Hebrews 5 (5)

Introduction
The writer of Hebrews is using rest as Paul and Peter use promises. The restof God, as symbolized in Israel’s entering the land of promise, entails that whole raft of promises made to Abraham, fulfilled in Jesus, and now available to all who believe in Him (Gen. 12.1-3; 2 Cor. 1.20; Rom. 4.16; 2 Pet. 1.4). We enter God’s rest by faith and obedience, as we have seen. But faith in what? Obedience to what? Our writer answers those questions in today’s verses.

Read Psalm 19.7-14.

Read Hebrews 4.11-13.

Think it through.
1.  A restremains for those who believe. Therefore, we should make it our business to enter that rest, God’srest, and leave off thinking we can find better rest by turning from Him to other things. The writer says we should “be diligent to enter that rest.” What does someone look like who is diligently entering ever more deeply into God’s rest and promises? What is that person doing? What should he experience? According to the last part of verse 11, if we are not diligent in entering that rest, to what are we susceptible? 

2.  The writer abruptly turns from exhorting us to be diligent in entering God’s rest to what seems like a different topic. Verse 12 begins with the word, For, as though some rationale or explanation were to follow. What is that rationale? How does the Word of God show itself to be living and powerful, sharp and piercing in your life? The Word surfaces what’s going on in our minds and hearts. What does this mean, and why is it important we be reminded of this? In verse 13, the Word is likened unto the “eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” We open the Scriptures, and through the Scriptures, God opens His eyes on us. How are the Scriptures like the “eyes” of God? Why is it important for us to know this? What does all this have to do with entering God’s rest?

Meditate.
“Now the holy depth of divine Scripture is expressed in such common language that everyone immediately takes it in. But buried within it are hidden senses of truth, so that the vital meaning must be most carefully sought out. What contributes most of all to our understanding that it is really divine is the fact that ignorant persons are known to have been able to explain most subtle things, and mortal humans eternal things, but only when filled with the divine Spirit.” Cassiodorus (485-580 AD)

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they weremoved by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1.19-21

Your Word is alive, O Lord, and powerful. You see me through it, and I see You in it. O help me, Lord, to …

Pray Psalm 84.1-12.
The life of faith is a journey which takes us deeper into God’s promises and rest every day, until at last we arrive in His heavenly rest in glory. Pray this psalm, thinking about the day ahead, and how you prepare to know God’s rest, come what may.

Psalm 84.1-12 (Holy Manna: Brethren, We Have Met to Worship)
Lord of hosts, how sweet Your dwelling; 
How my soul longs for Your courts! 
Let my soul with joy keep telling 
Of Your grace forever more. 
Like a bird upon the altar 
Let my life to You belong. 
Blessed are they who never falter 
As they praise Your grace with song!

Blessed are they whose strength is founded 
In Your strength, O Lord above. 
All whose hearts in You are grounded 
Journey in Your strength and love. 
Though they weep with tears of sadness, 
Grace shall all their way sustain. 
In Your presence, filled with gladness, 
They shall conquer all their pain.

Lord of hosts, my prayer receiving, 
Hear me, help me by Your grace! 
In Your courts I stand believing; 
Turn to me Your glorious face! 
Lord, our sun, our shield, our glory, 
No good thing will You deny 
To those who proclaim Your story, 
And who on Your grace rely.

T. M Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006.