Hebrews 4:11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.
Not moving forward in our faith is a form of disobedience. The desert generation disobeyed God by not stepping out in faith and claiming the promised land. We must consider what the author means here by “rest.” This is not just any general or personal promise we belief God has given us. Sometimes these so-called promises are only our own wishful imagination and are not really from God. The author has a specific promise of rest in mind here. He is referring to the rest from struggling against sin which results when we look too much to the world and not to Jesus. This struggle results when we take our eyes off of Jesus and look to the things of this world that bring temptation. This idea also stands behind Hebrews 12:1-2 which function as a high summary point of the letter. The author is beginning to lay the foundation now in chapters 3-4 for this major exhortation later. The style of Hebrews is circular and progressive. The author will hint at things early on that will developed later. He uses different illustrations and support from the Bible to call his readers to the key point of fully trusting in Jesus. Chapters 3-4 use the illustration of the desert generation that refused to step out in faith to go into the promised land. The readers face the same fundamental decision: will they step out in full consecration and trust in the claims of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done through the cross and resurrection? Or, will they remain in their sin and even fall deeper into slavery? The author does not want anyone to fall because of the disobedience of not acting on faith. The key idea of these chapters occurs in the opening of this verse: “let us strive to enter that rest.” The word “strive” represents the act of faith, to move forward by trusting in God’s promise of full salvation in Jesus. It means to make every effort, give yourself fully, give it your all.
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