Art Toombs Ministries 

Online Bible Commentary

A Little Now, or a Lot Later
Hebrews 4:6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time, as it has been said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts." 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (NKJV)

 

The Book of Hebrews is divided into two main subjects. The first part refers to the superiority of Christ (1:1-10:18) and the second part refers to exhortations to obedient living (10:19-13:25).

Previously in this letter we have seen that Christ is superior to the prophets, the angels, mankind, and Moses. Now in this passage we see Christ’s superiority to Joshua, the one who led the Hebrews into the Promised Land.

This chapter has focused on the rest that God offers. God continues to offer rest to mankind even up to the present day.

God, Himself, rested after the six day creation. He then offered His rest in the Promised Land to those Hebrews of the exodus from slavery in Egypt. And He offers His rest in Heaven to all who receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Paul begins this passage by writing “Since therefore it remains that some must enter it” (v. 6a). And so the gate to Heaven is open, and “some must enter” that rest” (v. 6a).

Paul continues with “and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience” (v. 6b). The Hebrews of the exodus were not allowed to enter the Promised Land because of their disobedience. However, their descendants were allowed to enter the rest of the Promise Land, being led by Joshua and Caleb, the only two of the older generation who had remained faithful to God (Jos. 21:43-44).

Next, Paul writes “again He designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time, as it has been said” (v. 7a). After the disobedience of the Hebrews of the exodus, God offers another day of rest, “calling it Today”, referring to salvation.

Next he writes "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts" (v. 7b). His warning to the Hebrews, and to all people, is “do not harden your hearts” towards Jesus, the Messiah, a quote from David (Ps. 95:11). The message is to respond to “His voice”, the call of Jesus.

Next, Paul writes “For if Joshua had given them rest” (v. 8a).  Joshua gave the Hebrews rest in the Promised Land, but Jesus had a better “rest”.

Paul continues with “then He would not afterward have spoken of another day” (v. 8b). God spoke about it later in the time of David. The Promised Land of Heaven was better than the Promised Land of Canaan.

In Canaan, the Hebrews still had to fight for their land, and their way of life. They still suffered from sin, sickness, and sorrow. Heaven is much better. Christ’s plan was superior to Joshua’s plan.

Paul writes “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God” (v. 9). The Promised Land in Heaven is the ultimate rest. It is for “the people of God”, all who have believed with the faith of Abraham, Christians today.

Next, Paul writes “For he who has entered His rest” (v. 10a). When God’s people enter Heaven, they enter God’s rest.

Paul continues with “resting from their work on earth, has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His” (v.10b). God’s people “will rest from their work on earth” in Heaven, just as God rested on the seventh day, after completing the work of the creation.

Next, Paul writes “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest” (11a) Here, Paul appeals to the Hebrews to whom this letter is written, and to us, to make every effort to enter that rest.

Paul continues with “lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience” (v. 11b). Paul’s wish is that no one will fall to “disobedience”, like the Hebrews of the exodus.

In the final two verses of this passage, Paul speaks of this “disobedience”. He writes of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Paul writes “For the word of God is living and powerful” (v. 12a). The Bible is “living and powerful”, meaning it is constantly relative and powerful.

The Bible detects our disobedience. It points out our sin.

Paul continues with “and sharper than any two-edged sword” (v. 12b). The Bible is cutting, sharper than a double-edged sword.

Paul continues with “piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow” (v. 12c). The Bible is “piercing”. It pierces our “soul and spirit”, and our “joints and marrow”.

Our soul is everything we are, our being, our personality. Our spirit gives life to  our soul, and takes it to Heaven when our body dies. Marrow is hidden in the bone and is the lifeblood of the bone, just as our spirit is hidden in the soul and is the lifeblood of the soul.

Paul completes this verse with “and is a discerner” (v. 12d). The Bible judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

The Bible reveals our sin, which is one reason why some do not read it. They do not want to do things God’s way. They want to run their own lives.

Next, Paul writes “And there is no creature hidden from His sight” (v. 13a). Even so, people cannot hide from God. Nothing is hidden from God's sight.

Paul completes this passage with “but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (v. 13b). God sees everything, and we all “must give account” to Him some day. Even if we ignore Him our whole life, we will not be able to in the end.

It is like ignoring our car. The man in the old oil change commercial said “we can pay a little now or pay a lot later”.

Except in this case the lot later is everything, our eternal life in Heaven.