Entering God’s Rest
By Dr. Derek Carlsen
The author of Hebrews, when showing the superiority of Jesus over Moses (Hebrews 3), used a lengthy quote from Psalm 95. He then clarified, for his readers, whom the Holy Spirit was talking about in these verses.
Wilderness Generation
The adult generation Moses led out of Egypt, who later refused to enter into the Promised Land, was being talked about (Numbers 14). This generation died in the wilderness, never entering the Promised Land. God swore that they would not enter into His rest. Hebrews says, “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” (Hebrews 3:19).
The Same Gospel
Hebrews tells us that the wilderness generation heard the same gospel that is preached in the Newer Testament era (Hebrews 4:2). Jesus tied Abraham’s salvation to his faith in Christ saying, “Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” (John 8:56). Salvation has only ever been through faith in Christ’s work—some looked forward to it while we look back.
Foundation of the World
Redemption through Christ was established from the foundation of the world, but this message has to be “mixed with faith” in the hearers (Hebrews 4:2-3), that is, believed, trusted, and embraced. Jesus is the Lamb of God who was slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8).
Rest and the Promised Land
The author of Hebrews took time to remove any confusion around the ‘rest’ he was talking about. Entering and conquering the Promised Land was not this ‘rest’ or else the Holy Spirit wouldn’t have talked about another day (Hebrews 4:8).
The Seventh Day
Those who believe, enter this rest (Hebrews 4:3), and this rest is tied to the seventh day when God rested from all His works of creation (Hebrews 4:4). The Sabbath Day served as a type or picture of the rest which God enjoys, which is the same rest that believers enjoy—they enter into His rest.
Two Reasons
Moses gave two reasons for Sabbath observance, the first is quoted above (Exodus 20:11; 31:17) and the second is tied to being delivered from the bondage of Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15). Sabbath Day observance was a type of sharing in God’s rest and a type of being delivered from bondage. What is the antitype?
Jesus is the Antitype
The only way to enter into the ‘rest’ that Hebrews talks about is through faith in the completed work of the Messiah. We are delivered from the bondage of sin by believing in the Savior. Those who believe in the revelation about Jesus possess the reality of what the Sabbath Day pictured. The real Sabbath is resting in Jesus.
The Lord’s Day
There is nothing in Scripture that transfers the Older Testament’s Sabbath Day requirements to the Newer Testament’s Lord’s Day. Scripture clearly distinguishes between the Sabbath Day and the Lord’s Day and nowhere links them—the only linking comes from human minds. Those who continue to promote the Older Testament Sabbath Day requirements are denying its antitype. What’s perpetual is not the ‘day’ but the ‘rest.’
Conclusion
When believers cease trusting in their own works to secure their salvation and trust completely in Christ’s works, they enter into God’s rest. Believers don’t need to honor any day in a certain way because they already possess the reality of what the Sabbath Day pictured. Hebrews is not talking about a future rest (heaven), but about a present rest that is tied to having faith in the truth about Jesus—to believe this truth is to enter God’s rest and be freed from the bondage of sin. Christ is the Sabbath we are to honor; the death penalty still awaits all who refuse to honor Him.
“So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” (Colossians 2:16-17).