Hebrews 4:6-8 Seeing therefore it remained that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limited a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
‘Must’ – There is no word in Greek for must. It should read, “It remains for some to enter it.” Just who they are is left up to the individual and not to the choice of God in any case. God wills that all be saved if they want to be (John 3:16; 1Tim. 2:4; 2Pet. 3:9; Rev. 22:17).
‘To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.’ This is the 13th Old Testament prophecy in Hebrews (4:7; Ps. 95:7-8). Here Paul applies the 95th Psalm in a prophetic sense to this present dispensation, warning men today not to harden their hearts and be cut off as Israel was in the wilderness.
‘Jesus’ – This should have been translated as “Joshua,” for he is the one referred to here. The Hebrew: Yehoshua‛ which we write Joshua, is everywhere rendered Iesous (Jesus or Saviour) by the Septuagint. It is this rendering that the apostle follows. If Joshua had given Israel rest God would not have spoken of another day of rest for His people (4:8-9).
Christ is better than Joshua: Jesus was God’s only begotten Son; Joshua was not (1:5-7; 4:14). Christ’s followers enter rest now (4:3, 10; Matt. 11:28-30); Joshua did not give rest (4:8). Christ provided the real rest of which sabbath days under Joshua were mere types [examples] (4:9-10; Col. 2:14-17). Christ provided eternal rest; Joshua did not (4:8-10). Christ provided rest both here and hereafter; Joshua did not (4:8-10; Matt. 11:28-30).
Living the Word 