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Hebrews 4:8-10
The author of Hebrews brings into light Joshua, the assistant of Moses, who after the death of Moses led the Israelites into the promised land (Deuteronomy 34; Joshua 1). Finally, after forty years of wandering in the wilderness the Israelites were permitted to enter the land that God promised to the descendants of Abraham (Genesis 17; 18:18-19); but it is important to be aware of what God declares in Genesis 18:19 (ESV), “For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” The Israelites that Joshua led into the promised land did not, “keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice” as the LORD commanded in Genesis 18:19. If this were so there would be no more talk of entering God’s rest because upon entering the promised land all would be fulfilled and the covenant between God and Abraham accomplished and completed. So as the author of Hebrews states in Hebrews 4:9-10 (NKJV), “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” This points us to a future rest that cannot be accomplished in this world as we know from James that in this world we are to do continual good works as a reflection of our salvation in Christ Jesus (James 2:14-26). In speaking of Abraham, James 2:22 (NIV) states, “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.” If we are, while remaining in this world, continually doing things which are reflective of our faith in making our faith complete by these works, then we have not yet entered God’s rest and cannot while we remain in this world. This brings to light Psalm 95:7-8, as the author of Hebrews has directly noted three times, even more if we take into consideration the number of times we are instructed to not follow the opposite way as in the way of the rebellion;
“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.” [Psalm 95:7-8] (NKJV)
This is a promise of a rest in God that is not of this world.
This points only to God’s rest being in another world that is not of this world. Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4:23-24 (ESV), “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
To be born again is to be born in spirit; to have one’s heart cleansed spiritually that a sincerity of one’s heart may be established with Almighty God as is His desire for His relationship to be with each and every one of us. Our actions in our good works/deeds is a reflection of that sincerity of heart to God that can only be accomplished through one’s faith in Christ Jesus, who came to save the world from sin so that all who believe in Him would be saved. This is spiritual and is how God desires us to be in our worship of Him – in Christ.
Dear LORD,
Please help us to see that our relationship with You is through faith in Your Son Jesus whom You sent to save the world from sin. But also that our lives are to be a continual outgiving of works that show our faith and make it complete as we have learned from James 2:22. LORD, help us to see that our relationship with You is spiritual as You are spirit and desire us to worship You in spirit, and that the rest You will give us who believe in You is not a rest that can be found in this world but only through a spiritual rebirth – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.