November 7-Don’t Harden Your Heart

Happy Wednesday! Did you ever have to be told something more than once? Maybe a few times? Or even a bunch of times? I know there were all sorts of things I had to tell my children over and over and over again ad nauseum but even worse is the fact I have to be told the same things over and over. In some areas I’m not a good listener. 


It seems the author of wants to ensure that the Jewish believers hear and understand the dangers of hardening their hearts: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart.” It occurs in verses 7-8 and verse 15. In fact it comes up later in 4:7. Is a big concern of his which makes us think this was a significant issue among them. 


He relates this warning against unbelief to their ancestors, the Children of Israel during their exodus under Moses. The children of God had sinned and they did not keep the faith while God led them to the Promised Land. These believing Hebrews are now warned not to lose faith, ñor to harden their hearts. If Jesus, the one greater than Moses has been revealed, how much more of our faith and attention does He deserve? 


““That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness. There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years. So I was angry with them, and I said, ‘Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’...You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.””

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭3:7-10, 13-15‬ ‭NLT‬‬


This message here echos what we read in chapter two where we were warned to pay careful attention and not slip away. This is one example where we can appreciate presence of the Hebrew nature of parallelism, a feature of Hebrew poetry. The passage we read in chapter two of Jesus being greater than Moses echoed the message of the Son being greater than the Law. Here, in chapter three the passage warning Christians Jews not to fall like the Israelites under Moses echoes the warning, 'How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?' 


Its obvious the author believed that this warning was serious, and thus it needed to be repeated. Much like when I tried to teach my children to stay out of the street, the message is given more than once. And much like us, these Jews were having difficulty with it. 


I love that in verse 14, we are given a glimpse of our reward—sharing everything that belongs to Jesus—as long as we hold fast to our faith to the end. Hold on, joy comes in the morning...amen? 


Heavenly Father, thank you for your promise of sharing in Christ. We pray that you would help us to hold fast to the end and to help us fight against those things that can lead us to hardening our hearts and being deceived by sin. We want to follow you and trust wholly in your Word. Teach us Lord your ways and lead us to be more like Jesus in every area of our lives, not just a select few. What a wonderful God you are! We praise you and worship you because you are worthy! You are all we need. Amen and amen. 


Love you dear one,

Pam


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