The Sabbath as a Type 

Memory Verse: "For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his" (Hebrews 4:10).

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 3:8-19.

Introduction: Speaking of Christ, the Apostle Paul remarked that He, ". . . having forgiven you all trespasses: Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy-day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days; Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ" (Colossians 2:13-17).
  Those things to which Paul referred had these characteristics: they were a "hand writing of ordinances;" they were "contrary to us;" they were "taken out of the way" by being "nailed to the cross;" and they were "shadows" which were cast by the body of Christ.
  By following them, therefore, one was led to Christ, whose crucified body on the cross cast the shadow. That crucifixion was "that which was to come" as it was the concluding act of atonement, necessitated by sin since the days of Adam.
  These things are mentioned also in Hebrews 8:4,5, wherein it is stated that they "serve" unto the example and shadow of heavenly things. Again in Hebrews 10:1 it is written, "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of those things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect."
  Man's need to rest was occasioned by his disobedience to God. Because of man's besetting weariness, God offered him rest. God offers "relief" from weariness now: an imperfect (temporary and incomplete) physical and spiritual rest. The promise of complete, perfect, and permanent rest is yet to be fulfilled.
  The Sabbath rest is a foretaste of perfect and eternal rest. It is a foretaste of the rest of the soul that is now experienced through hope and faith. Physical rest is imperfect now; it will continue to be, just as long as man is mortal and as long as he must bear pain and sorrow, earn his living by the sweat of his brow.
  The weekly Sabbath rest was not given as a shadow pointing to Christ, it was given as a shadow of the spiritual, eternal rest to come.

Lesson Questions:

1. Will the Sabbath be observed in the eternal kingdom? Isaiah 66:22,23.

2. Will there be a "weekly" cycle in the New Jerusalem? Revelation 21:23-25; Isaiah 24:23; Zechariah 14:6-9.

3. Was Israel's "rest" in the promised land to be achieved before reaching the promised land? Hebrews 3:17-19.

4. Do we now enter into a type of rest, or into the very real, perfect, and eternal rest promised to the children of God? Hebrews 4:1-7,11.

5. Is the promise of rest still valid? Hebrews 4:6-9; Matthew 11:28-30.

6. How do we typify that rest which is yet to be achieved? Hebrews 4:10.

7. How did God "cease from His works?" Hebrews 4:4.

8. What was God's means of proving Israel's willingness to be obedient? Exodus 16:4,28. Is this test valid for us? Hebrews 4:11.