Near to the Heart of God A Study of the Book of Hebrews

Lesson 9 Hebrews 4:1 – 10

Defining Rest

I.

Introduction

A.

A fellow “worker” in college B.

Hebrews 3:7-19: A warning from the Old Testament (Psalm 95) C.

The question that remains: What is this rest we are in danger of failing to enter?

D.

The answer is found in 4:1-11.

E.

An overview of this lesson 1. Overview of chapters 1-4 2. Review of 3:1-18 3. Coming to terms with our text 4. Application

II.

Overview of Hebrews 1-4

A. Chapters 1 and 2: Higher than the angels 1.

2.

Chapter 1 a. God has revealed Himself fully and finally in His Son – seven statements about the Son (1:1-4) b. Higher than the angels: seven Scripture citations about the Son (1:5-14) Chapter 2 a. We had better listen more carefully (2:1-4) b. “Lower than the angels” – the incarnation (2:5-19)

B. Chapters 3 and 4: Greater than Moses 1.

Chapter 3 a. Jesus is greater than Moses (3:1-6) 1) 2) Both were faithful The house vs. the builder 3) 4) The servant vs. the Son “In” his house vs. “over His house” b. Warning based on Israel’s history (3:7-19) 2.

Chapter 4 a. Defining rest (4:1-10) b. Laboring to enter rest (4:11-16)

III.

Tracing the argument from Psalm 95 (3:7-4:10)

A.

Observations from 3:7-19 1.

2.

This continues “greater than Moses” theme a. Moses didn’t lead them to rest b. Moses didn’t enter rest himself This text addresses the danger of falling back into Judaism.

a. Hebrews 3:8, 15 b. Matthew 23:29-36 (esp. vv. 34-35) c. Acts 7:51-53)

8 “Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness (Hebrews 3:8, NET Bible).

8 Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, As in the day of trial in the wilderness (Hebrews 3:8, NASB95).

8 Do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert (Hebrews 3:8, NIV).

34 “For this reason I am sending you prophets and wise men and experts in the law, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, 35 so that on you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar” (Matthew 23:34-35, NET Bible).

51 “You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors did! 52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become! 53 You received the law by decrees given by angels, but you did not obey it” ( Acts 7:51-53, NET Bible).

Observations from 3:7-19 (cont’d)

d.

Conclusion: Any who wants to “go back to Moses and Judaism” will fail, like that generation, and will thus enter into the same consequences. Do you really want to repeat their error?

3. All failed to enter rest (v. 16) 4. They failed for 40 years 5. They failed under Moses’ leadership 6. They failed after hearing God speak and seeing many miracles to confirm His word.

7. God was angry with them, so they didn’t enter their “rest.” 8. The root problem was unbelief, leading to a hardened heart and rebellion.

9. The same danger exists today.

10. The offer of rest exists today as well.

B. The argument of Hebrews 4:1-10 1.

2.

The keys to understanding our text a. Understanding the key terms b. Understanding how the psalmist connected the dots (from the Israelites in the wilderness to his day) c. Understanding how the author of Hebrews connected the dots from Psalm 95 to his day Key terms or concepts: a. “Today” b. “Good news” (message, what God speaks) c. Belief/unbelief (faith) d. “Community” (4:2) e. “Rest”

IV.

Conclusion and Application

A.

There are various “rests” in our text.

B.

C.

D.

E.

The problem: which rest?

The solution: Rest in principle – ceasing from works (4:10) The paradox: Striving to enter rest (4:11) 1.

2.

3.

Rest for today The rest of salvation (Matt. 11:28-30) The rest of eternal bliss (Isaiah 65-66; Romans 8:18 25; Revelation 21-22) The rest of sanctification (Romans 6-8)

Copyright © 2008 by Robert L. Deffinbaugh. This is the edited PowerPoint presentation of Lesson 9 in the series,

Near to the Heart of God, A Study of the Book of Hebrews

without credit.

prepared by Robert L. Deffinbaugh for September 7, 2008.

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