The Sabbath is grace.

[AlightSeeker]

We sit in darkness wondering where God is. We cannot see or hear him. But there is a way.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

Nope, God gave the ancient Israel example of the week, together with the Sabbath day.

Not to us.

Probably the reason many wouldn't enjoy the new heaven and new earth Isa 66:22-23 and God loves us so much He gives us free will and would not want us to be in eternity unhappy fighting against something He blessed, made holy and for mankind so He can spend time with His children on the day He sanctified to do so as we cannot sanctify ourselves Eze 20:12.

 

[AlightSeeker]

Jesus said whoever loves him keeps his words and God will love them. Jesus will manifest himself in them. But are we obeying the Lord's words?

 

[trophy33]

I'm giving his word to them. Can you hear God's voice? We have all become blind and deaf. He hides his face from us. We must turn back to the Lord so he can heal us.

It seems you are in some harsh time, in your life. However, I do not have this depressive view of "us".

 

[SabbathBlessings]

Jesus said whoever loves him keeps his words and God will love them. Jesus will manifest himself in them. But are we obeying the Lord's words?

Who wrote the commandments? Exo 32:16 Exo 31:18 So how is disobeying them, keeping His Word? God in His own Word spoken by His own voice written by His own finger said Remember the Sabbath day, to keep holy, but yet so many say forget the Sabbath and instead of keeping it holy, keep it as a secular or common day, not something God is very happy about Ezekiel 22:26

 

[trophy33]

Probably the reason many wouldn't enjoy the new heaven and new earth Isa 66:22-23 and God loves us so much He gives us free will and would not want us to be in eternity unhappy fighting against something He blessed, made holy and for mankind so He can spend time with His children on the day He sanctified to do so as we cannot sanctify ourselves Eze 20:12.

I do not understand what you are trying to say.

The Mosaic Law you still impose on us has ended in the first century. There is nothing "probable" about that not living according to the deprecated code has something to do with who can enter the kingdom of God.

 

[AlightSeeker]

Hear the word of the Lord. Open your ears and don't turn away. Do we love our own flesh as he commanded? Are we clothed in his righteousness and the good things he gives us? Do we clothe each other? What words are we eating and feeding each other? Are they Gods words? Let us look to revelation. Are we not poor, blind, and naked?

Isaiah 58:7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are [d]cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
“If you take away the yoke from your midst,
The [e]pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your [f]darkness shall be as the noonday

 

[trophy33]

Hear the word of the Lord. Open your ears and don't turn away. Do we love our own flesh as he commanded? Are we clothed in his righteousness and the good things he gives us? Do we clothe each other? What words are we eating and feeding each other? Are they Gods words? Let us look to revelation. Are we not poor, blind, and naked?

Isaiah 58:7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are [d]cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
“If you take away the yoke from your midst,
The [e]pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your [f]darkness shall be as the noonday

Instead of random rhetorical questions, try to join other people's actual conversations.

 

[AlightSeeker]

Jesus said do not to worry about food and clothing but to seek the kingdom and his righteousness. God himself will be our portion. Are we seeking his kingdom and his righteousness? Are we clothed in him or are we poor, blind and, naked? Do we even see our shame? Has our eyes been opened?

Romans 13:12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.[c]

Ephesians 4:1a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it[a] says:

“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.”[b]
9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Instructions for Christian Living​

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

 

[AlightSeeker]

Instead of random rhetorical questions, try to join other people's actual conversations.

He swore we will not enter his rest. Are we resting together? Are we one in the Lord? Do we abide in His love and him as he commanded? Or are we deaf and blind to his word and his voice?

 

[trophy33]

He swore we will not enter his rest.

No, He did not. The context is about unbelieving Israel. Those who believe (Christians) entered His rest.

 

[AlightSeeker]

It's not our works we do but his alone. Are we doing the work of God? Let's not be like Martha who is worried about many things. He said not to worry about what we will eat or wear. Seek his kingdom and his righteousness. Let's be like Mary and sit at the Lord’s feet being fed and hearing his words.

John 6:
After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.[a] 3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”

8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”

10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them [b]to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” 13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

Jesus Walks on the Sea​

15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18 Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. 19 So when they had rowed about [c]three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. 20 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

The Bread from Heaven​

22 On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except [d]that one [e]which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone— 23 however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks— 24 when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”

26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

28 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

30 Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”

32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”

35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will [f]by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Rejected by His Own​

41 The Jews then [g]complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” 42 And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

43 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, [h]“Do not murmur among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who [i]has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes [j]in Me has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”

53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is [k]food indeed, and My blood is [l]drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Turn Away​

60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a [m]hard saying; who can understand it?”

61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples [n]complained about this, He said to them, “Does this [o]offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”

66 From that time many of His disciples went [p]back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the [q]Christ, the Son of the living God.”

70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” 71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.

 

[AlightSeeker]

The bread from heaven is a sign I think.

26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.

 

[AlightSeeker]

Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one [b]jot or one [c]tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 6:
7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
[d]For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

John 14:29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

30 Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”

32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”

35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will [f]by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

 

[AlightSeeker]

Jesus commands are not those of Moses

. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

 

[FreeinChrist]

ADVISOR HAT


A small clean-up was done. There is no need for personal insults. ​

 

[Rose_bud]

The context of disobedience in Hebrews 4 is not Sabbath keeping but the fact that his people should continue to believe in Jesus. The writer of Hebrews, goes through great lengths to explain to his audience who Jesus is. That HE is the SON of GOD, greater than an angel (Hebrews 1 ) the great High Priest (Hebrews 3). Hebrews has the greatest passages on having faith and why (faith in the one that God sent). So the writer exhorts his audience to continue believing ( as the the time this book is written, the church is being persecuted.) Don't loose heart, keep the faith. Don't be like those Israelites who tested God when He proved Himself as the deliverer and this by a mighty hand... They were a generation who saw all Gods mighty "works" yet they failed to trust Him for a bit of water.

Exodus 17:7 He named the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled, and because they tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”

The rest is to enter into the finished work of Christ... to believe that only He could do the "work".... our "work" is to believe.. that is how we rest...Romans 4:5

 

[SabbathBlessings]

The context of disobedience in Hebrews 4 is not Sabbath keeping but the fact that his people should continue to believe in Jesus. The writer of Hebrews, goes through great lengths to explain to his audience who Jesus is. That HE is the SON of GOD, greater than an angel (Hebrews 1 ) the great High Priest (Hebrews 3). Hebrews has the greatest passages on having faith and why (faith in the one that God sent). So the writer exhorts his audience to continue believing ( as the the time this book is written, the church is being persecuted.) Don't loose heart, keep the faith. Don't be like those Israelites who tested God when He proved Himself as the deliverer and this by a mighty hand... They were a generation who saw all Gods mighty "works" yet they failed to trust Him for a bit of water.

Exodus 17:7 He named the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled, and because they tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”

The rest is to enter into the finished work of Christ... to believe that only He could do the "work".... our "work" is to believe.. that is how we rest...Romans 4:5

No, not at all. It's actually quite the opposite. These passages have a lot of dimensions to them and can only be understood properly if we understand what happened to the Israelites in order for them to pass into their promise land (rest) the writer of Hebrews is making a parallel teaching between why they did not enter into their rest (Canaan) and showing how it applies to us TODAY to not follow their same path of disobedience so we can enter into our promised rest Hebrews 4:11. There are two different rests in Hebrews and you will not be able to properly understand this passage unless you understand what these different rests mean, which the Greek spells out for us. Also disobedience and unbelief are interchangeable in these passages, which is an important principle that applies today

Lets start with Hebrews 3 as it sets up the background for Hebrews 4

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:

“Today, if you will hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
In the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,
And saw My works forty years.
10 Therefore I was angry with that generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they have not known My ways.’
11 So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”
12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but [b]exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said:

“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Please note the rest in these verses is not the seventh day Sabbath. It is this rest:

katapausis: rest
Original Word: κατάπαυσις, εως, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: katapausis
Phonetic Spelling: (kat-ap'-ow-sis)
Definition: rest
Usage: (in the Old Testament of the rest attained by the settlement in Canaan), resting, rest, dwelling, habitation.

Like I said you have to be familiar with the story of Moses and what the Israelite's disobeyed that mean ended up in corpses due to their unbelief/disobedience.

Ezekiel tells us what the Israelites disobeyed in the wilderness and why some who did never entered into their Promised rest

Ezekiel 20:12 Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. 13 Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them.

Ezekiel 20:20
20 hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’ 21 “Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness.

Also keep in mind Moses reviewed the Ten Commandments which includes the Sabbath commandment 40 years after they were given by God and right before entering into the Promises Land (their rest) and told them to diligently keep, so it would be a dangerous mistake to think we can follow their same example of disobedience Hebrews 4:11 to receive our rest in Christ Heb 4:10

So with this background it should make understanding Hebrews 4 easier. This whole passage is about how we are not to follow their same example of disobedience Heb 4:6 Heb 4:11 and why the Sabbath-rest (keeping) remains (not changed) for God's people. Hebrews 4:9 NIV and the rest in this verse literally translates into Sabbath-keeping

sabbatismos: a sabbath rest
Original Word: σαββατισμός, οῦ, ὁ
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: sabbatismos
Phonetic Spelling: (sab-bat-is-mos')
Definition: a sabbath rest
Usage: a keeping of the Sabbath, a Sabbath rest.

Hebrews 4:10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

Those who enter into His rest ALSO cease from his works as God did from His.

When does God cease from His works?

This very passage tells us.....

Hebrews 4:4 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”; Which is a direct quote from the 4th commandments Exo 20:8-11 and Creation Gen 2:1-3

Those who enter His rest also rest on the seventh day (Sabbath keeping) just as God did Exo 20:11. Man is made in the image of God to follow Him.

Sabbath keeping never ended for the people of God, but remains which is why we are not to follow the same path of disobedience of the Israelites. Heb 4:11 In God's rest there is no rebellion to Him or His commandments and the Sabbath is a commandments of God that remains for His people.

Oh, that you had heeded My commandments!
Then your peace would have been like a river,
And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
Isa 48:18

I pray this helps.

 

[Gary K]

No, not at all. It's actually quite the opposite. These passages have a lot of dimensions to them and can only be understood properly if we understand what happened to the Israelites in order for them to pass into their promise land (rest) the writer of Hebrews is making a parallel teaching between why they did not enter into their rest (Canaan) and showing how it applies to us TODAY to not follow their same path of disobedience so we can enter into our promised rest Hebrews 4:11. There are two different rests in Hebrews and you will not be able to properly understand this passage unless you understand what these different rests mean, which the Greek spells out for us. Also disobedience and unbelief are interchangeable in these passages, which is an important principle that applies today

Lets start with Hebrews 3 as it sets up the background for Hebrews 4

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:

“Today, if you will hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
In the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,
And saw My works forty years.
10 Therefore I was angry with that generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they have not known My ways.’
11 So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”
12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but [b]exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said:

“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Please note the rest in these verses is not the seventh day Sabbath. It is this rest:

katapausis: rest
Original Word: κατάπαυσις, εως, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: katapausis
Phonetic Spelling: (kat-ap'-ow-sis)
Definition: rest
Usage: (in the Old Testament of the rest attained by the settlement in Canaan), resting, rest, dwelling, habitation.

Like I said you have to be familiar with the story of Moses and what the Israelite's disobeyed that mean ended up in corpses due to their unbelief/disobedience.

Ezekiel tells us what the Israelites disobeyed in the wilderness and why those who did never entered into Promised rest

Ezekiel 20:12 Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. 13 Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them.

Ezekiel 20:20
20 hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’ 21 “Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness.

Also keep in mind Moses reviewed the Ten Commandments which includes the Sabbath commandment 40 years after they were given by God and right before entering into the Promises Land (their rest) and told them to diligently keep, so it would be a dangerous mistake to think we can follow their same example of disobedience Hebrews 4:11 to receive our rest in Christ Heb 4:10

So with this background it should make understanding Hebrews 4 easier. This whole passage is about how we are not to follow their same example of disobedience Heb 4:6 Heb 4:11 and why the Sabbath-rest (keeping) remains (not changed) for God's people. Hebrews 4:9 NIV and the rest in this verse literally translates into Sabbath-keeping

sabbatismos: a sabbath rest
Original Word: σαββατισμός, οῦ, ὁ
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: sabbatismos
Phonetic Spelling: (sab-bat-is-mos')
Definition: a sabbath rest
Usage: a keeping of the Sabbath, a Sabbath rest.

Hebrews 4:10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

Those who enter into His rest ALSO cease from his works as God did from His.
Those who enter His rest also rest on the seventh day (Sabbath keeping) just as God did Exo 20:11. Man is made in the image of God to follow Him.

When does God cease from His works?

This very passage tells us.....

Hebrews 4:4 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”; Which is a direct quote from the 4th commandments Exo 20:8-11 and Creation Gen 2:1-3

Sabbath keeping never ended for the people of God, but remains which is why we are not to follow the same path of disobedience of the Israelites. Heb 4:11 In God's rest there is no rebellion to Him or His commandments and the Sabbath is a commandments of God that remains for His people.

Oh, that you had heeded My commandments!
Then your peace would have been like a river,
And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
Isa 48:18

I pray this helps.

I would just add to this the following.

Revelation 14: 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

I would just add to this the following.

Revelation 14: 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Agreed. There are parallels to Hebrews 4 and Revelation 14.