Hebrews - Entering God's Rest??
What is meant by and how do we enter God’s rest?
Hebrews the 3rd and 4th chapters tell us about God’s rest. Arguments are made to show that God’s rest was not for those who didn’t have faith in the gospel, whether that be ancient Israelites or current individuals; that although God had begun resting on the seventh day he was still at rest and the way was open for some to enter that rest; that in fact some will enter that rest; that the rest wasn’t a physical location (i.e. the promised land).
What exactly is that rest?
Is it as Matthew 11:28-30 says "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
It seems then that we can enter God’s rest by our belief in Jesus Christ. Do we need to supplement our belief in Jesus with works and efforts? Or are those things unnecessary to enter God’s rest and is that why the writer of Hebrews referred to this rest as a “Sabbath rest”?
If the Sabbath was the physical forerunner to the spiritual rest discussed by Jesus in Matthew and the writer of Hebrews in the opening chapters this seems to be one more nail in the coffin of works versus faith argument.
So then is this rest of God a spiritual rest, which means that we can rest assured that our redemption through Jesus was assured when he died for our sins? That while in this rest we can have a relationship with God? That all of this is due to our mediator, high priest and king Jesus Christ and the value of his sacrifice?
I would appreciate any comments or thoughts on this subject.
Hebrews - God's Rest?
by TheListener 5 Replies latest watchtower bible
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TheListener
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Narkissos
Imo "rest" (whether the anapausis of Matthew or the katapausis of Hebrews) is a far-reaching mystical metaphor which may include but largely exceeds Sabbath typology. While Hebrews may point to a connection with Pauline theology of faith vs. works it can hardly be reduced to that (and it is probably not Matthew's point, in view of his customary emphasis on doing).
A broader picture of the notion in early Christian Gnosticism might be helpful: search for "rest" in http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/nhsearch.html
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moggy lover
Indeed the concept of God's "rest" has interesting possibilities in the theological field of study, and various interpretations are probably capable of being adduced from a reading of Hebrews 4. For what its worth I can share what I learned a while back when doing a group study on Hebrews. The viewpoint is evangelical and protestant, so if you are Catholic or SDA you may have a different point of view.
The writer of Hebrews was intimately tied up with the OT experience, and its weight on his theology is often apparent. If he was familiar with the Greek LXX which would have been available to him in the 1CAD, he would be aware of certain interlinking concepts. For instance, the LXX includes notable passages where the word for "rest" [greek kata-pausis] in connection with Israel's possession of the land is clearly paralleled with the word for "inheritance" [kle-ronomia] - DT 3:18-20, 12:9-11
Moses showed that for Israel, their "rest" was their "inheritance"
In the same way it may be natural to suppose that the writer of Hebrews was using "rest" as a funtional equivalent for a Christian's "rest" or "inheritance" That Christians are such "heirs" he has already affirmed at 1:14. The writer of Hebrews ' later call to patience that the reader may receive "what He has promised"is followed by an assurance that "in just a little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay" " [10:36,37]
So God's "rest" is the garcious granting of a heavenly "inheritance" just to believers today, as His "rest" towards Israel was the gracious granting of a physical "inheritance" of the land of Israel. Unfortunately, the Israelites failed to "enter the Rest of God" [ie gain the permanent inheritance of the land] because, as you rightly pointed out, a lack of faith. [3:19]
But as the context of Hebrews shows, the writer here is more concerned with the here and now, and how the "rest" applies to Christians and a future "rest" for God's people [4:10] In 4:2, the writer points out that for his readers to profit from this invitation to enter God's rest, the reader had to "faith it" ie, "believe". In verse 3, he calls "us" the "hoi pisteu-santes" -"we, the believing ones" The Present tense participle, could suggest a perseverance in excercising this belief
It appears that belief, or faith, on the part of God's people, remains the prerequisitefor entrance into "God's rest" It is true that the writer enriched his thought of God's "rest" by alluding to the great Sabbath rest at the time of creation with the "rest" that the Israelites missed while in the desert, causing them a delay of a generation in inheriting portions of the Promised Land. But the continuation of that "rest" till now and until the consumation of all things, suggests God's gracious and continuous invitation to those who would take hold of the divinely authorized unheritance which is beckoning to those who "hear"
The "today" of verse 7, in ch 4, becomes the "today" of each person ever priveliged to read these words of Hebrews
Hope this helps
Cheers
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TheListener
For the average Christain then, how could we put what this rest is in a simple sentence or two?
Is it the physical resting from works?
or
Is it the spiritual resting from having to earn our redemption?
or
Is it something else entirely?
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Deputy Dog
TL
I think these two verses sum it up very well.
Heb 4:9
There remains therefore a Shabbat rest for the people of God. 10For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. -
Star Moore
Here is a cross reference for the scripture in Hebrews:
Rev. 14:13 And I heard a voice out of heaven say: "Write: Happy are the dead who die in union with the Lord from this time onward." Yes, says the spirit, let them rest from their labors, for the things they did go right with them.
So resting from ones labors is a good thing.. Could it mean possible, that one reaches a point where they are not fighting the flesh to the degree that there were previously?