Paul strived for this reward. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, he tells us that he was running the race for the reward. Then in Philippians 3:13 and 14, he was still running the race. Only at the time immediately before his martyrdom did he know for certain that the reward was awaiting him and that the crown of righteousness had been prepared for him and for all who love the Lord’s appearing (2 Tim. 4:7-8).
Because Moses was willing to suffer the reproach of Christ, he will receive the reward of the kingdom (Heb. 11:26). He was not allowed to enter into the rest of the good land because of his failure at Meribah (Num. 20:12-13; Deut. 3:26-27; 32:50-52). But he will be with Christ in the kingdom (Matt. 16:28—17:3). By referring to this, the writer surely intended to encourage his readers, who were suffering persecution for Christ’s sake, to follow Moses by esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the things they lost and by looking away to the reward.
The kingdom reward is in addition to the eternal salvation which is mentioned in 5:9. Based upon Christ’s eternal redemption (9:12), eternal salvation has been given to us freely and eternally according to God’s eternal selection of us. That is eternally secured. However, after receiving this eternal salvation, how we would behave ourselves is a problem. Hence, according to God’s wisdom, in addition to this eternal salvation, a reward is promised as an incentive to us that we may be faithful in our living by the Lord and in our working for Him.
Eternal salvation is by faith, having nothing to do with our work (Eph. 2:8-9), whereas the kingdom reward is for our work after we are saved (1 Cor. 3:8, 14). We may not receive the kingdom reward even though we are saved, because we are void of the work which the Lord would approve (1 Cor. 3:15). The Hebrew believers were here charged not to miss the kingdom reward—the coming Sabbath rest, the enjoyment of Christ and the reign with Christ in the coming age.
The kingdom reward is of the promise mentioned in 10:36, which is different from the promise in 9:15. The promise in 10:36 is the promise of the Sabbath rest mentioned in 4:9, in which we shall participate in the reign of Christ in the coming kingdom. That will be the great reward mentioned in verse 35 for the gaining of the soul mentioned in verse 39. This is conditioned on our endurance and doing the will of God. The promise in 9:15 is the promise of eternal inheritance based upon Christ’s eternal redemption, not on our work. The eternal inheritance in the promise in 9:15 is by the eternal redemption of Christ, whereas the great reward (v. 35) in the promise in 10:36 is for our reward in doing the will of God.
The will of God mentioned in 10:36 was for the Hebrew believers to take the new covenant way (vv. 19-23) and remain with the church (v. 25), not shrinking back to Judaism (vv. 38-39) but suffering persecution (vv. 32-34). For this they will receive the promise of a great reward at the Lord’s coming back. The promise of eternal inheritance is included in God’s eternal salvation. The promise found in 10:36 is the reward for the overcomers, while the eternal inheritance is for all the believers who have received eternal salvation.
Verse 34 speaks of “a better possession, and an abiding one.” This better and abiding possession is “the eternal inheritance” and the “inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven” (1 Pet. 1:4). Under the old covenant, the Jewish people inherited earthly things as their possession; but under the new covenant, the believers inherit the heavenly riches as their possession. This better and abiding possession was a great incentive to the Hebrew believers to suffer the loss of earthly things.
Verse 39 speaks of shrinking back to ruin. For the Hebrew believers to shrink back to Judaism would have been to shrink back to ruin, which is not eternal perdition, but punishment by the living God. The ruin mentioned here will be the punishment, as mentioned in verses 27 through 31, to those who would forsake the new covenant and return to Judaism, thus trampling under foot the Son of God, regarding Christ’s precious blood common as animal blood, and insulting the Spirit of grace. As the kingdom reward is a positive reward, so the punishment must be a negative one.