August 22
“Indeed the Gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the Word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it,” Hebrews 4:2.
Hearing something is one thing. Believing it is quite another. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews continues to write about the children of Israel. He says that the Gospel was preached to the readers of this Epistle as well as to the children of Israel.
The children of Israel were privileged to hear the Gospel promise that God had given to Abraham: “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,” Genesis 22:18. A descendant of Abraham would be the promised Messiah and Savior of the world. God told him later, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” Genesis 21:12. The promise of God to send the Savior was repeated to Isaac: “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,” Genesis 26:4. Likewise, God’s promise was repeated to Jacob: “In your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed,” Genesis 28:14. A descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would be the promised Savior.
The Jews made much of the promise of God to Abraham. In the Gospel of John, we read at length about their claim to Jesus, “We are Abraham’s descendants . . . Abraham is our father,” John 8:33, 39. Jesus’ response to their claim was, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this,” John 8:39-40. Later, Jesus told them, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it,” John 8:44. This did not sit well with the Jews, and they took up stones to throw at Jesus, but He hid himself and went out of the temple. The Jews were children of Abraham according to the flesh, but not according to the faith.
The children of Israel in Old Testament times and also at the time of Jesus had one basic problem, expressed in the words, “The Word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.” They heard the Word of God, they heard His promises to send a Savior, but they did not believe what they heard. Hearing the Word did not do them any spiritual good, because of unbelief!
Today, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God’s Son and our only Savior, is preached and taught in Christian churches throughout the world. Some church members attend worship services periodically, some frequently, and some regularly. Some have faith in what they hear. They believe that Jesus Christ is God’s Son and the Savior who suffered and died to redeem all people.
However, history repeats itself. Today, there are many church members who, like the Israelites in the past, hear the Gospel but who do not believe in Jesus as their Savior. The Word preached does no good for those who hear but do not believe. As stated at the beginning, hearing something is one thing. Believing it is quite another.
“Lord, open Thou my heart to hear,
And through Thy Word to me draw near;
Let me Thy Word e’er pure retain,
Let me Thy child and heir remain.
Thy Word doth deeply move the heart,
Thy Word doth perfect health impart,
Thy Word my soul with joy doth bless,
Thy Word brings peace and happiness.” Amen.