I grew up in the 60’s when rebellion against authority was turned into an art form. Rebellion says: I don’t like someone taking authority over me. I don’t want you telling me what’s wrong with me, and I certainly don’t want you telling me what to do because what I think is the most important thing there is.
Rebellion is a faith killer. There are great parallels between where we are in Exodus and where we are in Hebrews. Moses had lots of rebellion to deal with on both sides. Pharaoh was rebellious and it turned his heart into stone. But then later on the people would rebel and it’s just as bad.
Moses has been accorded high honor among many peoples throughout the millennia. To many Jews, giving their faith and allegiance to Jesus could be seen as a slap in the face to Moses. But just as angels are servants of God, so too was Moses - and to give him undue honor or even worship would be the same as worshiping angels - it won’t do you any good. The author explains that Moses had a job to do - point the way to Jesus - and he was faithful in that job. Our job is to follow his lead and not get our gaze stuck on the servant.
In a way - the rescue of the Israelites from Egypt is like Jesus dying for the sins of the world. But like the Children of Israel, we enter the wilderness where we must make a choice. If we long for the Promised Land and believe God can get us there, we put our faith in Him. But if we, like that first generation, reject God and long to go back to the world - we will not enter into the Promised Land of Heaven.
The point in Chapter 3 is that as following Moses out of Egypt didn’t guarantee a spot in the Promised Land - going to church doesn’t guarantee you a spot in heaven - you’ve got to have faith, which means diligent focus on Jesus Christ as Lord. The difference is whether you believe what God said - that Jesus is enough - or whether you don’t believe and rebel.
Verses 1 - 2
Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,
(1) Even as all of Israel was called to enter the Promised Land, we are called to enter heaven - but we’ve got to answer that call - and our way in is Jesus Christ.
"Consider" means to "give thoughtful and diligent reflection." This is important stuff to pay attention to. The NIV renders is: "Fix your thoughts."
Jesus is both apostle ("sent one") who was sent with a message of salvation to the earth, and "high priest" in that He went back into the presence of God (like the high priest), opening up the way for us to follow.
2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house.
(2) The author is going to compare Jesus and Moses in several important ways. The first is faithfulness. Moses, though a reluctant hero, believed God when He spoke to him out of the bush, and as a result of that faith, followed God’s instructions exactly in leading the children of Israel out of Egypt. In the same way Jesus was faithful to lead His children out of the bondage of sin. Laying that groundwork, now he shows us how much more important Jesus is, without denigrating Moses. And it’s all about faith.
Verses 3 - 6
3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses - as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4(For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.)
(3 - 4) We don’t walk into a house and say "my, what a beautiful place you’ve constructed, house." The house doesn’t build itself - but it has an architect and builder. A side light here - we do say this very thing, though, when we claim that the universe basically created itself and morphed into all of its complexity by itself through mutations and accidents over time. It’s like saying given enough time a mansion will appear out of nothing but dirt without any intervention from a designer. God did build all things. No wonder Jesus came as a carpenter.
5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later,
(5) Moses had a role - that of a servant in the house that God built. And Moses’ job was to speak of Jesus - though not by name, of course. Moses brought the Law which was designed to bring us to our knees before the Messiah - to show our rebellious hearts for what they are.
In Deuteronomy 18:18-19 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. ESV This is Jesus Christ.
6 but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.
(6) Jesus is "faithful" or "in charge" of God’s house - or His people, both Israel and us gentiles. The last part of verse six states that we ARE His house - if we focus on the access to God and certainty of where He is taking us, instead of going back to the old ways of Judaism. There is a sense of movement - Moses moving towards Christ as the better way - going back is not going to the better thing. This is important because it gets to the author’s point - that faith in Jesus - which means acting on what God has said - is the key to entering heaven.
How are we God’s house? 1 Corinthians 3:8-9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. ESV
Now the author uses an analogy from what the Israelites did after they left Egypt - wanting to do just that, go backwards.
Verses 7 - 11
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,
"Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works 10 for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ’They always go astray in their heart they have not known my ways.’ 11 As I swore in my wrath, ’They shall not enter my rest.’"
The quotation is from Psalms 95. That Psalm was used for opening worship on Friday evenings or Saturday mornings for the Jews. It starts out: "Come let us sing for joy to the Lord." It’s a great Psalm. It ends with this that we see in Hebrews - a warning that you can’t worship God if you are rebelling against Him.
The Psalm gives a little more detail - we are talking about two incidents during the time that the Children of Israel traveled in the wilderness after leaving Egypt: Meribah and Massah.
Specifically these two places were named by Moses in Exodus 17. At that time the Israelites had just been given Manna to eat, but as soon as they came to a place called Rephidim they complained that they were thirsty. Do you ever notice how short sighted we get sometimes? God just provided miraculous food and they complained that they didn’t have water. God pays a bill and we complain because we didn’t get a raise. Hmm.
But the reference goes far beyond just that one episode - but to the whole attitude of the Israelites - the hardness of heart. It culminated in Numbers 13 when God told them to send spies into the Promised Land. All the spies but Joshua and Caleb brought back a report that said "run for your lives!"
The people decided then and there it was better for them back in Egypt and so they started to elect someone to take them back. You see how the point is evolving that going back to Judaism is just as foolish as the Israelites going back to Egypt? God was very upset and vowed then and there that none of them would enter the Promised Land. All the bad spies died of a plague and the rest of that generation, except Joshua and Caleb, wandered about the desert until each and every one died.
Just as all Israel was exposed to the presence of God and the Law - so too the whole world is exposed to the gospel. In the end it is those "who have not known my ways" (verse 10 here) that are rejected. Jesus said "Depart from me … I never knew you" (Matthew 7:23).
That section of Matthew is instructive - the people really thought they belonged to Christ.
Matthew 7:15-23
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
21 "Not everyone who says to me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ’I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
ESV
By the way, the will of the Father is to believe in the Son (John 6:40)
Now listen to the next paragraph:
Verses 12 - 19
12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 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. 14 For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said,
"Today, if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."
16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. ESV
It is not enough to look, sound, and act like a Christian. And you will not find salvation by going back to the ways of Judaism or the ways of the world.
Notice the words used here: "evil" "unbelieving heart" "Deceitfulness of sin" "rebelled" "sinned" "disobedient" "unbelief."
The Israelites did not believe what God had said. They rejected the Word of God. They were not really "saved" at all because their hearts were evil. An evil heart cannot find God’s rest in salvation. Only an evil heart that has been reborn into a new creature can - and the only way to do that is by believing what God said about Jesus Christ.
The author says we need to "hold our original confidence firm to the end" (verse 14). What is our original confidence? That Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins and is the only thing we need to get into heaven. By going back to Judaism it as if these people were saying "you gave us food, but what about water?" and "you said go up into the land but you didn’t tell us there were giants there."
It sounds as if he is saying that we need to hold on to something as if it is being torn away - but I don’t think so. I think that a true believer will hold on - why wouldn’t he? But even those of us who are saved have doubts - that is not the same as rejecting the Lord and deciding we never really wanted it in the first place. This is not the prodigal son - who doubts, leaves, goofs up, and returns - this is the rebellious servant who, like in Matthew 25:25, rejected the talent - buried it and wanted nothing to do with the family business - and so was rejected by the master. "Many are called but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:14).
Conclusions
How do you know if you are rebellious?
Should you fear for your salvation if you have a bad day? No. We’ll get into this as we move through the book, but Jesus said: "No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand" (John 10:29). If you have given your life to Jesus and believe that He is the "way the truth and the life" then you can rest in that salvation.
The bigger question is: are you a make-believer? The Israelites played the "worshipful follower" part pretty well - until hard times came. Then their true colors - the true nature of their hearts came out - and it was unbelief, not trust, which described them.
Listen to Jesus in this part of the parable of the Sower:
Mark 4:16-17 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. NIV
I contend that there is a person who appears to become a Christian - but in truth really isn’t at all - you can’t fool God. So I would invite you to search your heart. In fact, if you sincerely question your salvation, you are more likely saved than not - a rebellious person just assumes.
How about you? Are you stuck in the wilderness? You’ve heard that Jesus died for your sins but you can’t decide to believe Him and enter into a relationship where you give up your rights and your life and put your faith and trust in Him. Don’t be like the Israelites - but be like Joshua and Caleb who said:
"Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it!" Numbers 13:30.
Go up at once and give your heart to Jesus Christ - He will overcome your sin and give you new life - eternal life. And eternal rest - we’ll get to that next week.
The results of a hardened heart
What about us Christians? Do we not like authority over us - don’t like it when God tells us things we are deficient in - and refuse to obey Him and His direction in favor of what we really want to do? Rebellion is a faith killer.
As a Christian you can harden your heart against God. Don’t do it. The results are that you miss the blessings He wants to give you, the lessons He wants to teach you, the faith He is trying to build in your life.
Instead you become stunted, bleary-eyed, weak, useless, and prone to sin.
Faith is a rebellion killer
Let God be your Lord. Let Him have access to you - to speak into your life. Trust Him when He tells you to do something in Him though the circumstances don’t look good and it’s not something you really wanted to do - you want to just be comfortable.
A soft heart is open to the Lord: His rebuke, His correction, His teaching - His bringing you through hard times to help you grow and stretch.
We don’t serve a cruel master who holds a whip over us - we serve a gentle God who wants to work righteousness, peace, love, and joy in us AS WE TRUST IN HIM!
For more Bible studies, including an audio version of this study, visit: www.CalvaryChapelNewberg.org
