4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5 and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.”
4:4
For
The word “for” provides the grounds for the conclusion found in verse 3.
He [God] has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way:
This quotation is from Genesis 2:2. This verse from Genesis confirms the quotation from Psalm 95. The two quotations in verses 4 and 5 prove the statement of verse 3.
“And God rested
God did not rest because He was fatigued or idle. The idea is that God fully completed His work of creation.
on the seventh day from all His works”;
God rested after He finished His work of creation. He rested because He accomplished everything that was needed to be done for creation.
4:5
and again in this place:
“This place” is the reference quoted in verse 3 (Psalm 95). This passage was cited for the second time to emphasize that God did not allow Israel to enter His “rest.” This second quotation shows that Israel did not enter God’s rest.
“They shall not enter My rest.”
This quotation is another citation of God’s oath that those who came out of Egypt would not enter His rest. This was an issue of excluding Israel from God’s provisions.
PRINCIPLE:
Delay hardens the heart.
APPLICATION:
There is a link between God’s Sabbath rest at creation and the rest Israel should have claimed. This is especially true for those who have clearly heard God’s revelation. The longer we put off claiming God’s promises, the more difficult it is to appropriate them.
