“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 NIV).

While there are clear differences between the soul and the spirit in a Biblical context, it is also true that these terms are closely related. In fact, they are sometimes used almost interchangeably. That distinction is shared with the other paired qualities from this passage: “joints and marrow” and “thoughts and attitudes.” While it is often difficult for human beings to discern between these closely related qualities, the Word of God can easily distinguish one from the other.

Much like an audio restoration expert who possesses the ability to read a musical waveform and remove an offensive bit of noise, God’s Word possesses a similar ability to identify and remove the sinful or inappropriate behaviors that may be hiding within the “waveform” of our lives. This idea has important implications for our spiritual lives today.

For instance, we may tend to associate a sense of God’s presence with the ritual or ceremonial aspects of a religious service. But if that religious service does not feature a clear exposition of God’s Word, there may be little opportunity for the Scriptures to penetrate our lives and promote genuine spiritual growth.

On the other hand, let’s consider an emotionally intense church service where God’s presence is linked to an exuberant experience. While such services are highly appealing to anyone seeking the emotional association of God’s presence, we may never grow into spiritual maturity in a church that does not focus upon the expository teaching of God’s Word.

The following insights and observations are highly instructive in this regard…

“The preacher must present, not book reviews, not politics, not economics, not current topics of the day, not a philosophy of life denying the Bible and based upon unproven theories of science, but the Word… If he will not proclaim that, let him step down from his exalted position.” ₍₁₎

“Many preachers today simply use a Bible text as a launching pad, and then get on to say what they want to say – what the people want to hear. Others throw in Bible quotations to illustrate their points, or to illustrate their stories! But who will simply let the Bible speak for itself and let it declare its own power? …We also must demand that we are being taught the whole counsel of God; not just interesting topics, not just what we want to hear, not just the things that will grab people, but what God says to all of our lives.” ₍₂₎

(1) Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament [note on 2 Timothy 4:2] Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

(2) Guzik, Dave, Acts 20 – Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders, https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/archives/guzik_david/StudyGuide_Act/Act_20.cfm

“For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Hebrews 4:12 offers an opportunity to consider the words “soul” and “spirit” as they apply to the human person. We can begin with a look at the word “spirit” as mentioned in the passage quoted above.

When used in a Biblical context, the word “spirit” finds its origin in the Old Testament Hebrew word “ruach” and the New Testament Greek word “pneuma.” In fact, a remnant of the word “pneuma” remains today in the form of the word “pneumatic” as it relates to an automotive tire, air tool, or gas. In a larger sense, this word is used to express the idea of a breeze, a gust of wind, an air current, or the act of breathing.

Much like the movement of air through various places, the human spirit is also invisible and immaterial. Thus, the word “spirit” is used to represent the intangible part of every human being that remains following the death of his or her physical body. Once that physical separation occurs, the Biblical book of Ecclesiastes tells us, “…your spirit will return to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7-8 NCV).

The New Testament word for soul is the Greek word psuche, a word survives today as the root of such modern-day words as psychology or psychoanalysis. In this context, the soul refers to the human being as an individual personality. It also conveys an emotional component that encompasses the things we love, hate, or feel indifferent about.

In this context, the soul embodies our talents, skills, and abilities, including those we inherently possess and others we have developed. In addition, the human soul incorporates our will, intellect, and everything that serves to distinguish an individual human being from every other human who has lived or ever will live. Therefore, we can associate the soul with the “you” inside your body.

This helps explain why human beings are more than simply human machines. Unlike a piece of software that is written and programmed to respond in a certain manner, the soul represents the element that uniquely identifies every individual human person. Thus, it also enables every individual human being to enjoy a unique relationship with his or her Creator that differs from that of every other human being.

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 NET).

Much like a sharp, double-edged sword, God’s Word can penetrate the justifications, excuses, and/or rationalizations we sometimes use to insulate ourselves from Biblical truths. As we’re reminded here in Hebrews 4:12, nothing can isolate the human heart from the incisive effect of God’s Word. And unlike a blade that has been forged by a mere human being, the sword of God’s Word never becomes  dull.

In this respect, the Word of God is much like a surgical knife that brings life and health to those who yield to it. For instance, the Word of God may discern “…the thoughts and intents of the heart” (KJV) so accurately that faithful teachers of God’s Word sometimes learn that a teaching or sermon addressed various issues of concern in the lives of their audience without their knowledge.

Other sources add the following insights…

“Vincent says, ‘The form of the expression is poetical, and signifies that the word penetrates to the inmost recesses of our spiritual being as a sword cuts through the joints and marrow of the body. Thus, the Word of God is able to penetrate into the furthermost recesses of a person’s spiritual being, sifting out and analyzing the thoughts and intents of the heart.'” ₍₁₎

“These phrases suggest that there is no part of man which God’s Word cannot penetrate—immaterial or physical. In fact, it reaches into the inner secrets of man’s mind to discern his thoughts and intents. Likewise, God’s eye sees man as though he were naked, unable to hide behind any excuse or pretense. Let us be careful not to reject His Word through unbelief.” ₍₂₎

Thus, the penetrating nature of the Biblical Scriptures should prompt us to consider Jesus’ message from the New Testament Gospel of John with a greater sense of urgency…

“I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:46-48).

(1) Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament [note on Hebrews 4:12] Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
(2) Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M., eds. (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2544). Thomas Nelson.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 ESV).

A sword is an offensive weapon that may be used for defensive purposes as well. For instance, a fencer might attack an opponent with a lunge or defend against an offensive maneuver with a parry. In a similar manner, God’s Word may be employed offensively and defensively as the need arises.

For example, the Scriptures occasionally use the word “sword” to symbolize judgment, power, or enforcement (see Psalm 22:20 and Romans 13:3-4 for some other examples). Jesus demonstrated the active nature of a sword in this context in His letter to the church at Pergamum…

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum. This is the message from the one who has a sharp two-edged sword… Repent of your sin, or I will come to you suddenly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth” (Revelation 2:12,16 NLT).

The Biblical book of Revelation also contains five separate references that link Jesus with a sword that is often described as sharp and/or double-edged (see Revelation 1:16, 2:12, 2:16, 19:15, and 19:21). Four of those references also tell us that this sword emanates from His mouth. Since a sword is almost always worn at the hip or slung over one’s shoulder, this description should alert us to the fact that a deeper meaning exists behind these references.

Much like the symbolic use of the word “sword,” the Bible sometimes makes use of the word “mouth” in referring to the words we speak (see Isaiah 53:9 and Job 15:6). Therefore, we can make good sense of these references by associating Jesus’ teachings with a powerful, double-edged sword. Hebrews 4:12 expands upon this idea in the passage quoted above.

From a defensive standpoint, Jesus identified the importance of holding firm to the truth of God’s Word as He applied it in the face of temptation (see Luke 4:1-13). Thus, in the words of one commentator…

“…this ‘sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God’ (Eph. 6:17), cannot do its piercing, sanctifying, healing work if it remains simply on display in our homes rather than dwelling at home in our hearts. If we take God’s Word with us, if we meditate on it day and night, we will always have our weapon in battle no matter where we are.” ₍₁₎

(1) Justin Taylor, “Doubt-Killing Promises” Tabletalk Magazine, January, 2012 [pg. 75]

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

In the sport of American Football, a selection of teams with the best regular-season records meet in an annual post-season playoff. The final winners in these conference tournaments then go on to play one another in the Super Bowl championship game.

Following the 2007 season, the New York Giants football team entered this post-season contest with the fifth-best record in the National Conference. Their second opponent was the top-ranked Dallas Cowboys, a team that was heavily favored to win.

Prior to the game, several media outlets reported that the owner of the Cowboys expected his team to secure a victory over the Giants. In fact, the team’s owner was so certain of a win that he left tickets to the following game for his player’s family members before they ever took the field. Unfortunately for the over-confident owner, the Giants defeated his team to advance to the next playoff round and ultimately went on to defeat a previously unbeaten opponent in the Super Bowl championship game.

So what became of those tickets that the presumptuous owner distributed in advance? Well, in a sense, those tickets “died” as soon as his team suffered defeat. In other words, those tickets had been deprived of their power to admit each ticket-holder to the next game. That brings us to Hebrews 4:12 and the “living and powerful” nature of God’s Word.

Unlike a powerless and ineffectual ticket to a game that will never be played, the word of God is living and active in the sense that it always fulfills God’s intent. The book of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah offers one of the clearest references to the potent and dynamic nature of God’s Word…

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

In light of this, we can say a person who takes the time to prayerfully read the Word of God daily is someone who is well-positioned to follow the counsel of Psalm 119:11: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.”

Image attribution: swimfinfan from Chicago, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

“Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11).

As we close this portion of Hebrews chapter four, we should note that verses one to eleven form a parenthetical thought. While the following (and well-known) passage from Hebrews 4:12 begins a new emphasis, we should not overlook the importance of the verse quoted above.

For instance, the people of Old Testament Israel refused to listen and act upon God’s direction, thus forfeiting their opportunity to enter His rest. Therefore, we must take note of their example and avoid traveling along a similar path of disobedience if we wish to experience God’s rest in our lives. Those who fail to do so are in danger of replicating the experience of the Israelites who wandered in a desert wilderness for decades and missed God’s best for their lives.

We should also consider how our author included himself among those who might profit from the warning of Hebrews 4:12. Notice that this passage says, “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest…” Thus, no one is excluded from this cautionary message, including the author himself.

With that, we will leave this portion of Scripture with some final thoughts from the following commentator. These observations serve to remind us that the challenge of adopting a God-honoring faith pales in comparison to the regret we are sure to experience if we fail to do so…

“The Israelites in the long ago failed to enter into the rest of God. Here the word rest is being used in the sense of the settlement of the Promised Land after the wilderness years. The reference is to Num 13:1-33 and Num 14:1-45 .

These chapters tell how the children of Israel came to the borders of the Promised Land, how they sent out scouts to spy out the land, how ten of the twelve scouts came back with the verdict that it was a good land but that the difficulties of entering into it were insuperable, how Caleb and Joshua alone were for going forward in the strength of the Lord, how the people hearkened to the advice of the cowards, and how the result was that that generation of distrusting cowards were debarred for ever from entering into the rest and the peace of the Promised Land.

They did not trust God to bring them through the difficulties that lay ahead; and therefore they never enjoyed the rest they could have had.” ₍₁₎

(1) Barclay, William, William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible [Commentary on Hebrews 4]

“For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His” (Hebrews 4:10).

If we consider the framework that our author has established in Hebrews chapter two, we find that the concept of “rest” encompasses the past, present, and future. Let’s consider how the author of Hebrews has built that premise in chapter four.

We began with a reference to the seventh day of creation in Hebrews 4:4: “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Genesis 2:2-3).

We can harmonize this Old Testament account with the New Testament message of Hebrews 4:10 in the following manner…

“On the seventh day, the day after creation had been completed, God rested from his labours. In the creation story in Gen 1:1-31; Gen 2:1-25 there is a strange fact. On the first six days of creation it is said that morning and evening came; that is to say, each day had an end and a beginning. But on the seventh day, the day of God’s rest, there is no mention of evening at all.

From this the Rabbis argued that, while the other days came to an end, the day of God’s rest had no ending; the rest of God was for ever. Therefore although long ago the Israelites may have failed to enter that rest, it still remained.” ₍₁₎

Our author next moved to the conquest of Canaan, led by Joshua in Hebrews 4:8 (see Deuteronomy 12:8-11). Yet, even though Israel took possession of God’s Promised Land, they only experienced a foreshadow of the rest He intended.

That brings us to our modern-day opportunity to enter God’s rest. As another source observes, “[This is not] a cessation from doing good works, but a cessation from works as a basis for righteousness. This fulfills our ‘Sabbath rest,’ even as God rested from His works on the very first ‘Sabbath.'” ₍₂₎

Hebrews 4:9 then concludes by saying, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.” We can summarize the future aspect of that rest in the words of 1 Peter 1:3-4…

“Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (HCSB).

(1) Barclay, William, William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible [Commentary on Hebrews 4]

(2) Guzik, Dave, Hebrews 4 – Entering Into His Rest https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/hebrews-4/

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9).

A look at the original language of this passage reveals an important nuance behind the word “rest”…

“The writer uses here a different Greek word for ‘rest.’ In his previous references to the idea of rest, he has used katapausis, meaning ‘a cessation from activity,’ thus ‘a rest,’ a general word for the idea of rest. Now, he uses sabbatismos, the word used of the Sabbath rest. The word points back to God’s original rest, and speaks of the ideal rest.

It is a Sabbath rest because the believer reaches a definite stage of attainment and has satisfactorily accomplished a purpose, as God did when He finished the work of creation. It is not the believer’s rest into which he enters and in which he participates, but in God’s unique, personal rest in which the believer shares.” ₍₁₎

To this, another Pastoral author adds…

“To all of us Christ offers rest, not in the other life only, but in this. See Heb_4:3; Heb_4:11. Rest from the weight of sin, from care and worry, from the load of daily anxiety and foreboding. The rest that arrives from handing all worries over to Christ, and receiving from Christ all we need. Have we entered into that experience?” ₍₂₎

So Hebrews 4:9 represents a promise of rest both now and in the future. This message offers genuine comfort and encouragement as we face the difficult and wearisome demands of life. This rest is part of the inheritance that awaits God’s people and should motivate us to fulfill the charge given to us in the Biblical book of Colossians…

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24).

We can find rest and fulfillment today whenever we seek to view our duties and obligations as responsibilities that God has given to us. And unlike the temporary respite offered by a vacation or a holiday, we can find renewed strength and encouragement when we consider the future (and permanent) rest that God offers us in Christ. Thus, as we are told in the New Testament book of Galatians…

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:9-10 NIV).

(1) Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament (Hebrews 4:9) Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

(2) Meyer, Frederick Brotherton. “Commentary on Hebrews 4”. “F. B. Meyer’s ‘Through the Bible’ Commentary”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/fbm/hebrews-4.html. 1914.

“For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day” (Hebrews 4:8).

While the Biblical Scriptures contain many commands and directives, they also encourage us to think, consider, and meditate upon the meaning and application of God’s Word. Unlike the view held by Karl Marx, the 19th century political theorist who once associated religious belief with opium use, ₍₁₎ the Scriptures do not compel us to become mind-numbed spiritual automatons. Instead, they encourage us to meditate upon God’s Word and act upon what we read there.

We can find one such example in the message of Psalm 1:1-2: “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.” We find another example in the book of the Biblical prophet Isaiah: “I, the Lord, invite you to come and talk it over. Your sins are scarlet red, but they will be whiter than snow or wool” (Isaiah 1:18 CEV).

Hebrews 4:8 encourages us to adopt a similar approach as we follow along with our author’s thought process: “If Joshua had really given the people rest, there would not be any need for God to talk about another day of rest” (CEV).

This passage refers to Moses’ successor Joshua and how he led the ancient Israelites into the Promised Land. That brought an opportunity for the people of Israel to begin life anew in “…a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey” (Deuteronomy 8:7-8).

Thus, Hebrews 4:8 serves as the next stop on a journey that began earlier in verse six and continued into verse seven. That journey will reach its concluding destination in the next verse, but for now, we can pause to consider the following question. If Joshua’s leadership had fully enabled the people of ancient Israel to secure God’s intended rest, why then would Israel’s king David advise others to secure it later in Psalm 95?

Therefore, we can view Hebrews 4:8, Psalm 95:7-8, and the Biblical book of Joshua as data points that direct us towards a reasoned conclusion: the rest that came as a result of Joshua’s leadership was only a foreshadowing of the rest that God intends for us.

Image Credit: John Jabez Edwin Mayal, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Karl_Marx_crop.jpg

(1) Marx. Karl Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right, Retrieved 23 February, 2022 from https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1843/critique-hpr/intro.htm

“again He designates a certain day, saying in David, ‘Today,’ after such a long time, as it has been said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts'” (Hebrews 4:7).

Just as Psalm 95:11 has already appeared several times in the Biblical book of Hebrews, Psalm 95:7-8 is also mentioned again here in Hebrews 4:7. What may be less obvious is the principle that underlies these passages.

You see, the author of Hebrews has worked to establish a Scriptural foundation for the teachings and conclusions that appear throughout this book. In this instance, Psalm 95 lays the groundwork that our author builds upon here in Hebrews chapter four. The following sources examine how Hebrews 4:7 draws upon the Biblical foundation of that passage…

“…in Psa 95:7-11 David hears God’s voice saying to the people that if they do not harden their hearts they can enter into his rest. That is to say, hundreds of years after Joshua had led the people into the rest of the Promised Land God is still appealing to them to enter into his rest. There is more to this rest than merely entry into the Promised Land.” ₍₁₎

“By dint of repetition our author endeavors to bring home to his readers the fact that the divine warning is as applicable to them as it was in the days of Moses or David. If they treat the saving message lightly, if they ‘tempt’ God by trying to see how far they can presume upon His patience, they in their turn will forfeit His ‘rest’. Therefore to them, as to the psalmist’s contemporaries, the urgent appeal goes forth: ‘While it is called To-day, repent And harden not your heart.'” ₍₂₎

Several New Testament authors follow a similar approach, including the Apostle Peter (Acts 2:16), Paul the Apostle (Acts 17:2-3), and James (James 2:10-11). Jesus also appealed to the authority of Scripture as He ejected those who were engaged in business activities at the Temple: “Then he taught them by saying, ‘Scripture says, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a gathering place for thieves” (Mark 11:15 GW).

Notice that Jesus established a Biblical basis for this action by saying, “It is written in the Scriptures…” (GNT). This principle is important to remember whenever we seek to address a perceived wrong, evaluate the actions of others, or justify our personal conduct. Much like the author of Hebrews 4:7, we should also seek to establish a Scriptural basis for our response in such instances.

(1) Barclay, William, William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible [Commentary on Hebrews 4]

(2) The New International Commentary On The New Testament – The Epistle To The Hebrews, F. F. Bruce, General Editor © Copyright 1964, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Grand Rapids, Michigan [pg. 108]

“Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:6).

Hebrews 4:6 adds another consequence of unbelief to the list of negative behaviors cataloged in our previous study: disobedience. While an attitude of disobedience may be permissible in the face of human injustice, that does not apply when speaking of the God of the Scriptures, a Being who is loving, just, and morally perfect.

This passage also helps us understand why human beings may sometimes act in ways that are needlessly self-destructive or difficult to explain. The answer may be related to an attitude of disobedience prompted by unbelief.

For instance, a person who doesn’t believe that he or she will account for his or her life before a righteous and all-knowing God (unbelief), may choose to live in an ungodly manner (disobedience). That was certainly true for the Old Testament nation of Israel as one commentary explains…

“All of Moses’ generation failed to achieve ‘rest’ (Heb_3:16-19), settlement in the land. Indeed, all subsequent generations from Joshua on, with the notable near exceptions of David and Josiah, failed to subdue all the land promised to Abraham. Thus the psalmist (Psa_95:7-8) could warn his own and subsequent generations to obey God’s word or the same thing would happen to them” ₍₁₎

Another source adds…

“Thus, while entering a type of God’s rest, they failed to attain any reality of it; and furthermore, all this came about in spite of the fact that God was fully prepared to welcome them into such a glorious rest, indeed, had been anticipating it ‘from the foundation of the world.'” ₍₂₎

On the other hand, Hebrews 4:6 also tells us that God’s promise of rest remains for those who accept it. The author of Hebrews will later highlight this idea with a concluding summary in verses nine to eleven. The New Testament book of Revelation echoes this conclusion as well…

“Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them'” (Revelation 14:13).

For many, however, the best-known Biblical promise of rest comes directly from Jesus Himself…

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

(1) Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary [Hebrews 4:6-7]

(2) Coffman, James Burton. “Commentary on Hebrews 4”. “Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bcc/hebrews-4.html. Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.

“For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: ‘So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’ although the works were finished from the foundation of the world” (Hebrews 4:3).

The passage quoted above marks the second time in twelve verses that our author has referenced Psalm 95:11. Those twelve verses span Hebrews 3:11-4:3 and serve to remind us that an attitude of unbelief can be very costly. We can illustrate that cost with a look at the fourteenth chapter of the Biblical book of Numbers and the account that is cited for us in Psalm 95:11.

While “unbelief” may seem rather harmless, consider how that internal attitude worked to negatively influence the people of ancient Israel. For instance, it was unbelief that led to…

• Unwarranted criticism (Numbers 14:2).
• The insinuation that God was acting with an inappropriate motive (Numbers 14:3).
• A defeatist attitude (Numbers 14:3).
• A campaign to retreat in disgrace (Numbers 14:4).
• An attack upon those who rejected a similar attitude of unbelief (Numbers 14:10).
• A change of external behavior but no change of internal attitude (Numbers 14:39-44).

So, this attitude of unbelief prevented these individuals from receiving the good things that God had prepared for them “from the foundation of the world.” It also led them to take actions that were self-destructive and harmful to others. Their example differs greatly from the one given to us in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7,  a portion of Scripture that illustrates a far better path: “love… bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

“For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: ‘And God rested on the seventh day from all His works’; and again in this place: ‘They shall not enter My rest'” (Hebrews 4:4-5).

The word “rest” often conveys the idea of sleep, or the opportunity to take a break when we are tired. So why would this passage tell us that God “rested” from His creative work on the seventh day when He is someone who never gets tired or needs to rest?

Well, the idea of “rest” means “to desist from labor” when used in this context. ₍₁₎  In other words, God rested from His creative labor on the seventh day. This does not mean that God became tired and sought to take a hiatus; instead, He simply ceased from any further creative activity. This pattern offers us a model to follow by separating each week into a seven-day period, with the final day set aside as a time of rest.

(1) H7673 sabat https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7673/kjv/wlc/0-1/

“We have heard the message, just as they did. But they failed to believe what they heard, and the message did not do them any good” (Hebrews 4:2 CEV).

It is possible to hear a message but fail to listen or act upon it. Hebrews 4:2 tells us that this was the experience of the ancient Israelites. However, this should not be true of our engagement with God’s Word. You see, we have an obligation to listen attentively to the Biblical Scriptures and act upon what we read or hear. This cautionary message is repeated several times within the New Testament…

“While [Jesus] was saying these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that carried you, and the breasts that nursed you!’ But he said ‘On the contrary, blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!'” (Luke 11:27-28 Mounce).

“…just because a person hears the law read or recited does not mean he is right before the one True God; it is following the law that makes one right, not just hearing it” (Romans 2:13 Voice).

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

Unfortunately, most of the Israelites who departed from ancient Egypt heard God’s message but failed to act upon it. While the people of Old Testament Israel seemed to be on a journey toward the Promised Land, the Biblical prophet Amos tells us they were actually traveling in an idolatrous direction…

“Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, Israel? No, you served your pagan gods—Sakkuth your king god and Kaiwan your star god—the images you made for yourselves” (Amos 5:25-26 NLT).

This recalls a similar lament from the pen of another Old Testament prophet: “‘…These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me…'” (Isaiah 29:13 NIV). Thus, Hebrews 4:2 reminds us of the importance of hearing and acting upon God’s Word…

“A word, however great, is of no avail unless it becomes integrated into the person who hears it. There are many different kinds of hearing in this world. There is indifferent hearing, disinterested hearing, critical hearing, sceptical hearing, cynical hearing. The hearing that matters is the hearing that listens eagerly, believes and acts. The promises of God are not merely beautiful pieces of literature; they are promises on which a man is meant to stake his life and dominate his action.” ₍₁₎

(1) Barclay, William, William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible [Hebrews 4]

“For we have heard the Good News, just as they did. They heard the message, but it did them no good, because when they heard it, they did not accept it with faith” (Hebrews 4:2 GNB).

This passage brings us to the subject of the “gospel,” a word that refers to “glad tidings” or “good news.” In a Scriptural context, the gospel relates to the “good news” regarding Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. That sacrifice atones (or “makes up”) for our sins and enables us to enter a relationship with God by grace through faith in Christ.

We can identify the foundational elements of the gospel message with a look at the following passage from 1 Corinthians 15:1-4…

“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (NIV).

One Biblical scholar helps us understand what this good news meant to the people of Old Testament Israel…

“To understand this verse we must identify the pronouns. ‘Us’ refers to the first-century Jewish readers of this letter, ‘them’ to the generation which came out of Egypt. The words ‘the gospel was preached’ are the translation of a verb which means ‘to announce good news.’ The character of the good news must be defined by the context.

The good news which was announced to the first-century readers of this epistle was that of a spiritual rest in Messiah. The good news given to the generation which came out of Egypt was that of a temporal, physical rest in a land flowing with milk and honey, offered to a people who had been reduced to abject slavery for 400 years and who had lived on a diet of leeks, garlic, and onions during that time.” ₍₁₎

For the Israelites who departed ancient Egypt, this good news represented the promise of God’s rest in a land “…in which you will lack nothing” (Deuteronomy 8:9). Today, this good news represents the offer of eternal life and rest through faith in Christ.

Despite these differences, there is one common denominator between them: unbelief was (and is) a disqualifying factor that prevents us from enjoying God’s promised rest, as we’ll see next.

(1) Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament (Hebrews 4:2) Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

“For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it” (Hebrews 4:2).

There has always been an abundance of those who can tell us how things are, but not why things are. Thankfully, God’s Word does both, and Hebrews 4:1-2 serves as a case in point. This portion of Scripture explains why we sometimes do not receive the rest we seek and points the way to how we may obtain it.

The experience of Old Testament Israel offers some important insight in this regard: “…the teaching they heard did not help them, because they heard it but did not accept it with faith” (NCV). If we are in a consistent state of unrest concerning a particular area of life, we may wish to consider the possibility that we are neglecting to trust God in faith.

We can test that premise with the aid of a few important questions. Some of those questions might include the following…

• What can I learn from the origin of this situation?
• What does the way I’m handling this tell me about myself?
• What lesson may God be seeking to teach me through this circumstance?

The answers to those questions may help explain why we sometimes fail to experience the rest described for us here in Hebrews 4:1-2. If we receive negative responses to some of these questions, we should acknowledge them before God in Christ with an attitude of honesty, respect, humility, and repentance. We can then ask for God’s help in trusting Him as we should in the circumstances and situations we encounter.

The author of Hebrews will encourage us to adopt this approach later in this chapter…

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16)

Another portion of Hebrews emphasizes the importance of faith in the lives of those who follow Christ: “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:38)

Therefore, we should remember the following passage from the New Testament epistle of James when facing the trials and difficulties of life…

“Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything” (James 1:2-4 NLT).

“Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it” (Hebrews 4:1 NASB).

The exhortation “let us,” appears over a dozen times in the book of Hebrews and emphasizes the need to take action based on a point that our author has already established. In this instance, that point was made at the end of Hebrews chapter three: “So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief” (Hebrews 3:19 NIV).

While the word “fear” encompasses the idea of being afraid in the original language of this passage, the context of this verse suggests a more appropriate definition: “to fear (i.e. hesitate) to do something (for fear of harm)… to reverence, venerate, to treat with deference or reverential obedience.” ₍₁₎ As one source explains…

“This Christian fear is not the fear which makes a man run away from a task; nor the fear which reduces him to paralysed inaction; it is the fear which makes him put out every ounce of strength he possesses in a great effort not to miss the one thing that is worth while.” ₍₂₎

One author ties these ideas together for us with the following observation…

“Why should people fear, especially Christians? Simply because great and eternal rewards are subject to forfeit as long as people are in the flesh, because a powerful and aggressive foe in the person of Satan and his hosts are opposed to us, and because the multitude of distractions, temptations, and necessary labors of life constantly tend to produce that one moment of life in which inattention can lead to everlasting ruin. This fear is reinforced by the thought that many others failed, even after a glorious beginning.” ₍₃₎

This same author adds another important word of warning…

“Alas, it must be supposed that the far greater part of Christians falling away from faith in Christ do so unintentionally. Few indeed ever decide boldly against the Lord, and move decisively against him; but, on the contrary, they allow inattention to spiritual things, carelessness in attending worship, neglect of daily prayer and study of the Word, and encroachments upon their time due to worldly and pleasure-loving friends to divert their attention first, and later their whole life and conduct from the path of honor and duty. It is hard to imagine a more urgent and persistent warning than the one given here.” ₍₃₎

(1) G5399 Phobeo Thayer’s Greek Definitions https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5399/kjv/tr/0-1/

(2) Barclay, William, William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible [Commentary on Hebrews 4:1-16]

(3) Coffman, James Burton. “Commentary on Hebrews 4”. “Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bcc/hebrews-4.html. Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.

“Therefore, since the promise to enter his rest remains, let us beware that none of you be found to have fallen short” (Hebrews 4:1 CSB).

While there is a future aspect to the rest described here in Hebrews 4:1, there is a present aspect to that rest as well. For instance, Hebrews 4:1 tells us, “Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands…” The present tense of this passage implies a present-day reality. But since there is work and labor associated with the pursuit of God’s agenda for our lives today, how can this be?

The answer to this question is relatively  straightforward: we can enjoy God’s rest today when we cease to relate to God on our terms through our own efforts. For example, there are two ways for human beings to relate to their Creator: self-initiated or God-initiated. A self-initiated relationship with God reflects the following mindset: “God will accept me if I perform a specific work” On the other hand, a God-initiated relationship says, “God will accept me if I approach Him through Jesus’ sacrifice on my behalf.”

These two approaches are mutually incompatible. Those who pursue a self-initiated approach to God do not recognize Jesus’ atoning death on the cross as the only way to establish a relationship with their Creator. If we approach God through faith in Christ alone, we must abandon any attempt to get right with Him based on our own efforts.

The Old Testament Law serves to illustrate this point. It has often been said that the Old Testament Law is similar to the links in a bicycle chain. Even though most of the links in a bicycle chain may be intact, one broken link will immediately render the entire chain useless. This illustration represents the dilemma facing those who wish to establish a “works-based” relationship with God.

You see, a person who fails to keep the Law in its entirety is guilty of violating all of it. As James 2:9 puts it, “…whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it” (ESV).

In contrast, those who accept a God-initiated relationship through Christ receive the additional benefit of rest from the labor of attempting to get right with God through his or her efforts. It is only through living such a life that we can we find lasting rest and contentment in a constantly changing world. Therefore, as Hebrews 4:1 reminds us, “Let us take care, then, that none of you will be found to have failed to receive that promised rest” (GNT).

“Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it” (Hebrews 4:1).

Most of us can recall a period of physical exhaustion in our lives. Whether that fatigue was generated by hard work, a grueling athletic competition, a lack of sleep, or some other factor, we naturally look forward to an opportunity to rest whenever we are weary. This familiar illustration establishes a good foundation to begin our journey into Hebrews chapter four.

In this context, “rest” involves a cessation of labor or activity. In light of this, we can say that the promise of entering God’s rest has two aspects. The first represents a future state with God in heaven. Since God reigns in heaven, it possesses the characteristics of His leadership. Those characteristics include love, joy, peace, and righteousness. In addition to these things, there will be no more death, mourning, tears, or pain in heaven, according to Revelation chapter 21. We should also note the message of Psalm 16:11: “In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Heaven is also a place that is being prepared for us by Jesus Himself, for as John 14:2 tells us, “There are many rooms in my Father’s house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so” (GNT). This word translated “rooms” in John 14:2 refers to an abode, a dwelling or a stay in any place. ₍₁₎  Thus, we can say that Christ is preparing a home for us so we can dwell forever with Him and one another. We have Jesus’ personal assurance on this point: “… if it were not so, I would have told you.”

The Scriptures also associate heaven with the concept of eternal life. We can find one such example in the well-known passage from John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV). In this respect, “eternal life” does not simply mean unending life; it also encompasses life in all its fullness without the sinful limitations or restrictions we encounter today.

Finally, we can say that our lives today involve work and labor as we seek to follow God and minister to others (see Hebrews 6:10). But here in the context of Hebrews 4:1, we can associate “rest” with a heavenly dwelling where we will cease from our labor in becoming everything God that created us to be.

(1) G3438 mone Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament https://www.billmounce.com/greek-dictionary/mone

“So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief” (Hebrews 3:19 NIV).

While this verse brings us to the end of our look at Hebrews chapter three, our author will follow with some important conclusions from this passage in the following chapter. Nevertheless, we should not leave this portion of Scripture without a few last observations.

For instance, we should recognize that the Israelites who departed from ancient Egypt faced some genuine challenges as they approached the Promised Land. That land was a place that was “…flowing with milk and honey” according to Exodus 3:8. It also encompassed a region that Moses described as “…a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing…” (Deuteronomy 8:7-9).

Unfortunately, that rich and productive land was already inhabited- and the people who lived there were neither welcoming nor hospitable. For example, one people group living within that area were the Canaanites, a nation devoted to worship of pagan gods like Baal and Ashtereth. Then there were the Amorites, a barbaric, warlike race that resided in the hill country of the land. Finally, there were the Amalekites, a group that would later engage in a number of military actions against the nation of Israel.

Some of the advance scouts who explored the land described those inhabitants in the following manner: “…the people who live there are powerful, and their cities are very large and well fortified. Even worse, we saw the descendants of the giants there …We felt as small as grasshoppers, and that is how we must have looked to them” (Numbers 13:28, 33 GNT). That negative report was enough to motivate the majority of those who had left Egypt to seek to return to their former positions of servitude.

Yet even though the work of taking the land was certain to be laborious (and potentially dangerous), what was the alternative? Well, the alternative involved missing out on God’s best for their lives. It also involved decades of futility, as those who rejected God’s direction squandered their lives in a barren desert wilderness. When viewed from this perspective, we can thus conclude that the cost of following God’s direction is far less than the cost associated with our refusal to believe and act upon His Word.

“And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:18-19 ESV).

Israel’s refusal to enter the land of God’s promise following their departure from Egypt has been well-documented over the course of Hebrews chapter three. However, their reluctance to follow God’s direction should prompt us to ask an important question: “why?”

We can find one potential answer in the word “disobedient” as found in the passage quoted above. While this word is commonly used to describe those who are insubordinate, it also carries several other shades of meaning in the original language of this passage. Those definitions include…

• To refuse belief. ₍₁₎
• Not to allow one’s self to be persuaded. ₍₂₎
• To refuse to be persuaded. ₍₃₎

Taken together, these definitions tell us that Israel’s rejection was volitional. In other words, they refused to believe God or follow His guidance because they didn’t want to believe or follow Him. Unfortunately, this characteristic was not unique to Old Testament Israel, for there were others who responded to Jesus in much the same way.

For instance, Jesus once resurrected a dead man named Lazarus as recorded for us in John chapter twelve. Lazarus had been entombed for several days when Jesus arrived at his burial place and he was unmistakably dead. When Jesus restored him to life, many responded by placing their faith in Him as a result. However, there were others who responded differently: “…the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus” (John 12:10-11 NLT).

So much like the overwhelming majority of Israelites who left the nation of Egypt, this second group refused to be persuaded by the evidence of God’s work in their midst. Instead, they sought to hide the evidence of Lazarus’ resurrection by ending his life again.

In a similar manner, those who do not wish to acknowledge God can always find a means to justify their refusal to be persuaded. Thus, as one Biblical scholar concludes…

“…the New Testament maintains that unbelief is generated not so much by intellectual causes as by moral and psychological ones. The problem is not that there is insufficient evidence to convince rational beings that there is a God, but that rational beings have a natural hostility to the being of God… Man’s desire is not that the omnipotent, personal Judeo-Christian God exist, but that He not exist. The New Testament sees not only atheism but human-fabricated religion as being grounded in such antipathy toward the true God.” ₍₄₎

(1) G544 apeitheo Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament https://www.billmounce.com/greek-dictionary/apeitheo

(2) G544 apeitheo Thayer’s Greek Lexicon https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g544/kjv/tr/0-1/

(3) G544 apeitheo Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers https://studybible.info/vines/Disobedience,%20Disobedient

(4) R.C. (Robert Charles) Sproul, If There’s a God, Why Are There Atheists?: Why Atheists Believe in Unbelief, Revised edition of the book The psychology of Atheism. (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1978).

“And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the wilderness? And to whom was God speaking when He took an oath that they would never enter His rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed Him?” (Hebrews 3:17-18 NLT).

There is an old adage that warns us, “Be careful what you ask for – you might get it.” The Old Testament book of Numbers illustrates the truth behind that ancient maxim in describing the experience of the Israelites who departed from the land of Egypt.

In Numbers 14:2, we are told, “…all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, ‘If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!'” God later accommodated their stated desire with the following response: “You will die and your corpses will be scattered across this wilderness. Because you have complained against me, none of you over twenty years of age will enter that land” (Numbers 14:29 CSB).

In the culture of that period, the manner of one’s death was almost as important as the manner of one’s life. Thus, an honorable burial was viewed as a fitting conclusion to a respectable life. Unfortunately, the opposite was true as well. The Biblical book of Ecclesiastes expressed these cultural sentiments by observing, “A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he” (Ecclesiastes 6:3 NIV).

One source adds, “In the ancient Near East the treatment of a corpse was very significant. If people, even enemies, honored a person, they treated his corpse with care and gave it an honorable burial, but if they did not respect him, they treated his dead body with contempt.” ₍₁₎ Unfortunately, Hebrews 3:17-18 tells us that the overwhelming majority of those who left Egypt never received a decent and honorable funeral when they passed from this life. Thus, they suffered the final indignity that can be imposed upon a person: “…their dead bodies were scattered over the desert” (1 Corinthians 10:5 GNB).

While it is troubling to contemplate God’s attitude towards those He whom allowed to perish in this manner, this distasteful episode in Israel’s history should prompt us to avoid following their faithless example.

(1) Dr. Thomas L. Constable, Notes on 1 Samuel 2021 Edition “The aftermath of the battle 31:7-13” https://www.planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/html/ot/1samuel/1samuel.htm

“Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey?” (Hebrews 3:17-18).

The closing verses of Hebrews chapter three feature several questions and answers that are admittedly difficult to confront. Nevertheless, we would do well to pay close attention to these verses if we wish to escape the fate described within them.

You see, this portion of Scripture presents us with several national characteristics that defined the people of Israel following their departure from ancient Egypt. For instance, verses sixteen and seventeen focus on the qualities of sin and rebellion. The final two verses identify disobedience (Hebrews 3:18) and unbelief (Hebrews 3:19) as distinguishing features that reflected the attitudes of the people of that era. With this in mind, the following commentator provides us with an important reminder…

“Here is a solemn warning against trusting in a majority or what is popular. The author pointedly reminds his readers that the wilderness failure of Israel was on a national scale, supported by the overwhelming majority, and popularly led and advocated by the great princes of Israel” (Num. 13:3-16).” ₍₁₎

Another source adds, “Is the majority always right? In this chapter of Israel’s history, only two were right and over half a million were wrong!” ₍₂₎

Finally, one Pastoral author directs us to some challenging (but inescapable) conclusions based on Israel’s example from this period in their history…

“The test came when for the first time they were asked to come to grips with the thing that could destroy their life in the land, the giants, and their failure to do so revealed the bitter truth that they never had any faith. They had never really believed God. They were only acting as they did to escape the damage, death, and danger of Egypt. But they had no intention of coming into conflict with the giants in the land…

Yet, when it comes to the test, when God asks us to lay hold of the giants in our life which are destroying us, those giants of anxiety, fear, bitterness, jealousy, envy, and impatience and all the other things that keep us in turmoil and fret and make us to be a constant trouble to our neighbors and friends — when we are asked to lay hold of these by the principle of faith, and we refuse to do so, the writer says we are in danger of remaining in the wilderness and never [entering] the promised rest.” ₍₃₎

(1) Coffman, James Burton. “Commentary on Hebrews 3”. “Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bcc/hebrews-3.html. Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.

(2) William Macdonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary Edited by Arthur Farstad Thomas Nelson Publishers p.2166

(3) Excerpted with permission from Living out of Rest © 1965 by Ray Stedman Ministries. All rights reserved. Visit www.RayStedman.org for the complete library of Ray Stedman material. Please direct any questions to [email protected] https://www.raystedman.org/new-testament/hebrews/living-out-of-rest

“As it is said: Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” (Hebrews 3:15 HCSB).

Those who read this passage and its reference to “hearing His voice” may wonder why God does not choose to communicate with us in a more obvious fashion. In response, we might say that God has already tried that approach with humanity with ineffective results.

For instance, Adam and Eve enjoyed God’s direct presence in a perfect environment. Yet they still rebelled against Him. We can also look to the period of Israel’s history that the author of Hebrews referenced earlier this chapter- the wilderness journey that took place after the Israelites departed from Egypt.

The Scriptures tell us that God led the people of Israel during that era in the following manner: “…the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light… He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people” (Exodus 13:21-22).

Those pillars served as an unmistakable confirmation of God’s existence for the people of Old Testament Israel. Yet, how effective were these visible methods of communication? Well, Exodus chapter 32 provides us with the answer in the form of God’s command to Moses…

“Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt'” (Exodus 32:7-8).

So even though the people of Israel possessed these definitive evidences for God’s existence, they deliberately rejected them in their pursuit of idolatry. It also explains why 1 Corinthians 10:5 tells us, “God was not pleased with most of them.” Unfortunately, this same type of rejection also occurs today (albeit in a more indirect manner)…

“…since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (Romans 1:20 NIV).

Taken together, these unfortunate realities may help explain why God has chosen to communicate with us primarily through His Word today.

“As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” (Hebrews 3:15 ESV).

The passage quoted above contains a small word with big implications: “if.” In the original language of this passage, “if” references a future event that may (but is not certain) to occur. ₍₁₎ One commentator expands on this concept by identifying a tendency that may prevent us from “hearing His voice”…

“Where the right path lies clear before the eyes, a disinclination to follow it can be reinforced in the mind by many beguiling lines of rationalization; but to surrender to them results in a hardening of the heart, a reduced sensitivity of conscience, which makes it more difficult to recognize the right path on a subsequent occasion.” ₍₂₎

This brings us to the role of the conscience in our decision-making process. You see, the word “conscience” can be defined as “…that moral inner sense of what is appropriate or inappropriate…” ₍₃₎ Much like an umpire, judge, or referee, the conscience arbitrates between right and wrong. The real question involves the “rule book” that our consciences use to make decisions.

You see, it is possible for two people to act in good conscience while still pursuing different courses of action. From a Christian perspective, it is important to recognize that Jesus identified the Scriptures as the Word of God (John 10:34-35) and the command of God (Matthew 15:3-4). Jesus also taught that the Bible is truth (John 17:17). Thus, we can say that the Word of God should lead and inform our consciences based upon the authority of Christ.

The problem comes when we violate our consciences by knowingly doing wrong. Much like the calluses that develop on the hands of a hard-working laborer, our consciences may become similarly hardened whenever we repeatedly ignore them. Once our consciences have been disengaged in this fashion, there is little to stop us from hurtling into increasingly unhealthy and/or self-destructive behaviors.

One of the more common methods of bypassing our consciences involves the process of rationalization mentioned earlier. “Rationalization” can be defined as “a way of describing, interpreting, or explaining something (such as bad behavior) that makes it seem proper, more attractive, etc.” ₍₄₎ This may occur whenever we seek to exempt ourselves from a Biblically inappropriate behavior or claim a personal exception for ourselves.

Despite the relief from a guilty conscience that such rationalizations may seem to offer, Hebrews 3:15 reminds us that the end result remains the same: a hardened mindset that rebels against the voice of God.

(1) Strong’s G1437 ean https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1437/kjv/tr/0-1/

(2) The New International Commentary On The New Testament – The Epistle To The Hebrews, F. F. Bruce, General Editor © Copyright 1964, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Grand Rapids, Michigan [pg. 67]

(3) Dr. Bob Utley, 2 Corinthians 1 [1:12] http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/new_testament_studies/VOL06/VOL06B_01.html Copyright © 2014 Bible Lessons International. All rights reserved.

(4) “Rationalization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rationalization. Accessed 1 Mar. 2021.

“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end” (Hebrews 3:13-14).

“To-morrow is the day when idle men work, and fools repent. To-morrow is Satan’s to-day; he cares not what good resolutions you form, if only you fix them for to-morrow.” ₍₁₎

In addition to the need to act upon the truth of God’s Word today, the New Testament epistle of 1 John brings an important perspective to this passage from Hebrews chapter three. Consider the following translation of 1 John 2:19 and its reference to some who self-identified as Christians…

“They went out from us [seeming at first to be Christians], but they were not really of us [because they were not truly born again and spiritually transformed]; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out [teaching false doctrine], so that it would be clearly shown that none of them are of us” (AMP).

So those who were unwilling to abide in Christ revealed the existence of a hidden lack of faith. To paraphrase 1 John 2:19, a person who fails to persevere in faith offers evidence that brings his or her original profession of faith into question. Thus, we can say that perseverance is a characteristic quality of genuine faith. Jesus’ message from the Gospel of Matthew offers another important reminder…

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter” (Matthew 7:21 NLT).

Therefore, we can say along with the words of the following commentary, “True faith always has the quality of permanence. We don’t hold fast in order to retain our salvation, but as proof that we have been genuinely saved. Faith is the root of salvation; endurance is the fruit.” ₍₂₎

Nevertheless, we should also consider a far more sobering aspect of these verses…

“We as believers need to beware of the deceitfulness of sin. We can actually come to the place where we feel our lives are satisfactory to God although we are leading a wilderness life… I know men in the ministry who have been totally dishonest; they have been found to be liars, yet they can get down on their knees and pray the most pious prayers I’ve ever heard. And their conscience does not condemn them. Of course it doesn’t condemn them, because it has become hardened; they are permitting sin in their lives.” ₍₃₎

(1) Jamieson, Robert, D.D.; Fausset, A. R.; Brown, David. “Commentary on Hebrews 3”. “Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/jfb/hebrews-3.html. 1871-8.

(2) William Macdonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary Edited by Arthur Farstad Thomas Nelson Publishers p.2166

(3) J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee, Hebrews 3:7-19 The Peril Of Doubting, Copyright 1981 by J. Vernon McGee

“but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘TODAY,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13).

It may be tempting to view the great men and women of the Bible as spiritual celebrities who hurdled every obstacle they encountered with a minimum of pain, effort, or discomfort. But a closer look at some of those Biblical “all-stars” tells a far different story.

For instance, John the Baptist seemingly expressed his doubts concerning Jesus when he sent his disciples to ask, “Are you really the Messiah? Or shall we keep on looking for him?” (Luke 7:19 TLB). We also have Moses as an example. When God called Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, the Scriptures tell us that he responded by saying, “Lord, please send someone else to do it” (Exodus 4:13 CEV).

The New Testament book of James also informs us that the great prophet Elijah was “…a person just like us” (James 5:17 CEB). The wording of that passage indicates that Elijah had the same faults and weaknesses as anyone else. This is a significant admission given Elijah’s prominence as man of God and Biblical prophet.

Nevertheless, there is one important difference between these individuals and those who stubbornly tested God as mentioned earlier in Hebrews 3:8. Unlike the vast majority of ancient Israelites who departed from the land of Egypt, Moses, Elijah, and John the Baptist were faithful men who did not reject God in unbelief. We’ll find other such examples of God-honoring faith when we reach Hebrews chapter eleven.

This helps explain why this portion of Scripture reminds us to “…encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (NIV). Today is the right time to do great things for God, for we cannot change anything that happened yesterday and there is no guarantee of tomorrow.

As Jesus reminds us in John 9:4-5…

“All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, for there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end” (TLB).

So today is the day to do the things that God calls us to do. That might include reading the Scriptures, praying, and using our God-given talents, skills, abilities, and opportunities to minister to others. In this way, we can “Help each other to stand firm in the faith every day, while it is still called ‘today’, and beware that none of you becomes deaf and blind to God through the delusive glamour of sin” (Phillips).

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12 KJV).

A brief look at Hebrews 3:12 should help dispel the objections of those who feel as if the Bible holds little or no relevance for modern-day audiences. Here in Hebrews 3:12 we learn that the experience of ancient Israel is applicable to anyone who reads this passage.

You see, no one is immune to the temptation to earn his or her way to heaven, compromise Biblical principles, or drift away with a world that is largely comprised of those who have little or no interest in the things of God. Much like the Israelites of the Exodus era, it is important to guard against the ever-present tendency to exchange genuine faith for an external religious duty or tradition.

The following Biblical scholar illustrates that danger in the following manner…

“The word ‘departing’ deserves special attention. It is aphistemi which is made up of apo ‘off,’ and histemi ‘to stand,’ the compound word meaning ‘to stand off from.’ This was exactly the position of these Hebrews. They were standing aloof from the living God.

The idea is not that of departing, but of standing off from. Our word ‘apostasy’ is derived from a form of this Greek word. Apostasy is defined as the act of someone who has previously subscribed to a certain belief, and who now renounces his former professed belief in favor of some other which is diametrically opposed to what he believed before. In other words, his new belief is not merely a new system of faith, but one which at every point negates his former belief.” ₍₁₎

Another writer adds, “A later generation of Israelites was warned by the psalmist not to follow the bad example of their ancestors’ refusal to listen to God, lest disaster should overtake them in turn; and now a still later generation has the same warning impressed upon it by the writer to the Hebrews.” ₍₂₎ Modern-day readers of this passage are warned to avoid a similar fate as well.

The late philosopher George Santayana was famously quoted as saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” ₍₃₎ In light of this, Hebrews 3:12 encourages us to remember this past example for, “People do not set out to renounce the fundamentals of the faith. Rather, they compromise in small areas, and eventually drift into unbelief.” ₍₄₎

(1) Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament [Hebrews 3:12] Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

(2) The New International Commentary On The New Testament – The Epistle To The Hebrews, F. F. Bruce, General Editor © Copyright 1964, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Grand Rapids, Michigan [pg. 65]

(3) George Santayana, Reason in Common Sense: The Life of Reason. 1905 pg. 284

(4) Sproul, R. C. (1994). Before the face of God: Book 4: A daily guide for living from Ephesians, Hebrews, and James (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House; Ligonier Ministries. [Page 106]

“See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has an evil, unbelieving heart that forsakes the living God” (Hebrews 3:12 NET).

Having looked at the Old Testament example that our author references in Hebrews 3:7-11, we can now apply the message of verse twelve: “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God” (NIV).

This portion of Scripture tells us that we should note the example of those who turned away from God in this manner and avoid copying their kind of “faith.” For example, those who departed from ancient Egypt saw God’s miraculous works but were unwilling to continue to put their trust in Him. That kind of “faith” is far different from the faith that God seeks.

You see, a genuine, God-honoring faith is demonstrated by our willingness to trust God, even when the circumstances appear to be unfavorable. This is important to remember, especially when we face obstacles that seem too big to handle. When that time comes, how will we choose to respond?

The author of Hebrews has labored to remind us that the Israelites of the Old Testament period were unwilling to trust God even though they saw His extraordinary works on their behalf. Thus, they provide us with an object lesson that demonstrates the wrong way to respond to the challenges we face in life. The citizens of ancient Israel who failed to place their trust in God never received the good things He planned for them because they preferred to live in fear rather than trust Him to help them to overcome the obstacles they faced.

On the other hand, a person with a God-honoring faith handles such problems differently. For instance, a faithful person is honest about the areas where he or she is fearful or may be falling short. Next, a faithful person seeks God’s help in continuing to trust Him to accomplish the things He wants to do in their lives. Finally, a faithful person asks God to supply the strength necessary to continue living the kind of life that is pleasing to Him.

So, the actions of these ancient Israelites demonstrated that their “faith in God” was not what it seemed. Therefore, we should take care to avoid their example and prayerfully ensure that we do not develop “…a wicked, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God” (GW).

“Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest'” (Hebrews 3:10-11 ESV).

The passage quoted above reminds us that it is possible to reach a point where God will no longer protect us from the consequences of our decisions. Such was the case with the overwhelming majority of Israelites who departed from the nation of Egypt. We can grasp the full impact of the statement “They shall not enter my rest,” by taking a moment to look at the Old Testament account of that period in Israel’s history.

You see, the Biblical book of Numbers tells us that God instructed Moses to count every male who was eligible for military service during that time. The result of that census is given to us in Numbers 1:45-46…

“So all who were numbered of the children of Israel, by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war in Israel— all who were numbered were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.”

So when God swore in His wrath, “They shall not enter my rest,” He was not speaking of a narrow group of individuals. If we count spouses and those who were unfit for military service, it’s likely that over one million human beings were subject to this edict. Of that number, only two individuals (Joshua and Caleb) survived to enter  the land of God’s promise.

Finally, we should note how God “…was provoked with that generation.” This offers a personal application as it relates to our relationships with others. For instance, if others seek to provoke us in various ways, it helps to remember that God lived through a similar experience with His people during their Exodus from Egypt. Our author will return to this subject in the following chapter with a message of encouragement for those who endure such provocations (and/or other forms of temptation) …

“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. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).

“Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest'” (Hebrews 3:10-11).

While some may view God as a dispassionate or impersonal Being, this portion of Hebrews chapter three reveals that He is emotionally invested in the lives of His people. That investment led to the response we see in the verses quoted above. This emotional component is one key that can help us unlock a proper understanding of this passage.

For example, a Biblical critic might find fault with the statement, “They always go astray in their heart…” Since we know there were two people from that generation (Joshua and Caleb) who did not go astray, a critic might contend that this statement is factually incorrect. However, that objection fails to acknowledge the emotional context of this passage.

When taken in context, these verses do not mean that every single person strayed from God during this period. Instead, this phrase is used in much the same way we might use it today whenever we emotionally engage with someone who consistently engages in certain behaviors.

For instance, let’s take the example of two people who are discussing one another’s strengths or weaknesses. If one says to the other, “You always do such-and-such,” he or she does not mean to imply that the other person is an automaton. Rather, it means that the person in question exhibits a predictable or consistent pattern of behavior in certain areas.

In a similar manner, “They always go astray in their heart” conveys an important truth: it means that the people of that era did not make an isolated mistake or suffer a momentary lapse in judgment. Instead, the Israelites of the Exodus period consistently neglected their relationship with God and thus failed to grow in the kind of God-honoring character that would have helped them avoid going astray.

This led to serious repercussions, for the original language behind this passage indicates more than just an attitude of discontent on God’s part. You see, God’s response to this situation can be translated to include the following definitions: to loathe, to spew out, and to be disgusted with. ₍₁₎ Therefore, Israel’s historical example presents us with a valuable lesson and a precedent to avoid.

This is an admonition that we would do well to observe for, “The grand and terrible lesson of Israel’s history is that it is possible to begin well and end poorly. In fact, this tragic human tendency dominates much human spiritual experience.” ₍₂₎

(1) G4360 prosochthizo https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4360/kjv/tr/0-1/

(2) Hughes, R. Kent. Hebrews: An Anchor for the Soul. 2 vols. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1993. [1:98] quoted in Constable, Thomas. DD., Notes on Hebrews 2021 Edition, [3:7-11] https://www.planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/html/nt/hebrews/hebrews.htm

“So, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did'” (Hebrews 3:7-9 NIV).

One important application from this passage involves the need to avoid the kind of “faith” displayed by the majority of Israelites during their exodus from the nation of Egypt. While those men and women were undoubtedly happy to escape their Egyptian servitude and enjoy the benefits of a relationship with God, they were unwilling to trust Him when circumstances failed to meet their preferences. Even in those instances when God clearly provided for their needs, the people of ancient Israel refused to place their trust in Him.

In contrast, a genuine, God-honoring faith is identified by a “belief in or confident attitude toward God, involving commitment to His will for one’s life.” ₍₁₎ Unfortunately, the people referenced here in Hebrews 3:7-9 failed to demonstrate the confident expectation that God would fulfill His promises despite the repeated evidences He offered. These verses also tell us that their response involved something far more egregious than just a simple lack of trust…

“The Greek words translated ‘tempted’ and ‘proved,’ are peirazomai and dokimazo respectively. They are an interesting contrast. Peirazomai means ‘to put to the test to see what good or evil may be in a person.’ Dokimazo means ‘to put to the test for the purpose of approving the person if he meets the test.”‘

The Greek here is ‘put Me to the test to see what evil or good there is in Me when they put Me to the test for the purpose of approving Me should I meet the test.’ What crass unbelief is shown in such a procedure. What an insult it flings into the face of an all-loving, all-powerful God. The first-century readers of this letter are warned not to take that attitude toward God.” ₍₂₎

Sadly, it seems that the people of ancient Israel continued to challenge (CEB), test (ESV), tempt (KJV), and try God’s patience (AMPC), throughout their forty- year journey through the wilderness. So despite God’s gracious provision in protecting them from plagues, enabling them to cross the Red Sea, and supplying them with food each day, the people of that era were disinclined to trust Him. The author of Hebrews urges us not to replicate that same mistake.

(1) “Faith” Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers

(2) Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament (Hebrews 3:9) Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works” (Hebrews 3:7-9 HCSB).

Even after God delivered the people of Old Testament Israel from their Egyptian taskmasters, provided for their physical and material needs throughout their wilderness journey, and promised to establish them within a land that was “…flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8), here is how the people of that era chose to respond…

“…But our ancestors acted arrogantly. They were stubborn and wouldn’t obey your commandments. They refused to obey, and didn’t remember the wonders that you accomplished in their midst. They acted arrogantly and decided to return to their slavery in Egypt….” (Nehemiah 9:16-17 CEB).

So, according to Hebrews 3:7-9, it is important to avoid hardening oneself in a similar manner each day. This brings us to the idea of “hardening our hearts” as found in the passage quoted above.

This word “heart” is represented by the word kardia in the original language of this passage. It also forms the basis for our modern-day word “cardiac.” Kardia refers to our innermost being in a physical, spiritual, or emotional sense. Much like the compacted soil of a pathway or an impenetrable piece of sunbaked clay, a spiritually indifferent person may reach a point where he or she becomes hardened to the things of God.

One source illustrates this danger with the following observation: “People’s hearts are hardened by continuing in sin, procrastination, and by the gradual atrophy of spiritual perception brought on by the practice of disobedience. People may go a little at a time, further and further into sin, until finally they become hardened and confirmed in their rebellion against God.” ₍₁₎

That mindset will inevitably lead to the same kind of fate experienced by the ancient Israelites. As the Old Testament book of Proverbs reminds us, “Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity” (Proverbs 28:14 ESV). If we fail to give heed to that counsel, “God furnishes no guarantee that He will disabuse sinners of error if they really prefer error to the truth.” ₍₂₎

Fortunately, the following chapter of Hebrews will remind us that nothing can insulate the human heart from the penetrating effect of God’s Word (Hebrews 4:12). Therefore, we should be diligent to anchor our relationship with Christ through prayer, reading the Scriptures daily, and worshiping regularly with the people of God (see Acts 2:42).

(1) Coffman, James Burton. “Commentary on Hebrews 3”. “Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bcc/hebrews-3.html. Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.

(2) Archer, G. L. (1982). New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties (p. 410). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, ‘Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks! “‘Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness. There your fathers tested me and tried me, and they saw my works for forty years'” (Hebrews 3:7-9 NET).

God’s response to the historical account referenced here in Hebrews chapter three was swift and devastating…

…Then the Lord said ‘…not one of these people will ever enter that land. They have all seen my glorious presence and the miraculous signs I performed both in Egypt and in the wilderness, but again and again they have tested me by refusing to listen to my voice. They will never even see the land I swore to give their ancestors. None of those who have treated me with contempt will ever see it… The only exceptions will be Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.'” ₍₁₎

Unfortunately, this was not the only time when the people of ancient Israel exhibited this type of attitude. For example, the Scriptures tell us that God miraculously provided water for the Israelites on two separate occasions following their departure from Egypt. The first instance occurred while the nation was camped in an area known as Rephidim. It was during that time that the people of Israel quarreled and complained against Moses regarding the lack of water for their families and livestock.

In response, God directed Moses to go to an area known as Horeb and strike the rock that was located there. Moses did as he was instructed and God provided water for the people to drink as a result (see Exodus 17:1-7).

The second occurrence took place later in a place called Kadesh when the people of Israel voiced a similar complaint regarding the lack of water. In that instance, God instructed Moses to respond in the following manner: “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals” (Numbers 20:8).

Unfortunately, Moses chose to strike the rock twice instead of speaking to it as he had been told. While God graciously provided water for the people anyway, Moses was subsequently disqualified from entering the Promised Land as a result of his disregard for God’s direction (see Numbers 20:1-13).

We’ll consider some modern-day applications based on these ancient examples next.

(1) Numbers 20, 22-23, 30 (NLT)

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years'” (Hebrews 3:7-9 ESV).

The Old Testament book of Numbers provides us with the historical background related to the warning given to us in the passage quoted above…

“But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. ‘Let’s go at once to take the land,’ he said. ‘We can certainly conquer it!’ But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. ‘We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!’

So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: ‘The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too’

Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. ‘If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!’ they complained. ‘Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?’ Then they plotted among themselves, ‘Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!’

…Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing. They said to all the people of Israel, ‘The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey.

Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!’ But the whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the Tabernacle.” ₍₁₎

We’ll look at God’s response to the people’s reaction to this report next.

(1) Numbers 13:30-33, 14:1-4, 6-10 (NLT)

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years” (Hebrews 3:7-9).

The latter portion of Hebrews chapter three serves to remind us that the choices we make today often lead to the consequences we’ll face tomorrow. The verses quoted above reinforce that point with a reference to an unfortunate event in Israel’s history. That illustration begins with a quote from Psalm 95: “Today, if you will hear His voice... ”

The word “today” appears three times in Hebrews 3:7-15 and helps communicate a sense of urgency. The idea is that those who fail to prioritize this message now are people who make corresponding value choices that will surely lead to negative consequences. In some cases, those consequences might be immediate. In other instances, those consequences may take years or decades.

In the case of this illustration from Psalm 95, both were true- there were immediate and long-term consequences that our author warns us to avoid. You see, Psalm 95 references a time when God was leading the people of ancient Israel to a place that He described as a land that was “…flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8). We can grasp the impact of this illustration with an abbreviated tour through the Old Testament record of this account…

“The LORD now said to Moses, ‘Send men to explore the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to Israel. Send one leader from each of the twelve ancestral tribes’

…Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land: ‘Go north through the Negev into the hill country. See what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. See what kind of land they live in. Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls, or are they unprotected like open camps? Is the soil fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Do your best to bring back samples of the crops you see’

After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned… This was their report to Moses: ‘We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified…” ₍₁₎

We’ll continue our look at this historical record next.

(1) Numbers 13:1-2, 17-20, 25, 27-28 (NLT)