Hebrews 4:1-11

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Rest of God

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. Unbelief, evidenced by disobedience, closes the door to the rest of God.

  2. Faith, evidenced by perseverance, opens the door to the rest of God.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. It does get better than this.

QUESTIONS

  1. What is the author’s great concern for his audience?

  2. Why was the story of the failure of the children of Israel to enter Canaan included here?

  3. How would this story be relevant today?

  4. What are the rests of God mentioned in scripture?

  5. In Hebrews chapter four, what is the rest that the author is urging his readers not to fall short of or miss out on?

  6. When does this rest begin?

ANSWERS

  1. He is concerned that some of them may not be true believers, and that some of these professing Jewish believers were being tempted to return to Judaism.

  2. It is parallel with the possible unbelief and disobedience of the readers of this epistle. The children of Canaan failed to enter into Canaan, and it is possible that the readers would fail to enter into God’s rest.

  3. Unbelief, evidenced by disobedience, closes the door to the rest of God. There may be those in churches today who are only professing believers.

  4. The rest of God a. comes at the end of creation week (see Hebrews 4:4 and Genesis 2:2) b. the rest of Canaan (see Hebrews 3:18) c. the rest of salvation and surrender (see Matthew 11:28-30) d. the eternal rest of heaven

  5. The future eternal rest of God in which all true believers will share

  6. It begins when you become a Christian. At that point you have eternal life.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Consider doctrinal point #1: Unbelief, evidenced by disobedience, closes the door to the rest of God. Have you entered the eternal rest of God? Will you participate in the rest of the world to come – both in Christ’s kingdom here on this earth and in the eternal state? Have you received Jesus as your personal Savior, acknowledging that He died for you? Make sure of your salvation today. Make sure that you have your title to the eternal rest of God.

  2. Faith is the key to opening the door to the rest of God. How do you know if you have saving faith? How do you know it isn’t just a profession of faith? Is it enough that you raised your hand at some point or walked down an aisle to receive Jesus? Remember, true faith perseveres. Continuance in the faith is proof of the reality of faith. Are you persevering in the faith?

CHALLENGE

  1. Read Hebrews 4:10. Think of the eternal rest of peace of being with the Lord forever. The rest of soul that true believers enjoy now is only a foretaste of what is to come.

KEY VERSES

  • “…but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.” Hebrews 4:1-2

  • “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God, for he who was entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” Hebrews 4:9-10

  • “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:11



Hebrews, New Testament, TalksDeb HarmsHebrews 4:1-11