HEBREWS 4:9
“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” (Hebrews 4:9)
About the middle of chapter 3 in Hebrews, Paul begins writing about the rest, stating that those who are partakes in Jesus have received a rest. And those who have unbelief their hearts have not. He writes about the Israelites who came out of Egypt and did not enter into the rest in the Promised Land, but died in those 40 years because of unbelief. But those who believed were able to enter the Promised Land and rest. In chapter 4 again he reiterates that the Gospel was preached and those who believed have entered into a rest. “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.” (Hebrews 4:3) Paul even mentions that God rested on the seventh day. This rest he writes about up to chapter 4 verse 9 means to repose or cease from work, the Greek word “katapauo.”
But in verse 9, what Paul talks about is another kind of rest, “sabbatismos” or the rest of Christianity, a type of heaven. What is this Christianity rest? It is not a repose but a deliverance. Much like the Israelites’ deliverance from the slavery of Egypt, the people of God have left behind the shackles of the life of unbelief.
What confuses us is the word “remaineth.” It does not mean that there is yet another “rest.” The word remaineth is the Greek word “apoleipo” meaning to forsake or leave. Usually, we can go to the Greek (in the New Testament) or the Hebrew (in the Old Testament) and get understanding. We have to remember that the Bible is a translated book. And lots has been lost in the translation, which is why study is so important. So, what exactly did Paul mean then in verse 9? Taking the Greek meaning, the sentence is chopped up and there may have been more words that would have made more sense.
We can gather from understanding the Greek words that Paul was saying because we have forsaken the shackles of unbelief and have believed, there is a heaven like rest to the people of God. And in Hebrew 4:3 he actually is talking about a rest meaning repose for those who believe. Let’s study both.
First, looking at verse 3, Paul uses the word for repose and likens it to God resting on the seventh day. When we believe and become a child of God, we no longer belong to ourselves. We no longer have to strive to work to be good. God’s Law is written in our hearts and to disobey is not in our nature, even though we may stumble now and then, it is not natural for us to disobey our Lord and God. Anything right and good that we may do, we must give God the glory for it because He gives us the desire to do good and also enables us to do good. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13) We no longer have to work at pleasing God. God is pleased with us because we live by faith.
Now moving on to verse 9, Paul uses the word “apoleipo” which literally means a heaven type of rest. It is a rest where sin has no place. It is a rest from hopelessness and chaos and a rest of hope and peace. It is a rest from defeat and failure. God’s heaven type of rest is to be had here on earth. We do not have to wait until we are in eternity to enjoy it.
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