The second part of Hebrews 3 turns from warning against honoring Moses above Jesus, and turns to a warning about a hardened heart. We are reminded that the people of Israel saw miracle after miracle for forty years, and yet they still rebelled and did not love God. They saw God send plagues. They saw the Red Sea part and walked across on dry land. They saw Pharaoh’s army swallowed by that same sea. There was manna every morning for them, except on Sabbath. For forty years, the manna came precisely six days a week and not on the seventh. There was also a literal pillar of fire at night and of cloud by day that told them when to move. I mean. Wow. Those were mighty big signs that God was with them.
Before we are too hard on them, though, it’s possible for us to read about all those miracles, see some of our own, marvel at the fact that Jesus died for us, and yet never really come to Him our own selves. We can hang around a Christian crowd without fully committing to the God of Christians. We can hear the words and watch others worship and yet never fully engage. God does not want us to be part of a crowd at church, anymore than He wanted the Israelites to just follow along with the crowd either. God wants our hearts. Always has. Always will. He wants our love. He loves us sooooo much. Of course He wants that love returned.
Let’s not think being in church and “liking God” is enough. James tells us that even the demons believe there’s a God (James 2:19). We need to not just know it intellectually, but soften our hearts to the point we receive Him as Lord and Savior. We are to be totally His. Our writer doesn’t want anyone to miss out because they didn’t make a personal commitment themselves. I’m not talking about an emotional “feeling” at all. Some of us are not emotional by nature. But there needs to be a clear choice made in each one’s life to follow Him and to acknowledge Jesus as Lord. Let’s not neglect that and harden our hearts. It did not go well for the Israelites who did that. Just being with those who loved God wasn’t enough. God held them responsible for their own choices to either love Him and choose to be His or to harden their hearts and walk away.
My verse: Hebrews 3:12, “Be careful, then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.”
My response: Father, help me to guard my heart! Help me to keep my eyes on Jesus, never turning away and pinning my hopes on lesser things that will ultimately fail me.
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Hebrews 3:7-8 “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,…”
Lord, may my heart always be softened and open. When I was in rebellion and in the wilderness we call the world, my heart was hardened. As you unveil yourself to me and I desire to get to know you better and long to commune with you my heart is softened and I am refined. No longer an I lost in the wilderness. Thank you Lord for calling me back to you. My brothers, sisters, and I lift up each other to you and pray together and encourage each other. Thank you for all of our blessings, including your Word.
Oh, how I love the fellowship of believers. Praying for each other and encouraging each other helps SO much! Thanking God for the way He rescues us from the wilderness. It reminds me of the parable of the lost sheep, where He leaves the 99 because the 1 is that important to Him. All of us are. Amazing!
v. 12 “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.”
Father God, I pray the Holy Spirit will help me to strengthen my belief on a daily basis. Help me to turn away from doubt when it comes and turn to your words for my belief and strength and hope.