Hebrews 4:1-16
(2) The word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. --
This is believing; conviction of the Truth revealed; fidelity, being faithful to and living according to the Truth.
(3) For we who have believed ... --
This comes from the same root word: to have faith, to entrust oneself into Christ's care.
(6) ... failed to enter because of disobedience. --
This is from a word that means "unpersuadable," so it means obstinate, rebellious, disobedient. So because they did not take to heart to believe the Truth of what their own eyes had seen to put their trust in God to have their own best in mind and follow His ways; instead they still thought they knew better, and refused to follow the "Manufacturer's Instructions," so they missed out on the blessings God wanted to give them.
(11) Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience. --
This is the same word that is in v.6. We need to hold fast, diligently, to the trust we have put into God and Christ Jesus. He never changes, so no matter what's going on down here, He's still on His Throne.
(14) Since then we have a great High Priest Who has passed through the Heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. --
This is two words: "homo," meaning the same; and "logos," an utterance: To say the same thing. So we are to rely so completely on Jesus because of Who He is, what He went through and experienced, and what He accomplished on the Cross on our behalf: What we have been taught by God in His Word.
(16) Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the Throne of Grace. ...
Our confidence is to be such a solid knowing of God, His character, His love, His faithfulness, His power to do everything He wants to do and His goodness to only want to do what would be good and beneficial for us; that we have boldness, out-spokenness, frankness, bluntness, speaking plainly and openly before God's Heavenly Throne itself.
To have the freedom of a little child to climb up onto his daddy's lap for a hug.
That is the "faith" we are to have. This chapter tells us that the benefits (the "rest") God has planned for His people before the world was created, has not yet been fully given; He still has benefits (rest) left for us today, too. We only need to trust Him completely to access it.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
