Based on Heb. 4:9-11, shall we still keep the Sabbath rest? Please help me, I'm still bothered about this text

Question

Hebrews 4:9-11 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)

9. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10. for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.
11. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

Answer 1

As the Law (of Moses) was a shadow of good things to come (Hebrews 10:1) so the Sabbath laws pointed forward to the Lord of the Sabbath - Jesus Christ. There is true fulfillment in Christ of all the principles enshrined in the fourth of the Ten Commandments.

However, without this fourth commandment we could not enter into this greater 'rest', so the fourth commandment becomes like a spring-board from which we leap into the glorious Sabbath-rest of the children of God. Obedience is the key point in Heb. 4. We obey the Ten Commandments as Christians. Could you have a Christian who thought it all right to commit murder, or to be covetous, or who dishonored parents, or committed idolatry? Of course not! Why should an exception be made for resting one day in seven and focussing particularly on God that day? We benefit greatly. The more a Christian appreciates the blessings of the Lord's Day, the more fully they enter now into that divine rest of the Lord's salvation. So the principle of the fourth commandment is carried into the spiritual life of Christians - it is not a list of what not to do on the Lord's Day, but of how to fully enjoy and worship God. The judicial laws for those breaking the Ten Commandments are no longer in force (just as the ceremonial and civil laws of the OT do not apply to Christians). I hope that help. God bless you.

Answer 2

The book of Hebrews is very midrashic in that the writer uses seemingly unrelated verses to build a teaching. It was understood that the 6 days of creation followed by the Sabbath was a picture of 6,000 years followed by the 1000 year "Day of the Lord" or millennial reign. The point seems to be that although entering into Canaan was a picture of entering into God's rest , it wasn't the rest that the Sabbath is a picture of. If it had been then the Psalmist would not have referred to a future "rest".

I do believe we should keep the Sabbath, however there are better verses to prove this, Isaiah 56:1-8 speaks of those who are not Jewish turning to God and keeping the Sabbath.
Isaiah 66:18-23 speaks of the Sabbath being kept in the future (and everyone keeping it). Acts 15:21 is an interesting verse as it implies that the Gentiles who are becoming believers should go to the Synagogues on the Sabbath to hear the word of God being taught.

Answer 3

Gal.:3:23-25 says "However, before the faith arrived, we were being guarded under law, being delivered up together into custody, looking to the faith that was destined to be revealed. Consequently the Law has become out tutor leading to Christ, that we might be declared righteous due to faith. But now that the faith has arrived, we are no longer under a tuter. So we are no longer the Law. If you read Heb. 8 you will also find a good explanation of why we are not under the sabbath. Heb. 10:1 says "For since the Law has a shadow of the good things to come, but not the very substance of the things, men can never with the same sacrifices from year to year which they offer continually make those who approach perfect. You can also read the rest of chapter 10. So from what works are christians urged to rest as stated in Heb 4:10? Works by means of which they formerly sought to prove themselves righteous. No longer do they believe that they can earn God's approval and gain eternal life by complying with certain rules and ovservances. That was the error of faithless Jews who by seeking to establish their own righteousness, did not subject themselves to the righteousness of Gog. (Rom 10:3) True christians recognize that all of us were born sinners and that it is only by faith in the ransom sacrifice of Christ that anyone can have a righteous standing with God. They endeavor to take to heart and apply all the teachigs of God's Son. They humbly aaccept counsel and reproof from God's Word. This does not mean that they think they can earn God's approval in this way; instead, what they do is an expression of their love and faith. By such a course of life they avoid the "pattern of disovedience". The "seventh day" reffered to was not merely a 24-hour day. So the "sabbath resting" that true christians share in not limited to a 24-hour day. By exercising faith and obeying the Bible's counsed, they can enjoy it every day, and especially will they do so in God's new system. Col.2: 13,14 tells us the hand written document was blotted out and was nailed to the torture stake with Jesus, verses 16,17 calls the Law a shadow of good things to come,but the reality belonging to the Christ. Revelation 20:6 tells us the length of the sabbath rest that true christians are awaiting,1000 Years. Rev. 21 3-5 tells the conditions that will exist at that time.Those who appreciate the real meaning of the Sabbath will have opportunity to truely benefit form that "sabbath rest".

Answer 4

You are missing the point of that scripture -- it refers to the seventh day during which God rests. There still remains a part of it which is the １０００ year reign of Christ.

Please open your Bible and read from verse four. (Here it should be said that the NIV's translation of v. 3 is incorrect. In KJV it is "foundation of the world" - explanation can be provided)

In four the subject is day seven which began after Eve had been created. This day has not finished yet. The thousand year reign of Christ is part of it. This thousand year reign is a restful time, a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

This is the one that God's people shall enter into if they do not tire out.

If you have problems understanding the end of the Law covenant, go to my profile, access my homepage and check "Basic Bible One" division, subject "Law covenant and Christians" or contact me.

Answer 5

NO

The point of Hebrews 4 is that the Sabbath was a fore-shadow of the rest at the end of our lives. The writer is saying that we must keep faithful (the theme of Hebrews, endurance) in order to "enter into that rest."

His rest is future, not past: (Heb. 4:1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest)

This is why the writer says that David, who lived in the time of the Sabbath, spoke of a future sabbath or rest. He also points out Joshua, who fulfilled the covenant, did not give Israel the true rest (again, although they had Sabbath).
(Heb. 4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day.)

Answer 6

The Sabbath was given to Israel, not the church. The Sabbath is still Saturday, not Sunday, and has never been changed. But the Sabbath is part of the Old Testament Law, and Christians are free from the bondage of the Law (Galatians 4:1-26; Romans 6:14). Sabbath keeping is not required of the Christian—be it Saturday or Sunday. The first day of the week, Sunday, the Lord's Day (Revelation 1:10) celebrates the New Creation, with Christ as our resurrected Head. We are not obligated to follow the Mosaic Sabbath—resting, but are now free to follow the risen Christ—serving. The Apostle Paul said that each individual Christian should decide whether to observe a Sabbath rest, “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind” (Romans 14:5). We are to worship God every day, not just on Saturday or Sunday.

Answer 7

This passage doesn't refer to the "should we still celebrate the Sabbath" debate like Marji said. The passage was referring to when Joshua entered the promised land. We have heard the promise of God’s rest, just like the children of Israel did. They heard the word, but it did not profit them, because they did not receive it with faith. The promise remains of entering His rest, and we can enter into that rest by faith. Unbelief will make us fall short of the rest God has for us.

The point of the passage is that there is a rest for the people of God. This is a rest that is spiritual, yet patterned after the rest provided through Joshua. Entering this rest means no longer needing to work for salvation. The idea isn’t that there is no longer any place for doing good works. The idea is that there is no longer any place for works as a basis for our own righteousness. This cessation from works as a basis for righteousness fulfills our “Sabbath rest.” God rested from His works on the original Sabbath of Genesis 2:2 because the work was finished. We cease from self-justifying works because the work is finished by Jesus on the cross.

Answer 8

Verse 9 does not say Sabbath. Rest here from what I see means resting in his salvation. Verse 6 in this Cahpter talks about the Jews who rejected Jesus and didn't enter into that rest.
This Chapter has nothing to do with the sabbath.

Answer 9

First of all Thank you for posing a question that got me thinking.
The Sabbath was done away with.
Read Ephesians 2:15
Colossians 2:16&17
Romans 14:5&10
Galations 4:9 to 11
Romans 10:2 to 4
These scriptures make it clear that the sabbath is not binding to Christians.

Note in Hebrews 4:7 it makes reference to Psalms (David).
What it is talking about is the rest we have from being with Christ.
The easyest way to explain it is to check out the web site I will put as my source as I will most likely word it wrong.

I hope this helps.

On more study it appears to be rest from self interests.

Answer 10

There is the sabbath (sabbaton) that the Israelites entered into by command. This rest that Christians enter into (sabbatismos) is God's rest, begun at creation. You will note in the Genesis account that the seventh day of God's rest has no end mentioned to it. God is still in His rest, and the Psalms talks about this, as quoted in Hebrews 3 and 4 that we can enter into God's rest while it is still called "To day" through faith. Israel could not enter into this rest because they were faithless.

It is God's rest one enters into through faith, and not the sabbaton sabbath that Israel had as a shadow of this rest.

If you still have problems with this, contact me.

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