem, Wayne, ed. 2008. ESV Study Bible. Study notes on Hebrews, by David W. Chapman. Wheaton: Crossway.

Guthrie, George. 1998. The NIV Application Commentary. Hebrews. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Hubbard, David A., & Glenn W. Barker, gen. eds. Ralph P. Martin, NT ed. 1991. Word Biblical Commentary. Vols. 47a, Hebrews 1-8; Vol.47b, Hebrews 9-13, by William L. Lane. Dallas: Word.

Hughes, Philip Edgcumbe. 1979. A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Longman III, Tremper, & David E. Garland, eds. 2006. Revised Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 13, Hebrews-Revelation. Hebrews, by R. T. France, 17-195. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Morris, Leon, gen. ed. 1983. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Vol. 15, Hebrews, by Donald Guthrie. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.

NEXT SUNDAY: Strive to Enter That Rest, Hebrews 4:11–13