Hebrews 4 writes of those who followed after the law of the Sabbath, but failed to enter into the rest God really wanted for them, because they followed after righteousness by the deeds of the law rather than by faith.
Since Israel had the Sabbath but had no rest, Christ now offers us rest in Him apart from the Sabbath of the law. Our rest is in Christ, not in a day.
When Sabbatarians apply this NEW REST THAT REMAINS and ABIDES FOREVER to the old rest of the 7th day which ended at sunset, they take away the meaning of this entire passage.
Hebrews 3 and 4 does is give the true meaning to the Sabbath.
Rather than pit one idea AGAINST another and thus distort the whole, we need to look at BOTH the "rest in Christ" which includes the forgiveness of sin and complete trust and faith in Him, AND how this fits in with the weekly Sabbath.
When God offered "rest" to the children of Israel, He offered His holy Sabbath with it. And if BOTH WERE OFFERED TO ISRAEL AT THE SAME TIME, then one can't be a shadow of the other. It is no different today, Christ is still offering His rest, as well as His Sabbath! One is not a shadow of the other.
In the original language the word for rest used in most of the verses is "katapausis" or katapauō --a putting to rest, to rest, --
It is a more generic term for rest and resting.
However in verse (4:9) a different word is used where we see "rest" in the Hebrews four. That word is "sabbatismos" .
The Sabbatismos means KEEPING or OBSERVING the sabbath.
Thus we see the two concepts side by side in Hebrews 3 and 4. To rest in the saving power of Christ, AND to observe the Sabbath Day which points us to God as our Creator. restorer and as Eze 20:12 shows us the Sabbath is a sign that God sanctifies US!
The Sabbath has always been a sign of entering into God’s rest. It was instituted by Christ Himself at creation, which is why Christ is Lord of the Sabbath, He is NOT "THE" sabbath rest.
The statement that people could only enter into the "katapausis" rest once a week is not correct. It simply shows a lack of understanding what true Sabbath keeping is all about. If a person isn't resting in Christ in the "Katapausis" rest all week, they are totally unprepared to "keep the Sabbath holy" or enter into the special "Sabbatismos rest" at the end of the week.
The phrase that jumps out from this reading is:
TODAY IF YOU WILL HEAR MY VOICE DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEART IN REBELLION
Three times the author repeats this phrase: (3:8. 3:15, 4:7) What are we to do today? We are to hear God's voice and not harden our hearts in rebellion!
Another verse says the same thing only with different words.
Vs. 3:13 "Exhort one another daily, while it is called TODAY lest anyone be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
TODAY HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS THROUGH THE DECEITFULNESS OF SIN! It is the law that points out the deceitfulness of sin, so we need not be deceived by sin. If we think to abolish the law we are easy prey to the deceitfulness of Sin for it is defined by the law (See Romans 7:7) -- the law points out the deceitfulness of sin, the Holy Spirit leads us to confess that sin, the blood of Christ cleanses us from that sin, what do we say then, do we continue in that sin? NO God forbid, why would we go back and harden our hearts in the deceitfulness of sin?
Do we find rest by setting aside the law? No, the Bible say in Psalms 119.165: "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." It also says in Isaiah 57.20-21 "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."
As long as we are in opposition to God's law, there is no way we can find the true rest in Christ. For the rebellious heart is constantly chafing and bucking under the restraining purity of Christ, and finds itself most uncomfortable in His presence. It is only as we place ourselves in harmony with the law, recognizing our need for forgiveness and cleansing as well as our dependance upon Christ, that we are in harmony with Christ.
Christ gives us rest, when we submit ourselves to Him. And the Sabbath is a sign that we are resting in Him, and depending upon Him to sanctify us (See Eze. 20:12)
