Strive to Enter That Rest

Hebrews 4:11–13 – Jesus Is Better
First Sunday of Advent – November 30th, 2025 (am)     

Once again you can see in the bulletin that we’ll be handling this week’s text as a single thought, no outline. We could label each verse to describe what it contributes to the whole, but this really is a tightly interwoven thought that provides a fitting conclusion not only to vv.9-10, as we said last week, but also to the whole of 3:7-4:10. As a concluding statement, v.11 acts as the charge, v.12 the rationale, and v.13 the motivation. And it will be helpful as we talk about the familiar v.12 to see how today’s three verses function as the conclusion to each of these sections. So, let’s just get started on that.

Exposition

Having heard through the psalmist about Israel’s history in the wilderness and their failure to enter the land, their rest, the charge from the writer of Heb. is: 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. As we’ve heard many times while moving through this section over the past three weeks, we don’t want to reproduce or relive Israel’s rebellion in the wilderness, their hard-hearted (3:8), evil, unbelief (3:12, 19) that expressed itself as quarreling and grumbling against God and against Moses (Exo.17; Num.14). We don’t want to give in to the trials and temptations and discouragements in our times like they did in theirs. And we want the rest!

So, the writer says: strive to enter that rest, God’s rest, that rest He bestows as well as that rest He Himself enjoys (Bruce 106). It [was] evidently an experience… they [weren’t enjoying in their lives], although it [belonged] to them as a heritage, and by faith they [could have lived] in the good of it [there and then] (Bruce 110). So, [i]n view of all the glory which is accessible [by] faith, [and all] the disaster which follows upon unbelief, [the] author urges his readers once more to make it their earnest endeavor to attain the eternal home of the people of God, and not miss it through disobedience like that of the Israelites in the wilderness. Zeal and perseverance are called for (Bruce 111). That’s what he meant when he called them to strive!

The verb translated strive here means to make haste, to be in earnest, to concentrate one’s energies on the achievement of a goal. Thus, this exhortation [calls] the recipients of the letter to display a spirit of zeal which is the exact opposite of the spirit of unconcern that proved so disastrous for their forefathers in the wilderness and to which they themselves are presently in danger of [giving in] (cf. 10:35f., 39; 12:12 below). That rest of which the author has been speaking is not something to be trifled with; it calls for full seriousness and intensity of [pursuit] on the part of those who wish to enter into its enjoyment (Hughes 162). And [it’s] a matter of attitude as well as of activity. The author wants [them] to be in no doubt that this matter of “entering rest” must be their single most important concern (France 67).

Why? 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. This is a familiar verse, often memorized and quoted in affirmation of the nature, relevance, reliability of Scripture, of the Bible as God’s revealed and written Word. And is a sense, it does offer that word of testimony, but only secondarily. That’s surely not the primary meaning of v.12 in this setting.

In context, the word of God here is His spoken word, His pronouncement of judgment on those who disobeyed (11) Him in the wilderness. Its most direct OT referent is likely Num.14. After Moses had already pronounced God’s judgment on Israel for their rebellion (Num.14:31-34), Num.14:39 … the people mourned greatly. 40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, “Here we are. We will go up to the place that the Lord has promised, for we have sinned.” 41 But Moses said, “Why now are you transgressing the command of the Lord, when that will not succeed? Why aren’t you listening to the word of the God? (12) 42 Do not go up, for the Lord is not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies. 43 For there the Amalekites and the Canaanites are facing you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned back from following the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.” God is essentially saying here through Moses: You’re going to fall by the sword at the word of God! In this context, the sword of the Amalekites and the Canaanites is the sword of God’s word, the sword by which God is fulfilling His word of judgment.

That, I believe, is the rationale of v.12 with regard to how the charge of v.11 concludes the summary affirmation in vv.9-10 here. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword…. Israel fell by the sword of the Amalekites and the Canaanites, but the word of God at this stage of salvation history is sharper yet, sharper than any two-edged sword. Much as a two-edged sword will easily penetrate a physical body pretty much anywhere it strikes, the two-edged sword of God’s word will penetrate soul and spirit, not so much to divide or distinguish between them as to open them up to spiritual assessment much as a surgeon does with a physical body. There’s no part of our physical body that a sharp, two-edged sword can’t pierce. Likewise, there’s no part of us spiritually that cannot be pierced, known, assessed, by the word of God.

[T]hat which fell on disobedient ears in the wilderness…, is not like the word of [human beings]; it is living, effective, and self-fulfilling; it diagnoses the condition of the human heart, saying “[You’re ailing] here, and here”; it brings blessing to those who receive it in faith and pronounces judgment on those who disregard it (Bruce 111). [Psa.95] focused on God’s speaking, both in the “voice” that the people are exhorted to heed (95:7) and in the declaration [of an] oath that sealed the fate of those who refused to listen (vv.10-11) (France 67).

The meaning of what we read here in v.12 is close to that of Isa.55:11, where God’s word goes out from his mouth and accomplishes the purpose for which he sent it (cf. Psa.147:15, 18). Jeremiah conveyed this… idea of God’s word by describing it as like a fire and like a hammer smashing the rock (Jer.23:29) (France 68).

All that said, this argument from 3:7 on has been rooted in exegesis of the OT Scripture. So, there’s a genuine sense in which v.12 here is also talking about Scripture being the word of God, living and active…. Although this meaning is surely in the background, v.12 is not speaking only about God’s voice addressing His old covenant people through His servant in real-life circumstances. This is very important to note.

Finally, the author finishes his thought with a statement that we’ve already anticipated, but which remains important to see: 13 … no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Still speaking of the penetrating power of God’s word, in both senses we just identified, it lays us bare before Him. He sees all of us. This is a powerful image of our total exposure and defenselessness before the word of God. You cannot finally fool this God, on any level. His word comes to us with both blessing, in the gospel, and with judgment, if you combine that word with unbelief. And that pierces to the deepest levels of our being. That understanding of v.12, then, is reinforced by v.13 (Carson 2002), and v.13 magnifies the already considerable impact of v.12 by telling us clearly what it means for us, such that it becomes our motivation for hearing and heeding the charge is v.11

Reflection

So, let’s remember that charge as we close. As we defined this word strive earlier, the author is calling us to make haste, and to be in earnest, to concentrate [all our] energies, think of that, on [entering God’s rest]. Or, as we put it last week, strive, in this sense, to know His peace (12:14) such that we experience His rest. [This charge calls] the recipients of the letter to display a spirit of zeal which is the exact opposite of the [disregard] that proved so disastrous for [Israel] in the wilderness and [which still comes so easily to us today] (cf. 10:35f., 39; 12:12 below). [The] rest of which the author [is] speaking is not something to be trifled with; it calls for full seriousness and intensity of [pursuit] on the part of all those who wish to enter into its [enjoyments] (Hughes 162).

That’s the charge! That’s our calling! That’s what God has intended us not just to know but to experience in the great salvation (2:3) He’s provided for us through the propitious (2:17) work for our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s what He’s intended us to know and to experience in seed-form here and how, and in fullness once Jesus returns. These are the defining characteristics of our salvation, the soul and spirit of the change wrought within us by the saving grace of God. And the closing three verse of this chapter give us yet more help in knowing how to pursue it. So, tell me, is there anyone among us actually desires something other than this, something more?

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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. 2002. Hebrews Part 3. Hebrews 3:7-4:13: Jesus Rest Is Better Than All the Rest. The Gospel Coalition.org. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/sermon/part-3-jesus-rest-is-better-than-all-the-rest-hebrews-3-7-4-13/.

                  , 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: Hebrews 4:14–16, Pastor Nick Conner