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Hebrews 4:9 and the Sabbath
Hebrews is a book that was addressed to Jewish believers who were considering retreating back into Judaism.
The author of Hebrews (probably Paul) was presenting a comparison to these believers to show that the New Covenant is better than the Old Covenant.
Here is how the contrast is drawn
·Jesus is a better revelation of truth (Heb 1:1-3)
·Jesus is better than the angels (Heb 1:3-14)
·Jesus is better than Moses (Heb 3:1-6)
·Jesus is better than Aaron (Heb 5)
·Jesus is a better high priest (Heb 6:7)
·The new covenant has a better law (Heb 7:12)
·The new covenant is a better covenant (Heb 8:6)
·The new covenant has better promises (Heb 8:6)
·The new covenant has a greater temple (Heb 9:11)
·The new covenant has better sacrifices (Heb 9:23)
·The new covenant has a better possession (Heb 10:34)
·The new covenant has a better country (Heb 11:16)
·The new covenant has a better resurrection (Heb 11:35)
·The new covenant has something better (Heb 11:40)
·The new covenant has better blood (Heb 12:24)
·The new covenant has a better atonement (Heb 10:1-25)
Hebrews 4:9 and the Sabbath reference needs to be viewed in a similar manner.New Covenant Christians have a better “Sabbath” than the Old Covenant one.
Hebrews 3: 1 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice,8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years.10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’11 As I swore in my wrath,‘They shall not enter my rest.’” 12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said,
Hebrews 4:1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’”although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” 5 And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.” 6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.
The author of Hebrews describes first what God’s rest is not, and then he describes what God’s rest is.
In Hebrews 3 and 4, the argument is being made that Jesus is better that Moses, and that Moses did not give ancient Israel “God’s rest” (3:11). So, the rest which is being addressed here is not talking about the Sabbath command, as Moses did give them the Sabbath commandment through God.
Joshua also did not give them true rest even though he brought them into the Promised Land, which was a type of rest as well (4:8). They enjoyed a type of “rest” but it wasn’t the rest that God spoke of in verse 10 (Josh 21:43-45).
Now that the author has identified two things that this true rest is not, he identifies characteristics related to what this true rest or Sabbath is.
From the remarks underlined above, we can discover three things about this rest. One, it involves the good news or gospel message (4:2, 6). Two, it is entered into by faith (4:3). Three, it is related somehow to the creation week (4:3-4). Four, it involves a rest from works by the person who enters into it (4:10). Five, the Greek phrase for “has rested” indicates the aorist tense, which specifies a particular point of time in the past that happened in an instant.
In essence, these verses describe the real Sabbath, which is manifested in Jesus Christ and placing our faith in Him after hearing the Gospel message. We cease trying to work our way into God’s favor andplace our faith in Him (Romans 4). This is the New Covenant “Sabbath” or rest which is better than the Old Covenant Sabbath.
How does the creation work relate in regards to this?Mankind enjoyed an unfettered relationship with God in the Garden of Eden. This relationship was one of peace, rest and unbroken communion with God. The Sabbath day in the Old Covenant pictured this relationship of peace, rest and unbroken communion with God. Believers under the Old Covenant only enjoyed this oasis of peace, rest and unbroken communion with God during these Sabbaths, though.
The New Covenant believer places his faith in Jesus Christ and experience the real thing, not the Old Covenant type. He experiences an unfettered open relationship with God that is similar to what mankind enjoyed before the Fall in the Garden of Eden, which separated him from close communion with God. The New Covenant believer enjoys peace, rest and unbroken communion with God perpetually.
This is how the New Covenant Sabbath-rest is better than the Old Covenant type that the author discusses. Jesus Christ is our New Covenant Sabbath-rest (Matt. 11:28-30) and we enter that rest through placing our faith in Him.
I can provide a more detailed analysis if anyone needs it.
This information is distilled from Sabbath in Christ by Dale Ratzlaff, a former Seventh Day Adventist pastor.
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