In our investigation thus far we have reached chapter 4 of the Epistle to the Hebrews, which we shall now examine.

"Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it" (Heb. 4:1). The background for this appeal to the Jewish nation is found in the preceding paragraph (3:12-18). The generation of Moses to whom the original promise was made had refused to enter into the rest which God had promised. Because of this rebellion all those of age of that generation, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, fell in the wilderness, through their unbelief. The Apostle Paul therefore urged the Jews of his generation to make certain that they did not fail to enter into the promise that had been left open to them, but to accept it without any hesitation.

The promise being left of entering into His rest is the one that was, as we have already seen, found in Psalm 95. Since the generation of Moses failed to enter into that rest, David, something like five hundred years after Moses, by the Spirit of God looked forward into the future and spoke to his brethren, exhorting them to accept and give heed to the Lord whenever He should make His personal appearance upon earth. This we have already seen in a former study of this series. The promise therefore here referred to as having been left is the one mentioned by David.

The matter of accepting God and entering into fellowship with Him is such a very important matter that the Apostle urged his brethren to be absolutely certain that none of them should come short of the grace of God in failing to take hold of this promise. As we have already noted, they had to accept the promise while it was still being called "To-day," which period of time, as we have already seen, ended with the downfall of the Jewish nation in 70 A.D. There was therefore very little time of this period remaining since in all probability this letter was written in 68 or 69 A.D.

As further explanation of the urgency of the matter, the Apostle in verse 2 of this chapter declared that the nation of Israel had been evangelized in the same manner that the generation of Moses' day had received its message. In our usual translation we have these words, "For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they ..." A better rendering of this statement would be, "For indeed we have been evangelized even as they also ..." When Moses went to Israel, he appeared before the elders of the nation and informed them that God had appeared to him and commissioned him to deliver them from Egyptian bondage. The message was thus given to the entire nation of Israel and its divine character was demonstrated by various miraculous occurrences as we read in the Book of Exodus. In the same manner the entire nation had been evangelized by 60 A.D. The message had come to them not in word only but in power and in demonstrations of the Spirit (See Hebrews 2:3,4).

The trouble with the people of Moses' day was that, though they had received the message, it was not mixed with faith on the part of those who heard it. One must believe and act upon the truth if he is to receive the blessing and benefit of it. In the same way the generation of Israel in the Apostle's day had heard the message but had not acted upon it. The proclamation of the truth began first at Jerusalem and then spread throughout Judea. Next it went to Samaria and from there to the uttermost part of the earth. As we have already learned, the gospel had been preached to the entire world by the time Paul wrote the Roman epistle in 58 A.D. (Rom. 10:18).

According to verse 3 of our chapter, believers are entering into the rest promised by the Lord, "For we who have believed do enter into that rest ..." This is a categorical statement and must be accepted at its full worth.

But what is meant by "rest" here? Note the fact that the Apostle spoke of it as "that rest." This definite language shows that the Apostle was speaking about the rest which God had promised to Israel. What rest was that? An examination of Leviticus 26:1-13 shows that unmistakably it was residence in the land of Palestine where God would give them the rains in their proper season and abundant crops. Moreover, He would not allow the diseases of Egypt to come upon them but would keep them in good health. Furthermore He would protect them from invasion by a hostile army. Thus the land of Palestine would be to obedient Israel "Paradise Regained" or a modern Utopia. This same promise made to Israel at Sinai was also renewed to the generation which arose in the wilderness and is recorded in Deuteronomy 28:1-14.

The Apostle declared that those who believe are entering into that rest. All of the circumstances in the case show that the Hebrew believers were not entering into any such modern Utopia. The language therefore cannot be taken literally as referring to them since they were not entering any such paradise. Since, however, the language is so very definite—"that rest"—it is altogether possible that the Apostle was not speaking of their entering literally into that rest at that time but that they would at the proper time enter into it. Such a usage of language is common in the Scriptures. For instance, the Lord spoke to Joshua when he was reconnoitering around Jericho in words like these words, "See, I have given into thy hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor" (Josh. 6:2). The Lord had not literally and actually delivered the city into Joshua's hand, but in purpose and plan He had. This usage is what commentators call "the prophetic perfect." The Lord knew that He at the proper time would deliver the city of Jericho into the hand of Joshua. He therefore spoke of it as an accomplished act. The facts in the case demand this interpretation.

Since the believers in Christ have not entered into any such modern Utopia, since the language is so very definite and specific, and since we have this type of "prophetic perfect" usage of language, the conclusion is irresistible that the Apostle was referring to the ultimate entering of the believer into this perfect rest, first promised to Israel at Sinai, but in the days of David promised to those who accept the Lord Jesus. This promise will materialize in actual experience for those who enter the Millennial Kingdom, to which without doubt this promise refers.

But believers even now in a spiritual sense do enter into peace, joy, rest, and contentment whenever they accept the full and free salvation offered to them through Christ and appropriate it by yielding completely to Him and trusting Him.

The reason for Israel's not entering into the rest when she came to the border of Canaan was not that the work was incomplete; for God completed His work and rested on the seventh day. The trouble lay with Israel and her unbelief. Without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing to God (Heb. 11:6). Those who come to Him and receive His blessing must trust Him implicitly.

According to verses 6 and 7 of our chapter, since the Israel of Moses' day refused to enter into the rest, the Lord, through David, made the same promise to a future generation.

Not even the generation which arose in the wilderness and which entered with Joshua into Canaan did enter into that rest which God promised. An examination of the history during the time of the Judges and the Monarchical Period shows that Israel had anything else but rest. There was trouble and disaster coming upon the nation, one after another. This fact is shown in verse 8.

Since neither of these generations—the people of Moses' day and those of Joshua's day—did enter into the rest offered, there remains, according to the Apostle, a sabbath rest for the people of God (verse 9)—to be realized in the Millennial Age. Nevertheless, the one who in a spiritual sense has entered into complete fellowship with God has likewise entered into that rest which is typical of the complete rest at the second coming of our Lord.

In verses 11-13 the Apostle appealed to his brethren to profit by the experience of their brethren of Moses' day. The latter failed to enter in because of their stubbornness and unbelief. The Jews of the first century as a nation who had been evangelized are here urged to enter into the rest offered by Christ.

In strengthening his appeal to his brethren to take this stand, the Apostle called their attention to the fact that they were dealing with Christ—the Word of God who is living and active—who would understand each case and would deal with it on its own merits. John's calling Christ the Word in his Gospel (1:1-18) is in keeping with Paul's language in Hebrews 4:12. Everything is manifest and open before Christ. One may be able to deceive man, but he cannot deceive the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ.