(Chapter 4:1-16)
In the fourth chapter, the writer presents another contrast. He compares Joshua, the great military leader in Israel’s history, with Christ our great spiritual Leader. Joshua brought the children of Israel into their promised rest in Canaan, which was an earthly and temporal portion of blessing. It could be, and sad to say was, forfeited some years later. Christ, on the other hand, is bringing believers on into God’s eternal rest. This is something which is spiritual rather than material and can never be forfeited! The contrast here is incalculable, and therefore, sets Christ apart from Joshua immeasurably.
The Rest to Which the Wilderness Journey Leads
Chap. 4:1-11—After closing the parenthesis at the end of chapter 3, the writer resumes his words of warning in connection with the dangers of apostasy that faced the Hebrews. He tells them that they needed to “fear” lest any lacked faith and came short of entering God’s “rest.” This shows that there was a real danger of some of them not reaching that divine end and ending up eternally lost.
The “rest” of God of which he speaks in this chapter is a future thing. It is not an epitaph on a tombstone. Nor is it a present rest which the Lord gives from the burden of law-keeping to those who come to Him (Matt. 11:28-2928Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:28‑29)). Nor is it a rest in our souls resulting from knowing that the Lord is in control of all the circumstances in our lives (2 Thess. 1:77And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, (2 Thessalonians 1:7); Isa. 26:33Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3)). Nor is it a rest for our tired bodies resulting from busy service for the Lord (Mark 6:3131And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. (Mark 6:31)). As mentioned, it is a future thing which the saints will reach in the Millennium. J. N. Darby said, “In chapter 4, the rest of God is left vague in its character in order to embrace both the heavenly part and the earthly part of the Lord’s millennial reign” (Synopsis of the Books of the Bible, on Hebrews 4). The rest of God will eventually extend into the Eternal State. W. Scott said, “The term ‘His rest,’ in Hebrews 3-4, in its fullest application refers to the Eternal State” (An Exposition of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, p. 416).
Verse 2 Says, “For indeed we have had glad tidings presented to us, even as they also.” That is, we have been the objects of God’s glad tidings, as were the children of Israel in times past. But this does not mean that both have been given the same message of good news. We have received the gospel of the grace of God which was only begun to be preached after redemption was accomplished (Acts 20:2424But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24)). The good news that Israel received in the wilderness was “the word” that the spies brought back to the people at Kadesh concerning the goodness of Canaan (Num. 13:26-2726And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. (Numbers 13:26‑27); Deut. 1:2525And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the Lord our God doth give us. (Deuteronomy 1:25)). The danger that the writer is pointing out here is that as the “report” which Israel heard in that day of provocation was “not mixed with faith,” and therefore, did not “profit them,” so also might be the case now with the gospel that we have heard.
Vs. 3—He says, “For we which have believed do enter into rest.” His point here is that the believer, and the believer only, will enter into God’s rest. He deducts this from Psalm 95 by reasoning from the reverse of what it says. If those who do not believe will not enter in, then it is only those who do believe who will. F. B. Hole states that this is a Hebrew idiom common to that language.
Vss. 4-10—The writer then goes about to prove, from Scripture, that the true rest of God is still coming in the future. Canaan’s rest into which Joshua brought Israel is really a foreshadow of God’s eternal rest. He emphasizes this here because the Jews thought that God’s rest was Canaan, and nothing more. He says, “The works were finished from the foundation of the world, for He spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all His works.” This is a quote from Genesis 2:22And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. (Genesis 2:2). He brings this in to show that from the beginning of creation God has had before Him an ultimate rest. From it we learn that there are two things that characterize His rest. One is His satisfaction in what He has accomplished and the other is His cessation from work. J. N. Darby stated that with the fall of man there now exists a condition wherein “holiness cannot rest where sin is, and love cannot rest where sorrow is.” Since God can only rest in that which satisfies His love and holiness, it is clear that He has not entered upon His rest yet. There, therefore, remains a rest ahead when the Eternal State is reached, when God will cease from His work (Rev. 21:66And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:6) – “It is done!”). Until then, He cannot be satisfied so long as sin exists in the world, and He has been working toward His divine end ever since sin’s entrance (John 5:1717But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. (John 5:17)).
Vss. 5-6—The writer refers to Psalm 95 again. He says, “And in this place again, If they shall enter into My rest.” As mentioned, this is a Hebrew idiom based on the actual quote. His emphasis here is on the word “shall,” which points to the future. It shows that God’s ultimate rest is yet to come.
Vss. 7-10—The writer refers to Psalm 95 yet again; this time he emphasizes the fact that the writing of the psalm was a “long time” after Joshua led Israel into Canaan. In the psalm, David spoke of people who were in danger of not entering God’s rest (Psa. 95:1111Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. (Psalm 95:11)). What rest could he be referring to if Israel had already been brought into their rest by Joshua hundreds of years before? The writer’s reasoning is that if Joshua had “given them rest,” why would David “afterward have spoken of another day” of rest? (The KJV says, “Jesus” here, which is the Greek form for “Joshua.”) His conclusion is that “there remaineth, therefore, a rest to the people of God” which is yet to come. In verse 10, he reminds the Hebrews that the great characteristic of this rest is that there will be a complete cessation from toil. He who enters it will rest eternally with God (vs. 10).
Vs. 11—Since there is definitely a rest to come, the writer exhorts the Hebrews to “use diligence to enter into that rest, that no one may fall after the same example of not hearkening to the Word.” This has to do with making sure that their faith was real, and proving it by continuing in the path. Using “diligence,” is stated in the aorist tense in the Greek, meaning that it should be a once-for-all-time decision to go on in the path.
In chapters 3-4, he has mentioned three rests:
Creation’s rest—marred by sin.
Canaan’s rest—forfeited by unbelief.
Eternal rest—sure to be reached by those who have faith.
The Threefold Provision of God to Help Us Reach His Rest
Chap. 4:12-16—The writer goes on to speak of the provision that God has made for us so that we wouldn’t fail to reach His rest. He mentions three great things:
The Word of God
(Vss. 13-14)
The first is “the Word of God.” It profits every person who handles it with an “honest and good heart” (Luke 8:1515But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. (Luke 8:15)). In this passage, the Word of God is mentioned in connection with correction, which if taken to heart, will be for our preservation in the wilderness path. W. Kelly said, “The Word of God is the needed correction, as we see it here” (The Epistle to the Hebrews, p. 73). The writer proceeds to give some of its outstanding features in this connection:
The Word of God is “sharper than any two-edged sword.” Everyone who uses it will find that it has a double application. The moral and spiritual issues which it addresses will apply to others as well as to ourselves; it cuts in both directions.
The Word of God is “penetrating.” If we allow it to search us (Psa. 139:23-2423Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23‑24)), it will pierce into the deepest part of our beings and divide between what is soulish in us from what is spiritual. (The writer speaks of “joints and marrow” in a figurative sense to indicate the inner part of our being.) It detects and exposes, and thus, makes us aware of deep-seated motives in our hearts that we would otherwise not be conscious of. We learn from this that the “soul and spirit” are closely connected and difficult to distinguish. This being the case, many have been moved by their soulish emotions in some matter and imagine that it is a spiritual thing. For example, we might be thinking about taking a certain step in life which we fully believe is based on spiritual motives. But when a principle from the Word of God is brought to bear on the matter, it brings to light that such a step is really born of natural and fleshly motives, and is not something spiritual at all. Thus, the Word of God strips away all pretense and superficial profession and exposes the hidden tendencies in our hearts that we may not know existed.
Lastly, the Word of God is a “discerner [judge] of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The Greek word translated “discerner,” in the KJV, can be translated “judge,” as in the W. Kelly translation. Thus, the Word not only detects and exposes hidden evils in our hearts—it condemns every evil that it exposes! It is the same word in the Greek from which we get our English word “critic.” Men, in their ignorance, dare to criticize God’s holy infallible Word, but really, they should be letting it criticize them. Thus, the Word of God judges us; we do not judge it!
The writer goes on to say, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened [laid bare] unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (vs. 13). He brings this in to show that if we allow the Word of God to search us and to judge us as it should, it will give us a conscious sense of having to do with God concerning those things which His Word has detected. Every upright person will, therefore, take God’s side against the evil in his heart and will judge that which is inconsistent with His holiness. Evils that would surely derail the believer, if left to develop, are thus “nipped in the bud.” Consequently, we are able to avoid a multitude of snares that would surely cause us to stumble in the path if they were not thus exposed and judged. This exercise may be painful and humbling, but it is God’s way of preserving us. It shows that our hearts are exceedingly deceptive and not to be trusted (Jer. 17:99The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9); Prov. 28:2626He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. (Proverbs 28:26)). This exercise of judging ourselves puts us in a right state to profit from the next provision that God has given us in the next couple of verses.
The Priesthood of Christ
(Vss. 14-15)
The second thing God uses to preserve us in the path is the priesthood of Christ. The writer says, “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession [confession].” He calls the Lord Jesus Christ a “great High Priest.” There has been a long succession of high priests in Israel’s history, but none of them were ever said to be great. This in itself distinguishes Christ from all the others. He has “passed through the heavens” to carry on His priestly service in the immediate presence of God in the heavenly sanctuary above (Heb. 8:1-2; 9:241Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. (Hebrews 8:1‑2)
24For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (Hebrews 9:24)). This also separates Him from those Old Testament priests, for no priest in that economy has ever ascended into heaven to minister! Aaron passed through the outer court of the tabernacle, through the holy place, into the holiest of all once a year, but the tabernacle wherein he served was a mere model of the true sanctuary into which Christ has entered and abides as our High Priest (Heb. 8:55Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount. (Hebrews 8:5)).
The writer’s use of the Lord’s earthly name “Jesus,” emphasizes the fact that He is a real Man who knows what it is to walk in this world. As a result, He can fully relate to our circumstances as men on earth. The Lord is also called “the Son of God” here. This emphasizes His divinity and means that He has all the attributes of deity. These two names of the Lord indicate that He is both human and divine, and they qualify Him to be our High Priest. Thus, we have One no less than God Himself (in the Person of the Son) as our High Priest! With such a Person on high to intercede for us (Rom. 8:3434Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:34)) and to help us in our earthly journey (Heb. 2:1818For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)), we are exhorted to “hold fast our confession.” As mentioned earlier, continuance in the path is the greatest way to prove our reality. Our “confession” is not merely a confession of Jesus as our Saviour; it is the confession of our whole heavenly calling (Heb. 3:11Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (Hebrews 3:1)). This is not to be given up for earthly religion, which is what the Hebrews were tempted to do.
Vs. 15—He says, "We have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin [sin apart]." This shows that Christ is fully able to sympathize with us because He is a Man who once lived down here in this world and was tested and tried as we are. The writer mentions two kinds of trials that we encounter on the road to our eternal rest—infirmities and temptations. J. N. Darby confirmed this and said, “Temptations and infirmities are not the same thing” (Collected Writings, vol. 23, p. 291). The difference is:
Infirmities are trials connected with our physical bodies.
Temptations are trials connected with our souls and spirits.
Infirmities are sicknesses, maladies, and other challenges in connection with our physical beings, resulting from what sin has done in the creation generally (Luke 13:11-1211And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. 12And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. (Luke 13:11‑12); John 5:55And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. (John 5:5); Rom. 8:2626Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26); 2 Cor. 12:5, 95Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. (2 Corinthians 12:5)
9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9); 1 Tim. 5:2323Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. (1 Timothy 5:23), etc.). The Lord did not have infirmities, for His body was holy and could not be affected by the corrupting effects of sin (Luke 1:3535And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)). Hence, He was never sick. Mr. Darby stated, “Unlike the Jewish priest of old, Christ was not encompassed in any sense with infirmity” (Notes & Jottings, p. 256). Some have mistakenly thought that infirmities are human needs, such as hunger, thirst, and tiredness, etc.—which the Lord surely experienced (John 4:6, 7, 31-336Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 7There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (John 4:6‑7)
31In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. 32But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? (John 4:31‑33)). But these are not infirmities. W. Kelly said, “There is a notion too prevalent among theologians and their followers that the blessed Lord Himself was compassed with infirmities. Where is such a statement warranted in Scripture? Do they call it an infirmity for a man here below to eat, drink, sleep, or feel the lack of these things? ....None assuredly should predicate of Christ what Scripture does not” (Christ Tempted and Sympathizing” pp. 45-46).
Even though the Lord didn’t have infirmities personally, He nevertheless can be “touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Matt. 8:1717That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. (Matthew 8:17)). This shows that He did not need to experience sickness in order to sympathize with us when we are sick. He sympathizes with us and intercedes for us as our High Priest regarding our weaknesses. But let us note; weaknesses are not sins. The Lord will never sympathize with our sins; He grieves over us when we allow sins in our lives, but He will not sympathize with our sins. Thus, He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but not with our sins.
Temptations, on the other hand, are things such as: suffering reproach, oppression, and rejection, having problems in life that press on our spirits and produce sorrow and discouragement, etc. These are things that particularly afflict the soul and spirit (1 Cor. 10:1313There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13); James 1:2, 122My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; (James 1:2)
12Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (James 1:12); 1 Peter 1:66Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: (1 Peter 1:6)). The Lord was surely tempted with these kinds of temptations. In fact, He was tempted with every test with which a righteous man could be tested—as the writer states: “in all points tempted as we are.” The J. N. Darby Translation footnote renders this phrase—“according to the likeness of the way in which we are tempted.” Hence, He sympathizes with us in our temptations (trials) from having experienced them Himself.
In connection with the temptations that the Lord passed through, the writer makes an exception in the words, “Yet without sin,” or, as the J. N. Darby translation renders it, “sin apart.” In stating this, he alludes to the fact that there are two classes of temptations to which men are subjected, one of which the Lord did not partake in. These two kinds of temptations are:
Outward temptations and testings in which one's faith and patience are tried. These are external trials which the enemy seeks to use to turn us aside from our heavenly calling. All such are holy trials (James 1:2-122My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 9Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: 10But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. 11For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. 12Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (James 1:2‑12)).
The writer’s point in saying “sin apart,” in connection with the Lord’s temptations, is to emphasize the fact that while He did experience the first class of outward temptations, He didn’t experience the second class of sinful temptations because He didn’t have a sin-nature (1 John 3:55And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. (1 John 3:5)). The KJV, unfortunately, says: "yet without sin," which makes it appear as though the writer meant that the Lord kept Himself from sinning in His life. While it is certainly true that the Lord did not commit sins (1 Peter 2:2222Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: (1 Peter 2:22)), that is not the point that is being made in the verse. As mentioned above, the phrase should be translated "sin apart." This means that the temptations which He endured were not in the class of temptations that have to do with the sin-nature. This, as we have already stated, is because He didn’t have a sin-nature.
J. N. Darby said, "There are two kinds of temptations; one is from without, all the difficulties of Christian life; Christ went through them and He has gone through more than any of us; but the other kind of temptation is when a man is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Christ, of course, never had that" (Notes and Jottings, p. 6).
Weaknesses in our spirits, souls, or bodies are not sin (Matt. 26:4141Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)), but if we let those things get us into a bad state of soul, it can produce sin in our lives, and Satan will try to take advantage of our low state and turn us aside in the path. It is, therefore, important to maintain a good attitude when we are tempted (James 1:22My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; (James 1:2)). Hence, we have a High Priest who can sympathize with us in all of our holy trials, but He will not sympathize with our sins.
The Throne of Grace
(vs. 16)
The third provision that God has given us for our wilderness journey is the throne of grace. The writer says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Knowing that we have a great High Priest interceding for us on high, we are encouraged to bring our life’s situations and problems to God in prayer. The access that we have on account of accomplished redemption and Christ having ascended into the presence of God as our High Priest is far greater than anything that the priests in Judaism knew. We are invited to come “boldly” into God’s presence with our petitions. This is something that the priests under the legal covenant could not do. They went into the holiest once a year with blood, and did so with trepidation. Moreover, their entrance there was to avert God’s judgment; we enter His presence to court God’s favour! These contrasts are significant.
When we approach God with our prayer requests, we must keep in mind that we may not always have the mind of God in connection with the things for which we ask, and therefore, He may deny some of our requests. This is alluded to in the words “mercy” and “grace.”
“Mercy” is relief granted in connection with a trial we may have by being taken out of it by the good hand of God.
“Grace” is support granted in a trial which God does not see fit to take us out of.
For example, we might be in a certain trial and make a request to be taken out of it. And since we are asking for something that is according to His will (1 John 5:1414And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: (1 John 5:14)), He lifts us out of it—and we are, of course, thankful for it. Thus, we receive “mercy” in connection with the trial. In another situation, we may request to have a particular trial lifted from us, but it is not the will of God—at least at that time. In this case, He doesn’t take us out of it, but rather, He gives us “grace to help” in that “time of need,” and by it, we are carried through the trial. Thus, granting mercy has to do with God’s taking us out of our trial, and granting grace has to do with His sustaining us in our trial.
There is an incident in Acts 12 That illustrates these two things. Herod incarcerated two of the Lord’s apostles (James and Peter) and had every intention of killing them. James was given grace to go through the ordeal and was martyred, but Peter was granted mercy and was liberated from the prison by the angel of the Lord.