Hebrews: Chapter 4

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

May 5, 2021

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

In this message we continue with some gleanings from Hebrews, Chapter 4. More than half of Chapter 4 continues to share about the rest of God. We might recall that the last half of Hebrews, Chapter 3, addresses the rest which God offers us. The word, "rest," is used in three different senses, which is typical of the word of God. The word "rest" can mean "the peace of God." One of the very first revelations I received after the Lord sovereignly apprehended me was the peace of God. I remember saying to myself, "Surely this is the peace that passes all understanding." That promise of rest is still available. One of the greatest and most precious aspects of our Christian journey is to experience and walk in the peace of God ... the rest of God. That peace of God enables us to further experience the God of all peace.

The word, "rest," also refers to the Promised Land ... the kingdom of God. We saw that in Hebrews, Chapter 3, verse 11, in our last message. When the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years, the Promised Land was indeed intended to be the rest of God after their long and tiresome wanderings. Unfortunately, only two adults out of the multitude persevered unto the end.

The third meaning refers back to Genesis, when God rested from all His works on the seventh day. All of God's work was completed and done after those six days.

The promise of the rest of God for His chosen people has never changed. That rest must be experienced, not simply talked about or understood with our mind. The danger is that we may miss it and fail to reach it because of many different reasons, some of which we read about in 1 Corinthians 10:5-13. But the underlying reason for missing the rest of God is our unbelief. The ultimate decision point for the Israelites is recorded in Numbers, Chapters 13 and 14. Moses sent 13 men in to spy out the land, a man from each tribe. Only two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, believed God. They said that the Israelites could take the land. Although the Israelites as a whole failed to enter into that rest, that rest still remains because it is an eternal rest.

In Genesis, Chapter 1, on each of the six days, we read that the evening and the morning were the first day, the second day, etc. But from Genesis, Chapter 2, verses 2 and 3, 

"And on the seventh day God ended his work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made."

According to scripture, on the seventh day, the day of God's rest, there is no mention of evening at all. While the other days came to an end, the day of God's rest has no ending. It is eternal. It has no night ... no darkness. There was never any natural light in the Holy of Holies. From Revelation 21:23, 

"And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof."

Under the leadership of Joshua, some of the people entered the Promised Land. Did that constitute the fulfillment of the promise of entering into God's rest? No, because some 400 years later David heard God's voice saying the same thing we read in 

Hebrews 4:7, "Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts as in the day of provocation." 

God's "today" still exists in our time and His promise is still available, but today does not last forever. This is the warning in Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 1.

1 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.

The first, and one of the most important phrases in this verse is "let us." The Bible records three different applications of "let us." The most important application is to God Himself, as we will see shortly. Second, the phrase "let us" applies to natural man, and third, the phrase is used as an exhortation to all true Christians over all of time. This is the first of 13 occurrences of the phrase "let us" in the book of Hebrews. Each of those occurrences represent exhortations as to what "we" as Christians should do. The first occurrence of "let us" in the Bible is Genesis 1:26, when God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." I believe the only other time that God said, "let us" is in Genesis 11:7, when God said, "Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."

All of the struggles of Christian man, all of our agony, our stress and distress, our grief, our hurt, our heartbreak, our bondage, is because we do not discern between what we must do and what God must do or has already done. Verse 11 of this chapter says "let us labor to enter into His rest." When the Israelites were led out of Egypt, they were set free from their taskmaster in the form of Pharaoh. But then they came under the bondage of a new taskmaster ... king self.

In Numbers 14:4, "And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt." 

Unfortunately, that sequence of events occurs too often in the life of a Christian believer. After being born again, it is all too easy to settle on our lees and still be in bondage to self. "Let us, let us, let us."

The first occurrence of man's "let us" is in Genesis 11:2-4.

"And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth."

Note the six occurrences of "us" and "we" in those three verses. Six is the number of man. Perhaps the greatest error that professing Christians have made and continue to make is when we try to do that which only God can do. One example of those verses today is the so-called ecumenical movement. The primary instrument of the ecumenical movement is the World Council of Churches, which was founded in 1948, and now includes more than 300 Protestant and Orthodox churches from every continent. However, the real start of the ecumenical movement dates back to Genesis, chapter 11. In other words, the so-called ecumenical movement is a counterfeit that has nothing to do with the true church that the Lord Jesus is building. You might be surprised at some of the "big-name" evangelicals in the 20th and 21st centuries who have endorsed the ecumenical movement.

In contrast, I have found only three sets of verses that say, "Let God." 

Psalm 68:1, "Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered:"

Psalm 70:4, "Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified." 

Romans 3:4, "let God be true, but every man a liar."

Back to Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 1 and the phrase "let us." Let us what? 

"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."

Because of the blessings, the prosperity, the comfort, and the security that we Christians in America have experienced for many long years, we have little understanding of the fear of God. Jesus Himself said, in 

Matthew 10:28, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." 

Only God can destroy both soul and body.

Back to Hebrews, chapter 4 and verse 2.

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.

That verse says that the gospel was (past tense) preached unto them. Who is "them"? All of mankind, although the author may have been referring specifically to the Israelites who came out of Egypt. What is the gospel? One definition of the gospel is found in 

Romans 1:16-21. 

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Exodus 14:13-14, "And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."

Exodus 19:4-6,

 

4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.

5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

Back to Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 3. 

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.

4 For He spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all His works.

5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.

8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would He not afterward have spoken of another day.

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.

The word "labour" is more understandable if we translate that verse as, "Let us be diligent to enter into that rest ..." In the natural realm, rest follows labor. We are talking about labor and rest at the same time ... rest from our works while we do the works ordained for us before the foundation of the world. 

Now, having said that, many Christians would just say, "Uh-huh," and continue their life as they have always done. So let us try to amplify what it means to enter into His rest.

Specifically, let us consider the example of Joshua. In Joshua, Chapter 3, verses 3-4, 

"And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore." 

2000 cubits is about 3/5 of a mile. Why did the people have to stand so far back? so everyone could see what was to happen. To the Israelites, the ark of the covenant represented the presence of the Lord.

Joshua 3:7-8, "And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.

And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan." 

Joshua, 3:14-17, "And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan." 

Let us consider the prophetic significance of that example. "Adam" of course, means "man." "Zaretan" means "tribulation" or "perplexity." Scripture says that when the feet of the priests that bare the ark stepped into the brim of the water, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. The priests that bare the ark on their shoulders are the burden bearers. That speaks of the overcomers, the remnant, who intercede and stand in the gap for the rest of the church, so that we all can pass over on dry ground. What was the result of that miraculous power of God? 

Joshua 5:1, "And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel."

We must remember that the purpose for crossing the Jordan River at that geographical point was to destroy Jericho and all the inhabitants thereof. Back in Joshua, chapter 2, Joshua had sent two men in to spy out Jericho. I have read that the walls around Jericho at that time were 20-26 feet high and 6 feet thick. Joshua may well have thought how it could be possible to take the city. He probably had even consulted the elders about the best plan they could devise. But all of the best plans we Christians might make may be for nought.

Then, from Joshua 5:13-15,


13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?

15 And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

The captain of the LORD's host can be none other that Jesus, the Captain of our salvation. Now I do not believe that the physical ground on the west side of the Jordan River was any more holy than the ground on the east side of that River. What made it holy was the presence of the Lord. What is the significance of Joshua taking his shoes off? Feet, which are the extremities of the human anatomy, are used prophetically to portray what Jesus is planning for His faithful followers in these end times, i.e., the Church Age, which is drawing to a close. The feet and toes represent what we have on the earth today in the politics of the world and in the visible church ... a mixture. This is also portrayed in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar as recorded in Daniel, chapter 2 ... iron mixed with clay.

The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary; and I will make the place of My feet glorious. Isaiah 60:13

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Romans 16:20

Note that it is the feet of the overcomers that will bruise Satan, but it is God Himself who will do the bruising ... Christ in you, the hope of glory. What we see in the visible church today are many in leadership positions who are diseased in their feet and lame in their feet like the son of Jonathan ... ministers to the house (Ezekiel 44:9-14) who commit abominations ... those who are not prepared to be used in a mighty way in these end times. During our wonderful 3 weeks in Scandinavia in the mid 1980's, we saw an unusual number of men who walked with a limp.

Isaiah 52:7, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace: that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation: that saith unto Zion, 'Thy God reigneth'."

It says "the feet of Him," not "the feet of them." Jesus is the Head. Who make up the feet? In John 13 Jesus had taken a towel and a basin of water, and began to wash the feet of His disciples. Jesus was enacting a prophecy concerning the end times ... the dispensation of grace that He was just about to usher in upon the earth. There will come a special cleansing to the close followers of Jesus in the last days, which will make their feet "beautiful," as it says in Isaiah 52:7. Just the close followers will receive it ... those who are looking for Him.

Now back to Joshua and his plans to destroy Jericho. The captain of the LORD's host told Joshua to forget all of man's planning. The Lord said, "Joshua, you can never take that city no matter what strategy you come up with. You just follow my plans and do what I tell you." In Joshua 6:2-5, the Lord tells Joshua what to do. 

"And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him." 

The Israelites followed the Lord's instructions perfectly. As a result, everything happened as the Lord had told them and they utterly destroyed all that was in the city. That was the first battle within the promised land, but many other battles were won until we get to Joshua 21:43, which says, 

"And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which He sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that He sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass." 

Those verses say that the Lord gave them rest. But they did not receive the true spiritual rest. They only received a national, physical, political rest, which is prophetic of the spiritual rest that was available to them and is available to us. Then the Lord said, in 

Joshua 24:13-14, "And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat. Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD."

Now how does this example of the battle at Jericho apply to us Christians today? In every possible way. We go to church every Sunday. We sing some peaceful, soothing songs and then listen to a good message from the pastor. We say let us read the Bible, let us pray, let us give money to the church, let us try our best to live a morally good life, let us, let us, let us.

Whenever possible, we attend the big evangelistic conferences and revivals with thousands of other Christians. We get moved to tears with the wonderful singing and preaching. Then what happens after the wonderful church service? We leave and start thinking again about all of our problems and what we have to do next week. We are still thinking and concerned about our homes, our wayward children, our marriage, our jobs. We still think about our financial situation. The weight of the world is still very much on our minds. We carry our concerns every day, day in and day out. That is no rest at all. But praise the Lord! Jesus will bear every burden. Jesus said, in 

Matthew 11:28-30, "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 light." 

That says that the only burden we need to carry is to know Him. Our burden is a longing, a deep desire for the presence of God in our hearts.

Jericho speaks of spiritual warfare. What is your Jericho? What is my Jericho? Don't worry about your Jericho. The battle is the Lord's. The focal point is not the battle. The focal point is the Lord. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

Back to Hebrews, chapter 4.

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged 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.

To the Jews, once a word was spoken it had an independent existence. A word was a power, a force which went forward and did things. This is true even in the natural realm. We can understand something of this if we think of the tremendous effect of words in history. There are many historical examples of the power of words. Just think about what happened on January 6 at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. If that be so of the words of men, how much more is it so of the word of God. One scriptural example, from Isaiah 6:3-4,

3 And one [seraphim] cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of Him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

Just think about what happened when one cherubim said what he did in Verse 3 ... the posts of the door moved and the house was filled with smoke.

Back to Hebrews 4.

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.

Verses 14 through 16 begin by stressing the sheer greatness, the absolute deity of Jesus. Jesus is so great and so wonderful that even heaven itself is too small a place for Him. 

Jeremiah 23:24, "Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD." 

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.

Never was man tempted as Jesus was. Scripture only speaks of one Man that Satan asked to fall down and worship him ... that man was Jesus.

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.

Jesus is the perfect high priest because He is perfectly God and perfectly man. Because He has experienced our life, He is fully able and willing to give us compassion, grace, mercy, and power. He has brought God to men and He is the only one who can bring men to God.

I once heard the following poem about God's chosen people. I do not know who the author was. (quote) 

"They came to the gates of Canaan, but they never entered in. 

They came to the land of promise, but they perished in their sin.

And so we are ever coming to the place where two ways part.

One leads to the land of promise, and one to a hardened heart." (end quote)

Finally, let us consider the third line of that poem; "And so we are ever coming to the place where two ways part." That verse is very scriptural. A Christian does not come to the place where two ways part only once, when we are born again. We are ever and forever on this earth as a born-again Christian coming to the place where two ways part. The doctrine of "once saved, always saved" is not true. In two minutes I found nine different verses in the New Testament which clearly refute "once saved, always saved." One of those verses is Romans 11:22. In addition, from 

2 Thessalonians 2:3, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;" 

No one can fall away from something they never had. In addition, man has free will. Even Jesus had a will of His own. He said, in Luke 22:42, "not my will but thy will be done." To believe "once saved always saved" we must believe that after we are born again, we no longer have free will. To be set free from the bondage of Egypt (being born again) is, in itself, no guarantee that we will enter the Promised Land.

May we lay all of our burdens, except one, at the feet of Jesus. May our only burden be to seek to know the Lord in all of His fulness. Amen.