DON'T REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKE!

Hebrews 3:7-19

Introduction:

Tonight, we have a baptismal and communion service planned. Last Saturday, during the class for those wanting to be baptized, I shared the following point of practical instruction, “Don’t Touch The Microphone!” Why did I issue this warning?

The following occurred in January, 2005. A pastor performing a baptism was electrocuted inside University Baptist Church. Pastor Kyle Lake was stepping into the baptismal when he reached out to adjust a nearby microphone, which produced an electric shock. Doctors in the congregation rushed to help Lake, who had collapsed. Lake was taken by ambulance to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Since I don’t want to see the same costly mistake made in our church, I pass on the warning, “Don’t Touch The Microphone!”

Mistakes can bring severe consequences. Those who have observed costly mistakes made in the past are careful to warn those they see approaching the same kind of situation, “Don’t repeat the same mistake!”

The writer of Psalm 95 issues a warning to His readers, concerned that they not make the same mistake as their forefathers.

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did. For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest’” (Psalm 95:7-11).

Psalm 95 begins with an invitation for readers to acknowledge that God is worthy of worship and praise. The psalmist then expresses concern that some might not respond appropriately to God and that they might repeat the rebellion of their forefathers in the wilderness. Their forefathers murmured and complained against Moses and ultimately against God. Instead of trusting God for His guidance and provision in response to the leadership of God’s representative, Moses, the people responded with unbelief and rebellion. As a result, they were judged. That judgment consisted of 40 years wandering in the wilderness and dying there without experiencing the privileges and rest God intended for them in the Promised Land. If the Old Testament readers of Psalm 95 didn’t heed the warning of the passage, they would suffer loss of privilege and blessing just as their forefathers did.

The warning issued to Old Testament believers in Psalm 95 is repeated to New Testament believers in Hebrews 3. The writer of Hebrews quotes from this passage to issue his second of five warnings that appear in the book. He appeals to his readers not to become discontented with their present suffering for Christ to the point that they would rebel and like their forefathers miss out on the blessings and privileges God intended for them as believers.

Read Hebrews 3:7-19

Before we look at this second warning passage in depth, we need to take a moment to review the context. Verse 7 begins with the word “So” which could also be translated “Therefore.” This word informs us that what the writer will say next flows from the context of what he has already written.

In the previous context, a comparison is made between Jesus and Moses. Why the comparison with Moses? As we noted last week, the Jewish religious system focuses on Moses and the revelation God gave him. The revelation through Moses is the basis of everything Jewish people cling to.

It is certainly appropriate that the original audience of Hebrews regarded Moses with respect. After all, he was a faithful servant of God. Just the same, they needed to understand that Jesus is better.

Both Moses and Jesus are related to God’s house–that is the visible representation of God’s people on earth. Both Moses and Jesus were faithful. But even so, Jesus deserves greater glory.

Whereas Moses was part of the house, Jesus is the Builder of the house. As such, He is the Creator and Head of the house. Moses was a faithful servant, but Jesus is a faithful Son. Moses was in the house, but Jesus is over the house. Moses testified concerning the future, but Jesus is the fulfillment of what Moses anticipated.

Moses was a great mediator. He spoke to God face-to-face. While Moses had close encounters with God, Jesus stands even closer to God, because He’s the Son! He’s God. Jesus is better than Moses.

Moses, as a faithful servant of God ministered in a time of rebellion amongst God’s people. The people spoke against Him as God’s representative. God responded to their murmuring and rebellion by bringing judgment. It’s a dangerous thing to oppose or to ignore God’s servant. If that’s true about God’s servant, Moses, it’s even more serious to ignore His Son! Since Jesus is greater than Moses, we had better pay attention to Him.

As has already been mentioned, the writer of Hebrews quotes from Psalm 95, warning his readers not to respond to Jesus the same way God’s people responded to Moses. He warns them, concerned that they not have to endure the same kind of severe consequences Israel faced because of their disobedience. Because of Israel’s rebellion, they missed out on God’s blessing–they were deprived of the enjoyment of the rest and abundant privileges in the Promised Land.

If the consequences for rebellion against Moses were this severe for Israel, how severe might the consequences be for the readers of Hebrews if they rebelled against Jesus?

The second warning (3:7-19)

Urgent appeal of the Holy Spirit: Don’t harden your heart to the voice of God (3:7-8a)

The writer of Hebrews understood that just as the Holy Spirit is responsible for what is written in Psalm 95, He is also the One responsible for what he penned in his letter. These are not the words of a man, but the words of the Holy Spirit. The warning about to be given is based on divine authority. The readers of this warning had better pay close attention!

The appeal is urgent. The writer begins with the word “Today.” The readers need to hear the present voice of God in the message that had been spoken long ago. There needs to be a sense of urgency in their hearing. Hear what God has for you today before it is too late!

The appeal is a prohibition- “Don’t harden your hearts.” Each time God speaks and we ignore or reject what He ways, we develop another layer of spiritual callousness. We subtly become more and more stubborn, obstinate, and disobedient to what He tells us to do. If we continue on this path, our hearts will eventually become stiff and unresponsive to the voice of God when He speaks. The wilderness generation hardened their hearts and it was possible that the readers of Hebrews might do the same. Therefore, the writer exhorts his audience not to let this happen.

The lesson from Israel’s past: The cost of willful disobedience is high (3:8b-11)

The warning of Psalm 95 that is quoted in Hebrews 3 is based on the story recorded in Exodus 17 and the judgment that occurred in Numbers 14. I believe that both the writer of Psalm 95 and the writer of Hebrews had a distinct purpose for drawing attention to these two occurrences.

I believe Exodus 17 is referenced because of the name Moses gave to the place where the events of this passage occurred. Exodus 17:1-7 records how when they had no water, God’s people quarreled with and grumbled against Moses and tested God. Despite their rebellious attitude, God graciously provided water in response to Moses’ prayer. Just the same, Moses named this place Massah and Meribah, Massah, meaning testing, and Meribah, meaning quarreling.

The testing and quarreling that occurs in Exodus 17 is demonstrative of how the people of Israel responded to God throughout their journey in the wilderness. They questioned His guidance–Why did you bring us here?-They questioned His presence–Is the LORD among us or not?–They questioned His provision–Is the LORD among us or not? Instead of trusting God, they tested and provoked God by their rebellion. Massah and Meribah capture the attitude and actions of God’s people in response to His presence, guidance, and provision.

Numbers 14 is referenced because of the severe, irreversible consequences that are promised against God’s people because of their rebellion at Kadesh-barnea. The writer of Hebrews anticipated the same kind of irreversible consequence for his readers if they rebelled, which is why I believe he reminded them of this event in history. As has already been mentioned several times, the book of Hebrews serves as a commentary on the book of Numbers. If the readers did not learn the lessons taught by God in the book of Numbers, they would have to endure the same kind of consequences their forefathers did for their sins.

In the Numbers 14 passage, we observe the refusal of God’s people to listen to His faithful spies, Joshua and Caleb. These men encouraged them to enter the promised land and expressed confidence that they would succeed with God’s help. Instead of following their suggestion, the people listened to the ten spies who gave a bad report, telling the people that the land would devour them because of the giants living there. The Israelites grumbled against Moses. They said, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?....We should chose a leader and go back to Egypt” (Numbers 14:2b-4).

Despite Moses’ pleading with God’s people to count on the LORD’s protection and not to rebel–despite all of the miraculous signs God performed on their behalf–despite seeing God’s glory manifested before their eyes–they refused to trust God, testing Him and provoking Him to anger by their rebellion. The result–God did to the people the very thing He heard them say. He heard them say, “If only we had died in this desert!” God promised that each of these rebellious people would fall dead in the desert and be prohibited from entering the promised land.

          The sin of God’s people:

                     They rebelled and tested God instead of trusting Him.

When they had no water, they questioned God’s leadership and provision (Exodus 17:1-7)

At Marah, they murmured that the water was bitter (Exodus 15:23-26)

In the wilderness of Sin, they griped that they had no bread (Exodus 16:1-4)

When they got tired of manna, they complained that they had no meat (Numbers 11:10-25)

After the bad report of the 10 spies, they rebelled by refusing to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 14:1-4)

They showed a tendency to stray from God and failed to understand His ways.

Dr. Robert Gromacki, a Bible professor at Cedarville University, writes the following about the Israelites, “They had heart and head problems...The first denotes an inner propensity toward rebellion, a desire to go astray as lost sheep. The second reveals an ignorance of the divine intent behind His commandments, guidance, and providential control.”

Israel’s failure to understand God’s ways reinforced their tendency to go astray. Consider God’s promise in Exodus 3:8– “So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey–the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.”

The first part of that promise had been fulfilled, demonstrating God’s faithfulness. God delivered Israel from Egypt. It is reasonable then for Israel to have expected that the later portion of what God told Moses would also happen just as God said. Sadly, God’s people did not understand God’s ways–His faithfulness to His promises, His faithful guidance, His faithful provision. Instead of understanding and following God’s ways, God’s people went astray, thinking they knew better the way they should go.

          The response of God

God was provoked to anger.

The LORD was incensed at the attitude of His people. When Israel refused to enter the promised land at Kadesh-barnea, the LORD gave this initial reaction,

“How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you (Moses) into a nation greater and stronger than they” (Numbers 14:11-12).

God’s initial response was balanced with His longsuffering, abounding love and forgiveness (Numbers 14:18) in response to Moses’ prayer. God didn’t immediately wipe out the people then and there. Just the same, He was still angry towards them for their deliberate disobedience to His revealed will. There had to be a consequence and that consequence would be severe. In His anger, God declared, “They shall never enter my rest.”

God’s people were prohibited from entering the Promised Land and died in the desert.

The writer is not saying that God’s people here lost their personal salvation, but rather that they lost the opportunity to move into the place of corporate national blessing. God’s description of the promised land–a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey-speaks of the abundance of the provision God intended for Israel to enjoy.

Because of their rebellion, those who tested and grumbled against God were deprived of the privilege of enjoying a life of rest in the land of rest. They missed out.

God’s people endured irreversible consequences for their rebellion.

After God pronounced His judgment, the Israelites tried to enter the promised land anyway. Moses warned them that their plan would not succeed because the LORD was not with them, but they went anyway. The Israelites were attacked and soundly defeated by the inhabitants of the land. It was too late for them. The consequence for their decision not to trust God was irreversible. They couldn’t turn back now. No matter what they said or did, they were destined to die in the desert just as God promised they would.

Transition:

The reason the writer of Hebrews focuses on this episode from the historical precedent set by Israel is that he sees the possibility that the recipients of Hebrews are in danger of repeating the sin of their forefathers in the wilderness. He fears that as a result, his generation would suffer the same kind of severe, irreversible consequences their ancestors suffered in the desert.

The original readers of Hebrews are believers undergoing severe persecution for their faith in Christ. The suffering, loss, and high risk for followers of Christ is causing some to consider throwing in the towel. The temptation in the midst of this persecution is to go back to Jerusalem, the hub of Judaism, and live like a practicing Jew in an attempt to avoid persecution. Instead of trusting God to guide them, provide for them, and protect them, they are considering going back to the practice of Judaism to get away from the pressure.

Whereas Israel’s forefathers said they would be better off in Egypt, the readers of Hebrews are being tempted into thinking that they would be better off in Jerusalem. The writer warns them not to respond in this way. Such a response would be a repeat of the mistake the Israelites made at Kadesh-barnea. Such a response would bring the same kind of irreversible consequences that Israel faced in the wilderness.

The generation of Jews responsible for crucifying Jesus was under impending judgment. That judgment was on the horizon and would take place in A.D. 70. In that year, the Roman General Titus totally destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the temple, completely wiping out all the inhabitants. Guess what happened to any believer who made the unfortunate decision of refusing to trust God and choose to live like a practicing Jew under Judaism in that city? That’s right, they were wiped out. Their decision to harden their heart and not trust God would lead to an irreversible consequence. They would die in Jerusalem. They would not get another chance. They would miss out on the blessings of God. They wouldn’t enjoy the rest God promises to faithful believers.

The appeal not to repeat Israel’s mistakes (3:12-19):

Many believe this warning is a warning about the possibility of losing one’s salvation because of the decision to turn away from God. That is not what the writer is communicating. For the writer to have indicated that it is possible to lose our salvation would be in conflict with numerous other clear passages of Scripture.

Still others believe that the writer’s primary target in this warning passage is professing believers who haven’t genuinely trusted in Christ. The difficulty with this position is that in the context of chapter 3, he calls his readers “holy brothers” “sharers in the heavenly calling” and “brothers.” It is clear from these descriptions that genuine believers are his primary target audience. That is not to say that there might have been a few who were false professors of faith in Christ.

I don’t believe the danger the writer addresses here is one of turning away from saving faith for eternal salvation. He refers to his readers as “ brothers”showing his conviction that they are for the most part genuine believers. The writer’s chief concern is how believers in Christ will respond in the midst of severe persecution for their faith in Jesus and decision to follow Him. Will they throw in the towel or will they remain faithful? To encourage their faithfulness, he gives a series of exhortations.

Take heed not to develop an unbelieving heart that would depart from the living God (3:12).

The reader is called to spiritual vigilance–take heed, beware, watch out. Concern is expressed for each individual in the group. The writer doesn’t want to see any one of them develop a sinful heart of unbelief–a heart that refuses to trust God. He is confident his audience has been saved by faith, but he is concerned that they might not choose to live by faith in response to the pressure of persecution and suffering. His ultimate concern is the result of an unbelieving, evil heart, which is a departure from the living God.

Roger Hahn, a writer for the website www.bible.org, had this to say about a sinful heart of unbelief and the resulting apostasy or turning away from God:

“An unbelieving heart is a heart that does not trust God. It is a heart that tries to manipulate God into accomplishing the human will instead of the divine will. It is a heart that gripes and is bitter because it does not see the ways of God in the painful circumstances of life. A heart that turns from the living God has no place to turn except to one’s own self. The apostasy of turning away is doubly tragic because there is nothing to turn to when one turns away from God.” 

What kind of a departure is the writer concerned about? I believe that his concern is that his readers not depart from God in their practice by outwardly living like Jews under Judaism to avoid persecution. If they refused to trust God for His guidance and provision, just as Israel had done in the wilderness, the result would be an apostasy of practice, which would lead to the loss of one’s fellowship with God and eventually to an irreversible forfeiture of earthly blessing.

The irreversible consequence of their turning from God would be realized when Titus would later wipe out Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

“Departure”=departure of practice=living like a Jew to avoid persecution=refusal to trust God for His leadership and provision.

Exhort one another in order to prohibit spiritual hardening (3:13).

Instead of turning from God, the writer wants his readers to trust God and lay hold of the help He provides for those who are going through difficult times. In pursuit of that goal, he places responsibility on each of them to offer daily encouragement and comfort to one another in the midst of their struggle. This was not a time for pursuing isolation. Times of struggle are times when believers need to be there for one another to offer encouragement so that they don’t throw in the towel.

The need for encouragement in this situation is urgent as it is like that of Israel before the people made an irreversible decision at Kadesh-barnea. The purpose of this exhortation was for these believers to help one another avoid being hardened by “the sins” deceitfulness–the writer uses the definite article with the word sin to refer to the specific sin of unbelief–the failure to trust God.

How does the sin of unbelief deceive? It deceives by exaggerating the benefits of disobedience and hiding its consequences. The readers were in danger of being deceived into thinking that they would be better off in Jerusalem living like a Jew under Judaism as opposed to living as a faithful follower of Christ in the midst of persecution. A return to the outward practice of Judaism would certainly not be better. To think that it would be is to believe a lie.

Hold fast to your confidence as the demonstration of your partnership with Christ (3:14)

Partakers of Christ will demonstrate the reality of their partnership with Him by holding fast to their confidence till the end. Holding steadfast confidence is the evidence of genuine faith. The writer of Hebrews indicates his personal confidence that his readers have the real thing and that they will respond to the warnings of Hebrews by persevering. In the context of the next warning passage in Hebrews that we will look at later, he writes, “Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case–things that accompany salvation” (Hebrews 6:9).

If partakers of Christ will hold fast to their confidence till the end, why then did the original audience of Hebrews need to be warned about what would happen to them if they didn’t trust God and turned away by living like a Jew? Would a genuine partaker of Christ act in this way? Yes, Peter did. He didn’t trust God for His guidance and provision when he denied Christ. Yet in Peter’s case, he had the opportunity for a second chance. He was able to change his mind and be restored to fellowship, ministry, and the experiencing of God’s blessing. Peter would later have the opportunity to demonstrate the reality of his partnership with Christ and would in the midst of persecution hold onto his confidence till the end.

For the believers who were suffering under tremendous persecution, the temptation would have been intense to go to Jerusalem and live like a Jew under Judaism to avoid the pressure, if only for a little while until things settled down. For those who gave into this temptation, there was a real danger. Those who went to Jerusalem to avoid persecution made a decision that physically identified them with the generation of people responsible for crucifying Christ. They were in imminent danger of experiencing the coming judgment of God under the Roman general Titus. Though these people might have been genuine believers and would have demonstrated that reality if given a second chance, there would be no second chances. Physical death for those living in Jerusalem was on the near horizon.

Don’t harden your hearts to God’s voice lest you too experience irreversible circumstances (3:16-19).

The writer repeats the prohibition against hardening one’s heart that he quoted earlier from Psalm 95. In verses 16-18, a series of five questions are asked of the readers. The second and forth question essentially answer the first and third and the final question contains its own answer.

The first question asks the identity of the rebels described in Psalm 95, “Who were they who heard and rebelled?” The answer, “Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?” The author’s point: Each of the people of Israel who rebelled in the desert was a witness of the miraculous deliverance of God of His people out of Egypt. They should have responded by trusting God who had brought them safe thus far to carry them to the blessing of the promised land. Instead, they rebelled and missed out on God’s blessing. Because of all they had witnessed, there was no excuse for their rebellion against Moses. How much more so would there be no excuse for those who knew about all the miracles of God in Christ’s life and still rebelled?

The third, forth, and fifth question are intended to communicate the severity of the consequences for rebellion and unbelief:

“And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, who fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed?”

Israel’s failure to enjoy the blessing of entering God’s rest was due to their unbelief. They were always worried about how they were going to be able to survive the next problem that came up. Instead of trusting God and going His way, they looked to themselves and went their own direction. The issue for Israel, for the original audience of Hebrews, and for us is this–TRUST. Will we trust God who has brought us safe thus far to guide us and provide for us through the next test of our faith? Or will we scheme and connive and do whatever we can to solve our own problem? Will we try to relieve the pressures upon us in our own strength and with our own wisdom? Or Will we trust God to carry us through the hard times?

DANGER! WARNING!: If we repeat Israel’s failure by stubbornly refusing to trust God for His guidance and provision, we too will experience severe consequences.

What are the implications of this passage for our lives?:

Trust God’s leadership and provision for life in the hard times, don’t throw in the towel.

When times are hard and throwing in the towel looks appealing, remember the consequences.

While we might not be presently experiencing severe persecution like the original audience of Hebrews went through, there is still application from this passage for us today. There are times when we feel vulnerable because of the risks and pressures we anticipate are ahead of us in doing what God asks of us. In those moments, we need to trust God for His guidance and provision and do what He says. We need to avoid throwing in the towel because of anticipated difficulties and hardships.

As a church, the next steps God has for us might prove difficult and challenging. Renovating our building to provide an updated sanctuary and hiring new staff will stretch us. Will we trust God and go forward with what He leads us to do, or will we turn back to that which is more comfortable? We might not see how God will provide all we need to take the next step, but if we are confident God is saying, “Go forward,” we can trust His guidance and provision. Trusting God and going forward can be a little frightening, but the alternative is terrifying.

Young person, maybe you are someone who feels the call of God on your life to go into full time Christian ministry. As you have expressed your God-given desire to some of your friends and family in the past, maybe some have said, “Christian ministry, your kidding. There is no security in that. You need to find a more lucrative job that allows you to be comfortable financially.” Will you trust God for His guidance and provision and move forward with His plan or will you shrink back to what is more comfortable? Shrinking back might look more appealing, but when you get there, your opinion will change. The wilderness is not fun!

Maybe you are middle aged or older. Recently, God has impressed upon your life that you need to give more of your efforts and energies to eternal pursuits. Doing what God wants will involve some major changes which promise to bring some difficult challenges. You might have to change your job, go to school, change where you live? It feels very risky to do what God is asking you to do, but you feel confident He is leading you. Will you trust Him for His guidance and provision or will you hold back to avoid the pressure?

When at a crossroads in life,

          when the risks of trusting God seem too great,

                     when your commitment to God feels too different,

                                don’t turn back to go your own way, trust God and go His!