OUR FATHER WHO INVITES US INTO HIS REST THROUGH THE GOSPEL

The book of Hebrews chapter 4, continuing with the theme of the promise of being invited into the rest of God, tells us to be highly concerned if any in our midst seems to be incapable of reaching a state of rest because it means that they were not able to profit from the hearing of the gospel that, if mixed with faith, produces belief in those who hear it.

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.”

The point is made that the saving works of the gospel were completed from the time of the foundation of the world. Even though those to whom this salvation by faith was first preached  excluded themselves by disobedience, there were others who were designated to enter into the rest of God and this provision was to be accessed by an affirmative ( and timely ) response to the voice of God during the time of the new dispensation of salvation and an affirmative response will qualify one to enter in a state of rest that precludes striving and the performing of works to fulfill righteousness. 

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.

We are encouraged by the writer of Hebrews to be very attentive to the business of entering the rest of God so that no one falls again into following the  patterns set by the corrupted fallen nature. With that in mind, we are informed that the spiritual anatomy of a Christian includes a junction between the soul and spirit which operated in the same way that a ball and socket joint. The marrow that exists within the bone connected to the joint represents how our spirits are encased in surrounding structures.

At this joint is where the soul and spirit transmit thoughts and intentions between themselves and the word of God which is living, active and precise, can penerate into this junction between the soul and the spirit and be able to read the hidden interactions happening in the innermost thoughts and motivations and intentions of the heart which is where the thoughts and and intentions originate from.

Understanding that the inner  lives we lead are laid bare before God to whom we will have to give an account and there is no insincerity or hypo

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. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

With that in mind, it is important to remember that even though we are completely transparent before God, our eternal High Priest who is Jesus is one who has lived a human life and is able to identify with our weaknesses having Himself been tempted (though without sinning) by things we are tempted by.

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Our great High Priest made it possible for us to approach the throne of grace from where grace is dispensed ( which is the bank account funded by the riches and glory of Christ that underwrites each believer's life (from Ap. Arome)) to those seek to obtain mercy and find grace in confidence when we need grace. 

Amen.

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 OUR FATHER WHO APPOINTED THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

The book of Hebrews chapter 3 explains that we must follow the  pattern that was set by  the Lord Jesus Christ in His faithfulness to His Father who had sent Him to fullfil His purposes because it is that pattern of faithfullness in our belief that retains us as part of the House of God. We are adjured not to harden our hearts when we hear the voice of God and remain is the state of rebellion for it is the state of rebellion that excludes us from the rest of God.

 1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, 2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. 3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. 5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, 6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:

“Today, if you will hear His voice,

8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,

In the day of trial in the wilderness,

9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,

And saw My works forty years.

10 Therefore I was angry with that generation,

And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,

And they have not known My ways.’

11 So I swore in My wrath,

‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”

The warning to the believers corresponding to what happened to the evil generation that died in the desert for their rebellion is that we be aware of the emergence of an evil heart within ourselves that would depart from faith in the living God. The injuction is that it is ´today´ that the voice of God must be daily which is a daily practice of faith so that sin does not deceive us.

12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said:

“Today, if you will hear His voice,

Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 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.

Amen.

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