The Berean: Daily Verse and Commentary for Hebrews 4:1-11 (https://www.

theberean.org)

Hebrews 4:1-11
(1) Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be
careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. (2) For we
also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message
they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not
combine it with faith. (3) Now we who have believed enter that rest, just
as God has said,
"So I declared on oath in my anger,
'They shall never enter my rest.' " And yet his work has been finished
since the creation of the world. (4) For somewhere he has spoken about
the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from
all his work." (5) And again in the passage above he says, "They shall
never enter my rest." (6) It still remains that some will enter that rest, and
those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in,
because of their disobedience. (7) Therefore God again set a certain day,
calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was
said before:
"Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts." (8) For if Joshua had given them rest, God
would not have spoken later about another day. (9) There remains, then, a
Sabbath-rest for the people of God; (10) for anyone who enters God's rest
also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. (11) Let us,
therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by
following their example of disobedience.
New International Version

These verses contain two points that will help us in being still. The first point
is a long-range one, and the second is more immediate:

1.
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The Berean: Daily Verse and Commentary for Hebrews 4:1-11 (https://www.
theberean.org)
1. We need to be diligent to enter the rest that is the Kingdom of God. This
is the true rest toward which all Christians should be intently pressing. It
will be a true rest from the sin, confusion, and turmoil that are hallmarks
of this age.

2. In the meantime, as verse 9 reads, "There remains therefore a rest for

the people of God." The word "rest" is sabbatismos in Greek, and it
refers to both the weekly Sabbath rest and the ultimate rest in God's
Kingdom, of which it is a type. God has given us a weekly, twenty-four-
hour period when we can be still and use that time to come to know
Him.

The people of God need this one day to recharge physically, but more
importantly, they need it to pull out of the world, remove themselves from
the rat race, and get into communion with God. The Sabbath day allows
them to adjust their attitudes, understand godly reasoning, receive
instruction, see God at work, and come to know Him more intimately.

Being still need not be limited to the Sabbath day. We should make a
concerted effort to find time during the workweek to stop our headlong rush
through life, be alone with God, and simply, prayerfully think, which is
biblical meditation. In a world like ours, we frequently need to evaluate
ourselves and reevaluate our course, and the way to do these things is to be
still.

In John 14:27, our Savior says to us: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I
give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be
troubled, neither let it be afraid." If we can learn to be still, we will enjoy the
wonderful benefits of Christ's peace in us.

— Richard T. Ritenbaugh

To learn more, see:

Beating the Rat Race (Part Six)

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The Berean: Daily Verse and Commentary for Hebrews 4:1-11 (https://www.
theberean.org)
Related Topics:
Biblical Meditation
Communion With God
Entering God's Rest
Hallowing Sabbath Day
Sabbath Day as a Day of Rest
Sabbatismos
Time for Meditation

Commentary copyright © 1992-2023 Church of the Great God

New International Version copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

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