"Scripture for any of [what I wrote]": would it matter if I posted passages to "support" what I wrote? Well, I can post some passages but I have a feeling, call it a premonition if you like, that no matter what passages I quote there will be somebody to say "you're misinterpreting it". Anyway ...
Paul argues that the old covenant has faded away, it is the covenant made up of commandments (the ten and others) which he calls "the ministry of death"
2 Corinthians 3:1-18 1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you? 2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7 But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. 10 For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
12 Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, 13 and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. 14 But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. 15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; 16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Hebrews also teaches that the lasting Sabbath in which Christians dwell is not a day of twenty four hours but an ages long state of rest from one's works in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 3:7-4:13 7 Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, 8 DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS, 9 WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED Me BY TESTING Me, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS. 10 "THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION, AND SAID, 'THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS'; 11 AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, 'THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.'"
12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, 15 while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME." 16 For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.
4:1 Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, "AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: "AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS"; 5 and again in this passage, "THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST."
6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS." 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. 9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.
11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
Actually brother HEBREWS does is an interesting Chapter. HEBREWS 3 and HEBREWS 4 both teach that we do not enter into God's SABBATH rest without first entering into the Gospel rest. It does not do away with God's Sabbath rest. Let's see why...
GOD'S SABBATH REST
Hebrews 3
8, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9, When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
10, Why I was grieved with that generation, and said,
They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
11, So I swore in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.
12, Take heed, brothers, lest there be in any of you
an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13, But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day;
lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14, For we are made partakers of Christ,
if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end;
15, While it is said, To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
16, For some, when they had heard, did provoke: however, not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
17, But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?
18, And to whom swore he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
19, So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
WHAT REST ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?
Hebrews 4
1, Let us therefore
fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2, For to us was the gospel preached, as well as to them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
3, For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn
in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished
from the foundation of the world.
4, For he spoke in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
5, And in this place again, If they shall enter into
my rest.
NOTE: CONTEXT is God's REST from the SEVENTH DAY SABBATH REST OF CREATION (
v4-5) and those who BELIEVE and FOLLOW GOD's WORD enter into God's SABBATH REST as GOD did on the SEVENTH DAY of the week. CONTEXT is GOD's SEVENTH DAY SABBATH REST and those who believe or do not believe God's WORD and enter into that rest.
6, Seeing therefore it remains that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached
entered not in because of unbelief:
7, Again, he limits a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8, For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9, So then, it remains for the people of God to keep the Sabbath
Now notice
Hebrews 4,
verse 9: “There remains therefore a SABBATH
rest to the people of God.” In
verses 1,
3,
4 and
8, the Greek word for “rest” is
katapausin. It means “rest.” But in
verse 9, the Greek word for “rest” is
sabbatismos, which is a Hebrew word—
Sabbat, which means “the Sabbath”—combined with a Greek suffix—
ismos, which means “a keeping of” or “a doing of.” Put together,
sabbatismo means “a keeping of the Sabbath.” When correctly translated,
Hebrews 4:9 should read, “There remains therefore a
keeping of the Sabbath to the people of God.”
10, For he that is entered into
his rest (v9 SABBATH REST), he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11, Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the
same example of unbelief (Heb 3).
In times of ignorance God winks at but now ,<when a KNOWLEDGE of the truth has come> calls all men everywhere to REPENT (FOLLOW) (Acts 17:30-31).
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Now let's compare the GREEK WORDS for REST in Matthew 11:28-30 with Hebrews 4.....
Mattehew 11
28, Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest.
29, Take my yoke on you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and
you shall find rest to your souls.
30, For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
STRONGS GREEK
REST meaning; G373 ἀναπαύω anapauo (a-na-pav'-ō) v.
1. (reflexively) to repose, to rest.
2. (literally or figuratively) to be exempt, to remain.
3. (by implication) to refresh.
[from G303 and G3973]
KJV: take ease, refresh, (give, take) rest
Root(s): G303, G3973
G303 ἀνά ana (a-na') prep.
1. (properly) up.
2. (by extension, used distributively) amidst or severally, etc.
3. (by implication, as a prefix) (it often means) repetition (again), intensity, reversal, etc.
4. apiece.
5. (of combined motion) back.
6. (with G3319) through (the midst).
G3973 παύω pauo (pav'-ō) v.
to stop, i.e. restrain, quit, desist, come to an end.
{transitively or intransitively}
[a primary verb (“pause”)]
KJV: cease, leave, refrain
CONCLUSION: This is the Gospel rest of BELIEVING and FOLLOWING God's WORD; v29 Learn of me; v30 my burden (doing) is light. This agrees with
Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the
gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached
did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. No one enter God's Sabbath rest if they do not BELIEVE God's WORD or follow it.
....................
Now compare this GREEK word used here to the one used in Hebrews 4:9...
Hebrews 4:9, There remains a SABBATH REST to the people of God.
The GREEk Word used here for REST is different.
STRONGS GREEK/HEBERW
REST meaning of Hebrews 4:9;
G4520 σαββατισμός sabbatismos (sab-ba-tiz-mos') n.
1. a “sabbatism.”
2. (figuratively) the repose of Christianity (as a type of heaven).
[from a derivative of
G4521] σάββατον sabbaton (saɓ'-ɓa-ton) n.
1. the Sabbath (i.e. Shabbath).
2. a day of weekly repose from secular avocations.
3. the observance or institution itself.
4. (by extension) a week, i.e. the interval between two Sabbaths.
5. likewise the plural in all the above applications.
[of Hebrew origin (
H7676)]
שַׁבָּת shabbath (shab-bawth') n-e.
1. intermission, a period of temporary rest.
2. (specifically) the Sabbath, the seventh day being the day of rest.
[intensive from
H7673]
H7673 שָׁבַת shabath (shaw-ɓath') v.
to
repose, i.e. to cease from exertion.
{used in many implied relations (causative, figurative or specific)}
[a primitive root] KJV: (cause to, let, make to)
cease, celebrate, cause (make) to fail,
keep sabbath, suffer to be lacking, leave, put away (down), (make to)
rest, rid, still, take away.
CONCLUSION: As you can see from the different GREEK words used in Matthew 11:28 and Hebrews 4:9 both words are indeed different and have a different application but both are linked to each other because in order to enter into God's SABBATH REST we must enter the Gospel rest of BELIEVING and FOLLOWING God's WORD. Short version of Hebrews 3-4 is; NO GOSPEL REST = NO SABBATH REST.
Both are similar referring to rest but the word REST in Hebrews 4:9 in is reference "Sabbatismos" which is the "REST" specifically found in God's Sabbath the 4th Commandment
that refers right back the Hebrew WORD used for rest in Genesis 2.
Let's look at the origin of the Sabbath and God's 4th Commandment...
Genesis 2
1, Thus the heavens and the earth
WERE FINISHED, and all the host of them.
2, And on the
SEVENTH DAY GOD ENDED HIS WORK which he had made; and he
RESTED on the SEVENTH DAY from all his work which he had made.
3, And
God blessed the SEVENTH DAY, and
made it HOLY: because that in it HE HAD RESTED from all his work which God created and made.
[intensive from
H7673]
H7673 שָׁבַת shabath (shaw-ɓath') v.
to
repose, i.e. to cease from exertion.
{used in many implied relations (causative, figurative or specific)}
[a primitive root] KJV: (cause to, let, make to)
cease, celebrate, cause (make) to fail,
keep sabbath, suffer to be lacking, leave, put away (down), (make to)
rest, rid, still, take away.
The above HEBREW meaning is the base root of Sabbatismos from the GREEK word used in Hebrews 4:9 which is referring right back to the origin of God's Sabbath in Genesis 2 and God's 4th Commandment in Exodus 20:8-11.
CONCLUSION: The meraning here is the REST that comes specifically from BELIEVING and OBEYING Gods WORD. The REST being referred to here is the SABBATH REST of the 4th Commandment which can only be entered into by BELIEVING THE GOSPEL (the WORD of GOD). This is the SABBATH rest according to the commandment.
......................
Those who have no peace because are those who do not
BELIEVE and FOLLOW God's WORD. We ONLY have rest in Christ if we BELIEVE and FOLLOW Jesus. Those who are still in their SINS do not KNOW God and are like the troubled see that have no peace.
Isaiah 57
20, But the
wicked (SINNERS)
are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21, There is
no peace, said my God,
to the wicked.
1 John 2
3, And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4, He that said, I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Those who CONTINUE in KNOWN UNREPENTANT SIN will NOT enter into the KINGDOM of HEAVEN *HEBREWS 10:26-27.
Hope this helps
