A Sabbath For Me

Hebrews 4:1-5

The author continues on his thoughts about the Sabbath rest that God has invited his people to enter. This continues his exploration of Psalm 95 but here the author focuses on the word "rest." The author contends that because the nation of Israel did not enter the Sabbath rest of God that the promise of entering that rest still stands. The author draws a parallel between the response of the OT Jews and the audience's potential; they both had a good news message proclaimed to them but the OT Jews did not share the faith of those who believed. I think "those who believed" is a reference to the people that the author lists in Hebrews 11.
Looking forward, I think that faith is going to be one of the themes that the author picks up on in the rest of the book. For sure it is a theme picked up on in Hebrews 11 and 12. It fits with the rest of the author's thesis: the supremacy of Christ and, therefore, the supremacy of everything that Christ offers to his disciples over what the Jewish religious system offers. Faith becomes the way to access the presence and glory of God and all the benefits that Christ offers - specifically in this passage, rest. Promise is another theme that will be picked up on in the rest of the book. Here, the focus is on the promise of rest.
It is interesting to me how well the author knows the OT but doesn't know where anything is (grin!). Twice the author has said something like, "there is a place where someone has testified..." and "somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words..." The words about the seventh day are fairly significant and quite easy to remember where they are - it's right at the beginning of the OT. I can't be too harsh on him though because I know that I've done something similar in a lot in my sermons: "as Scripture reminds us..." or "the Bible says..." Steve (my go to guy on this stuff) wonders if it is a common expression like "the good book says" or if he is just doing what we all tend to do in our talks and sermons.
The main point the author is making in this passage is that there is a Sabbath rest available for the followers of Jesus and that we enter that Sabbath rest by faith. This Sabbath rest is a promise that will be fulfilled both in the future and that is being fulfilled in the present. I can be experiencing the rest of God right now. If I am not, that speaks to my faith and my acceptance of the good news message.