Intro: The author of Hebrews reminds us Scripture is the truth and the Holy Spirit speaks to us. Therefore, we are to listen and learn from the Word of God. If we are unwilling to listen, we will make the very mistakes from which God is trying to rescue us.
For the Jews, Moses was the greatest prophet, so they honored his authority in Scripture. The author reminds his readers Jesus has supreme authority and is greater than Moses, because he is more than just human…he is God himself. Besides it was the work of Moses to prepare the way for the Lord. The Old Testament helps us understand how: 1) God works through human beings; 2) God uses events and people to reveal truth, 3) God announces the Messiah is coming from heaven, and 4) God lays out the sacrificial system so we can understand the sacrifice of Jesus who brings us into spiritual rest.
Hebrews 3:7-14 (TPT)
7 This is why the Holy Spirit says,
“If only you would listen to his voice this day!
8
Don’t make him angry by hardening your hearts,
like your ancestors did during the days of their rebellion,
when they were tested in the wilderness.
9
There your fathers tested me and tried my patience
even though they saw my miracles for forty years
they still doubted me!
10
This ignited my anger with that generation
and I said about them, ‘They wander in their hearts
just like they do with their feet,
and they refuse to learn my ways.’
11
My heart grieved over them so I decreed:
‘They will not enter into my rest!’ ”
12 So search your hearts every day, my brothers and sisters, and make sure that none of you has evil or unbelief hiding within you. For it will lead you astray [rebel], and make you unresponsive to the living God. 13 This is the time to encourage [warn] each other to never be stubborn or hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 For we are mingled with the Messiah, [connected partners] if we will continue unshaken in this confident assurance from the beginning until the end.
We are to live as Christ; to courageously live out our faith according to the Word of God. If we set ourselves against God—harden our hearts—we may get our way, but we open ourselves up to the work of Satan. We must stay in close fellowship with Christ and other believers to hold onto the Truth. Do not isolate yourself, my friend; you need the encouragement of the Body of Christ to fight deception and sin.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for keeping my heart soft; I don’t want my heart to wander from you. Please continue to teach me your ways. In Jesus’ name. Amen.