Labor To Enter Into What Rest?

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Hidden In Him

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In Hebrews 4:9, believers in Christ were told that there remains a Sabbath rest unto the people of God, and in v.11 that they were to labor to enter into that rest.

What was it/ is it, and how were they/ are we to labor to enter into it?
 

logabe

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In Hebrews 4:9, believers in Christ were told that there remains a Sabbath rest unto the people of God, and in v.11 that they were to labor to enter into that rest.

What was it/ is it, and how were they/ are we to labor to enter into it?[/QUOTE

The law of God says, slaves will work for six days and on the seventh day he shall rest. We are @ the end of the 6th day or 6th thousand year (Ps. 90:4) where we will enter the Tabernacles Age with immortal bodies. But if we don't labor to enter into the Promises of God, we will have to wait for the 2nd Resurrection a thousand years later.

We labor in our faith. (Hebrews 4:11) What you believe determines your destiny
 

Enoch111

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What was it/ is it, and how were they/ are we to labor to enter into it?
That rest is our perfect security and salvation in Christ apart from any good works. And that *labor* is simply the exercise of faith in Christ and His finished work of redemption. This is confirmed in John 6.

JOHN 6
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
 

Episkopos

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In Hebrews 4:9, believers in Christ were told that there remains a Sabbath rest unto the people of God, and in v.11 that they were to labor to enter into that rest.

What was it/ is it, and how were they/ are we to labor to enter into it?


The spiritual realm of the kingdom of God. We enter into that heavenly realm whereby it is Christ living through us....and we walking where He is...in Zion. That is the spiritual rest. No longer by our efforts...

But this is not an easy place to enter.....the door is narrow as well as the way. One needs to strive with God...to wrestle with God...like Jacob did. THEN we enter into Christ and ascend the ladder into heaven and into God's rest.
 

Hidden In Him

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I always assumed we entered our rest when we stopped keeping the Sabbath and the Law, relying on Christ's righteousness and not our efforts for righteousness.
That rest is our perfect security and salvation in Christ apart from any good works. And that *labor* is simply the exercise of faith in Christ and His finished work of redemption. This is confirmed in John 6.

JOHN 6
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
The spiritual realm of the kingdom of God. We enter into that heavenly realm whereby it is Christ living through us....and we walking where He is...in Zion. That is the spiritual rest. No longer by our efforts...

But this is not an easy place to enter.....the door is narrow as well as the way. One needs to strive with God...to wrestle with God...like Jacob did. THEN we enter into Christ and ascend the ladder into heaven and into God's rest.

These three answers are similar to what I always believed as well, but I'm now questioning that interpretation. I'm not fully in agreement with Logabe on the rest of his answer, but now that I've been looking at the passage in a new light, the 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth makes a strong case for being the "rest" they were laboring to enter into, with the millennium being the "Sabbath" or 7th "day" of creation in keeping with 2 Peter 3:8 (and yes, Dave. I know you would not agree with that position at all, LoL).

But let me post the passage, starting with Chapter 3:
____________________
1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, 2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. 3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. 5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, 6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you will hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
In the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,
And saw My works forty years.
10 Therefore I was angry with that generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they have not known My ways.’
11 So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”

12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said:

“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
____________________________

Now. Here he states that the "rest" the Israelites "could not enter into" in v.16-19 was the promised land. If you look at the other New Testament writings, the spiritual promised land was something the New Testament saints had NOT entered into yet. Look at 1 Corinthians 19, where Paul talked about the same subject matter:
____________________________
1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
______________________________

The phrase "upon whom the ends of the ages" points to the promised land they were seeking, but they had not attained it yet. All of his examples of the Israelites "falling" here are taken from the forty years in the wilderness, BEFORE they entered the promised land. The Israelites were eating and drinking of Christ, but had not yet entered the promised land, and likewise the New Testament saints were eating and drinking of Christ but needed to be careful lest they likewise fall before reaching the promised land themselves.

So you combine the two passages and you get, A. The "rest" of God was the "promised land," and B. They had not attained to that "promised land" yet during New Testament times.

Now skipping ahead to verse 11 of Hebrews, Chapter 4:
_______________________________
11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
________________________________

Again we have the New Testament saints being compared to those who fell in the wilderness BEFORE reaching the promised land. Just as the Israelites fell by the sword, so too would the NT saints fall by the sword of God (i.e. His word) if they continued to live in persistent sin (see 1 Corinthians 11:29-34; 1 Corinthians 5:1-5; Revelation 2:22-23).

Any comments? It seems fairly cut and dried to me that the "rest" of the promised land must parallel the rest of Christ's millennial reign, the 7th "day" or thousand years when Christ will finally rest from His work of bringing forth a harvest from the earth.





 
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Dave L

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These three answers are similar to what I always believed as well, but I'm now questioning that interpretation. I'm not fully in agreement with Logabe on the rest of his answer, but now that I've been looking at the passage in a new light, the 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth makes a strong case for being the "rest" they were laboring to enter into, with the millennium being the "Sabbath" or 7th "day" of creation in keeping with 2 Peter 3:8 (and yes, Dave. I know you would not agree with that position at all, LoL).

But let me post the passage, starting with Chapter 3:
____________________
1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, 2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. 3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. 5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, 6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you will hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
In the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,
And saw My works forty years.
10 Therefore I was angry with that generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they have not known My ways.’
11 So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”

12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said:

“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
____________________________

Now. Here he states that the "rest" the Israelites "could not enter into" in v.16-19 was the promised land. If you look at the other New Testament writings, the spiritual promised land was something the New Testament saints had NOT entered into yet. Look at 1 Corinthians 19, where Paul talked about the same subject matter:
____________________________
1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
______________________________

The phrase "upon whom the ends of the ages" points to the promised that they were seeking, but they had not attained it yet. All of his examples of the Israelites "falling" here are taken from the forty years in the wilderness, BEFORE they entered the promised land. The Israelites were eating and drinking of Christ, but had not yet entered the promised land, and likewise the New Testament saints were eating and drinking of Christ but needed to be careful lest they likewise fall before reaching the promised land themselves.

So you combine the two passages and you get, A. The "rest" of God was the "promised land," and B. They had not attained to that "promised land" yet during New Testament times.

Now skipping ahead to verse 11 of Hebrews, Chapter 4:
_______________________________
11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
________________________________

Again we have the New Testament saints being compared to those who fell in the wilderness BEFORE reaching the promised land. Just as the Israelites fell by the sword, so too would the NT saints fall by the sword of God (i.e. His word) if they continued to live in persistent sin (see 1 Corinthians 11:29-34; 1 Corinthians 5:1-5; Revelations 2:22-23).

Any comments? It seems fairly cut and dried to me that the rest of the promised land must parallel the rest of Christ's millennial reign, the 7th "day" or thousand years when Christ will finally rest from His work of bringing forth a harvest from the earth.




There is no millennial reign of Christ on this earth.
 

Hidden In Him

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Find one shred of scripture supporting your "millennial" view from the gospels or epistles. I'll eat my computer.

Can you start eating it now? I can send you some Tabasco sauce, LoL.

baby-with-ipad-640x480.jpg



Dave, we're dealing with a passage that appears to be referencing it now. Not that I'm encouraging you, but if you really want a shred of scripture, we could argue from the texts I just quoted in Post #7.
 
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Dave L

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Can you start eating it now? I can send you some Tabasco sauce, LoL.

baby-with-ipad-640x480.jpg



Dave, we're dealing with a passage that appears to be referencing it now. Not that I'm encouraging you, but if you really want a shred of scripture, we could argue from the texts I just quoted in Post #7.
Jesus taught that the kingdom is spiritual, comes without observation, is within you, not of this world, you must be born again to see it or enter it. And so on. You are adding to Revelation if you say it is physical and in the future. It is here now.
 
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Hidden In Him

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Jesus taught that the kingdom is spiritual, comes without observation, is within you, not of this world, you must be born again to see it or enter it. And so on. You are adding to Revelation if you say it is physical and in the future. It is here now.

giphy.gif
 

bbyrd009

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There is no millennial reign of Christ on this earth.
so you say
Jesus taught that the kingdom is spiritual, comes without observation, is within you, not of this world, you must be born again to see it or enter it. And so on. You are adding to Revelation if you say it is physical and in the future. It is here now.
Not sure how you reconcile these two posts Dave, they seem mutually exclusive?
 
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Dave L

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so you say

Not sure how you reconcile these two posts Dave, they seem mutually exclusive?
Jesus will not reign physically on this earth until after the creation of the new heavens and earth. His kingdom is spiritual and here now.
 
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Enoch111

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So you combine the two passages and you get, A. The "rest" of God was the "promised land," and B. They had not attained to that "promised land" yet during New Testament times.
The Promised Land was a type of the Kingdom of God. But since Paul was addressing Hebrew Christians, and all Christians will be in the New Jerusalem eternally (Heb 12:22-24), that passage in Hebrews is not referring to the Millennium nor the Promised Land. It is speaking about the eternal rest of the saints in the presence of Christ.
 
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Hidden In Him

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The Promised Land was a type of the Kingdom of God. But since Paul was addressing Hebrew Christians, and all Christians will be in the New Jerusalem eternally (Heb 12:22-24), that passage in Hebrews is not referring to the Millennium nor the Promised Land. It is speaking about the eternal rest of the saints in the presence of Christ.

Not sure I follow your post. It is speaking about the eternal rest of the saints in the presence of God where exactly? In the New Jerusalem?
 

Hidden In Him

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You must be born again to see it. If you cannot see it, you need to seek God in the matter.

Dave, you assume I'm not aware of the scriptures by which you establish your positions. Is it not possible that I'm also aware of a few others as well? Your posts reveal you have something of a one-track mind when it comes to discussing issues, and will not debate or discuss any scriptures aside from your favored verses... I get the impression that you would limit the Bible down to a just few select verses and eliminate everything else, since this is the way you "debate" on various issues.
 
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