Rest - Part 2: They Shall Not Enter My Rest
As we read Heb 3 and 4, it is natural to ponder a few questions.
Can we enter into this rest of God? Sounds so mysterious, is it even possible?
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Perhaps it is worthwhile and helpful to ask the other question instead: "Why some could not enter God's rest?" Heb 3:16-19 gives us a glimpse.
For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses.
Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?
And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey?
So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
The key words are in verse 18 and 19: "Did not obey" (disobedience) and "unbelief".
(Heb 4:6 also tells us that those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience.)
There is a process leading up to this unbelief and disobedience. It doesn't happen just like that. From Hebrews 3, we can deduce this:
1. The Israelites who came out of Egypt heard God's voice (Heb 3:7).
They had an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God (Heb 3:12). Heb 3:10 says they always go astray in their heart, not knowing God's ways.
3. They rebelled (Heb 3:8).They tested and tried God (Heb 3:9). In other words, they sinned (Heb 3:17).
In short, sin (unrepentant sin) resulted in God's wrath, which then ultimately causes man not to enter His rest.
I think it is apt to point out the connection between one's heart and sin. Pay attention to the warnings in Heb 3:12 and 13.
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
The NLT goes like this: Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.
Sin is deceitful. Once one is deceived by sin, he/ she commits the sin. Slowly but surely, his/ her heart gets hardened against God, turning the person away from God. Yet at the same time, we see that when there is rebellion in one's heart, the heart gets hardened. Sin is, then, inevitable.
One leads to another, and yet the other leads back to the one.
If we read and follow the author's train of writing from Hebrews 1 to Hebrews 4, we can see that the process of giving in to sin which eventually leads to unbelief and disobedience, and thereafter, not entering God's rest is a slow and subtle process.
The author spoke of 'drifting away (Heb 2:1)', 'holding fast....firm to the end (Heb 3:6), 'going astray (Heb 3:10)', 'departing from the living God (Heb 3:12)', 'holding...steadfast to the end (Heb 3:14)', 'holding fast our confession (Heb 4:14)'.
He seems to hint to us that 'starting' is great, but finishing is even more important. Or, more specifically, where/ how we finish for that matter.
Beloved in Christ, our Christian life is a marathon. A marathon that lasts a life time - our life's time.
Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard (Heb 2:1), not negleting our salvation (Heb 2:3), holding it steadfast to the end (Heb 3:6,14, 4:14), lest we drift away (Heb 2:1), lest our hearts go astray (Heb 3:10).
Lest our hearts become evil with unbelief and depart from God (Heb 3:12).
Lest our hearts become hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Heb 3:13).
Yes, everyday, while it is called today, let us be diligent to enter that rest (Heb 4:11).
Beloved in Christ, let us be faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, holding the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end (Heb 3:14).
For if we do this, we shall be partakers of Christ (Heb 3:14). Knowing and believing that we who have believed do enter that rest (Heb 4:3).
