Hebrews 4:3

3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "As in my anger I swore, "They shall not enter my rest,' " though his works were finished at the foundation of the world.

Hebrews 4:3 Meaning and Commentary

Hebrews 4:3

For we which have believed do enter into rest
Not eternal rest; all believers shall enjoy this, and they only; but this is not now, or at present enjoyed, unless things future may be said to be present, because of faith in them, and the certainty of them but spiritual rest in Christ under the Gospel dispensation, which is a rest from the burden of the law of Moses, and from all toil and labour for life, and salvation by works, and lies in an enjoyment of much inward peace of soul, notwithstanding the world's troubles and Satan's temptations; and such who believe the word or Gospel preached, and Christ in it, not with a general and historical high, or only in profession, but with the heart, and in truth, these enjoy this rest; they are kept in perfect peace, and have much spiritual ease and comfort: this character distinguishes them from the unbelieving Israelites of old, and from present hypocrites and formal professors:

as he said, as I have sworn in wrath, if they shall enter into my rest;
the words are in ( Psalms 95:11 ) , and are before cited in ( Hebrews 3:11 ) (See Gill on Hebrews 3:11): they entered not in because of unbelief; none but believers enter into spiritual rest. The apostle applies this proof to his design, by removing all other rests, and particularly by showing that does not mean God's rest from the works of creation:

although the works were finished from the foundation of the world;
that is, though the works of creation, that God designed to make, were finished and perfected within the first six days of the world, and then God rested, or ceased to work in a creative way; yet this is not the rest designed in the passage of Scripture cited, nor is it that rest which believers enter into.

Hebrews 4:3 In-Context

1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest is still open, let us take care that none of you should seem to have failed to reach it.

2 For indeed the good news came to us just as to them; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "As in my anger I swore, "They shall not enter my rest,' " though his works were finished at the foundation of the world.

4 For in one place it speaks about the seventh day as follows, "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works."

5 And again in this place it says, "They shall not enter my rest."

Footnotes

• [a]. Gk [he]