New Salem Baptist Church

Entering the Rest

May 12, 2024

Read Hebrews 3:7-11.

Verse seven begins with the word, therefore, and looks back to the first six verses of this chapter. Last time we saw that the author addresses his readers as “holy brothers.” This means they are saved. The lost can never be called holy brothers. The author ended the first section of chapter three that we are God’s house if we do two things: hold tightly to our confidence and boast in the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we lack confidence or if we never boast to others then we are not God’s house. This doesn’t mean that the Lord does not live within us, it means he does not have intimate fellowship with us and we are not his dwelling in a full way.[1]

So, verse seven says that in view of who Jesus is (the apostle and our high priest) and our calling (3:1) to be God’s house, when we hear God’s voice we should not harden our hearts.

See that followers of the Lord Jesus Christ can harden their hearts. This is why Paul (who I believe wrote Hebrews) warns his readers to be on guard against it. What does he mean by hearing God’s voice? The answer to that is found in the first six words of verse 7:

⁷ Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,

       “Today, if you hear his voice, ^[2]

Starting with the word, Today, and continuing through the next four verses, the author is quoting Psalm 95:7-11. But he writes that this is what “the Holy Spirit says.” Do you see it? Scripture is God’s voice!

It is possible, and it is a danger, that when we read certain parts of the Bible our hearts may be hardened. Why do you think that would happen? It might happen when what we read is contrary to our own desires. Now, I believe that if one has been regenerated then they will hunger for the word, enjoy the word, and seek to follow the word…most of the time. But we must never forget that we still possess a sinful nature and not all of our desires harmonize with God’s desires.

The primary way that we hear God’s voice is through hearing and reading the Scriptures. Yet, we can also hear God’s voice in other ways. Our conscience is animated by the Spirit. That is, it is enlivened and sensitized by the Spirit so that we need to heed it.

The Holy Spirit also speaks through preachers, teachers in the church, and mature brothers and sisters in the Lord whom, when you hear them, you know this is what the Lord wants you to hear.

⁸ do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,

on the day of testing in the wilderness, ^[3]

The author refers to the Israelites being rebellious in the wilderness on their way to Canaan. Let me ask this question: when they were in Egypt and the final plague came wherein the death angel came and killed all the firstborn of every household, they were commanded to take a spotless lamb, slaughter it, and place the blood upon their doorposts. The death angel would pass over that house and no one would be killed. What did that sacrifice and its protection represent? [wait for answer]

Yes, it represented the blood of Christ! Only those who had the blood applied were saved from the death angel.

See, then, that the Israelites were saved but afterwards their hearts were hardened and they put the Lord to the test by their complaining.

¹⁰    Therefore I was provoked with that generation,

       and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart;

they have not known my ways.’ ^[4]

Can those who were redeemed by the blood go astray? Indeed! This is why the author is warning us!

You have heard me talk about the marvelous book, Pilgrim’s Progress, a number of times. You have heard me say that every disciple should read it. In the book, Pilgrim is on a journey from the City of Destruction, where he lives at the beginning of the story, to the Celestial City. The City of Destruction represents the world and the Celestial City represents the New Jerusalem, our destiny in the ages to come. Along the way he faces amazing and frightful dangers, each one representing the real dangers that followers of Christ face in this life. He leaves the glory road three times by being deceived. One of those times he ends up in the dungeon of Doubting Castle which is run by a giant by the name of Despair. In the dungeon he and his traveling companion are beaten by Despair even to the brink of death. After many days of torment he remembers that he was given a key and this key represents the promise of God. He uses the key to unlock the dungeon door and then it also unlocks the castle door. As he and his companion escape, he counts himself a fool for forgetting that he had the means of escape all along!

How true to life this tale is even though it was written 350 years ago. The experiences of the Journeyman are exact to believers in every age.

Observe how these same warnings are given to God’s people throughout the ages:

1. First, they are addressed to God’s people under Moses.
2. Then they are given by King David in Psalm 95 to God’s people 550 years later.
3. Then they are given by Jesus to God’s people in his Sermon on the Mount, 1000 years after David.
4. Presently, they are given to us in the book of Hebrews.

God’s children in every age have these warnings!

Still citing Psalm 95 and referring to the experiences of those having escaped Egypt we read in verse 11:

¹¹    As I swore in my wrath,

‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ”^[5]

What is the rest? For those who were in the wilderness, it was the land of Canaan. The land of Canaan was fruitful and rich in natural resources. Not only so, but they were promised to have the presence of the Lord with them in that land, granting them rest and peace.

But only Joshua and Caleb were allowed to enter and the others were denied.

So, the promised land was a type or foreshadow of a rest for God’s people in our age. What is the rest for us, then? It cannot be the eternal state of glory, what is called the New Jerusalem in Revelation chapters 21 and 22, because the original rest in Joshua and Judges still had ungodly heathen in its confines. There will be no ungodly ones in the New Jerusalem.

Even stronger evidence that the eternal state of glory cannot be the rest spoken of in Hebrews is that every brother and sister in the Lord will be in the New Jerusalem. None will be excluded. The promises in the Bible are too clear on this matter.[6] Yet, as we are seeing and will continue to see throughout this book, is that some will be excluded from the rest.

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament pull away the veil of mystery regarding our future in this matter of the rest. Two such passages are in the book of Isaiah. Let us consider one of these.

⁶ The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,

and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,

       and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;

and a little child shall lead them.

⁷    The cow and the bear shall graze;

their young shall lie down together;

and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

⁸    The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,

and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.

⁹    They shall not hurt or destroy

in all my holy mountain;

       for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord

as the waters cover the sea.

¹⁰ In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. ^[7]

This passage describes a time that neither fits the present time nor the eternal state. All the verses from the first verse to verse 10 describe this time. In verse 4 we see that there will still be afflicted people on the earth and the Lord Jesus will rule with a rod of iron. One does not need to rule with an iron rod in the eternal state. And, we can see from the verses we did read, that these animals do not live together in harmony at the present time.

This passage describes the Millennium, a time of wonder, peace, and rest that is yet to come. Look at verse 10. It is called a resting place.

The rest is the Millennium. The rest is also our inheritance. But, just like an earthly inheritance, it can be lost. Esau lost his earthly inheritance. Many children have lost their inheritance through behavior that made their parents change their will.

¹¹ And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹² so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. ^[8]

The author writes that “we desire…” This is another indicator that Paul was likely the author since he writes in the third person frequently. His readers are to show the same “earnestness” (the KJV and the LSB have “diligence”) to have the full assurance of hope until the end. As we saw last time this hope is the Lord’s return to the earth and what attends his return.

We are not to be sluggish. Slugs move slowly, do they not? We are not to be like slugs! Rather, we are to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. When the word inheritance is used, it often refers to the kingdom that Christ will establish upon his return.

We see, then, that the rest is the Millennium and it is also our inheritance:

the rest    a Millennium   a our inheritance

We can another word to help us understand what awaits the faithful:

²² Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. ²³ Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.^[9]

See that the inheritance is our reward and that it is gained by working heartily for the Lord. Eternal life is a gift, never contingent upon our works. It is the gift of God. But rewards are based on our works. Now we can use this illustration that designates what is coming:

the rest    a Millennium   a our inheritance a our reward

It is not that every time the words, inherit or inheritance, are used do they always refer to the rest or the kingdom to come as a reward. They most often do, especially in the epistles of Paul, but one must examine the context of a passage. Sometimes those words will refer to the New Jerusalem or eternal life. The context will make it clear. In Hebrews the words, inherit or inheritance, are used five times and four of those times they do refer to the rest that is coming.

Eternal life is a gift. The kingdom, as it will appear in the next age, is a reward. The gift of God is received without our works. Our inheritance of the kingdom is conditional. Only those who are conformed to the image of Christ, who flee impurity and greed will enter:

    3      But sexual immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;

    4      nor filthiness and foolish talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

    5      For this you know with certainty, that no one sexually immoral or impure or greedy, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.^[10]

Consider this passage! Let me ask you, do you know of Christians who are greedy? Do you know of Christians who talk foolishly? Do you know of Christians who engage in course jesting? I do! I know of a pastor, who I am sure is saved, that engages in course jesting quite often. He has offended many people by it. According to what Paul has written here, he will not inherit the kingdom of God (unless he repents).

Someone may be thinking, “The standard to inherit the kingdom, to enter the rest of God, is too high! I can’t do it.” Its ok to feel that way. Feel it, because its true! Feel it, but don’t surrender to it. Because God is able to make you stand! God is able to conform you! His power is greater than your weakness!

[Conclusion and Application] The passage we read this morning began with these words:

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts

I submit to you that this very hour you have heard the voice of God. (Not that my speaking is the voice of God very often, but it is when I am faithful to proclaim God’s word accurately. And so I have done.)

You have heard God’s voice! Do not harden your heart! Obey the call of God to go forward. Seek to enter the rest! There is a rest waiting for you! Take hold of it…today!