Today’s text illustrates how some receive the promise of God’s rest through faith and submission while others reject that promise through unbelief and disobedience. Understand that God is offering you, His rest. When you enter His rest, you cease from your efforts to achieve God’s approval. When you enter His rest, you can approach God based on His work in saving you rather than attempting to work to save yourself!
Hebrews 4:1–10 (NKJV) 1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5 and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.” 6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
God isn’t concerned about yesterday. He is always focused on “Today”. The Lord says to you, “How are you doing ‘today’”? Are you trusting Him today? Are you walking with Him in faith today? God’s promises are not to those who “used to walk with God” or “used to believe”. God’s promised rest is to all those who will trust Him today. Will you trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross for you today?
The Apostle Paul put it this way – Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:” (Romans 4:4–6, NKJV)
Pastor Mike