05.07. Let Us Labor Therefore....
7 Let Us Labor Therefore...
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do (Hebrews 4:11-13).
The rest lying before Christians is spoken of different ways in Scripture. It is a rest typified by the rest which lay before the Israelites under Moses, and later under Joshua (Hebrews 3:7-19; Hebrews 4:6-8; cf. Deuteronomy 12:9; Joshua 1:13); it is a rest referred to by the sign of the Sabbath (Hebrews 4:9; cf. Exodus 31:13-17), and a rest which has its basis in the opening two chapters of Genesis (Hebrews 4:4; cf. Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:11; Exodus 31:17).
This is a rest into which one can enter only after he has entered the land to which he has been called (that heavenly land for Christians, typified by the earthly land for Israel). Further, this is a rest into which one can enter only after the enemy inhabiting the land has been overthrown (Satan and his angels in the heavenly land, typified by the Gentile nations infiltrated by the Nephilim in the earthly land). And this is a rest into which one can enter only after six days, on the seventh day (that is, after six millenniums, on the seventh millennium). The latter has to do with the sign of the Sabbath, which, in turn, is based on Genesis 1:1-31, Genesis 2:1-25; and this is that rest to which Joshua looked when he spoke of "another day" (Hebrews 4:8; cf. Hebrews 4:4; cf. Hebrews 4:9).
Thus, the rest which Christians are to labor to enter into has to do with a future rest which can be realized only during the earth’s coming Sabbath (the seventh millennium); and this rest can be realized only in that heavenly land to which Christians have been called, after the enemy presently inhabiting the land has been overthrown.
We are to labor to enter into rest in that heavenly land, "lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief" (Hebrews 4:11; cf. Hebrews 4:1). The allusion, of course, is to the experiences of the Israelites under Moses. They failed to enter into the rest set before them "because of unbelief [’unfaithfulness’]" (Hebrews 3:18). And the warning to Christians under Christ is that exactly the same fate can likewise befall them. They too, through unfaithfulness, can fail to enter into the rest set before them.
In the type, those comprising the house of Moses had been called out of the land of Egypt to inhabit an earthly land removed from Egypt, the land of Canaan. All activity in the house was for a purpose. There was a goal in view. But an entire unfaithful generation was overthrown short of this goal. Those comprising this generation were cut off from the house of Moses, overthrown in the wilderness on the right side of the blood but on the wrong side of the goal of their calling (Numbers 13:31-33; Numbers 14:29-30).
Caleb and Joshua alone, of that generation, were singled out as exercising faith relative to their calling. And Caleb and Joshua alone were singled out as being allowed to later enter the land, conquer the inhabitants, and realize an inheritance in the land (Numbers 13:30; Numbers 14:30; Joshua 14:13-14; Joshua 19:49-50).
And in the antitype, the purpose for and end result of activity in the house of Christ can only be the same as the purpose for and end result of activity in the house of Moses. The antitype demands this, for the antitype must follow the type in exact detail. Christians have been saved for a purpose, and that purpose has to do with the land set before them. All activity in which household servants have been called to engage themselves during the present time, after some fashion, has to do with this purpose. There is a goal in view, and that goal has to do with the heavenly land to which Christians have been called.
A servant in the house of Christ can exhibit either faithfulness or unfaithfulness, as clearly set forth by the actions of those comprising the house of Moses. And also, as clearly set forth by the actions of those comprising the house of Moses, faithful servants will one day realize the goal of their calling, but not so with unfaithful servants.
Faithful servants will pass through the same experiences in the antitype as did Caleb and Joshua in the type. They will be allowed to enter the land, victoriously combat the inhabitants (Ephesians 6:12 ff), and one day realize an inheritance therein (Ephesians 1:11-23). Christians exhibiting faithfulness after this fashion will one day realize the rights of the firstborn, inheriting as joint-heirs and ruling as co-heirs with God’s Son (Romans 8:17-18; 2 Timothy 2:10-12; Revelation 3:21).
Unfaithful servants though will be cut off from the house of Christ, as unfaithful Israelites were cut off from the house of Moses (Hebrews 4:1). They, as the unfaithful Israelites in relation to their earthly calling, will not be allowed to enter that heavenly land and realize an inheritance therein. They, as the unfaithful Israelites, will be overthrown on the right side of the blood but on the wrong side of the goal of their calling (Matthew 24:48-51; 2 Timothy 2:5; 2 Timothy 2:12 b).
If the preceding is not what is meant by the exhortation and warning in Hebrews 4:11, then, from a Scriptural framework, no meaning can really be derived from this verse. The verse must be understood within a type-antitype framework in the light of its immediate context, which begins with chapter three. And this section of Scripture leading into Hebrews 4:11 has to do with the Israelites under Moses, Christians under Christ, and a rest lying before both.
"Let us [Christians] labour therefore to enter into that rest [seventh-day rest, Sabbath rest], lest any man [Christian] fall after the same example of unbelief [’unfaithfulness’ exhibited by the Israelites under Moses, which can also be exhibited by Christians under Christ]." The Word of God The concluding part of the portion of Scripture covering the second of the five major warnings in Hebrews deals with the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12-13) and the Spirit of God (Hebrews 4:14-16). And there is a natural flow of thought from the lengthy section dealing with parallels between the house of Moses and the house of Christ (Hebrews 3:1-19, Hebrews 4:1-11) into this section.
Revelation in verses twelve and thirteen, dealing with the Word of God, begins with "For," showing a direct relationship between that which is about to follow and that which has preceded; and revelation in Hebrews 4:14-16, dealing with the Spirit of God, begins with "Seeing," again showing a direct relationship between that which is about to follow and that which has preceded. And viewing these two sections together, they, in one respect, form a capstone to the second warning, much like chapter eleven of this book (the chapter on faith) forms a capstone to the entire preceding ten chapters.
The Spirit of God, beginning this section through calling attention to the Word of God, states things about this Word which must be understood in the light of other Scripture; and the first thing stated about this Word provides an explanation concerning how the remaining things stated about this Word can be possible.
1. The Living Word
Hebrews 4:12 begins, "For the word of God is quick [’alive’], and powerful [’effectually works’], and sharper than any twoedged sword..." The key word is "quick [’alive’]," and the Word of God is alive for one simple reason: This Word is "God-breathed."
2 Timothy 3:16 states, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God..." The words, "given by inspiration of God," are a translation of one Greek word, the word theopneustos. This is a compound word made up of Theos ("God") and pneuma ("spirit," "wind," "breath"). The word theopneustos thus, literally translated, means "God-breathed"; and, accordingly, 2 Timothy 3:16 should either be translated or understood in the sense, "All scripture is God-breathed..." (ref. NIV).
Because all Scripture is "God-breathed," it is living; and for that reason alone this living Word can effectually work to the point of accomplishing things far beyond the natural, things which can be explained only through its supernatural origin.
The connection of "God’s breath" with life (the connection between 2 Timothy 3:16 and Hebrews 4:12) is given in Genesis 2:7. Man was not created alive. Rather, man was formed from the dust of the ground as an inanimate, lifeless being. Then God, through breathing into His lifeless new creation, imparted life. God "breathed into his [Adam’s] nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
This is the first mention in Scripture of life in relation to man, establishing a first-mention principle which can never change throughout Scripture. Any time beyond this point in Scripture when one finds life in relation to man, this life must always be effected by means of "the breath of God." There must always be a breathing in on God’s part in order for life to exist (cf. Ezekiel 37:1-10; Luke 8:54-55).
And the inverse of that is equally true. The removal of breath, a breathing out, results in death. A body "without the spirit [pneuma, ’breath’] is dead" (James 2:26).
This is possibly best illustrated in Scripture by Luke’s description of that which occurred at the exact moment Christ died. Luke 23:46 states, "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost [lit., ’and having said thus, he breathed out’]." At the exact moment Christ "breathed out," life ceased to exist in His physical body.
The Word of God was given to man through man after one revealed fashion: "...holy men of God spake as they were moved [’borne along’] by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21). This is what is meant by the statement, "All scripture is God-breathed..." It is the Holy Spirit’s inseparable connection with the Word of God which makes it so. God, through the instrumentality of the Spirit (the Pneuma; same word which is also used for "breath"), gave His word to man through man.
This Word, though given through man, is thus not of human origin. It is of Divine origin (Psalms 12:6). And because of its Divine origin -- because it is God-breathed, because it is living -- this Word can effectually work after a supernatural manner to accomplish that which God has intended for it to accomplish (Isaiah 55:11).
The word translated "power" in Hebrews 4:12 is energes in the Greek text, the word from which we derive our English word "energy." The Word of God has the Divine energy -- it can effectually work after a supernatural manner -- to divide between the "soul and spirit," penetrate the "joints and marrow," and discern the "thoughts and intents of the heart."
(Ref. the author’s book, SALVATION OF THE SOUL, Chs. III, IV, for a more comprehensive treatment of the God-breathed Word.)
2. Between the Soul and Spirit
The reference in Hebrews 4:12 to a division being effected by the Word of God between man’s soul and spirit is drawn from the opening verses of Genesis (as seen earlier in this chapter relative to the "rest" set before "the people of God" [Hebrews 4:4, Hebrews 4:9]). The Spirit of God moves in Genesis 1:2 b, and God speaks in Genesis 1:3. In relation to man’s salvation, it is at this point in the type that a division is made between his soul and spirit in the antitype.
In the type, the Spirit of God moved, God spoke, and light came into existence. Genesis 1:2-3 records the initial act of the Triune Godhead in bringing about the restoration of the ruined material creation, an act in which the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each participated (note that nothing can come into existence apart from the Son [John 1:3]).
In the antitype, within the framework of man’s salvation experience, the matter is identical. There must be an act of the Triune Godhead, for this is how God worked to restore a ruined creation in the Genesis account, establishing an unchangeable pattern for a later work. The Spirit of God moves, God speaks, and light comes into existence. The matter is as simple as that.
Everything is based on the Son’s finished work at Calvary. The Spirit moving and God speaking are both based on that which occurred almost 2,000 years ago. When the Son cried out from the Cross, "It is finished [lit., ’It has been finished’]" (John 19:30; cf. Luke 23:46), He meant exactly that; and when the Word of God reveals that we have a salvation of Divine origin, based entirely on the Son’s finished work, the Word of God means exactly that.
When man sinned in the garden, he died spiritually; and when unregenerate man, "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1), is made alive today, he is made alive spiritually. The movement of the Spirit (Genesis 1:2 b) and God speaking (Genesis 1:3) in order to restore the ruined creation are simultaneous events. It is the Spirit using the God-breathed word to effectually perform a supernatural work in unredeemed man. It is at this point -- through the inbreathing of God -- that life is imparted to that which previously had no life. God breathes into dead man (the Spirit using the God-breathed Word, based on the finished work of the Son), and man is "quickened [’made alive’]" (Ephesians 2:1; Ephesians 2:5).
At this point, light shines "out of darkness" (2 Corinthians 4:6), a division is made between the light and the darkness (Genesis 1:4), and the darkness has no apprehension or comprehension of that which is light (John 1:5; cf. 1 Corinthians 2:14).
It is at this point in man’s salvation that the spirit is separated from the soul. The "spirit" in unsaved man is dead. It is a part of the totally depraved man, with his "body of...death," in which there dwells "no good thing" (Romans 7:18; Romans 7:24). With the movement of the Spirit, using the God-breathed Word, man’s spirit is made alive and, at the same time, separated from the soul.
The "soul" remains within the sphere of darkness, which is why "the natural [Gk. psuchikos, ’soulical’] man" cannot understand "the things of the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2:14). That which remains in the sphere of darkness can have no apprehension or comprehension of that which has shined out of darkness. There is a God-established division between the two which cannot be crossed over (cf. Luke 16:26).
God, through this process, delivers the spirit from the level into which it fell, resulting from Adam’s sin. And because the spirit has been delivered, there can once again be communion with God, man can now comprehend spiritual things, and there can now be a progressive continued work by the Spirit of God within man so that man can ultimately be delivered to the place which God has decreed that he occupy at the end of six days, at the end of six thousand years.
3. Penetrating Man’s Complete Being
The structure of the Greek text in Hebrews 4:12 would preclude "soul and spirit" being paralleled with "joints and marrow" in the sense of the Word of God establishing a like division between man’s joints and marrow to that established between soul and spirit. A parallel does exist between the two (within the perfect structure of the God-breathed Word), but the "joints and marrow" would refer more to the whole of man (from his outward parts to his innermost being) and relate to the remainder of the verse rather than be paralleled with the "soul and spirit" of man.
(The "joints" and "marrow" are not actually located next to one another in the sense that they can be divided as we view a division in the realm of the natural. But we are not dealing with the natural; and man’s "soul" and "spirit" need not necessarily be thought of as lying in any closer proximity to one another than man’s "joints" and "marrow" lie, though the Word of God can supernaturally divide between the two.)
Once the Word has separated the spirit from the soul, restoring life, then a parallel can exist between "soul and spirit" and "joints and marrow." The marrow is within the bones, and the principle function of the marrow is to produce red corpuscles for the blood. In turn, the function of the red corpuscles is to take up oxygen from the air coming into the lungs and transport it to the various tissues throughout the body.
The marrow produces that which takes oxygen from "the breath of life" and transports it, within the blood, throughout the body. In this respect, the marrow would be looked upon quite differently than the joints. The marrow has a direct connection with life, but the same thing cannot be said for the joints connecting the bones which hold the marrow.
Viewing the matter after this fashion is where the parallel can be seen between spirit and marrow and soul and joints. In redeemed man, the "spirit" and "marrow" are both connected with a life which extends to the whole of man (spiritual and physical life respectively), but this is not the case with the "soul" and "joints." Life for the latter is dependent on life existing in the former.
This can be easily seen in the physical realm. Life emanating to the joints is dependent on life within the marrow of the bones which the joints hold together.
And in the spiritual it is the same (bear in mind that we’re dealing with the spiritual, not the natural. Man’s "soul" has to do with his natural life, his natural appetites, desires, etc.). Spiritually, life can exist in connection with the soul (and one day the body) only because the spirit has been made alive and separated from the soul. The working of this life in relation to the whole of man can be seen in the present and future state of the soul, along with the future state of the body. The soul is in the process of being redeemed (a salvation presently occurring [1 Corinthians 1:18]), and this salvation will be realized in its completeness at a future date (1 Peter 1:9). And the body will also be redeemed at a future date (Romans 8:23; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:44).
This is a matter which Paul dwelled upon near the outset of his first letter to the Church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 2:10-16, 1 Corinthians 3:1-4). Paul sought to establish within the minds of the Christians in Corinth the difference between "soul" and "spirit," and he sought to show this difference for the purpose at hand. The carnal Christians at Corinth were following after the soulical rather than the spiritual; and Paul, at the outset, sought to show these carnal Christians the difference between the two and the importance of their rising above the fleshly appetites of the soul and following the man of spirit.
The importance of this is clearly stated in succeeding verses where Paul dealt with the judgment seat of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). Or, as stated in his epistle to those in Rome, "For if ye [Christians] live after the flesh, ye [Christians] shall die: but if ye [Christians] through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye [Christians] shall live" (Romans 8:13; cf. Romans 8:14-23).
(Note in the type that Hagar is to be submissive to Sarah [Genesis 16:9]. This would be to say, in the antitype, that flesh is to be submissive to spirit [Galatians 4:22-31]. And insofar as the inheritance awaiting Christians is concerned, Scripture states, "Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman" [Galatians 4:30; cf. Genesis 21:10].)
Though a parallel between "soul and spirit" and "joints and marrow" does exist, the structure of the Greek text would, as previously stated, place the emphasis elsewhere. The Word of God dividing between man’s "joints and marrow" should be thought of in the sense of the Word having the power to pierce into any part of man’s being -- from his outward parts to his innermost being ("joints," outward; "marrow," inward). And this Word is the only power which can penetrate man’s complete being, which is exactly what the remainder of the verse goes on to state.
4. Everything Naked and Opened
Because the Word of God has the power to penetrate man’s complete being, everything is laid bare, laid "naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." This word penetrates from the outward (joints) to the inward (marrow). There is nothing which remains unexposed, by the Word, from the all-searching eyes of the One Who gave this Word (cf. Revelation 3:15-18).
These all-searching eyes form part of John’s description of Christ as he saw Him in the future Day of the Lord as recorded in Revelation 1:13-16. John was transported into that future day (Revelation 1:10; cf. Revelation 4:1-2) and saw Christ, no longer occupying the office of High Priest, but occupying the office of Judge. And he not only saw Christ as Judge, but he also saw the Church in Christ’s presence awaiting judgment.
Revelation 2:1-29 and Revelation 3:1-22 actually relate that future judgment, though material in these two chapters, as well, has to do with a history of Christendom throughout the entire dispensation preceding judgment.
In Revelation 2:1-29 and Revelation 3:1-22 each of the seven Churches is singled out and dealt with on the same dual basis: works and overcoming. Each section begins and ends after this same dual fashion (e.g., Revelation 2:2, Revelation 2:7; Revelation 2:9, Revelation 2:11; Revelation 2:13, Revelation 2:17, etc.). And any place in Scripture where the future judgment of Christians is presented, these same two subjects always occupy the forefront. Christians being judged in that future day are always presented as being dealt with on the basis of works in view of showing whether they overcame or were, instead, overcome.
The Book of Revelation is a "prophecy" (Revelation 1:3). Revelation 2:1-29 and Revelation 3:1-22 though are usually thought of only in a historic sense (presenting seven existing Churches in Asia during John’s day, which foreshadow a history of Christendom throughout the present dispensation). But viewing these two chapters strictly from the standpoint of history removes them not only from the natural flow of events in the book but also from the realm of prophecy.
John was viewing the matter from his vantage point in the future Day of the Lord, beyond the present dispensation. In the natural flow of events in this future day, John would see the Judge from Revelation 1:1-20 (with the complete Church [all seven Churches] in His presence to be judged) exercising that judgment in Revelation 2:1-29 and Revelation 3:1-22. Then John would see events in Revelation 4:1-11 occurring after the judgment had been completed (the twenty-four elders casting their crowns before the throne in view of others [Christians having previously been shown qualified at the judgment seat] wearing these crowns during the millennium [see the author’s book, IN THE LORD’S DAY, Book I, Chs. I-IV]).
(Note in Revelation 2:1-29, Revelation 3:1-22 that Christ speaks to the Churches as Judge, a role which He will not occupy until the present dispensation has drawn to a close [cf. Revelation 2:1, Revelation 2:12, Revelation 2:18].)
However, events in Revelation 2:1-29 and Revelation 3:1-22 present a history of the present dispensation, preceding events at the judgment seat. This is not only seen by that which is stated in the two chapters but also by the fact that the same scene from Revelation 1:10 is repeated in Revelation 4:1-2 (John being removed from both the earth and his own time and being transported into heaven at a time during the future Day of the Lord).
In this respect, Revelation 2:1-29 and Revelation 3:1-22 must be looked upon in a dual sense, having a double fulfillment -- a revelation of events dealing with both history and prophecy (the Church on earth during the present dispensation; and the Church in heaven, before the judgment seat, during the future Day of the Lord). Accordingly, John’s removal from the earth "in the spirit" (Revelation 1:10; Revelation 4:1-2) and the "things which are" (Revelation 1:19) would also have to be viewed in this same dual fashion.
Christ is presented in Revelation 1:14 as One Whose eyes are "as a flame of fire" (One possessing a vision associated with judgment); and in His subsequent dealings with the seven Churches (Revelation 2:1-29, Revelation 3:1-22), Christ is presented as the One Who sees all and consequently knows all ("I know thy works..."). He has seen their works, and He consequently knows all things surrounding their works; and that is the basis on which the judgment of Christians will occur when Christ views them in His presence through eyes described "as a flame of fire" (cf. Matthew 16:27; Matthew 25:19-30; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15).
It will be these searching, penetrating eyes of the One "with whom we have to do" that will confront every Christian at the time he appears before the judgment seat of Christ. It was these eyes which confronted Peter after he had denied the Lord the third time, after the cock had crowed a second time. The Lord, apparently being led at that moment past Peter into "the hall of judgment," turned and looked upon Peter. And Peter, looking into those eyes, was awakened to the stark reality of that which he had done (Luke 22:61).
The Lord’s look at this time was far more than a brief glance. The word used in the Greek text (emblepo) points to Christ fixing His eyes upon Peter in an intently searching sense. Peter came under scrutiny for his actions, causing him to remember that which had previously occurred. And, as a result, he "went out, and wept bitterly" (Luke 22:62).
These eyes belong to the One to Whom all judgment has been committed -- the Living Word, acting on the basis of that which the Written Word has declared and has revealed. These are the eyes which will look intently and searchingly upon every Christian, individually, at the judgment seat; and these are the eyes which every Christian, individually, will look into at the same time -- eyes described as "a flame of fire." The Glory of God The "light" which shined "out of darkness" in Genesis 1:3, and shines "in our hearts" today, concerns itself not only with the initial act of man’s salvation but also with bringing man from immaturity to maturity. As expressed in 2 Corinthians 4:6, "...to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." And this is the light, providing knowledge, referred to in an immediately preceding verse: "In whom the god of this world [’age’] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ [lit., ’the gospel of the glory of Christ’], who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (Genesis 1:4).
In the Genesis account, light shined out of darkness on the first day; but the material creation was not completely restored until the sixth day, with man on the scene and ready to ascend the throne at the end of the sixth day.
And within the initial act and progressive manner which God used to restore the material creation, one can clearly see the present initial act and progressive manner which God is using to restore man; and this restoration, as in the type, is with a view to man being able to ascend the throne at the end of six days.
In the Genesis account, after light shined out of darkness and a division was established between the light and the darkness on the first day (Genesis 1:2-5), a division was effected between the waters on the second day (Genesis 1:6-8), and the dry land with its vegetation was made to appear on the third day (Genesis 1:9-13). But the placing of lights in the heavens (Genesis 1:14-19), the creation of birds that could soar above the earth and marine life that could move throughout the depths of the seas (Genesis 1:20-23), and the creation of great beasts that could roam the earth (Genesis 1:24-25) were restorative and creative acts not brought to pass until the fourth, fifth, and sixth days.
In the antitype, after the movement of the Spirit and the introduction of light has effected the division between spirit and soul on the first day, then God’s work relating to maturity can begin.
In this respect, God’s acts of restoration during the second and third days (a division between the waters, a separation of the dry land from the waters, and the appearance of plant life) refer particularly to the acquisition and understanding of the elementary truths of the Word -- redeemed man learning how to make divisions, distinctions, etc. It is in this manner alone that the "new creation" in Christ is brought into existence and begins a progressive growth from immaturity to maturity.
Then, once the Christian has become established in the elementary truths of the Word, progressive growth can continue. The Christian can then move on out into truths depicted by the fourth, fifth, and sixth days. He can then view with understanding that depicted by the lights in the heavens, begin to soar above the mountains as the eagle, plunge to the depths as the sea creatures, and roam in an unlimited fashion throughout the Word as the great beasts roam the earth.
Then, at the end of his journey from immaturity to maturity, man, at the end of the sixth day, is seen in the type ready to ascend the throne on the seventh day, which is exactly what is about to occur at the end of his journey in the antitype.
"For the word of God is alive"; and after it has established a division between man’s "soul and spirit," it can then effectually work within redeemed man -- effecting the metamorphosis of Romans 12:2 -- in order to bring man, not just out of the condition in which he presently finds himself, but into the position for which he was created: "Let them have dominion..." (Genesis 1:26; Genesis 1:28).