The One Year Bible Club with Teaching
Commentary by Nick Book
Commentary by Nick Book
|
| ||||
November 2 – Hebrews 4:1-16
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.” 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. 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. 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.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
In this portion of Scripture we learn about two kinds of rest and Gods invitation to pray.
First is Spiritual rest
This kind of rest comes as a result of faith and obedience to Christ. Jesus promised spiritual rest to all that would come to him. He says in Matthew 11:28-30 Amplified “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”
For the Christian, spiritual rest is a byproduct of laying down our lives at the feet of Jesus. All our weights, burdens, sins and guilt Jesus takes away from us and causes us to rest by faith in his presence and the sure knowledge that we have been cleansed from all our past sins. Praise the Lord for his spiritual rest. This is the peace that comes to our souls knowing that we have been saved! Romans 5:1 says Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. After we have been born again, we belong to the Lord and if we trust him he will cause us to enjoy spiritual rest when everything around us may be falling apart. Jesus Christ is our good Shepherd and he promises to cause us to rest in his presence. Psalm 23:1-3 says; “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul...” God wants all of his children to experience the blessing of this kind of spiritual rest. This is why the Scripture also cautions us to make sure we enter this rest saying in verse 11 “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.” If we are trusting in the Lord and obedient we will experience his spiritual rest but if we are rebellious and unbelieving there will be all kinds of inner anxiety and turmoil because your conscious is telling you something is not right. Don’t ignore that kind of inner voice. The Lord may be speaking to you by his Spirit to repent and make some things right with God, then you will be filled with his peace and rest.
The second kind of rest is eternal.
This comes to the saints that have passed from this world into the eternal Kingdom of God in Heaven. Like God rested the seventh day after he created all things believers also rest from their works when they pass into Heaven. We see this reality in Revelation 14:13 where it says Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” So, after our heart stops beating and we die physically we no longer have the ability to work for the Lord but rather we enter into the glorious presence of God and enjoy eternal rest. This is also why it’s important to do our best to fulfill the will and purpose of God for our lives while on earth.
God’s invitation to come before the throne of grace through prayer
Hebrews 4:16 says; “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” This is one of my all-time favorite promises in the Bible and I use it frequently when I go to God in prayer reminding and thanking him that I can come before him with confidence and assurance that he will hear me and answer my prayers. I want to make something crystal clear here, it says to come before the throne of GRACE not the throne of CONDEMNATION. It’s so important that we get this right in our understanding that God is love and desires us to come into his presence with confidence. Some believers really struggle in this area of prayer because they think God is mad at them. Well, you may have some sins that you need to confess and be forgive for but you need to understand that God is love and he absolutely loves you with all his heart. If you have a twisted image of our Father God in your head it will keep you from his presence and you just won’t pray in faith because you somehow believe God does not love you (Which is really unbelief and a lie from the devil).
Friends, God loves us no matter what we do. He may not be pleased with some of the things we do but the more we seek him in prayer the less we will even want to sin because the more you experience the presence of God in prayer the more his love will transform your life. I can testify that this principle has absolutely changed me. The more time I spend with God in personal prayer, praise, worship and his word the more I get to know him and the less I want to sin because I don’t want anything to come between me and God. When you live a life of sincere prayer it develops spiritual momentum and you overcome temptation more and are quick to repent when you sin in thought, word or deed. So, know that God loves you with an eternal love and desires you and me to come boldly before his throne of grace in prayer not only to worship him but also to make our requests and petitions known in faith. God will answer our prayers and give us the victory in every area of life because he is for us and not against us!
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) Spiritual rest is the right of every Believer in Christ and is a byproduct of salvation.
2) If you don’t have this rest go to Jesus and lay everything down and he will give you rest.
3) We will enter eternal rest from our works after we die physically and enter Heaven.
4) God invites us to come before his throne of GRACE with boldness!
5) We are assured of mercy to forgive our sins and grace to help us in our time of need.
6) God is love and wants to spend time fellowshipping with you and me, we’re his children.
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute.
Enroll free today! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
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.” 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. 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. 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.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
In this portion of Scripture we learn about two kinds of rest and Gods invitation to pray.
First is Spiritual rest
This kind of rest comes as a result of faith and obedience to Christ. Jesus promised spiritual rest to all that would come to him. He says in Matthew 11:28-30 Amplified “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”
For the Christian, spiritual rest is a byproduct of laying down our lives at the feet of Jesus. All our weights, burdens, sins and guilt Jesus takes away from us and causes us to rest by faith in his presence and the sure knowledge that we have been cleansed from all our past sins. Praise the Lord for his spiritual rest. This is the peace that comes to our souls knowing that we have been saved! Romans 5:1 says Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. After we have been born again, we belong to the Lord and if we trust him he will cause us to enjoy spiritual rest when everything around us may be falling apart. Jesus Christ is our good Shepherd and he promises to cause us to rest in his presence. Psalm 23:1-3 says; “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul...” God wants all of his children to experience the blessing of this kind of spiritual rest. This is why the Scripture also cautions us to make sure we enter this rest saying in verse 11 “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.” If we are trusting in the Lord and obedient we will experience his spiritual rest but if we are rebellious and unbelieving there will be all kinds of inner anxiety and turmoil because your conscious is telling you something is not right. Don’t ignore that kind of inner voice. The Lord may be speaking to you by his Spirit to repent and make some things right with God, then you will be filled with his peace and rest.
The second kind of rest is eternal.
This comes to the saints that have passed from this world into the eternal Kingdom of God in Heaven. Like God rested the seventh day after he created all things believers also rest from their works when they pass into Heaven. We see this reality in Revelation 14:13 where it says Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” So, after our heart stops beating and we die physically we no longer have the ability to work for the Lord but rather we enter into the glorious presence of God and enjoy eternal rest. This is also why it’s important to do our best to fulfill the will and purpose of God for our lives while on earth.
God’s invitation to come before the throne of grace through prayer
Hebrews 4:16 says; “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” This is one of my all-time favorite promises in the Bible and I use it frequently when I go to God in prayer reminding and thanking him that I can come before him with confidence and assurance that he will hear me and answer my prayers. I want to make something crystal clear here, it says to come before the throne of GRACE not the throne of CONDEMNATION. It’s so important that we get this right in our understanding that God is love and desires us to come into his presence with confidence. Some believers really struggle in this area of prayer because they think God is mad at them. Well, you may have some sins that you need to confess and be forgive for but you need to understand that God is love and he absolutely loves you with all his heart. If you have a twisted image of our Father God in your head it will keep you from his presence and you just won’t pray in faith because you somehow believe God does not love you (Which is really unbelief and a lie from the devil).
Friends, God loves us no matter what we do. He may not be pleased with some of the things we do but the more we seek him in prayer the less we will even want to sin because the more you experience the presence of God in prayer the more his love will transform your life. I can testify that this principle has absolutely changed me. The more time I spend with God in personal prayer, praise, worship and his word the more I get to know him and the less I want to sin because I don’t want anything to come between me and God. When you live a life of sincere prayer it develops spiritual momentum and you overcome temptation more and are quick to repent when you sin in thought, word or deed. So, know that God loves you with an eternal love and desires you and me to come boldly before his throne of grace in prayer not only to worship him but also to make our requests and petitions known in faith. God will answer our prayers and give us the victory in every area of life because he is for us and not against us!
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) Spiritual rest is the right of every Believer in Christ and is a byproduct of salvation.
2) If you don’t have this rest go to Jesus and lay everything down and he will give you rest.
3) We will enter eternal rest from our works after we die physically and enter Heaven.
4) God invites us to come before his throne of GRACE with boldness!
5) We are assured of mercy to forgive our sins and grace to help us in our time of need.
6) God is love and wants to spend time fellowshipping with you and me, we’re his children.
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute.
Enroll free today! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll