4 Therefore, we should fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any of you may appear to have come short of it. ² For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did; but the word they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united with those who listened with faith. ³ For it is we who have faith that enter that rest, just as He has said, “As I swore in My anger, They certainly shall not enter My rest.” Yet His labours were finished from the foundation of the world. ⁴ For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His toil”; ⁵ and again in this passage, “They certainly shall not enter My rest.” ⁶ Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who previously had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, ⁷ He again sets a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” ⁸ For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. ⁹ Consequently, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. ¹⁰ For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his labours, as God did from His. ¹¹ Therefore let’s make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience (Heb4:1-11).

In terms of the  “rest” to which the writer refers, it originates in the example he has just given (ch3) concerning the Israelites, who having been delivered from slavery in Egypt rebelled against their God-appointed leader Moses and acted treacherously and idolatrously against their God. In spite of Moses’ plea to God to take the punishment upon himself, it was determined that the culprits themselves rather than Moses should take the blame and  so “not enter into My rest”. Thankfully for humanity the same principle did not apply when Jesus willingly took our punishment upon Himself. Indeed the Father was insistent at Gethsemane  that His Son should undergo such suffering on our behalf. But as I have already demonstrated from Hebrews (for those who can receive it) Christ’s suffering was not only beneficial for us but for Himself. He was crowned with glory and honour because of His suffering [Ἰησοῦν διὰ τὸ πάθημα] and in order that He should be perfected (Heb2:9-10), especially no doubt with regard to His High Priestly and juridical functions (2:17-18).

The writer of Hebrews affirms that the ultimate reason for many of God’s people’s disobedience was that they had not received the message of good news (concerning their deliverance and the promised land) with faith.  He fears that that may be the case for some believers who have heard the Gospel, seemingly acted upon it, but do not continue in the faith. It needs to be emphasized (especially in view of some commentaries I have seen) that this is not just a matter of belief (that Christ had died for their sins) but of obedience. The connection between faith and obedience being that some shall depart from the Way of Christ and His teaching because they never truly believed in the first place. This was clearly what the Hebrews writer was indicating concerning Moses’ dissidents in v2 taken with v11 of our passage. As that final verse affirms, it is not just a case of resting, trusting or believing but striving (“make every effort” ) to enter God’s rest – for “we should fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any of you may appear to have come short of it” (v1). 

As the change of tense suggests in verse 10, there is not just a future but a present sense in which the true believer enters God’s rest. As JHWE assured Moses: “My presence will go with you and I shall give you rest” (Ex33:14). And Jesus: “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Mt11:28). As most will recognize “rest” pertains to peace and security, not inactivity. Likewise regarding a future rest: that could be said to be Heaven for those who (in bible terms) have fallen asleep. Ultimately it relates to what the Apostle Peter sought after, and like “the promised land” it is as material as it is spiritual: “We, in accordance with His promise look for new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells” (2Pet3:13)

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