Hebrews 4

4:1-3Some of the Jewish Christians who received this letter may have been on the verge of turning back from their promised rest in Christ, just as the people in Moses’ day had turned back from the Promised Land. In both cases, the difficulties of the Present moment overshadowed the reality of God’s promise, and the people doubted that God wouid fulfill his promises. When we trust our own efforts instead of Christ's power, we, too, are in danger of turning back. Our own efforts are never adequate; only Christ can see us through.

4:2The Israelites of Moses’ day illustrate a problem facing many who fill our churches today. They know a great deal about Christ, but they do not know him personally—they don't combine their knowledge with faith. Let the Good News about Christ benefit your life. Believe in him and then act on what you know. Trust in Christ and do what he says.

4:4God rested on the seventh day, not because he was tired, but to indicate the completion of creation. The wortd was perfect, and God was well satisfied with it. This rest is a foretaste of our eternal joy when creation will be renewed and restored, every mark of sin will be removed, and the world will be made perfect again. Our Sabbath-rest in Christ begins when we trust him to complete his good and perfect work in us (see the note on 3:11).

4:6,7God had given the Israelites the opportunity to enter Canaan, but they disobeyed and failed to enter (Numbers 13-14). Now God offers us the opportunity to enter his ultimate place of rest—he invites us to come to Christ. To enter his rest, you must believe that God has this relationship in mind for you; you must stop trying to create it; you must trust in Christ for it; and you must determine to obey him. Today is the best time to find peace with God. Tomorrow may be too late.

4:8-11God wants us to enter his rest. For the Israelites of Moses’ time, this rest was the earthly rest to be found in the Promised Land. For Christians, it is peace with God now and eternal life on a new earth later. We do not need to wait for the next life to enjoy God's rest and peace; we may have it daily now! Our daily rest in the LORD will not end with death but will become an eternal rest in the place that Christ is preparing for us (John 14:1-4).

4:10Busy people often work especially hard the week before vacation, tying up loose ends so they can relax. Students usually have their final exams right before semester breaks. When we know a rest is coming, we put extra effort into finishing our work. Healthy Christians love the work God has given them, doing it with passion and gusto, putting all their strength and care into it. But Christians love God’s promise of heaven’s rest even more and look forward to God’s rest with great joy. Today, renew your effort to work hard for God. Rest is coming. Relish the thought.

4:11,12Because the readers of Hebrews (Jewish Christians) had experienced the rejection of their fellow Jews, they often felt

4:11If Jesus has provided for our rest through faith, why must we “do our best to enter that rest”? This is not the struggle of doing good in order to obtain salvation, nor is it a mystical struggle to overcome selfishness. It refers to making every effort to appreciate and benefit from what God has already provided. Salvation ts not to be taken for granted; to appropriate the gift God offers requires decision and commitment.

4:12The Word of God is not simply a collection of words from God, a vehicle for communicating ideas; it is living, life-changing, “and dynamic as it works in us. With the incisiveness of a surgeon’s knife, God’s Word reveals who we are and what we are not. It penetrates the core of our moral and spiritual life. It discerns what is within us, both good and evil. The demands of God’s Word require -Aecisions, We must not only listen to the Word; we must also let it shape our lives.

4:13Nothing can be hidden from God. He knows about every- One everywhere, and everything about us is wide open to his all- Seeing eyes. God sees all we do and knows all we think. Even when we are unaware of his presence, he is there. When we try to hide from him, he sees us. We can have no secrets from God. It is comforting to realize that although God knows us intimately, he still loves us.

4:14Christ is superior to the priests, and his priesthood is supeior to their priesthood. To the Jews, the high priest was the high- 8st religious authority in the land. He alone entered the Most Holy Place in the Temple once a year to make atonement for the sins of the whole nation (Leviticus 16). Like the high priest, Jesus mediates between God and us. As humanity’s representative, he inter- Cedes for us before God. As God’s representative, he assures us Of God's forgiveness. Jesus has more authority than the Jewish high priests because he is truly God and truly man. Unlike the high priest, who could go before God only once a year, Christ is always at God's right hand, interceding for us. He is always available to hear us when we pray.

4:15Jesus is like us because he experienced a full range of temptations throughout his life as a human being. We can be comforted knowing that Jesus faced temptation—he can sympathize with us. We can be encouraged knowing that Jesus faced temptation without giving in to sin. He shows us that we do not have to sin when facing the seductive jure of temptation. Jesus is the only perfect human being who has ever lived.

4:16Prayer is our approach to God, and we are to come “boldly.” Some Christians approach God meekly with heads hung low, afraid to ask him to meet their needs. Others pray flippantly, giving little thought to what they say. Come with reverence because he is your King. But also come with bold assurance because he is your Friend and Counselor.