The Sabbath Rest

Q. Chapter 4 of Hebrews speaks of entering into the Sabbath rest. I am fairly certain that this is not referring to the tradition Sabbath; i.e., 7th day of the week. Is this referring to the New Covenant (Jesus’ redemptive act on the Cross)? Or is there something else going on here?

Love your website. You certainly have the gift of teaching! Bless you and your family!

A. Our Sabbath Rest is the fulfillment of the old Covenant Sabbath. On the 7th Day God rested because all the work of creation had been completed. He didn’t begin again after a day of rest, He rested from His work of creation, the job being finished. (Genesis 2:2-3)

As Jesus was dying He said, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) He was speaking of His part of the work of our salvation, being sacrificed for our sins. He never again took up the work of being sacrificed for our sins, the job being finished.

On the day we asked the Lord to be our Savior and dwell in our hearts, we entered into our Sabbath Rest because our part of the work of our salvation was completed. Just as God never again took up the work of Creation, and Jesus never again took up the work of being sacrificed for our sins, we never again take up the work of our salvation. It is finished.

A Sabbath breaker was put to death in Numbers 15:32-36 as a model to show us the penalty for taking up the work of our salvation again after we’ve asked Him to save us. It means we don’t believe the Lord completed the work of saving us, and that means we don’t believe we’re saved. And that means we’re dead in our sins because we can’t save ourselves. We’ve broken our Sabbath Rest. The penalty is death.