Read Hebrews 4:4-8. What is the meaning of entering rest “today” in connection with keeping the Sabbath?

The unbelief of the desert generation prevented them from entering into the rest God promised. But God kept urging His people to enter this rest and not to harden their hearts. Paul repeats several times that God’s promise “remains” (Hebrews 4:1, Hebrews 4:6, Hebrews 4:9, NKJV). He uses the Greek verbs kataleipo and apoleipo, emphasizing that “the promise of entering his [God’s] rest still stands” (Hebrews 4:1, ESV).

Image © Krieg Barrie at Goodsalt.com

The fact that the invitation to enter this rest was repeated in the time of David (Hebrews 4:6-7, referring to Psalm 95) implied both that the promise had not been claimed and that it was still available. In fact, Paul suggests that the experience of true Sabbath rest has been available since the time of Creation (Hebrews 4:3-4).

God invites us “today” to enter into His rest. “Today” is a crucial concept throughout Scripture. When Moses renewed Israel’s covenant with God at the border of the Promised Land, he emphasized the importance of “today” (Deuteronomy 5:3, compare Deuteronomy 4:8, Deuteronomy 6:6, etc.). It was a moment of reflection to recognize God’s faithfulness (Deuteronomy 11:2-7) and a time of decision to obey the Lord (Deuteronomy 5:1-3). Similarly, Joshua called on the people of his time to “choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15, NKJV).

In the same way, “today” is a time of decision for us, a time of opportunity, as well as danger, as it has always been for God’s people (See 2 Corinthians 6:2). “Today” appears five times in Hebrews Chapters 3 and 4. It emphasizes the importance of listening to God’s voice (Hebrews 3:7, Hebrews 3:15; Hebrews 4:7) because failing to listen and believe God’s word leads to disobedience and the hardening of our hearts. It could even delay our entrance into the heavenly Canaan, just as it kept the wilderness generation from entering the earthly Canaan.

But Jesus has defeated our enemies (Hebrews 2:14-16) and inaugurated a new covenant (Hebrews Chapters 8-10). Thus, we can “come boldly to the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:14-16). The appeal “today” invites us to recognize that God has been faithful to us and has provided us with every reason to accept His invitation right away without delay.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/tuesday-today-if-you-hear-his-voice/

The titles of the thirteen Sabbaths of study this quarter give us two hymns to use as the themes:
Hymn 593 – In Times Like These and
Hymn 177 – Jesus, Your Blood and Righteousness.

This week’s title gives us
Hymn 523 – My Faith Has Found a Resting Place with the Sabbath afternoon reading adding
Hymn 382/383 – O Day of Rest and Gladness,
Hymn 381 – Holy Sabbath Day of Rest and
Hymn 391 – Welcome, Welcome Day of Rest. These hymns are again expressed on Wednesday and Thursday.

The gift we see on Sunday is “God would show….where He would dwell among them” –
Hymn 62 – How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place.

Sadly, on Monday, the Israelites lacked faith, the opposite to
Hymn 523 – My Faith Has Found a Resting Place.

Hymn 361 – Hark! ‘Tis the Shepherd’s Voice I Hear and
Hymn 359 – Hark! The Voice of Jesus Calling echo the study on Tuesday.

We are bound for The Promised Land! Hallelujah!! –
Hymn 620 – On Jordan’s Stormy Banks. Come, Lord Jesus, come – very soon.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing, but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/5-jesus-the-giver-of-rest-singing-with-inspiration/

Read Hebrews 3:12-19. Why was Israel unable to enter into the promised rest?

The sad story is that those who were delivered from Egypt were unable to enter into the rest that God had promised them. When Israel arrived at Kadesh Barnea, at the border of the Promised Land, they lacked the faith that they needed. Numbers 13 and 14 explain that the Israelite spies “brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land” (Numbers 13:32, ESV). They affirmed that the land was good, but they warned that the inhabitants were strong and that the cities fortified, and that they would not be able to conquer it.

Image © Jeff Preston at Goodsalt.com

Joshua and Caleb agreed that the land was good and did not dispute the fact that people there were strong and the cities fortified. But they said that God was with them and that He would bring them into the land (Numbers 14:7-9). Yet, the people who saw God destroy Egypt through plagues (Exodus 7-12), annihilate Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea (Exodus 14), provide bread from heaven (Exodus 16) and water from the rock (Exodus 17), as well as manifest His continuing presence and guidance through the cloud (Exodus 40:36-38) — they failed to trust in Him now. It is a tragic irony that the generation who saw such mighty displays of God’s power became a symbol of faithlessness (Nehemiah 9:15-17, Psalm 106:24-26, 1 Corinthians 10:5-10).

God promises His children gifts that are beyond human reach. That is why they are based on grace and are accessible only through faith. Hebrews 4:2 explains that the promise Israel received “was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed” (Hebrews 4:2, NIV).

Israel traveled to the borders of the Promised Land as a people. When the people were faced with contradictory reports, they identified with those who lacked faith. Faith, or lack of it, is contagious. That is why Hebrews admonishes its readers to “exhort one another” (Hebrews 3:13), “to stir up one another to love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24, ESV), and to “[s]ee to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God” (Hebrews 12:15, ESV).

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/monday-because-of-unbelief/