Enter into rest
Heb 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
The promise is for us, to enter into rest in Jesus. If we do not have rest it is because we fell short of the promises. We did not have faith enough to attain the promise of rest.
Today, I walked by the river, and a raft came floating along , no one was on it. It was just going with the flow of the river. I walked faster, hoping to catch it in a shallow place, I was ready to reach out and bring it to rest. But it just went along with the things around it, downstream to be cast ashore in some desolate place. This is as many who are caught up with the things of this life.They flow along with the circumstances of life, not seeing that someone is concerned for them. Our Lord is waiting to reach out to you and bring you into His rest. Reach out to Jesus, our lack of faith in him, or our lack of trust, leaves us adrift in the river of life until we are castaways. We must reach to Jesus, he is our hope and our rest.
Heb 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Israel heard the promises of God as we have heard them. Most of the adult Hebrews, perished in the wilderness for lack of faith. There is more needed than hearing about something. To walk in faith is the action by which we receive God's promises. The word preached did not profit them, because it was not mixed with faith. They were too small and so was God in their eyes. Their own fears were cancelling out the faith in God's promised rest.We must mix the word preached, with faith, then we are to move in faith. By faith we enter into our rest; Jesus is our rest.
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
We must move, we move from self trust to reaching for the hand of Jesus.
Mat 14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
Mat 14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
He walked in faith, until his surroundings gave him concern, then he reached for Jesus.
Mat 14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
Mat 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
If we are yoked with Jesus, he is never too far away to reach out to us when we call upon his name.
Rest to come
Heb 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Psa 95:10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
Psa 95:11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
Jesus is our rest from the foundation of the world
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
From the beginning we were chosen to be one with God, through his son. A holy people, without blame, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Heb 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Keeping the Sabath day, is not entering into God's rest.
Heb 4:5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Heb 4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Heb 4:7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Heb 4:8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
Psa 95:7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
Psa 95:8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Psa 95:9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
This was written after Joshua entered the promise land, there is yet another rest to enter into.
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
John 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Jesus is our rest and is preparing a dwelling place for us with him.
Increasing our faith
Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Our rest is being diligent in placing our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our works cannot save us, but we trust in the finished work of Jesus. We cease from our own works, as God rested from his works. Salvation is the work of God, through faith in Jesus Christ.
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
We are told not to work. Now we are told to labor to enter into that rest. What is the labor and it's purpose? It is the labor to keep the faith unless we be drawn away into unbelief by our thoughts. The enemy of our souls will try to make us turn from trusting Jesus. Any thought that is not of God, can pull us away from faith. How then can we keep our faith in Jesus? What must we do to diligently keep our faith in Jesus alive and strong? The answer is found in Romans and the following verses.
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
We give ourselves completely to the service of our Lord and we renew our minds in his word, the Bible is the word of God. Jesus is the Living Word of God. Before we search dreams or listen to prophecies we must have a solid foundation in the doctrines of our faith. All things must line up with God's word. New revelations should be set on the shelf until they are confirmed by two or more witnesses.
Rom 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Our faith increases as we study the word of God. If we do not know God's word, how shall we know what he requires and how shall we receive his promises? They are revealed in the Bible, the word of God.
2 Tim 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Word of truth
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
This beautiful verse is often quoted, yet few see it in the context of entering into our rest. What takes our peace away? Is it not the evil in the world? The thoughts of worry and concern? We are to give our concerns to Jesus as we increase in faith meditating on God's word.
For the word of God is quick
The word of God is alive, living, the breath of God.
2 Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Inspiration means "God breathed," it is the breath of God, fresh and life giving.
and powerful
Through the gospel we receive power to become children of God.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The word keeps us from sin.
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Through Jesus, the word cleanses and sanctifies us.
John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
The word has power through Jesus over the devils powers.
Luke 4:36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.
The word gives, life, a sound mind, healing, the list and pronmises go on and on. Search the word for yourself, through God's Spirit.
2 Cor 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
2 Cor 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
and sharper than any twoedged sword,
The sword of truth, the word of God and the witness of the Holy Spirit, sharper than any created sword. The word and the Spirit are the truth of God.
Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
The sword of truth divides, the light from the darkness. Light is truth, the sword of Jesus is truth and light.
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The word is to divide and separate things that are not easily seen in the natural, it is by the word and the spirit. Jesus is the Word of God.
1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Cor 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1 Cor 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Jesus the Word of God, sees all, knows all, for as God he has created all. He is one with the Father of lights. He is truth and light.
1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
I love the word of God, for through it we learn of God and his will. Do we worship the Bible? No, we worship the God revealed in the Bible and His Son, through the Holy Spirit. Without the word we would not understand the way of life nor the promises of God for us. We would be lost and in darkness. Enjoy the word, it is food for your Spiritual life.
Great High Priest
Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Jesus our high priest, He was the great high priest. Greater than all priests. He was the only high priest to go to heaven, returning to where he came from. No other high priest was also the Son of God. How could we go back to the sacrifices and priests of the old covenant, when Jesus is above them all?
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
He paid the price, being our sacrifice and our high priest, to bring us into grace with the Father; our sins are forgiven and we are one with God. The priests of the law could only cover sin until another sin came. Jesus forgives sins for all time. We must continue to trust him.
Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
Heb 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
He knows our suffering and identifies with us. He is a High Priest who has been treated poorly, even to suffer death for us. He knows sufferings and sorrows and he knows how to comfort us. He is more than our high priest, He is God the Son.
2 Cor 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
2 Cor 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
2 Cor 1:5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
By Jesus, we may boldly come to the very presence of God the Father. Jesus is our mediator who welcomes us into heavenly places. The wall or curtain separating us from God's holy place was (rent) torn open at the cross.
Mat 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
Mat 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Jesus is not only the great high priest, but he is the sacrifice and the propitiation, the place of sacrifice, the seat of mercy, for our sins. Jesus did it all, because he loves us.
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Through Jesus we become children of God. All things he gives to us for his glory. He chooses us, we respond in faith and he gives us a holy calling. When the devil accuses, he reminds him that we are forgiven and that we belong to God. He is our high priest who brings his own spilt blood to the heavenly mercy seat. He then says to God the Father, "paid in full." We are bought from the devil and belong to God.
Superragman @ aol.com
Hebrew Chapters
Hebrews 5
Hebrews 1 Table of Contents
Eaglewings New Testament Studies
Eaglewings Ministries