There has always been a “spiritual rest” for those who put their faith in God. It was available in Joshua’s day as well as David’s. The rest (eternal life) is obtained by those who receive it by faith. The Israelites didn’t originally enter the land of promise because of their unbelief, which demonstrated their lack of salvation (Heb. 3:19).

 

Jesus, the perfect High Priest, paved the way for us to press on by faith. Josephus, the Jewish historian, informs us that 83 High Priests served and died from the time of Aaron (the first High Priest) until the destruction of the Temple in AD 70. Jesus is a STILL LIVING High Priest. The writer uses a present tense verb in Heb. 4:14. (Note the words “we have” and not “we had”!) “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, LET US hold fast our confession.”

 

Our High Priest is praying for us right now. Heb. 7:25 says, “He ever lives to make intercession for us.” Therefore press on by faith and “let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).