Hebrews 4:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,

NIV: There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;

NASB: Consequently, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

CSB: Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people.

NLT: So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God.

KJV: There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

NKJV: There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.

Hebrews chapter 3 explained that Israel's disobedience cost an entire generation their inheritance in Canaan. But it was only those who were disobedient who lost out on the Promised Land (Hebrews 3:16–19). In this chapter, the writer has been explaining that his Christian readers should not assume they have completely missed out on their "rest." This is not a question of salvation, but of eternal rewards. While some false teachers claimed that others were too late to receive their inheritance in Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:1–3; 2 Timothy 2:17–18), this is not the case.

Prior verses explained that the "rest" of Israel in Canaan was not the ultimate, permanent rest offered by Messiah (Hebrews 4:8). This is why writers long after Joshua, such as David, appealed to the people to seek after God's rest "today," as in Psalm 95. Here, the point is made that since God's seventh day Sabbath rest from creation (Hebrews 4:3–4) is ongoing, the "rest" He offers is available right now, to those willing to trust and obey.

As mentioned elsewhere in Hebrews, this is not about eternal salvation. Canaan, in this instance, is not a symbol of heaven. God will save for all eternity those who come to Him in faith (John 6:39–40), but He will only give an inheritance of rewards to those who "hold fast" to their faith (Revelation 2:26–27).

This rest is only obtained by following the examples of God Himself, and avoiding the example of Israel. God rested when His work was complete. Israel missed out on their rest when they failed to complete their works. So, as the next few verses will explain, saved Christians need to "strive" in order to complete the work God has given us.

Hebrews 4:1–13 reassures Christians that they have not missed their opportunity to enjoy the ''rest'' promised by God. Chapter 3 warned about the dangers of losing faith and disobeying God. In this passage, the writer points out that psalmists like David, who came long after Moses, encouraged Israel to obtain God's rest ''today.'' Since God's rest on the seventh day of creation came only after His work was done, and Israel only suffered loss when they failed to complete their assigned work, Christians should strive to complete the work given them by God, in order to obtain the greater heavenly rewards. The most potent tool we have in this effort is the razor-sharp Word of God.

In Hebrews chapter 4, the author refines the theme of chapter 3. An entire generation of Israel lost out on their inheritance of the Promised Land due to a lack of faith. Here, the author points out that the rest promised by God is still offered, through Christ. The razor-sharp truth of the Word of God will separate what is truly spiritual from what is faithless. We should make every effort to obtain our inheritance in Christ, which is something separate from our eternal salvation. We can also be confident, knowing Jesus can uniquely sympathize with our temptations and sufferings.

Chapters 1 and 2 explained how Messiah could not be an angel, but had to be human in order to become our example and the ''Captain'' of our salvation. Chapter 3 described Jesus as worthy of greater glory than Moses, since Jesus fulfilled the promises Moses only spoke of. Chapter 4 will continue to place Jesus as a higher example than Old Testament figures, including Joshua. This chapter bridges the focus of Hebrews from our need to ''hold fast'' in faith to Jesus' status as our ultimate High Priest.

The book of Hebrews is meant to challenge, encourage, and empower Christian believers. According to this letter, Jesus Christ is superior to all other prophets and all other claims to truth. Since God has given us Christ, we ought to listen to what He says and not move backwards. The consequences of ignoring God are dire. Hebrews is important for drawing on many portions of the Old Testament in making a case that Christ is the ultimate and perfect expression of God's plan for mankind. This book presents some tough ideas about the Christian faith, a fact the author makes specific note of.