Hebrews 4:1-3 "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. (2) For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. (3) For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world."
The writer moves quickly from the thoughts in chapter 3 concerning those
Israelites who wandered in the wilderness for forty years, with many of them
dying in that place, to telling us there is a place of rest that can be
achieved in our hearts and minds. We understand this rest under consideration
is not the eternal heaven where all blood bought children of God will live for
all eternity. This "rest" is something we children of God can achieve
in this life, in this world that is filled with sin, disease, struggles, and
sorrows. This particular rest is a place where our very beings are calmed as we
are in the presence of the Almighty God.
This place in our hearts and minds where we find a sweet calmness is not found
through our activities; rather, we find this comfort by simply resting in the
promises of God. We arrive at this state of being by believing the Word of
God. We must remember this book was written first for the
"Hebrews," those people who had been taught the law all their lives.
They had been brought up to believe their works would place them in a closer
relationship with the Lord. Now, the writer is telling them there is a
sweet rest that comes to them, and us, by trusting the power of Almighty God to
see us through situations and circumstances.
The Apostle Paul spent much of his ministry combatting those who said God's
grace was nice, but it simply was not enough. They tried to mix works and
grace. And we can understand they did this because they had been taught all
their lives that they had to obey the law of God in order to find
righteousness. Now, they are being told the work of Jesus Christ has been
imputed to them as their righteousness and placing them in good standing with
God. It is completely contrary to all they have known. God inspired
the writer of Hebrews to take them, and us, step by step in contrasting the
works of the law and the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. He begins by
saying, "Let us not come short of this rest", this calmness, this blessed
assurance, in knowing Jesus completed the work of redemption. There is nothing
we can do to make His work more perfect. Find rest and assurance in the fact,
Jesus paid it all.
Near to the Heart of God
Cleland B. McAfee
There is a place of quiet rest,
Near to the heart of God;
A place where sin cannot molest,
Near to the heart of God.
Refrain:
O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God;
Hold us, who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.
There is a place of comfort sweet,
Near to the heart of God;
A place where we our Savior meet,
Near to the heart of God.
There is a place of full release,
Near to the heart of God;
A place where all is joy and peace,
Near to the heart of God.