Hebrews 4:6-11 (HCSB)
Since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience, again, He specifies a certain day—today—speaking through David after such a long time, as previously stated:
Today, if you hear His voice,
do not harden your hearts.
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. For the person who has entered His rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from His. Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.
As proof of his statement that the promise of entering into God’s rest is still valid, the writer of Hebrews looks to the first part of Psalm 95:7-11. He keys in on the word “today” as proof that the rest that was promised was not delivered by Joshua when the Israelites conquered the Promised Land, since it was written hundreds of years after that conquest.
Some might think it’s strange that the writer refers to the Jewish people as “those who formerly received the good news”, because the gospel is usually considered to be a uniquely New Testament thing. But there are two ways to look at this, both of which are valid.
The first is that the good news of the Messiah, though not fulfilled until the coming of Jesus, was clearly communicated to the Jews throughout the law, the prophets, and the writings. Some believed, obeyed, and prayed for the fulfillment of those promises. But many refused to believe, even in Jesus’ day, because so many of the prophecies were counter intuitive, or went against the theology that a grown up around who God is and how He works. Those who refused to believe were truly rejecting God’s revelation, and thus missed His rest entirely.
The other way to look at this is from a New Testament standpoint. Since the Day of Pentecost, the gospel had been preached all over the Roman Empire and beyond, first to the Jewish people, and then to the gentiles. Among both groups, there were those who received the good news and those who rejected it, often opposing, and even persecuting the messengers. Even though most of the Jews were eagerly awaiting the Messiah, those who rejected Him when he arrived, for whatever reason, ended up opting out of the rest that had been promised to them, insisting instead on saving themselves through their own efforts.
The fact is, the doorway to the promised rest is Jesus, the Messiah and Savior. So, for those desiring to find this rest, the path is clear: receive Jesus as Savior and Lord, because there is no other way to be saved (John 10:7-9, 14:6).
Father, people really can be stubborn, even to the point of rejecting what will save us and holding firmly to that which has proven to be ineffective. Help me to show, not only by my teaching, but by my life as well, the truth of Your gospel above any religious system ever invented by man. Jesus truly is the way, the truth, and the life, the one entryway into Your kingdom, and every effort of man, no matter how sincere or how strongly believed in, ultimately leads to death. Thank you for Jesus. Amen.