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For we which have believed do enter into rest: a further reason setting home this counsel, was the certain benefit of our care in believing; for that the community of real Christians, partakers and exercisers of the same precious faith, as Paul himself, 2Pe_1:1, have the same privilege as believing Caleb and Joshua had, Num_14:24,30, to enter into God’s rest; initially having peace with God now, and his love shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, witnessing their reconciliation, justification, renovation, adoption, so as they rejoice in hope of the glory of God, Rom_5:1,2,5; and are by believing and obedience making out to the attainment of the final and complete rest of God in heaven, of which they are afraid to fall short.
As he said, As I have sworn in my wrath: God himself confirms this by his oath, Heb_3:11,18 Psa 95:11. At the same time that he excludeth all unbelievers from entering in, he inclusively and by consequence sweareth that all believers do and shall enter in.
If they shall enter into my rest: that rest which David there speaks of was not God’s rest on the seventh day from the creation after the finishing of God’s works, nor the temporal rest in the land of Canaan which the Jews had, and were past, as these Hebrews might suggest; but another rest to come, either in the world to come, Heb_2:5, or in the heavenly rest in glory, which he takes occasion further to explain to them.
Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world: kai toi some render as a particle of exception, although, as if it intended, although God’s rest is some where meant of his rest after the finishing of the works of creation, yet here God speaks of the rest of Canaan, a type of the heavenly one: others, that God swore they should not enter into his rest, although God’s works were done, and the rest were ready, because of their unbelief. Others render it, and indeed he said and spake of the same heavenly rest, long before he spake of the rest of Canaan, even upon the finishing of his works from the foundation of the world: which seems most agreeable to the Spirit’s design here.