Into His Rest: Refuting Liberation Theology's Use of the Exodus with Hebrews 3-4

"So I swore in my wrath, they shall never enter my rest."

Quoting the psalmist, the author of Hebrews recalls God's judgment on the unbelieving Israelites after the exodus. In the Old Testament the exodus and wilderness wanderings testify of God's unmerited grace and man's corresponding responsibility. Rest represents the inheritance that God appoints for His chosen people. In the New Testament the author of Hebrews presents both themes as he warns his readers not to forfeit God's rest as their forefathers had and lose the blessing He had for them.

Liberation theology portrays the exodus as an archetypal model that supports its agenda of liberating people from oppression. The use of the exodus in Hebrews 3:7-4:13, however, distinguishes the inspired perspective of the event from the one that liberation theology advances. This difference demonstrates that liberation theology cannot appeal to the exodus as proof that it is a biblical movement.

Ted Miller (PhD, Bob Jones University) is professor of Bible at Bob Jones University. Into His Rest is the published version of his dissertation, "The Doctrine of Rest in Hebrews 3-4 and Its Implications for Liberation Theology's Use of the Exodus" (2004).