Once God brought Israel out of Egypt, some of them began to doubt. They tested and tempted God for 40 years to see if He was really with them (Exodus 17:7). God was doing miracles and working among them, but they had hardened their hearts in unbelief (Hebrews 3:12). Because of this, God swore in His wrath that they would not enter into His rest (Psalm 95:11). And so, the unbelieving in Israel did not enter the promise land, but died in the wilderness (Hebrews 3:17-19).
In Psalm 95, David applied this same story and gave the command not to harden our hearts like the Israelites who could not enter God's rest. He said, "Today if you will hear His voice..." (Psalm 95:7). So if God had given Israel rest in the promise land, why would David talk about another day (Hebrews 4:7-9); except that there is another day when we will enter God's rest - a rest that the promise land only pointed to. Just like Abraham looked for a city beyond the land of Canaan whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:12), David looked past the rest found in the promise land to an eternal rest.
So we, as Christians, if we do not harden our hearts in unbelief, will experience the rest Christ offers us in the Christian life (Matthew 11:28-30), as well as the rest we will one day receive in heaven (Hebrews 4:7-10).
Let's exhort one another not to harden our hearts through the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13). Sin has a way of corrupting our hearts. It is so subtle and deceptive. Before long, small compromises can lead to blindness. I see this in myself, when I start to listen to the world, I begin to doubt whether God is really here with me. It is easy to harden our hearts. It is a dark, slippery slope.
How do we guard our hearts and keep from following Israel's example? Stay in the word of God.
We do not have the ability to understand the depths of our heart and catch the sin that springs up in it (Jeremiah 17:9). But if we stay in the Bible and exhort one another in it, it has the power to divide and discern the thoughts and intents of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12-13).
We, just as the Israelites, have had the gospel preached to us, but it didn't profit the Israelites because they did not believe it in faith. If we will take the gospel, hear God's voice (Hebrews 3:7), and follow His ways (Hebrews 3:10), then we will enter His rest (Hebrews 4:3). We must follow Christ. Take His yoke you and He will give you rest (Mathew 11:28).
Just as God worked six days and on the seventh day He rested from all His work, so we must work to enter into this rest (Hebrews 4:11). Endure to the end (Hebrews 3:14)!
This all sound good, but how? How can we endure? How can we have faith enough to obey God? How can we stay in God's word and keep our hearts soft to the things of God?
I know myself enough to know, that I cannot endure to the end. I won't enter God's rest. I am no better than the Israelites. God has shown me the greatest miracle in the gospel, but I know that I am so easily blinded. Is there hope for any of us?
Yes. After all these things, the author of Hebrews reminds us of our great high Priest - Jesus. Christ knows our weakness. He was tempted as we were, but without sin. Because Jesus made the way for us to be reconciled to God, we can come near to the throne of grace and find mercy and grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16). Israel had the temple to meet with God and came in the fear of being killed, but we can come boldly because of Christ's blood. Let's not neglect to come near to God in prayer. We are not called to endure on our own. It is only by the grace and mercy of God, that we can ever enter into His rest.
Come. Enter into God's rest.
Sincerely,
Brooke
Passages Referenced: Exodus 16-17, Psalm 95, Hebrews 3-4
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