"if you go back to chapter 3, we are told not to miss out on the rest of Christ, as the Hebrews coming out of Egypt did because of unbelief.
Very good; that is correct. The rest of Christ; the Gospel they did not enter due to unbelief. Stiff necked hardhearted disobedience.
Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Heb 3:17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
Context is clear; but if that is not enough the very word translated Unbelief in chapter 3 and 4 of Hebrews also holds true to this.
It was not that they did not believe. They believed because GOD was physically manifesting HIMSELF to them continuously coming out of Egypt and through the wilderness for 40 years. As the BDAG puts forth in their Lexicon It was an "unwillingness to commit oneself to another or respond positively to the other’s words or actions" This is the, "lack of belief, unbelief" to which Hebrews speaks.
However....
so, no, this is not a literal command to keep the jewish Sabbath, it is warning not to miss out on the rest of salvation by unbelief, as Israel would not enter the Promised Land because of unbelief."
Command? In Hebrews 4:9,10 It is not being spoken as a command but as a matter of fact. The command is found is found earlier in the chapter. Here follow along please.
For we which have believed do enter into rest (
Katapausis; ceasing down, Christ's rest; the Gospel), as HE said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest (
Katapausis; ceasing down,Christ's rest; the Gospel): although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. (
GOD’S rest; the Gospel has been available since the creation of the world) For HE spake in a certain place (
Mt. Sinai in the giving of the Commandments) of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this again (
AGAIN HE SPEAKS), IF they shall enter into my rest (Katapausis; ceasing down, the Gospel).
A few things need being mentioned in from these verses. The REST mentioned is referring to the GOSPEL. This brought to light in verse TWO. The giving (
speaking) of The Seventh Day and GOD resting on it. And the Seventh Day being brought up again (
HE speaks) IF they shall enter into my rest (
Katapausis; ceasing down, the Gospel). And incidentally Two separate things are being mentioned. The Rest in which is the GOSPEL and the forth Commandment; Seventh Day which is the Sabbath. Also if I may verse four is rather specific with it's use of definite articles in the Greek.
Here listen to a more direct translation.
Heb 4:4 ....And rested the GOD in the day; the seventh from all the works of HIM.
It is IN THE day; the seventh in which HE spoke about on Mt Sinia. And in that day; the seventh HE rested from all HIS works.
Couple that with the fact Heb 4:5 says
And in this again (HE SPEAKS), If they shall enter into my rest. We have repeating of the forth commandment
Hebrews 4:9 - So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. (NASB) Notice that the Greek word "sabbatismos" is used no where else in the Bible! Amazing that SDA's would suggest that this is the word for "keeping the weekly Sabbath" when it is never used anywhere else, in spite of the many references to Jews keeping the weekly Sabbath in the New Testament!
W. E. Vine, Greek Dictionary proves the Sabbatarian argument wrong:
KATAPAUSIS (2663), in classical Greek, denotes a causing to cease or putting to rest; in the N.T., rest, repose; it is used (a) of God's rest, Acts 7:49; Heb. 3:11, 18; 4:1, 3 (twice), R.V. (1st part), "that rest" (the A.V., "rest," is ambiguous), 5, 11; (b) in a general statement, applicable to God and man, 4:10.
SABBATISMOS (4520), a Sabbath-keeping, is used in Heb. 4:9, R.V., "a Sabbath rest," A.V. marg., "a keeping of a Sabbath" (akin to sabbatizoµ, to keep the Sabbath, used, e.g., in Ex. 16:30, not in the N.T.); here the Sabbath-keeping is the perpetual Sabbath rest to be enjoyed uninterruptedly by believers in their fellowship with the Father and the Son, in contrast to the weekly Sabbath under the Law. Because this Sabbath rest is the rest of God Himself, its full fruition is yet future, though believers now enter into it.
You glossed right over the definition of the word. Vines as do most cites the definition first. He cites,
"a Sabbath-keeping" then goes on to cite the RV's translation, "a Sabbath rest" and then proceeds to show what they have in their marginal notes, "a keeping of a Sabbath". He does this to prove that the difinition that he cited is close to what the translators of the RV thought of the word. So what you have is the definition, references and then commentary.
The commentary is way off. Nothing and I mean nothing in the grammar of the Greek or context even suggests a future rest. Remaineth is present tense, indicative mood; a fact.
Ceases from his own works a s GOD did from HIS in verse 10 is in the Aorist tense.
Most often the Aorist tense is translated past tense by translators. It is not that simple though. Here is an excerpt from the Koine Greek Textbook Vol. 1-4 Greg by Allen Walker.
"The events described by the aorist tense are classified into a number of categories by grammarians. The most common of these include a view of the action as having begun from a certain point ("inceptive aorist"), or having ended at a certain point ("cumulative aorist"), or merely existing at a certain point ("punctiliar aorist"). The categorization of other cases can be found in Greek reference grammars.
The English reader need not concern himself with most of these finer points concerning the aorist tense, since in most cases they cannot be rendered accurately in English translation, being fine points of Greek exegesis only. The common practice of rendering an aorist by a simple English past tense should suffice in most cases."
You "added" the words (the Gospel) in Hebrews 4:10
It is called commentary. Chapter four's Context supports it. Two rests are being mentioned in Hebrews Four. Kataplausis; Christ's rest which is the Gospel. This rest is defined in verse two.
For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
(Heb 4:2 KJV)
And the second as you know is Sabbatismos; a Sabbath keeping.
So what we have is....
There remaineth therefore a Sabbath keeping to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest (Christ's rest; the Gospel), he also (
in addition to that) hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
(Heb 4:9-10)
The only record we have of GOD ceasing from HIS own work is upon completing Creation. God rested from work on the day, the seventh which HE later called the Sabbath. So we who have entered into Christ's Rest; the Gospel cease from our own works as GOD did from HIS on the Day, the Seventh which is the Sabbath.