Hebrews 3:7 – 4:13
Our lesson today is about rest, but not just any kind of rest—it is about God’s rest, a specific type of Sabbath, spiritual rest. These verses summarize our lesson: “13:18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief…. 4:11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
The warning for us in this lesson is that the people of God did not enter the rest of the Promised land because of their disobedience. God has rested from His work of creation and offers us a similar type of a Sabbath (“ceasing”) rest—in that, we cease striving to please Him through our own works of the law. Instead, the Word of God, is “lively and powerful,” revealing our sin, which is the constant accusation of the law. We enter “His rest” from the law’s accusation when, in faith, we receive the completed work of Christ for our salvation in His death on the cross to pay for our sins. Here our striving of works is turned to the striving of faith, which looks not to its own works but to the works of another, namely to Christ. Our faith rests in His accomplished works for us. Thus, we enter into His rest through faith in Him.
Let us pray: Almighty and eternal God, show your mercy to your humble servants. We put no trust in our own merits. Do not deal with us with your judgment, but with your forgiveness; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
