The Rest You Can't Afford to Miss: A Study of Hebrews 4
- Thad DeBuhr
- Aug 5
- 13 min read
Updated: Sep 3
Hebrews 4:1-13
The Main Message: Don't just punch the clock with your faith and think you're good. You have to fight to keep trusting and obeying God, because a passive faith is a weak faith. If you get lazy and start coasting, you could miss out on the promised rest—the real peace and final reward—just like the Israelites in the wilderness did.
Today we’re diving into a passage in the book of Hebrews that talks about a different kind of “rest.” It’s not about taking a nap or kicking back on the couch. It’s a rest that a whole generation of people missed out on, and the author of Hebrews is warning us not to make the same mistake. So let’s roll up our sleeves and dig into this.
Before moving on, pause and read through Hebrews 4:1-13 in a couple of different translations. Choose two from this selection: NIV, NLT, ESV, NASB, NKJV
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Setting the Scene: Hebrews 4:1-13
We're working our way through a letter written to a group of early Christians, most likely Jewish people who had converted to Christianity. The author is reminding them of their history and using it as a lesson. He brings up the story of the Israelites who were led out of slavery in Egypt and were on their way to the Promised Land. This Promised Land wasn’t just a nice place to live; it was God’s "rest." It was a place of peace, safety, and a good life with Him. But a whole generation of those Israelites, the ones who had been freed from Egypt, never made it there. They wandered around in the desert for forty years and died without ever entering the rest God had promised them. Why? Because they didn't trust God. They grumbled, complained, and disobeyed.
The author of Hebrews is telling us that the promise of entering God’s rest is still on the table. It's not just about a piece of land anymore; it’s about a deeper, more permanent kind of rest. N.T. Wright, a sharp biblical scholar, explains that the author is using the idea of the original Sabbath—the seventh day when God rested after creating the world—to point to an even bigger, more complete rest that Jesus makes possible. This isn't just a day off; it's a new way of living, a new reality that we can enter into right now.
The author of Hebrews brings up Psalm 95, where it talks about the Israelites in the desert, and then he brings up Genesis 2, which talks about God resting on the seventh day. He’s showing us that this idea of “rest” has been part of God’s plan from the very beginning. It's a rest from the constant hustle, from trying to earn God's approval, from the heavy load of trying to be good enough on our own.
Then we get to a powerful verse, Hebrews 4:12. It says, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." This isn't just a feel-good verse. It's a serious warning. It’s saying that God’s Word cuts through all our excuses and all our fancy talk. It gets to the core of who we are. It exposes our true motives, the ones we try to hide even from ourselves. This isn't to beat us down, but to show us where we need Jesus so we can finally find that true rest.
The author is basically saying, "Look, don't be like those Israelites. Don’t harden your heart against what God is offering you. Don’t miss out on this rest because of your own stubbornness and unbelief."
Rabbit Trail 1: Striving for Rest
One of the verses in this passage can feel a little confusing. Hebrews 4:11 says, “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.”
"Strive to enter that rest" sounds like a contradiction. If it's a rest, why do we have to strive for it?
Most people, when they hear "strive," think about working hard to earn something. We live in a culture that tells us you get what you work for. So, when we read this, we might think, "Okay, I need to work really hard to earn my spot in heaven," or "I need to prove to God that I'm worthy of His rest by doing a bunch of good deeds." But that completely misses the point of the Gospel. We are saved by faith in Jesus, not by our works.
Here's where a lot of Christians get tripped up. They correctly understand that salvation is by faith alone, so they think, "Hey, if I'm saved, I'm in. It's a one-time decision, and from now on, it's all on God." They adopt a passive, "once-saved, always-saved" mentality that can lead to a shallow and weak faith. They might not give much thought to actually living a life of faith after that initial decision.
But the author of Hebrews is telling us not to coast. The Israelites didn't miss out on God's rest because they didn't work hard enough. They missed it because their faith was shallow and weak, which showed up in their real-life disobedience. The author is pleading with his audience, and with us, to not make the same mistake. He's saying that this rest is something that can be missed.
So, what does it mean to "strive"? It's not about earning our salvation, but about actively pursuing and holding on to it. It’s a constant effort to trust God and obey Him, not because it proves we deserve heaven, but because it shows we truly have faith in the one who promises it. This kind of striving is a fight against our own sinful desires and the temptations of the world. It’s the difference between a weak, passive faith and an active, living faith.
Think of it like this: A marriage isn't a one-time decision to say "I do." It's a daily, lifelong commitment to love and honor your spouse. You have to "strive" to keep your marriage strong. It’s not about earning your spouse’s love every day, but about actively living out the commitment you made.
Other parts of the Bible help us see this, too. Paul, in Philippians 2:12, tells us to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Again, not earning it, but living it out. Jesus himself says in Matthew 7:13, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it." The narrow gate requires intentional effort and striving. You don't coast through the narrow gate or arrive there by accident.
This is a critical lesson. Our faith isn't a "get out of jail free" card; it's a new way of life that requires intentional, daily effort to trust and obey God. We are to strive to enter His rest by actively living a life of faith, not so we can earn it, but so we don't miss out on the promise, just like the Israelites did.
A moment for prayer:
"God, I confess that I'm a natural striver. My first instinct is to take control and work hard to get what I think I need. I want to be the boss of my own life. But I see in this passage that striving in my own strength leads to a shallow faith and disobedience, just like with the Israelites. Help me to truly lay down my own efforts. Give me the grace to stop trying to earn your love and to instead strive for a faith that is active and obedient. Show me your will and your plans, and give me the courage to live them out every day. I know this won't happen by accident. Strengthen me to let go of my own will and to trust in you completely. Amen."
Rabbit Trail 2: A Day of Rest vs. A Life of Rest
The idea of the "Sabbath" is probably something you've heard before. God told the Israelites to take one day a week and not do any work. For many of them, it was just a rule—a day off from the grind. But for God, that day was always meant to be more than just a break. It was a weekly signpost, a physical reminder of a deeper spiritual truth. It was a chance to pause from their own labor and remember that God was the one who did all the heavy lifting for them.
By the time Jesus showed up, the religious leaders had completely missed the point. They had lost sight of God’s heart for rest and had turned the Sabbath into a legalistic nightmare. They created a long list of man-made rules about what you could and couldn't do. For example, you couldn't carry a small burden, like a mat, which is why they got so mad at Jesus for telling a healed man to pick up his mat and walk. You couldn’t heal someone on the Sabbath, which is why Jesus’s ministry was often a direct challenge to their rules—He healed a man with a withered hand, and His disciples picked and ate grain, all on the Sabbath.
Jesus wasn't trying to break the law; he was trying to restore it. He was calling them out on their foolishness and showing them that the Sabbath was made for man, not the other way around. My friend put it perfectly once when she said, "I think I'm starting to understand God's intention behind the Sabbath. He's done everything needed, so we can focus on Him." That's it right there. The Sabbath day was about stopping our work to focus on God's work.
The "rest of God" that Hebrews talks about isn't a single day of the week; it's a new way of living your whole life. It’s a heart posture where you're not constantly striving to prove yourself or earn God's love. You've handed over the burden of your salvation and your daily struggles to Jesus. You're living in the calm, confident assurance that He's already done everything needed. It’s a rest from the frantic hustle of trying to be your own savior and the boss of your own life. You still go to work, you still put in an honest day's labor, but you do it from a place of spiritual rest, not from a place of anxiety or fear.
Questions for you to chew on and discuss:
The Israelites hardened their hearts and didn’t trust God. What are some of the ways we, in our modern lives, might be hardening our hearts and not trusting God with certain areas?
In a world that values working hard and being busy, what would it look like for you to truly "rest" in God's finished work on the cross?
Journey Group Discussion Starter:
This passage warns us against having a "punch-the-clock" faith—doing just enough to get by. What's one area of your life where you've been tempted to coast, and what would it look like to instead, "strive to enter that rest" by fully trusting God with it?
Applying the Principles TODAY
This passage isn't just old news; it's a direct challenge to how many of us live our lives today. It's easy to think of "rest" as a day off, but the rest God offers is a whole different animal. It's a deep, settled peace in your soul that comes from knowing God is in control, and you don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.
So, how do we practically grab on to that rest?
Let the Word of God Go to Work:
This isn't just a book of stories to read and forget. It’s a tool. Think of it like a sharp knife for a carpenter—it's meant to cut through the junk and get to the truth. Don't just read it; ask it questions. As you read, pause and ask yourself: "What is this passage showing me about a lie I'm believing?" or "What is this telling me to do differently in my life, right now, today?" Pray and ask God to use His Word to expose the areas where you're just going through the motions. Let it pierce your heart and show you where you need to change.
Confess Your Unbelief as Disobedience:
The Israelites missed out on God's rest because of their unbelief, which showed up as disobedience. For us today, that looks like a lot of different things. It’s worrying about money, even though you prayed about it. It’s refusing to forgive a co-worker because you think they don't deserve it. It's trying to solve all your problems on your own without asking for God's wisdom. This isn't just a lack of faith; it’s a form of disobedience, because it shows you don't actually trust that God is who He says He is. The action step here is to call it what it is. When you feel worry, say it out loud to God: "God, I'm worrying about this, and that's a sign I'm not trusting you. Forgive me for my unbelief, and help me to hand this over to you."
Actively Fight for God's Rest:
This is the big one. The idea of "striving to enter rest" sounds crazy, but it’s the most important work you'll ever do. It’s not working to earn your place with God; it's the daily, intentional effort to stop being the boss of your own life and let Jesus take the wheel. This looks like:
Take a Real Sabbath: Not just a day to catch up on chores or errands, but a conscious, intentional break from the hustle. Put down the phone, turn off the notifications, and spend time with God and the people you love. Use that day to remember that God is the one in control, not you.
Practice a "Worry Swap": When a stressful thought or worry pops into your head, don't just dwell on it. Consciously and immediately swap it out with a prayer. Hand that specific worry over to God. This is an active, daily fight against the tendency to carry a heavy load you were never meant to carry.
Check Your Motives: Before you dive into a project, a conversation, or a decision, pause for a second and ask yourself, "Am I doing this to prove something to others, or to God? Or am I doing this out of love and obedience to Him?" Striving for rest means fighting the urge to constantly prove your worth through your own work.
So, let's stop trying to climb the mountain on our own and let Jesus carry us the rest of the way. When we truly rest in Him, we're not just taking a break; we're stepping into a new way of living that will last forever.
If you're ready to stop the hustle and find this rest with other people, then you need to find a Journey Group! Journey Groups are small groups of people who meet together to read the Bible, pray, and do life together. They are a place where you can be real and honest and find others who are on the same journey. If you want to learn more about Journey Groups, get connected in one, or learn more about starting one, go here: https://www.yourjesusjourney.com/journeygroups.
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU GROW AS A CHRISTIAN
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EXCITING DREAMS TAKING SHAPE
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For the past three years, Kaila and I have been living life on the road, exploring and serving wherever God leads us. It's been an incredible journey, but carrying everything we own and constantly navigating started us dreaming of something more: a home base. A place to lighten our load, simplify, and most importantly, create a space where we can truly bless others. This video is the first glimpse of that dream!
As full-time traveling missionaries and founders of YourJesusJourney.com, we live on a modest income, relying on the generosity of others to support our three-fold ministry vision: helping people understand the Bible in context, finding Christian friends, and equipping disciple makers. So, you might be wondering, how are we able to pursue something this ambitious? About a year and a half ago, Kaila’s beloved dad passed away. With his passing, Kaila inherited their expansive family home and horse property on the breathtaking North Shore of Lake Superior, in beautiful Ontario—the place she grew up, where she rode her first bike and horse, and learned to drive. After much prayer and seeking God’s guidance, we decided to sell the property. What you see here came as a result of that incredible blessing, and all the work unfolding in the next year or two will also be funded by it.
Ultimately, it’s all God’s money, God’s land, and God’s resources—we simply want to be faithful stewards, investing what He’s entrusted us with to serve our family, friends, and help countless others experience God and the lessons of the Bible in a whole new way. We prayed and searched high and low, from Texas to Idaho, and God consistently drew us back to this breathtaking location in Northwest Arizona. Imagine: a spot overlooking the world's densest Joshua Tree forest, just minutes from the Grand Canyon, with epic mountains in our backyard! Our deepest desire for this place is to be a haven for renewal. A spot where our kids can visit, Kaila's mom can stay, and friends can gather. But even bigger than that, it's a launchpad for new ministry—a place to invite people to rest, recharge, share meals, grow friendships, and truly be renewed in the desert sun. We're already dreaming of leading hikes, teaching Bible lessons, and hosting retreats.
There’s a lot of exciting work ahead, but we're stepping out in faith, trusting God every step of the way. We’re so excited to share this new chapter with our family, friends, and all of you! If you want to learn more about our ministry, please visit YourJesusJourney.com. And if you have any questions, or just want to send your prayers or encouragement, please fill up that comment section or reach out directly at YourJesusJourney@gmail.com.
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Good stuff as always