The Israelites failed to enter into their rest. Many years later (Ps. 95), God said that a rest was still available. That “today” is still here! This means that Joshua did not lead Israel into the true rest, because a rest still remains. (Note that the name “Jesus” in Heb. 4:8, KJV, ought to be “Joshua.” “Jesus” is the Greek form of “Joshua.”). The “therefore” in verse 6 makes it clear that the statements of verses 6–7 are derived from the previous quotes of verses 4–5.

Three thoughts are evident from verses 6-7. First, God intends for some people to enter the promised rest. If the Jews did not enter the rest, someone else must enter it, or God’s promise of experiencing rest would be void and empty. Second, the first generation stumbled because of their disobedience or unbelief. Third, God’s offer of rest is still open as shown by a repeated quotation of Psalm 95:7b–8a. The word “Today” emphasizes that God’s invitation to enjoy rest with Him finds fulfillment in the present.

When God rested on the seventh day, He celebrated the completion of His work of creation, but He did not just take a day off eternally. When we enter into rest with Jesus, we will find God’s presence, blessing, and peace but not a cessation from labor. Our rest with God gives us new strength, but it does not introduce us into inactivity. God’s salvation produces people who receive divine energy to serve, obey, and work for Him.

This rest we enjoy as believers in Christ becomes a type of our rest in heaven after leaving earth. Our life in heaven is not merely an eternity of vacations but a new experience of being in the presence of God (1 John 3:2–3; Rev. 14:13). Heaven is a place of rest, but not of listless laziness. In the eternal state, God will provide an experience (new heaven and new earth) in which we can live, work, and glorify God (Rev. 21:1). Chief among our labors will be the privilege of offering praises to God (Rev. 5:12–13).

Some encouragement for those struggling and going through difficulties and continuing our study of Hebrews 3.

The author of Hebrews speaks of the Israelites’ unbelief as sin (v. 17) and disobedience (v. 18). The Israelites did not enter God’s rest, the Promised Land (v. 11), because they did not believe in God’s promises to them (Num 1:1-34). They failed to possess their inheritance because they did not trust in God (Deut 12:9; Josh 13:7). The Jewish Christians to whom this letter was addressed were in danger of following in their ancestors’ footsteps. They were tempted to doubt the words of Jesus. With the rhetorical questions in these verses, the author of Hebrews was encouraging them to place their faith firmly in Christ (10:26; 12:1, 2).

The heart of every problem is a problem in the heart. The people of Israel (except Moses, Joshua, and Caleb) erred in their hearts (Heb. 3:10), which means that their hearts wandered from God and His Word. They also had evil hearts of unbelief (Heb. 3:12); they did not believe that God would give them victory in Canaan. They had seen God perform great signs in Egypt. Yet they doubted He was adequate for the challenge of Canaan.

When a person has an erring heart and a disbelieving heart, the result will also be a hard heart. This is a heart that is insensitive to the Word and work of God. So hard was the heart of Israel that the people even wanted to return to Egypt! Imagine wanting to exchange their freedom under God for slavery in Egypt! Of course, all this history spoke to the hearts of the readers of this letter because they were in danger of “going back” themselves.

It is important that we take heed and recognize the spiritual dangers that exist. But it is also important that we encourage each other to be faithful to the Lord (Heb. 3:13). We get the impression that some of these believers addressed were careless about their fellowship in the local assembly (see Heb. 10:23–25).

To drive home the call to fidelity and to warn of the consequences of unbelieving infidelity, the author referred to the classic failure of Israel at Kadesh Barnea which led to their 40-year detour in the wilderness. Far from being an ideal period of Israel’s history, as some sectarians seem to have held, it was an era marked by tragic loss and defeat. The readers were not to repeat such an experience in their own lives.

The text chosen by the writer to enforce the lesson they had in mind was taken from Psalm 95 (there is some discussion on why the author used Psalm 95 to quote from instead of Numbers 14, which is the historical account, but that is for another time and place). Verses 7–11 of that psalm are quoted here. The choice of this psalm is highly appropriate in a context that is concerned with worship and priestly activity. For Psalm 95 is, in fact, essentially a call to worship (cf. Ps. 95:1–7). The psalmists’ invitation, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.” (Ps. 95:6–7), ideally reflects the author’s perspective with regard to their readers. The material quoted in Hebrews immediately follows these words and, most naturally, must be understood against this background.

This quotation is a warning to the Jewish Christians about hardening their hearts to God and the salvation He offers. Moses’ generation had refused to trust God to provide for their needs in the wilderness (Ex 17:1-7), and the readers of this letter were in danger of not trusting in the salvation offered through God’s Son. If they were to hold fast to the end (Heb 3:6), they could not harden their hearts to God now (vv. 8, 13, 15). Instead they had to renew their belief in God’s Word (vv. 12, 19). “Rest” is a key concept in Hebrews. In the OT, the conquest of the Promised Land and the cessation of fighting in the land was viewed as a form of rest (Deut 3:20; 12:9; 25:19; Josh 11:23; 21:44; 22:4; 23:1). In the NT, rest generally speaks of the believer’s eternal home and the joy that he or she will experience in Jesus’ presence (Heb 4:1).

The second warning is found in 3:1-4:16. The opening words, “holy brethren,” link this chapter with the preceding chapter and with the concept of sanctification in 2:11. The author of Hebrews penned this chapter to warn professing believers who did not have their priorities straight. Having made a commitment to Christ, they were considering returning to the empty rituals of Judaism. They thought highly of Moses as the founding figure of Judaism. But Jesus was superior to Moses.

Verses 1–6 compare and contrast Jesus and Moses. Both had been faithful to God’s plan for them (3:1–2). Moses was presented as God’s servant working in God’s house for God’s people (3:5). Jesus had fulfilled a higher calling. As God’s Son, He stood over the house. Jesus was superior even to Moses, one of the greatest people in the history of Israel.

Next to Abraham, Moses was undoubtedly the man most greatly revered by the Jewish people. To go back to the Law meant to go back to Moses, and the recipients of this Letter to the Hebrews were sorely tempted to do just that. It was important that the writer convince their readers that Jesus Christ is greater than Moses, for the entire system of Jewish religion came through Moses.

A faithful representative does his/her job. Both Jesus and Moses were faithful (Num. 12:7; Heb. 2:17). For Moses, God’s house was the people of Israel. Moses fully carried out all God’s appointed duties with the chosen people. Jesus affirmed His own obedience in the task of representing God to human beings (John 17:4).

Having established the unity between the Son and believers, the author concludes that there are two purposes of this close identification. The Son became human so that He could destroy the devil (v. 14) and release those who were in bondage to sin (v. 15).

His humanity enabled Him to disarm Satan and deliver us from death (vv. 14–16). Angels cannot die. Jesus did not come to save angels (note Heb. 2:16); He came to save humans. This meant that He had to take on Himself flesh and blood and become a man. Only then could He die and through His death defeat Satan. The word “destroy” does not mean “annihilate,” for it is obvious that Satan is still alive and busy. The word means “render inoperative, make of none effect.” Satan is not destroyed, but he is disarmed.

In verses 10-18, the writer of Hebrews used, for the first time, the Greek word archēgos of Jesus (the other use of the word is in 12:2). The word suggests such concepts as “Leader,” “Originator,” and “Founder” and is almost equivalent in some respects to the English word “Pioneer.” The KJV rendering “Captain” seems a bit higher than “Author” (2:10). The Lord Jesus, the writer will try to show, is the Captain, Pioneer, Founder, Originator, and Leader of that loyal band of people whom God is preparing for glory.

In verses 11-13, we see a statement followed by three supporting quotations from the OT. In doing this, the writer demonstrates the unity between the Son and the “many sons.”

The author here returned to their main train of thought, the destiny of Jesus in the world to come (vv. 5-18). But now Jesus’ intimate involvement through His Incarnation with those who will share that destiny was brought to the forefront.

In this section, the author introduces the audience to the name of Jesus for the first time in Hebrews (v. 9). The readers of Hebrews knew that Jesus was a human being and that He had lived and then endured a disgraceful death. Why should they think that Jesus was superior to any other human being, much less to the angels? Some readers might think that Jesus, the human being, was far inferior to angels in might, position, and power. This section now shows that Jesus was superior to angels despite his humanity.

Hebrews 2 tells us to listen to Jesus. Listen to Jesus because the penalties for ignoring Him are too severe. If we ignore Jesus, we will miss out on His salvation (2:1–4). Listen to Jesus because He has begun a new stage in God’s plan by tasting death for everyone, thus shattering the effects of death on those who listen to Him (2:5–9). Listen to Jesus because He is able to help us in temptation. His victorious experience in overcoming temptation allows us to receive help from Him as we face temptation (2:10–18).

The writer now paused in their explanation to address the readers with the first in a series of five urgent warnings. (The others are in chaps. 3–4; 5:11–6:20; 10:19–39; 12.) This one is the briefest and most restrained of all of them, but is nonetheless solemn. These admonitions become stronger as we progress through the book, from drifting from God’s Word to defying God’s Word (Heb. 12:14–29). Also, God does not sit idly by and permit His children to rebel against Him. He will continue to speak and, when necessary, He disciplines His own.