Hebrews 4:9-16 KJV

Our Great and Compassionate High Priest

WHAT IT SAYS:
 
9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 ¶  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

WHAT IT MEANS:

9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

The rest remains available to the people of God. We can only enter into God's rest through belief in Him. We can only become "His people" through faith in Him. When we put our faith in God, we enter into His rest. Believing -- is -- the peace that comes from trusting God.

Romans 9:25  As He says also in Hosea: "I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved."

Even if we did not believe in Him before, when we hear His word and incline our hearts to Him and repent of our sins, and become converted, we actually become His people. He allows us to walk under the umbrella of His love. That is Grace!!

10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

For he that believes in Jesus Christ (who is the one who has "entered into his rest") has ceased from his endless striving to improve himself, or to prove himself worthy. He also ceases from working towards the things that will satisfy himself -- his own selfish goals and self glorifying works.  He also no longer tries to work his own way into Heaven on his own merit. Trying is hard work. Believing is resting. The only way into heaven, is through belief in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Deliverer.

John 6:28-29  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

The writer of Hebrews then uses the picture of God resting after His amazing work of Creation as the example of what we should also be doing -- resting after we cease from our own puny selfish works.

11 ¶  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Let this be your work: to continue to believe in the continued and eternal grace of God. Our new labor is not to earn something, but to trust that God has already given us something -- salvation -- which is another name for "the rest." By God's good grace, we are saved and enter into God's rest.

Our present labor then is to continue to trust and rest in the Lord Jesus Christ. We know this is what is being said by the contents of the last phrase: "lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." Our "falling" can only take place if we do not believe, so our rest comes from continued belief in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God!

Matthew 11:27-30  All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Even this verse that speaks of us coming to Jesus and receiving rest for our souls, then tells us to take the yoke of Jesus upon us which is a completely different kind of work and done for a very different reason.

The work that must now be done is to walk with Jesus and trust that He will take us where He wants us to go. We are to learn of Jesus. We are to take on meekness, because he was meek. We are to be lowly in heart, not exalted in heart, because He was lowly in heart.  Jesus said that when we take His yoke upon us, we will find the rest we desire for our souls. Amen!

The promise also says that the yoke of Jesus is easy, and his burden is light. It is so much easier to trust in Him, the one with the Mighty Power and the Everlasting Love, than it is to trust in our own measly selves.
 
12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The word of God is quick. In a heartbeat we can turn from unbelief to belief. The word "quick" actually means "living." The word of God is living and powerful. The demonstration of this living power is seen in the fact that one sincere believing prayer of repentance from our sins, and acceptance of Jesus as our Savior, will instantaneously save us from destruction and give us new life in Christ!

The word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. It can pierce our hearts and reveal our own thoughts to us. If you want to know who you are, then seek God who created us and His word will reveal things to you that you could not see before. The word of God, when we are willing to hear it, will separate our souls from our spirits. What life! What power! What sharpness! Reading God's word with a believing heart will be the thing that lets us discern the real thoughts and intents of our own hearts.

It will also shift the burden from our little shoulders to His big and powerful hands. The word of God divides the soul from the spirit. It also divides the joints and the marrow. The joints are where physical actions take place, and the bone marrow is where the blood is made. The word of God will reveal to us why we do some of the things we do and where the thoughts and intents come from. It will reveal to us what our intentions really are. But it does not leave us there, because it is quick, living, and full of power to change us. All we need give is consent. 

13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

There is nothing that God does not see. He is the All Seeing God. No matter with what we try to cover ourselves and our deeds, we are always exposed before Him. There is nothing about us that is hidden from God. And He is the One with whom we have to do -- there is no other.

14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Let us hold fast our profession. We have become Christians by a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Let us hold on tight to our profession and our belief in the great high priest who has intervened for us and rescued us and then who passed into the heavens. Jesus the Son of God, is our hope.
 
15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus never sinned but he has lived our infirmities. He knows our weakness and our temptations and has compassion on us. He can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities -- our ills, our pain, our suffering. He has been there, and done that, and He loves us because He is one of us.

16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

We have absolutely no need to fear the throne of grace that Jesus sits upon. If we need mercy and forgiveness we may come boldly to His throne and ask Him for it. When we need grace to help us in our times of need, He is ever faithful to provide all and sufficient grace.

2 Corinthians 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

How much grace do you need? You need just enough grace. He has a sufficient supply of grace for all your needs. I love to think of "grace" as "good will."  God has good will towards men and it showed up on the day that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem!! Praise the Lord!!

Luke 2:14  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Romans 15:13 ¶  Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

 All you have to do to remain is His rest is to continue to believe in Him. Amen!!

1 John 5:12-13  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may (continue to) believe on the name of the Son of God. (Parentheses mine.)



READ THE PASSAGE FROM HEBREWS AGAIN AND SEE IF YOUR UNDERSTANDING HAS DEEPENED:

9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 ¶  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.