August 21
“While it is said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’ For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief,” Hebrews 3:15-19.
The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews continues by repeating the quotation from Psalm 95:7-8: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” Repetition is a way of telling us that something is of great importance, and we need to hear and heed it repeatedly. God says, “Today!” That means, “Now!” Today – that is, now – is the time of God’s grace! Today, God is calling us and inviting us to confess our sins and to believe and trust in His grace offered through Jesus Christ our Savior.
In his Second Epistle to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul emphasizes the same urgency that is emphasized by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Paul writes, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation,” 2 Corinthians 6:2. Now is the time to change our ways and to turn to God for His grace and mercy. Now is the day of salvation. Now, today, God offers you and me the forgiveness of sins gained for all people by the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus on Calvary’s cross.
Now is the time for us to remember how the children of Israel rebelled and complained against God and Moses and to remember that God was not pleased and punished them for rejecting Him. Actually, the people thought that they could ignore what God said and get away with it. Of course, they were deceiving themselves. Scripture speaks clearly: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life,” Galatians 6:7-8.
Ultimately, what was the real problem in the lives of the Israelites? It is summarized in the closing statement of the Hebrew text quoted above: “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” Their unbelief in the promises of God and their refusal to trust that God would fulfill His promises kept them out of the promised land of Canaan.
From the history of the Israelites, we learn this lesson: What keeps people from entering the heavenly Canaan? It is unbelief! It is briefly stated by the evangelist Mark: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned,” Mark 16:16. Jesus said to doubting Thomas, “Do not be unbelieving, but believing,” John 20:27. What are you invited to believe? Referring to the things written in his Gospel that tell us what Jesus did and accomplished, John wrote, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name,” John 20:31. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior who fulfilled the Law in our place, took our sins upon Himself, and suffered and died to wash away our sins. Jesus paid the price for our redemption, and God has declared us forgiven for Jesus’ sake. Believe it with all your heart, and you will enter into the place of eternal rest.
“Jesus, lead Thou on,
Till our rest is won;
And although the way be cheerless,
We will follow calm and fearless.
Guide us by Thy hand
To our fatherland.
Jesus, lead Thou on,
Till our rest is won;
Heav’nly Leader, still direct us,
Still support, control, protect us,
Till we safely stand
In our fatherland.” Amen.