The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 125

the substratum and basis of all peace and rest-the pledge of an ultimate and satisfactory purpose in creation" (Dr. Sapbir). II. THE BEST OF Goo PROMISED To MAN. This "promise" (ver, 1) is the result of God's fatherly love. For man, although he has fallen from his rest, is still the child ?f God, belo~ed in spite of his sad apo_stasr, and pitied on ac?ount of bis weary moiling m the pursmts of sm. The sabbath mst1tuted at the creation was not this rest (vers. 3-5), but only a sign and seal of it. Neitl:lf)r did the possession of the promised land involve the realization of the promised rest (vers. 6-9); for Israel bad never for any time a restful life in Canaan, and King David, nearly five hundred years after the Hebrew occupation, speaks of entrance into God's rest as a blessing which was still future (vers. 7, 8). However, the settlement of Israel in the land flowing with milk and honey was an adumbration of the gospel rest. And thus God himself said of Zion, "This is my rest for ever." III. THE REST OF Goo REALIZED IN CHRIST. The Lord Jesus is the Joshua of onr confession, He was indeed the Hope of the Jewish Church also in the time of the first Joshua, whether the people realized him to be such or not. If we follow him as our "Leader and Commander," our hearts, even in this weary, changeful world, will enter into true spiritual rest (ver. 3). Christ brings us rest from guilt, rest from self-righteous striving, rest from wants, rest from fears, rest amidst life's burdens. In his "obedience unto death" he laboured and was heavy laden that he might give us rest. If we stay our minds on him, we shall be "kept in perfect peace ; " if we trust in him, we shall learn to rejoice that" the lines are fallen unto us in pleasant places, and that we havo a. goodly heritage." IV. THE BEST OF Goo CONSUMMATED IN HEAVEN, .Although God has provided for us even in this world perfect rest in Christ, the limitation of our nature prevents us meanwhile from fully enjoying it; and our besetting sins may continue until the end to disturb our tranquillity. ilut in the heavenly world the saints shall be set frco for ever from sin and temptation, from anxiety and sorrow. They shall enter theru into the perfect sabbath-rest of God, and shall dwell in it throughout eternity (ver. 9). His love shall abide upon his people, nnd their perfected love to him. shall spring up within them unto everlo.sting life. In conclusion, if we would acquire and possess this inheritance, we must: 1. Cherish godly "fear" (ver. 1). 2. Cultivate faith in Christ (ver. 3). 3. Ile "united by faith with them that hear" (ver. 2)-the Calebs and the Joshuas. 4. "Give diligence to enter into" the eternal rest (ver. 11) by "following the Lord fully." Vers. 12, 13.-The powl!T of the Divine Word. 'l'he writer urges here that if tho Word of God condemned the unbelieving Jews in the Sinaitic desert, it will judge arnl condomn us also, should we prove unfaithful. 'l'he original referenco is, of course, not to the written Word; but, in applying the passage to ourselves, we can think only of the promises and warnings of Holy Scripture. I. A DEB0BIPTION OF 'l'HE WORD OF Goo. (Ver. 12.) The representation is very vivid and impressive. The Word is, as it were, a magistrate; it judges actions, sifts motives, pronounces sentences. As such it is: 1. Living. It is "the breath of his lips "-God-breathed; and so it is never "a dead leUer," but nl ways quick with spiritual life, and ready to quicken. What Luther said of Paul's writings is true of all Scripture: its words "are not dead words; they are living creatures, and have bands and feet." 2. Energetic. The actual power of the \Vord is as great as the authority which it claims. It is, indeed, the supreme power among men. In the moral sphere it dominates the thought of the world. To the individual soul it is like "a fire "and "a hammer." It is" sharper than any two-edged sword "-two-edged, be~-ause it both punishes as a sword and heals as a surgeon's knife. 3. Heart-dissecting. The \V orcl pierces into the deepest recesses of man's being. It pricks men in their hearts. It parts "soul and spirit," "joints and marrow; " i,e. it separates the animal soul from the angel-spirit in human uature. It gives sensibility and power to the heavenward side of our being; and enables us to distinguish what in us is carnal and must be subdued. It marks off to the believer's consciousness" the works of the flesh" from" the fruit of the Spirit." 4. .till-discerning. The sacred writers evince a profounder knowledgo of human nature than even Shakespeare or Goethe. God's Word is the touchstone of  116 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [cu. 1v. 1-11'>.