Hebrews 3:7-19

Hebrews 3:7-19

In every national consciousness there seems to be a defining tragedy, an event that is universally understood by the people as a defining moment. For Jewish people, that moment came as they were about to enter the Promised Land. Twelve spies went out to explore the land, and when they returned, the majority opinion was that the conquest of the Promised Land was too hard, even for God. These events are recorded in Numbers 13-14 and sung about in Psalm 95. The problem was not the difficulty of the conquest but unbelief and hardness of heart on the part of the Israelites. Had it not been for the intervention of Moses, God would have destroyed the Israelites and started over. This event at Meribah and Massah (which means provocation and temptation) meant that two generations of Israel would never enter the rest God had planned. Instead they had to endure forty years of wandering a miserable desert just waiting to die. They lost Paradise because at a critical moment they refused to remain faithful.

The author of Hebrews uses this historic event to remind Jewish Christians of the danger of turning back. In Chapter 2:1-4 we saw the first occasion where the author directly addresses this key topic apart from the general narrative. He does so again here. The Jewish Christians have begun to follow Christ. The pressure they faced to revert back to Judaism was for them a critical crossroads. Hardship and difficult times lie ahead. Christ can lead them through, but in the moment they are tempted to turn back from facing these hardships. We must not lose sight of the real problem. The real problem was not the persecution and suffering that would be imposed on them from the outside. The real problem was on their inside, in their will and their hearts, as they moved toward unbelief and hardness of heart. Unbelief is not a simple “I do not understand” or “How is this possible?” as was the case for the Virgin Mary. Unbelief is a firm resolve and conviction against God. A determination that God can't or God simply isn't. Unbelief says, This is impossible; leave me alone. " Doubt is different; it says, “How is this possible? Show me.” As disciples, we will come to hardship and suffering. We will have moments of doubt, so we ask “Show me how to endure.” The temptation is to turn back because that appears to be the easy way out. But if we refuse to believe that God can bring us to his rest, if for whatever reason we turn back, we will miss the rest God intends for His people, His intended purpose for our lives. Everyone who is disobedient to the call to follow Him will miss His rest. 

“God, grant me the strength to endure and to trust. AMEN".