Thank you for the question on “rest” in Hebrews 4:8, “In the context of Hebrews 4:8, what is the difference between Rest in Old Testament and Rest in the New Testament?”
As one reads the context of Hebrews 4:8, the text states this: “4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.”5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”
6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience” (A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages). Bible citations are from the New International Version.
I would like to suggest for one’s consideration the “rest” that is referred to in Hebrews 4 in the New Testament is a “spiritual” rest instead of a “physical” rest in the Old Testament.
The Greek word for “rest” in the noun form is katapausis and in the verb form, it is katapauo. The noun and verb form has the idea or concept of ceasing or putting to rest or to restrain from labor (Vine’s Dictionary of NT Words, pg. 288).
As I thought about this passage, is it possible that the rest is used in three manners? Here’s a thought for us:
A. The Sabbath Rest from six days of labor (vs. 4).
B. The Sojourning Rest to entering the Promised Land (vs. 3,8).
C. The Spiritual Rest of faith for salvation (vs. 10–11).
The author of Hebrews cites the Sabbath Rest of God in creation in his ceasing of labor of creation after the sixth day. And yet for the freed Hebrew slaves, the promise and provisions of God for them to entering the Promised Land were repeated rejected by them. They refused to believe God and wanted to return to Egypt. Their rejection of the Promised Land ultimately led them to their death in the wilderness. They never enter the Promised Land. The author understood that the rest was more than just physical cessation of labor by God and Man on the Sabbath Day. That Sabbath Day rest was a reflection of one’s trust in God’s protection and provisions for them. The exiled Jews failed to believe God again and again even though they saw his provisions for them. Their disobedience led God to grant them their wish of not entering the Promised Land. They spent 40 years wandering in the desert for their disobedience and lack of faith in God. There was a deeper truth or spiritual truth of whether one will believe God’s message of rest from one’s earning of salvation to believing God in the forgiveness of sins. The message of salvation has been preached to the Jews and Gentiles to come to God by faith, apart from their striving to earn merit before God. If one continues to strive for merit, then one will not come by faith.
The Apostle Paul states in Ephesians 2 these words: “3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (NIV).
When a person is striving to earn one’s salvation, he has too much to give up due to all his efforts. Even though a person hears the message of salvation by faith, that person has a tendency to ignore or reject it for one believes that s/he has earned enough merit to warrant one’s salvation. That rejection of the message leaves that person wandering in the desert seeking his own salvation. S/he has no rest at all for one can’t be exactly sure if one has done enough good works by his own efforts. The person who believes ceases from his own good works and believes God’s message of salvation by grace through faith just as Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.
SUMMARY: The Sabbath Rest is not just about the cessation of physical labor, but of cessation of physical good works to earn salvation before God. God gives us rest so that we can learn to trust him for his provisions and protection over us and that includes salvation.
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