The Strand Study Bible

HEBREWS HEBREWS 2:16 This verse gives us the reason why God did not provide a means of salvation for angels. God took on the nature of fallen men (Phil 2:5-8), not fallen angels. The nature of angels is such that it would be impossible for God to work out a system of atonement for them, seeing their sin was committed within the very presence of God and thus against great light ( Mt 26:53 and I Pet 1:12 b ). 2:17 God’s wrath was “satisfied” ( to make reconciliation ) via the death of CHRIST (Rom 3:25 and I Jn 2:2). 3:3 Since Moses was but a mere man (a servant carrying out instructions) and Jesus is God (the Builder – vs 4), Jesus excels ( is worthy of more glory ) Moses in honor. 3:6 a This word ( his own ) is the Greek pronoun DXτοX ( autou ) and means that the house is His (Christ’s). His house is the same as God’s house (vss 3-4). Whereas, Christ built the house, Moses only served in it. 3:6 b The author of Hebrews is appealing to the Jewish Christians (like Christ did - Jn 8:31) to continue in the Word (Heb 2:1-3) and to remain steadfast ( if we hold fast ) until hope becomes reality. 3:11 According to the Bible, the people of God (the wandering Jews) were promised a rest –three of them to be exact. The people of God were promised: 1. A temporal rest ( Heb 3:11 -19) The reason God wanted His people to enter Canaan (The Promised Land; The Land of Total Surrender) and do battle for Him was so He could give them “rest” from the temporal drama that consumed their life in the wilderness (Exo 15:23-24 & 16:1-3 & 17:1-3). Sadly enough, from the time God saved His people from Egypt (a picture of the world) and delivered them from Pharaoh (a picture of the Devil) to the time they finally came to Kadesh-Barnea two years later (Num 12:16), all they did was complain about the temporal drama that consumed them. Unfortunately, because they refused to do battle for God, back in the wilderness, yea, back to their temporal drama, they went; and for the next 38 years they wandered, as they continued to complain about their temporal drama that consumed their lives (Num 14:1-3 & 16:1-3,41 & 20:1-5 & 21:4-7). God knows that when you’re busy fighting His battles you’ll have little time to fight your own. Thus, to focus on the eternal is to minimize the temporal drama that goes on within a believer’s life ( II Cor 4:8-10,17,18 ). It’s true: For those who choose to enter Canaan and do battle for God there is a promised temporal rest from the temporal drama that consumes our lives (Psa 95); for unlike the constant battling that the people of God had to face for thirty-eight years in the wilderness, the Promised Land battles offer a reprieve from unwarranted and unnecessary battling. Those who choose to enter the Land of Total Surrender and are fixed on fighting God’s battles (witnessing, churching, studying Scripture, giving, etc.), don’t have to battle the world, the devil, and the flesh as much as those who don’t serve God’s interests. 2. A spiritual rest ( Heb 4:1 -7) We who have been set free from the world (Egypt), the Devil (Pharoah), and the ways of the flesh are promised a spiritual rest if we are willing to do battle for God in the Land of Total Surrender (Josh 23:1). Are we not promised to put our mortal and spiritual enemy, the Devil, on the run if we battle him with the Word (Mt 4:1-11)? Interestingly enough, only those who were willing to make the decision to battle for God could enjoy this “ rest .” 3. An eternal rest ( Heb 4:8 -12) Just as GOD THE FATHER “ rested ” after His creative activity (vs 10), so we will finally rest after we get to the end of our tasks (vs 9 and Rev 14:13). Those who desire to hear from their SAVIOR’S lips, “Well done!” some day must first make the decision to enter Canaan (God’s spiritual battle field), be willing to put on the armor of God (Eph 6:10-18), and do battle. As Christians, our future joy ( rest ) is dependent upon our present decision to enter the Land of Total Surrender and become fishers of men (Mt 4:19 & 25:21). NOTE – M.R. De Haan II in Knowing God Through Hebrews notes: 2060

This complicated passage can be summarized if we distinguish between the three kinds of “rest” of which it speaks. First, there is the “rest” of Canaan. Joshua had led them into the Promised Land, and after many years the Lord gave them “rest from all their enemies around them” (Josh. 23:1). Second, there is a spiritual rest that goes beyond living in earthly Canaan. In Psalm 95, God warned the Israelites (who were already living in Canaan) that through disobedience they could forfeit a rest (a spiritual rest entered through faith) that was better than the one forfeited under Moses and enjoyed under Joshua. Since our Savior has now entered heaven on our behalf, this spiritual rest is richer for us than for the people of God in Old Testament times. Third, there is the eternal rest we will enjoy when we are in the eternal presence of Christ: “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His” (Heb.4:9-10). At the close of the sixth creative day, God rested because He had completed His work of creation. Similarly, because of Jesus we can look forward to the perfect rest God has provided for those who have run life’s race. 1

3:14 This word ( we are made ) is the Greek word JHJοQDPHQ ( gegonamen ) and means “ to become. ” According to The Analytical Greek Lexicon , the parsing (or, break down in the original Greek) of this word ( JHJοQDPHQ ) is – 1st person plural ( we ) / perfect tense ( have become partakers and remain partakers ) / indicative mood (which is the mood of certainty), 2 and means that once you’re a partaker of Christ and His salvation you’re always a partaker (once saved - always saved - Psa 37:28 , Jn 10:28-29 , Phil 1:6 , II Tim 1:12 , Eph 1:13-14 & 4:30, Heb 7:25 , I Pet 4:19 and I Jn 5:13). 4:1 The author of Hebrews here equates this “ rest ” with the Gospel (vs 2), i.e., the works which were finished from the foundation of the world (vs 3, Titus 1:2 and I Pet 1:19-20), making it a spiritual rest . Not only does every believer need a temporal rest from the temporal drama that consumes his life, but he needs a spiritual rest as well. He needs a break from the spiritual warfare that surrounds him (Eph 6:11-13). Believers that continually fight their