Rest? (Keep the Faith, Part 4)

Lesson Four

Rest? (Keep the Faith)

Hebrews 3:11-19

 

Theme: Christ Jesus, the Son of God, is our Model of fidelity and is infinitely Superior to Moses. Therefore, hold firmly to your faith in Christ, God’s faithful Apostle and High Priest.

 

Reflection

Begin your study by sharing thoughts on this question.

 

7. What is the meaning of “rest”? (Heb. 3:11)

 

I.                 With this background, we can now better understand one of the key words in this section—rest (Heb. 3:11, 18; 4:1, 3–5, 8–11). The writer mentioned two different “rests” found in Old Testament history: (1) God’s Sabbath rest, when He ceased from His Creation activities (Gen. 2:2; Heb. 4:4); (2) Israel’s rest in Canaan (Deut. 12:9; Josh. 21:43–45; Heb. 3:11).

II.               But he saw in these “rests” illustrations of the spiritual experiences of believers today.

a.      The Sabbath rest is a picture of our rest in Christ through salvation (Heb. 4:3; see Matt. 11:28).

b.      The Canaan rest is a picture of our present rest as we claim our inheritance in Christ (Heb. 4:11–13; note the emphasis on the Word of God). The first is the rest of salvation; the second is the rest of submission.

c.      But there is a third rest that enters into the discussion, that future rest that all believers will enjoy with God. “There remaineth, therefore, a rest to the people of God” (Heb. 4:9). This word for rest means—“a keeping of a Sabbath”—and this is the only place in the New Testament where this word is used. When the saints enter heaven, it will be like sharing God’s great Sabbath rest, with all labors and battles ended (Rev. 14:13).

d.      We may diagram these rests in this way:

Past                               Present                                                 Future

God’s Sabbath rest        Salvation Rest                                      Heaven

Israel’s Cannon rest       Submission Rest (Victory in Christ)

 

8.  Why do some people turn away from God? (Heb. 3:12-14)

 

I.                 Worldliness.  No believer today, Jew or Gentile, could go back into the Mosaic legal system since the temple is gone and there is no priesthood.

a.      But every believer is tempted to give up his confession of Christ and go back into the world system’s life of compromise and bondage.

b.      This is especially true during times of persecution and suffering. The fires of persecution have always purified the church because suffering separates true believers from the counterfeit.

c.      True believers are willing to suffer for Christ and they hold firmly to their convictions and their confession of faith (see Heb. 3:6, 14). We are not saved by holding to our confession. The fact that we hold to our confession is proof that we are God’s true children.

II.               Unsaved (v. 3:12). An “evil heart of unbelief.”

a.      This evil heart of unbelief is suspected in some of the readers, it is a heart in which the evil of unbelief is present, not in a passive, but in an active, pernicious—destructive, detrimental—condition. The attitude of these Hebrews toward the New Testament was not only of passive neglect, but one of an active opposition. 

b.      This could result in a deliberate and final rejection of the New Testament. This is different from a believer with a heart where unbelief is present.  This described one with an unbelieving heart—a heart solely and entirely controlled by unbelief where there is no faith whatever. Some of the Jews receiving this warning were not saved, but had merely given an intellectual assent to Jesus as the Messiahs and to the New Testament.

III.           Tragedy is also a reason people turn away from God. They find it impossible to believe that a ‘loving God’ would permit a tragedy in their family or life.  They become bitter against the Lord and blame Him for not preventing the tragic development. Emotional Pain.... People become angry with God and blame Him for some lost opportunity, mistreatment, abuse, suffering, or pain they have been carrying for years. Is there anything more frail than a bruised reed? Look at the bruised reed at the water's edge. A once slender and tall stalk of sturdy river grass, it is now bowed and bent.

Are you a bruised reed? Was it so long ago that you stood so tall, so proud? You were upright and sturdy, nourished by the waters and rooted in the riverbed of confidence.

Then something happened. You were bruised …

by harsh words

by a friend's anger

by a spouse's betrayal

by your own failure

by religion's rigidity.

And you were wounded, bent ever so slightly. Your hollow reed, once erect, now stooped, and hidden in the bulrush.

And the smoldering wick on the candle. Is there anything closer to death than a smoldering wick? Once aflame, now flickering and failing. Still warm from yesterday's passion, but no fire. Not yet cold, but far from hot. Was it that long ago you blazed with faith? Remember how you illuminated the path?

Then came the wind … the cold wind, the harsh wind. They said your ideas were foolish. They told you your dreams were too lofty. They scolded you for challenging the time-tested.

The constant wind wore down upon you. Oh, you stood strong for a moment (or maybe a lifetime), but the endless blast whipped your flickering flame, leaving you one pinch away from darkness.

The bruised reed and the smoldering wick. Society knows what to do with you. The world has a place for the beaten. The world will break you off; the world will snuff you out.

But the artists of Scripture proclaim that God won't. Painted on canvas after canvas is the tender touch of a Creator who has a special place for the bruised and weary of the world. A God who is the friend of the wounded heart. A God who is the keeper of your dreams. –From He Still Moves Stones by Max Lucado

 

Question 8. This is a great opportunity for discussion. Rather than giving short answers, like “disobedience” or “tragedy,” take time to hear some actual stories about people whom the group members have known. Think ahead of time so you have a story to share to open the discussion.

9.  What can believers do to support and encourage each other during temptations to resist the will of God? (Heb. 3:13)

One antidote is mutual exhortation—a spirit of mutual concern and admonition among the Christian brotherhood. This is the way to avoid both apostasy and consequent judgment by the Living God. God’s people should be daily urging others not to forsake Christ for whatever reason they may have.  Local congregations must recognize that the hardening tendencies of sin can often be counteracted by truly concerned fellow Christians.

10.  What practical advice does this passage offer us on remaining faithful to God? (Heb. 3:13-15)

 

I.                 Believers are to warn and admonish one another to keep their hope and confidence in Christ. This brings to mind the warning to assemble together (10:25), which includes the opportunity for exhortation. Mutual strength comes through such encouragements; this is the effective countermeasure against hardened hearts and sin (v. 13). We must exercise this specific responsibility among believers until Christ comes for us.

II.               By so exhorting one another and thus encouraging faith and obedience, Christians prove they are indeed partakers of Christ in the blessings of the promised rest. The test of a believing heart is confidence steadfast unto the end (v. 14).

III.             Such encouragement should continue as long as it is called Today (v. 15).  In Psalm 95:7 it means something like “while you still have opportunity.” With reference to the lost it would mean as long as God’s offer of salvation by grace through faith continues. “Today” is the accepted time; it is the day of salvation.

IV.            Israel in the wilderness failed to enter into the Canaan rest (v. 19) because of unbelief. Can the warning be any plainer than this? 

 

Inspiration

Here is an uplifting thought.  

In reading carefully through the New Testament to see just what kind of an experience you can expect, I find that the New Testament sets forth only one. There is just one experience for which you can look—only one feeling you can expect—and that is the experience of faith. Believing is an experience as real as any experience, yet many are looking for something more—some dramatic sensation that will bring a physical thrill, while others look for some spectacular manifestation. Many have been told to look for such sensations, but the Bible says that a man is “justified by faith” and not by feeling. A man is saved by trusting in the finished work of Christ on the cross and not by physical excitement or religious ecstasy.

But you may say to me, “What about feeling? Is there no place in saving faith for any feeling?” Certainly there is room for feeling in saving faith, but we are not saved by it. Whatever feeling there may be is only the result of saving faith, but it in itself is not what does the saving!…

Finally, someone may say, “I believe the historic facts of the gospel, but still I am not saved.” Perhaps so, for the faith that saves has one distinguishing quality—saving faith is a faith that produces obedience, it is a faith that brings about a way of life. Some have quite successfully imitated this way of life for a time, but for those who trust Christ for salvation, that faith brings about in them a desire to live out that inward experience of faith. It is a power that results in godly living and surrender.

(From Peace with God by Billy Graham)

 

Response

 

Use these questions to share more deeply with each other.

 

 

11.  Why should believers distinguish between faith and feelings?

 

 

Question 7. Be careful to maintain balance here. It's easy to get into a gender-related discussion about emotions. Because a person is emotional doesn't mean his/her faith is not real. Faith can lead to emotion. It just can't be based on emotion.

 

 

 

12.  How can you determine if your faith is real?

 

 

Question 8. Read James 2:14–17 (read through verse 26 if you don't mind a longer passage). Discuss current examples of faith without works.

 

 

 

13.  What can you do to ensure that your faith will endure?

 

 

Prayer

 

Father, we ask you to deepen our faith in you. Give us the strength to withstand temptation, overcome doubt, and remain loyal to you. At the end of our lives, may we hear your words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

 

Journaling

 

Take a few moments to record your personal insights from this lesson.

 

 

What steps can I take this week to strengthen my faith in God?

 

 

 

Additional Questions

 

 

14.  How can you avoid hardening your heart against God?

 

 

 

 

15.  What is the danger for Christians who neglect the fellowship of other believers?

 

 

 

Question 11. If you can, offer some examples of how your own life is different in proportion to the time you spend in fellowship with believers.

 

 

 

16.  What Christian friend can you encourage in spiritual matters? How?

 

 

 

For more Bible passages about remaining faithful, see Deuteronomy 11:13–18; 1 Samuel 12:24; 2 Samuel 22:26; 1 Kings 2:3,4; 2 Chronicles 19:9; Psalm 97:10; Proverbs 28:20; Matthew 25:19–23; 1 Corinthians 4:2; 10:12, 13; 3 John 3–5; Revelation 2:10; 17:14.

To complete the book of Hebrews during this twelve-part study, read Hebrews 3:1–19.

The Warning (Keep the Faith, Part 3)

 

Lesson Four

The Warning

Hebrews 3:7-11

 

Theme: Christ Jesus, the Son of God, is our Model of fidelity and is infinitely Superior to Moses. Therefore, hold firmly to your faith in Christ, God’s faithful Apostle and High Priest.

 

Reflection

Begin your study by sharing thoughts on this question.

 Think of a time when a Christian friend encouraged your faith. What did this person do to help you?

 

Bible Reading

Read carefully and thoughtfully Hebrews 3:1–19.

5.  What is the overall scope of this warning section in the chapter? (Heb. 3:7-19)

 

I.                 In the first exhortation (Heb. 2:1–4), the writer pointed out the danger of drifting from the Word because of neglect. In this exhortation, he explains the danger of doubting and disbelieving the Word because of hardness of heart. It is important that we understand the background of this section, which is the Exodus of Israel from Egypt and their experiences of unbelief in the wilderness.

II.               To begin with, we must understand that there are spiritual lessons in the geography of Israel’s experiences. The nation’s bondage in Egypt is an illustration of a sinner’s bondage in this world. Much as Israel was delivered from Egypt by the blood of lambs and the power of God, so a sinner who believes on Christ is delivered from the bondage of sin (Col. 1:13–14). Jesus Christ is “the Lamb of God” whose death and resurrection have made our deliverance from sin a reality.

III.             It was not God’s will that Israel remain either in Egypt or in the wilderness. His desire was that the people enter their glorious inheritance in the land of Canaan. But when Israel got to the border of their inheritance, they delayed because they doubted the promise of God (Num. 13–14). “We are not able” wept the ten spies and the people. “We are able with God’s help!” said Moses, Joshua, and Caleb. Because the people went backward in unbelief instead of forward by faith, they missed their inheritance and died in the wilderness. It was the new generation that possessed the land and entered into their rest.

IV.            What does Canaan represent to us as Christians today? It represents our spiritual inheritance in Christ (Eph. 1:3, 11, 15–23). It is unfortunate that some of our hymns and Gospel songs use Canaan as a picture of heaven, and “crossing the Jordan” as a picture of death. Since Canaan was a place of battles, and even of defeats, it is not a good illustration of heaven! Israel had to cross the river by faith (a picture of the believer as he dies to self and the world, Rom. 6) and claim the inheritance by faith. They had to “step out by faith” (Josh. 1:3) and claim the land for themselves, just as believers today must do.

V.              Now we can understand what the wilderness wanderings represent: the experiences of believers who will not claim their spiritual inheritance in Christ, who doubt God’s Word and live in restless unbelief. To be sure, God is with them, as He was with Israel; but they do not enjoy the fullness of God’s blessing. They are “out of Egypt” but they are not yet “in Canaan.”

6.  What warning does the Holy Spirit give to us? (Heb. 3:7-11)

To drive home God’s call to faithfulness and to warn of the consequences of stubborn disbelief, the classic failure of Israel at Kadesh Barnea which led to their 40-year detour in the wilderness is presented. That generation of Israel that came out of Egypt doubted God; therefore, they never entered the land of Canaan. Paul quotes from Psalm 95:7–11, which records God’s response to Israel’s tragic spiritual condition.

 

I.                 The Spirit’s Warning Issues a Command (3:7-8a).

a.      “Hear His Voice,” whenever God speaks, we should be swift to hear. To doubt His word is to call Him a liar and to incur His wrath.

b.      Israel put God to the test—“temptation in the wilderness”—by asking, “Is the Lord among us, or not?” (Ex. 17:7)  Instead of trusting God in the midst of adverse circumstances, they demanded that He show His hand in order to demonstrate to them that He was in their midst to help them.

c.      The phrase “harden not your hearts,” forbids the continuance of an action already going on. These Hebrews were already hardening their hearts. Paul exhorts them to stop doing so.

d.      In view of the fact that Messiah is better than the prophets, the angels, and Moses, the warning is, not to harden their hearts in renouncing their professed faith in Messiah and returning to the sacrifices. —Wuest, Kenneth S.

II.               The Spirit’s Warning Illustrates a Calamity (3:8b-9).

a.      The “provocation in the day of temptation” refers to the murmuring of Israel against the Lord at Rephidim because of the lack of water (Ex 17:1–7).

b.      God had delivered His people from Egypt and had cared for them, revealing His power in many signs and wonders (Heb. 3:9). Israel saw all of this and benefited from it!

c.      But the experience did not bring them closer to God or make them trust Him more. This is an extraordinary calamity! All that God did for them did not benefit them spiritually. In fact, just the opposite took place: they hardened their hearts against God! They put God to the test—“proved”—and He did not fail them; yet they failed Him.

III.             The Spirit’s Warning Illuminates a Condition (3:10).

God’s keen displeasure with Israel in the wilderness brought forth this stern denunciation. He accused them of a perpetual proneness to wander away from Him, and of a willful ignorance of His ways. —MacDonald, William; Farstad, Arthur: Believer's Bible Commentary

a.      They Consistently Erred in Heart (Heb. 3:10).

                                                    i.     The heart of every problem is a problem in the heart. The people of Israel (except Moses, Joshua, and Caleb) erred in their hearts (Heb. 3:10).

1.      Their hearts wandered from God and His Word.

2.      They also had evil hearts of unbelief (Heb. 3:12); they did not believe that God would give them victory in Canaan. They had seen God perform great signs in Egypt. Yet they doubted He was adequate for the challenge of Canaan.

                                                  ii.     When a person has an erring heart and a disbelieving heart, the result will also be a hard heart. (Wiersbe, W. W. 1996, c1989. The Bible Exposition Commentary)

1.      This is a heart that is insensitive to the Word and work of God. So hard was the heart of Israel that the people even wanted to return to Egypt! Imagine wanting to exchange their freedom under God for slavery in Egypt!

2.      Of course, all this history spoke to the hearts of the readers of this letter because they were in danger of “going back” themselves.

                                                 iii.     Why was God grieved? (Heb. 3:10, 17)

1.      God was grieved according to Hebrews 3:9, which says, “When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.” But, why was He grieved? The two words “tempted” and “prove” hold the reason why God was so grieved with Israel. According to Wuest, “tempted” means “to put to the test to see what good or evil may be in a person.”  The nation of Israel was in affect saying ‘Can He provide and protect as He said?’  The people kept ‘testing’ God!  Then the word “prove” means “to put to the test for the purpose of approving the person if he meets the test.”  Israel was saying, ‘Is He really God?’ They were demanding more proof while ignoring a mountain of evidence. This is continuous unbelief. This is what grieved the heart of Jehovah. But note also what Carson said, Those who left Egypt with Moses had God’s words of promise and warning ringing in their ears, but they hardened their hearts and would not respond with faith and obedience. Rebellion and testing are translations of the Hebrew names Meribah and Massah (Ex. 17:1–7; cf. Nu. 20:1–13). At the beginning and end of their desert wanderings, the Israelites showed themselves to be particularly unbelieving at these places. They tested and tried God in the sense that they went as far as they could in provoking him to judge them (9). –Carson, D. A.1994. New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition

2.      The latter phrase of verse 9 says, “and saw my works forty years.”  This affords us the third reason why God was grieved with Israel. The forty-year period in the wilderness was an expression of God’s anger with that generation, but it was also an opportunity for them to experience his gracious ways, again and again (10). Since they refused to repent and trust him, he declared on oath in his anger that such people could not enter his rest in the land that he had promised to their forefathers as an inheritance (11; cf. Nu. 14). That privilege would only be extended to their children. –Carson, D. A.1994. New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition

3.      Israel’s behavior can only be described as continuous rebellion and unbelief. This grieved God greatly because He had given them so much evidence to persuade them to trust and obey Him implicitly. Although God had miraculously rescued them from Egypt and had demonstrated his power and care over his people, the people disobeyed God, complained against him, and refused to take possession of the land God had given them. They tested him, tried him, and saw him work both for and against them during their forty years of wandering. They tested his patience and challenged his authority. Despite seeing God's works for forty years, the people continually rebelled against him. –The Life Application Commentary Series copyright (C) 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000

4.      God’s keen displeasure with Israel in the wilderness brought forth this stern denunciation. He accused them of a perpetual proneness to wander away from Him, and of a willful ignorance of His ways. –MacDonald, W. 1997, c1995. Believer's Bible Commentary

5.      Wuest highlights the fact that their proneness to was due to their general ignorance of God—they had little experience with Him and His ways because they neglected Him.

6.      God was offended at the actions of Israel. … Israel was led astray with respect to the heart, the seat of one’s personal character and of one’s moral and spiritual life. The Hebrew has it, “They are a people of wanderers in heart.” … Israel’s ignorance of the ways of Jehovah preceded and was the cause of their being led astray. Their ignorance was due to their neglect of Jehovah, for the knowledge they lacked was experiential knowledge which was to be acquired through experience with the ways and character of God. –Wuest, K. S. 1997, c1984. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament

b.      They were Ignorant of God’s Way (Heb. 3:10b).

                                                    i.     In spite of God’s works and loving patience the Israelites failed to understand the ways He would have had them go to reach His Canaan rest (Ex 18:20).

1.      Yes, the forty-year period in the wilderness was an expression of God’s anger with that generation, but it was also an opportunity for them to experience his gracious ways, again and again.

2.      Instead they challenged God’s sovereign authority by their rebellion in the wilderness (Num 20).They cared not to take God’s road! 

                                                  ii.     Are we any better? Obedience from the heart goes beyond merely receiving instructions. One must respond to God’s wisdom with complete surrender and compliance.  That generation of Israelites perished because they willfully rebelled in spite of a full revelation at Mount Sinai.

                                                 iii.     When one despises the preachers of the gospel they are at the same time despising the message of Christ. Christ continued to speak through his apostles, and buy his Spirit. The general rule is that we should diligently attend unto him, and we are not to refuse any who speak unto us in the name and authority of Christ. This may be applied to all the faithful preachers of the gospel, but they may be despised in this world.

IV.            The Spirit’s Warning Issues a Condemnation (3:11).

a.      God’s judgment fell on Israel in the wilderness at Kadesh Barnea. That entire generation was condemned to die, and only the new generation would enter the land.

b.      God said, “They shall not enter into My rest” (Heb. 3:11).

c.      Dr. Newell made the following observations regarding this same matter.

                                                    i.     The wicked say to God, “We desire not the knowledge of Thy ways” (Job 21:14). The angel said to Daniel, “The people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”  Since not knowing God’s ways is shown as the vital lack in Israel of old, and assured their failing to enter God’s rest, let us ask How shall we know the ways of God?  Mark it well: do as Moses did.  Ask and seek to have His ways shown to you.  Or, with David, plead Psalm 27:11, and the like. We must know our God and His ways. Otherwise, we shall be mere “professing” Christians.

                                                  ii.     From all of these observations regarding the text, it can be concluded men dislike the ways of God because of ignorance, like of experience, spiritual laziness, and they simply did not pursue a knowledge of Jehovah and His ways.  Therefore, despite the abundance of evidence presented by God, Israel still did not know His ways.

Response 

Use these questions to share more deeply with each other.

 

 

11.  Why should believers distinguish between faith and feelings?

 

 

Question 7. Be careful to maintain balance here. It's easy to get into a gender-related discussion about emotions. Because a person is emotional doesn't mean his/her faith is not real. Faith can lead to emotion. It just can't be based on emotion.

 

 

 

12.  How can you determine if your faith is real?

 

 

Question 8. Read James 2:14–17 (read through verse 26 if you don't mind a longer passage). Discuss current examples of faith without works.

 

 

 

13.  What can you do to ensure that your faith will endure?

 

Prayer

 

Father, we ask you to deepen our faith in you. Give us the strength to withstand temptation, overcome doubt, and remain loyal to you. At the end of our lives, may we hear your words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

 

Journaling

 

Take a few moments to record your personal insights from this lesson.

 

 

What steps can I take this week to strengthen my faith in God?

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Questions

 

 

14.  How can you avoid hardening your heart against God?

 

 

 

15.  What is the danger for Christians who neglect the fellowship of other believers?

 

 

Question 11. If you can, offer some examples of how your own life is different in proportion to the time you spend in fellowship with believers.

 

 

 

16.  What Christian friend can you encourage in spiritual matters? How?

 

For more Bible passages about remaining faithful, see Deuteronomy 11:13–18; 1 Samuel 12:24; 2 Samuel 22:26; 1 Kings 2:3,4; 2 Chronicles 19:9; Psalm 97:10; Proverbs 28:20; Matthew 25:19–23; 1 Corinthians 4:2; 10:12, 13; 3 John 3–5; Revelation 2:10; 17:14.

To complete the book of Hebrews during this twelve-part study, read Hebrews 3:1–19.