Hebrew 4:1-11 basically talks about the rest promised by God for His children. God has ordained rest for his children, rest from this worlds woes and challenges. This text uses the account of the children of Israel to pass this message clearly.
Lets first of all understand that the Old Testament is a shadow of things to come; the new testament is the reality in Christian. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christian (Col 2:17NIV).
For instance, the Israelites were spared by the blood of the lamb on their lintelsian only this blood saved them from the judgement upon the land likewise only the blood of Jesus would save us from the judgement coming on this world. The children of Israel ate lambs for the Passover meal but we eat the body of Christ which is the real Lamb of God.
The Children of Israel were saved from bondage and made their journey to the Promised Land likewise we, after salvation have to journey through the world (and overcome it) to get to the promised land, the heavenly Jerusalem and this is the ultimate salvation.
This text sheds more light on the account of the children of Israel, how and why they did not get to their rest (the promised land) so that we can learn from them so as not to miss the ultimate rest of God (The heavenly Jerusalem). These things happened to them as an examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. (1 corinthians 10:11 NLT).
God had promised them rest but not all of them made it to this rest. The ultimate reason for this is unbelief. When the children of Israel were journeying to the promised land, they encountered challenges on their way and instead of them to rely on God who had earlier delivered them from the hand of their oppressors, parted the sea for them, Who provides them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night for guidance and Who also feeds them day and night, they decided to toss their faith to the wind and go back to where they were delivered from because they felt that the challenges were too great ahead.
They lost sight of God. The truth is, without faith it is not difficult but impossible to please God and on this journey to our rest, if we don't see God all we would see are impossibilities and problems. Only when Peter took his attention of Jesus did he notice the boisterous winds and began to sink; for as long as he kept his gaze on Jesus, he was doing the impossible. It is usually unbelief that kills the children of God. It is not that the challenges they encounter or hindrances that usually prevent them from reaching their rest are bigger than them or God but their unbelief is what destroys them.
As long as our minds are not distracted and are stayed on God, we would have perfect peace. You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You...(Isaiah 26:3 NKJV). When we don't believe in God, we hinder God from helping us. Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief (Mathew 13:58NKJV). Jesus did not do many mighty works in His hometown because of their unbelief. It does not matter how much of the Word of God we hear or know, if we do not have faith, it cannot profit us. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it (Hebrews 4:2 NKJV).
It is usually unbelief that leads to disobedience. It is faith (an unyielding and unbending trust in the nature and the character of God) that would take us into His rest. For we who have believed do enter that rest....(Heb 4:3 NKJV). We must believe in God and we must be diligent about it; faith alone without works is dead. Our faith must be revealed practically in a lifestyle of absolute obedience to the will of the Father. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience (Heb 4:11 NKJV).
We must, unlike the children of Israel who did not make it to their rest, believe that the God that saved us is also capable of keeping us till the very end!
Your contributions, upvote and comments would really be appreciated. Let us reason together!