Heb 4:7-10 | TNotes | STEP | 4:7 So God set another time ... and that time is today: The logic here is that David wrote Ps 95 much later than the wilderness debacle, so God’s rest cannot be limited to that earlier generation. The words already quoted are from Ps 95:7-8 ; these words encourage us not to harden our hearts when hearing God’s voice so that we might enter the rest that the people in the wilderness were denied. This opportunity is available today (see Heb 3:13 ).

4:7 ^a So God set another time ... and that time is today: The logic here is that David wrote Ps 95 ^b much later than the wilderness debacle, so God’s rest cannot be limited to that earlier generation. The words already quoted are from Ps 95:7-8 ^c; these words encourage us not to harden our hearts when hearing God’s voice so that we might enter the rest that the people in the wilderness were denied. This opportunity is available today (see Heb 3:13 ^d).
4:8 ^e Joshua is the same name as Jesus (Greek Iēsous, Hebrew Yehoshua‘). It is normally translated Joshua in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament (see also study note on Exod 17:9). The author is making a word play on Jesus’ and Joshua’s shared name. Joshua did lead God’s people into the Promised Land (Josh 3–4 ^f), but God had more in mind when he promised his people rest. God’s ultimate rest is provided by Jesus (Heb 3:13-14 ^g; 4:3 ^h, 9-11 ⁱ, 14-16 ^j).
4:9 ^k a special rest: Jesus’ sacrifice functioned as a Day of Atonement sacrifice (5:1-3 ^l; 9:13-22 ^m; see Lev 23:26-28 ⁿ, 32 ^o). Through Christ’s sacrifice, God’s promised rest for his people is available.
4:10 ^p have rested from their labors: See Exod 20:8-11 ^q.

• just as God did: Gen 2:2 ^r.